The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2009

After active-duty service in the U.S. Coast Guard, he spent six years in the Reserves. He first enteredpolitics as amember of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1968. While inCongress, Sen. Nunnheld, among other positions, the chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Committee. His legislative achievements include the landmarkDepartment ofDefenseReorga- nization Act, drafted with the late Senator Barry Goldwater, and the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, whichprovides assistance toRussia and the former Soviet republics for securing and destroying their excess nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. As its name indi- cates, the latterpieceof legislationwas draft- edwith Senator RichardLugar, a previous winner of theAFSALifetimeContributions to Diplomacy Award. Constructive Dissent Awards AFSA’s Constructive Dissent Awards, unique in theU.S. government, recognize individuals in theForeignServicewhohave the courage to speakout and challenge the system from within. For more than 40 years, AFSA has been honoring members of the Foreign Service who have the intel- lectual courage to question the status quo and take a stand, nomatter the sensitivity of the issue or the career consequences of their actions. These awards demonstrate the willingness to question conventional wisdom and offer alternatives to current policy. Several strong nominations were received for the WilliamR.RivkinAward for a mid-level Foreign Service officer. Members of the Rivkin family, who fund this award, decided toconfer $2,500on two separate winners for demonstrating the courage to challenge the systemonan issue of U.S. policy related to their work: • JeffreyCollins was selected for ques- tioning the U.S. government’s policies on human rights reporting while at Embassy Ankara. Mr. Collins also performed ad- mirablework inattempting to improve the protection of human rights in Turkey. • Michael Gonzales worked diligent- lywithin the proper channels to rebalance U.S. foreignpolicy towardEthiopia tobet- ter advance U.S. long-term interests. He drewattention to the authoritarianpolicies of the Ethiopian government despite sig- nificant resistance from the State depart- ment. • The runner-up for the RivkinAward is Susan Ball , Embassy Bratislava. The committee this year chose one winner for the Tex Harris Constructive Dissent Award for specialists: • Barron Rosen was selected for vig- orously protesting that diplomatic couri- ers were forced to sign a waiver that void- ed any possible claims against the cargo company contracted by the U.S. govern- ment out of Miami. Rosen’s successful challenge of the waiver also led to im- proved flight conditions forMiami couri- ers. There were nowinners this year in the other two categories for constructive dis- sent: the W. AverellHarrimanAward for an entry-level officer and the ChristianA. Herter Award for a Senior Foreign Service officer. Outstanding Performance Awards These awards recognize exemplary per- formance and extraordinary contributions to professionalism, morale and effective- ness. This year’s winners are: • MeganGallardo , Embassy Podgori- ca, was selected as the winner of the DelavanAward , which recognizes extra- ordinary contributions to effectiveness, professionalism and morale by an office management specialist. The runner-up is KristinaLorenger of EmbassyDamascus. • Juliana “Lily”Hightower , Embassy Addis Ababa, received the M. Juanita Guess Award for outstanding service as a community liaison officer assisting American families serving at an overseas post. The runners-up are Michelle Des- tito of Embassy Ankara and MaryKnight of Embassy Beirut. • EricaKrug , EmbassyHarare, received the Avis Bohlen Award for her out- standing accomplishments in volunteer service to advance the interests of the United States and foster positive relations with both the American and foreign com- munities at post. The runner-up is Stephanie Tansey of Embassy Abuja. AFSA Post Representative of the Year Ken Kero-Mentz has been chosen as AFSA’s Post Representative of theYear . An active and effective rep at one of the largestmissions in theworld, Berlin, Kero- Mentz was critical in taking AFSAmem- bers’ concerns, individually and collec- tively, both to postmanagement and back to Washington if necessary. AFSA wishes to thank all those who sent in a nomination or served as panel members this year. We place great impor- tance on these awards, which serve to rec- ognize the intellectual courage and out- standing achievements of our Foreign Service colleagues. AFSAalsothanks thedirectorgeneral for co-sponsoring the annual awards ceremo- ny, which is open to any employee wish- ing to attend. Congratulations to all win- ners and runners-up for thiswell-deserved recognition. (Please see the next issue of AFSANews for full coverage of the June 18 awards ceremony.) ❏ J U L Y - A UGU S T 2 0 0 9 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 57 A F S A N E W S AFSA NEWS BRIEFS Awards • Continued from page 47 Foreign Service Family Welcome-Back Potluck Picnic This annual event, sponsored by the Foreign Service Youth Foundation, will take place on Sunday, Sept. 20, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Nottoway Park, 9601 Courthouse Road, Vienna, Va., 22181 All Foreign Service families are invited. FSYF will provide hot dogs and hamburgers; please bring a salad, side dish or dessert to share. In addition to food and fun, there will be a short presentation for parents, a program for teens and activities for younger children. Please RSVP to fsyf@fsyf.org by Sept. 18.