The Foreign Service Journal, January 2004

A FSAPresident JohnLimbert strong- ly encourages all members of the Foreign Service to consider nomi- natingacolleague for anAFSAConstructive Dissent Award this year. The AFSA awards recognizenot just superior jobper- formance, but the courage and integrity to take a risky or unpopular stand or to chal- lenge conventional wisdom on any issue related to the work of the Foreign Service. IRAQ SERVICE RECOGNITION DAY Praise and Advocacy for Employees Serving in Iraq O n Nov. 24, Foreign Service and Civil Service employees who have served in Iraqonassignments of at least 30 days were honored. Secretary of StateColinPowell presented two individ- ual Awards for Heroism to Bill A. Miller and Beth A. Payne. A Group Superior Honor Awardwas presented to the other 136 employees who have served in Iraq. The ceremonywas heldbefore anaudi- ence of several hundred in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the State Department. AFSAwants all Foreign Service employ- ees toknowthat it is concerned about con- American Foreign Service Association • January 2004 Inside This Issue: BRIEFS: RETIREES PUBLISH...............2 SUCCESS ON CAPITAL GAINS ..........3 “SHADDUPA YA FACE”.......................4 WATCH YOUR ANNUITIES.................5 A TIRED PATCHWORK .......................6 RETIREE Q&A......................................7 ELDERHOSTEL & THE FS ...................7 A PORTABLE CAREER SOLUTION......8 NEW SCHOLARSHIPS.........................9 Continued on page 6 AFSA NEWS LAST CALL FOR AFSA AWARD NOMINATIONS Honor the Dissenters Continued on page 4 T he originator of the Visas for Life Project, Eric Saul, presented AFSA President John Limbert and Executive Director Susan Reardon with commemorative medals at the Oct. 29 opening of the exhibit, “Visas for Life: The Righteous and Honorable Diplo- mats,”on Capitol Hill. AFSAwas recog- nized for posthumously honoring U.S. diplomat Hiram “Harry” Bingham IV with a special award in 2002 for his “con- structive dissent” in going against official U.S. policy by issuing over 2,500 life-sav- ing visas and personally assisting Jews and others in danger in 1940 and 1941 while serving as a Foreign Service officer in Marseilles. The Visas for Life exhibit displays pho- tographs and previously untold accounts of numerous diplomats who risked everything to rescue Jews and others dur- ing World War II. The traveling exhib- it was on display in late October in the rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building inWashington, D.C. The exhib- it was sponsored by Senator Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Congressman Tom Lantos, D-Calif., and Mrs. Annette Lantos, and the American Jewish VISAS FOR LIFE AFSA Recognized for Honoring Harry Bingham BY MELISSA SCHWEINBERG, PUBLIC AFFAIRS INTERN Coninued on page 8 Secretary of State Colin Powell presents an Award for Heroism to FSO Beth Payne. JOSH