The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2011

T he AFSA Memorial Plaque Cere- mony is a solemn occasion paying tribute to those Foreign Service employees who have lost their lives in ser- vice to their country. This year’s ceremo- ny—held onMay 6, Foreign Affairs Day —was different because family members of Eugene Francis Sullivan Jr. came to cel- ebratehis life. They came remembering the husband, father and Foreign Service offi- cer he was. They came enmasse, all 27 of them. Eugene Francis Sullivan Jr. — whose name was added to the plaque — was a Foreign Service officer with the United States Agency for International Develop- ment from 1957 until his untimely death from blackwater fever, a complication of malaria, on Jan. 21, 1973, inAddis Ababa, Ethiopia. A Legacy of Dedication In her opening statement, AFSA President Susan Johnsonsaid, “To the fam- ilies and friends gatheredhere, I express our deepest gratitude for the contributions that your lovedonemade to theForeignService and toour nation, and for the sacrifice that he and you havemade. He has left a lega- cy of dedication that serves as inspiration to future generations who pass through these halls.” Johnson then read a message from President BarackObama: “Today, Eugene joins other heroes on the Memorial Plaques honoring those who have given their lives inpursuit of a higher cause. On Foreign Affairs Day, we pay special trib- ute to all those who have given their lives J U L Y - A UGU S T 2 0 1 1 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 35 O n June 23, in the splendor of the State Department’s Benjamin Franklin Room, AFSA honored the winners of the 2011 AFSAConstructive Dissent Awards and OutstandingPerformanceAwards. Winners receiveda certificateof recognition, a monetary prize and—new this year — the AFSA Globe. Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Ambassador Rozanne L. Ridgway Constructive Dissent Awards ChristianA. Herter Award: Dr. James W. Bayuk, Pretoria WilliamR. RivkinAward: Joel Ehrendreich, Singapore F. Allen “Tex”Harris Award: Maurizio Visani, Surabaya Outstanding Performance Awards Nelson B. DelavanAward: Ann Rehme, Pretoria M. Juanita Guess Award: Mike Vining, Ulaanbaatar Avis BohlenAward: Charla Chaudhry, Chisinau; Terry Farrar, Havana AFSAPost Representative of the Year: Larry Fields, Kathmandu Please see page 56 for an FSJ interview with Amb. Ridgway. Constructive Dissent Award profiles begin on page 39. Outstanding Performance Award profiles begin on page 42. AFSA Announces 2011 Award Winners Continued on page 51 American Foreign Service Association • July-August 2011 AFSA NEWS AFSA Memorial Plaque Ceremony Honors Our Colleagues BY DONNA AYERST The family of Eugene F. Sullivan pays tribute to him during AFSA’s Memorial Plaque Ceremony, May 6. DONNA AYERST