The Foreign Service Journal, February 2012

8 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 peace talks, were right on target. Finally, Kevin Siepel’s FS Heritage column about JohnMosby’s diplomatic assignment to China (“Rebel Raider As Diplomat: John Mosby in China”) was an impressive later chapter in the fa- mous Confederate’s life. I now live not far from U.S. Route 50 — the John S. Mosby Highway — the location of his exploits during the Civil War. H. Kenneth Hill Ambassador, retired Bradenton, Fla. Helping the Less Fortunate Was anyone else out there embar- rassed by the news in the 2011 State Annuitant Newsletter that Foreign Service retirees will be receiving a sub- stantial cost of living increase in 2012— even as Congress and President Obama desperately try to deal with huge federal deficits and taxpayers face high unem- ployment, home foreclosures and losses to their private retirement nest eggs? If so, I invite those who can afford to do so to join me in donating all or part of this increase to their favorite charities that support those in need — the hungry, the homeless, children at risk, etc. Aside from being the right thing to do, such a gesture could help dispel the widespread misperception that federal retirees are privileged. Bonnie Lincoln FSO, retired Fort Myers, Fla. The FAC Effort The Journal is to be applauded for its November cover story, summariz- ing the Foreign Affairs Council’s as- sessment of resource and management challenges at the Department of State and USAID. However, by assigning the byline to one person, the Journal obscured the fact that the excerpted passages were the product of the col- laboration of numerous people. While it is common in the national media to print an essay “by” a Cabinet official or senior lawmaker, knowing full well that the principal did not actually write the essay, I hope the Journal will be careful in the future to assign proper credit (or blame) of authorship in cases like this one. John K. Naland FSO Arlington, Va. L E T T E R S