The Foreign Service Journal, January 2011

50 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 1 A F S A N E W S AFSA NEWS BRIEFS State Department Unveils New Plaques The Bureau of Human Resources unveiled two new plaques honoring those who have lost their lives overseas at the State Department Awards Ceremony on Nov. 3, 2010. A Locally Employed Staff plaque honors 19 individuals from countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Haiti and Pakistan, who lost their lives in the line of duty due to terrorism, in an act of heroism or in other compelling circumstances while serving the foreign affairs agencies. In honoring their sacrifice, the State Department testifies to the importance of locally employed staff in the United States’ ability to conduct diplomacy. An Eligible Family Member plaque remem- bers those who have lost their lives due to ter- rorism, in an act of heroism or in other compelling circumstances while accompanying an employee serving overseas with a foreign af- fairs agency. In honoring the five individuals who lost their lives in Pakistan, Kenya and Haiti to terrorism, murder and natural disaster, we are reminded of the sacrifices made by our family members. Both plaques, which cover the period from 1999 to the present, will be affixed to the wall in the C Street entrance of the department near AFSA’s Memorial Plaques honoring our fallen Foreign Service officers. Staff: Executive Director Ian Houston: houston@afsa.org Business Department Director of Finance Femi Oshobukola: oshobukola@afsa.org Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Assistant Controller Cory Nishi: cnishi@afsa.org Labor Management General Counsel Sharon Papp: papps@state.gov Deputy General Counsel Zlatana Badrich: badrichz@state.gov Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: yorkej@state.gov Senior Staff Attorney Neera Parikh: parikhna@state.gov Staff Attorney Michael Willats: willatsmr@state.gov Office Manager Christine Warren: warrenc@state.gov USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Douglas Broome: dbroome@usaid.gov USAID Staff Assistant Patrick Bradley: bradley@afsa.org Member Services Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: hedrick@afsa.org Member Services Representative Richard Buscemi: buscemi@afsa.org Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org Communications, Marketing and Outreach Retiree Counseling & Legislation Coordinator Bonnie Brown: brown@afsa.org Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: switzer@afsa.org Legislative Director Casey Frary: frary@afsa.org Executive Assistant to the President Austin Tracy: tracy@afsa.org Scholarship Director Lori Dec: dec@afsa.org Scholarship Program Assistant Jonathan Crawford: crawford@afsa.org Road Scholar Administrator Bernard Alter: alter@afsa.org Marketing & Outreach Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: sigfusson@afsa.org Special Awards & Outreach Coordinator Perri Green: green@afsa.org AFSA HEADQUARTERS: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA OFFICE: (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 FCS AFSA OFFICE: (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 PRESIDENT: johnson@afsa.org STATE VP: hirschdm@state.gov RETIREE VP: rghoudek@aol.com USAID VP: fzamora@usaid.gov FAS VP: henry.schmick@fas.usda.gov FCS VP: keith.curtis@mail.doc.gov AFSA News Editor Amy McKeever: mckeever@afsa.org (202) 338-4045, ext. 516; Fax: (202) 338-8244 Foreign Service Journal FSJ: journal@afsa.org Editor Steven Alan Honley: honley@afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Maitra: maitra@afsa.org Associate Editor Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org Ad & Circulation Manager Ed Miltenberger: miltenberger@afsa.org Art Director Caryn Suko Smith: journaldesign@comcast.net On the Web AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org FSJ: www.afsa.org/fsj and www.fsjournal.org How to Contact Us: Governing Board: PRESIDENT: Susan R. Johnson STATE VP: Daniel Hirsch USAID VP: Francisco Zamora FAS VP: Henry Schmick FCS VP: Keith Curtis RETIREE VP: Robert Houdek SECRETARY: F.A. “Tex” Harris TREASURER: Andrew Winter STATE REPS: Carleton Bulkin Ako Cromwell Mary Glantz Mike Haughey Les Hickman Bruce Matthews Raymond Maxwell Joyce Namde Lynn Nelson Sharon White USAID REPS: Michael Henning Glenn Rogers FCS REP: Stephen Morrison FAS REP: Melinda Sallyards IBB REP: Al Pessin RETIREE REPS: Janice Bay Robert (Bill) Farrand Mary Ellen Gilroy Molly Williamson Dear AFSA Readers, I’ve only been AFSA News editor for a few months, but I’ve had a great time get- ting to know our readers and finding out what issues matter most to you. AFSA News has always been about that —making sure you have the information you need and want about what’s going on in the Foreign Service. My goal for this year, though, is to bring your voices to the forefront of the discussion. You’re the ones dealing with Foreign Service life, after all. That’s why I’m looking for new writers who can share their perspective, advice and, most importantly, their stories about Foreign Service issues. These can be seri- ous or hilarious tales that relate to topics that you all know about better than most. Things like corridor reputation, raising third-culture kids, being a Third-Culture Kid, all that interminable waiting (for flag day, bid lists, UAB…), and degrees of separation among FS members — all would make for great topics. You can write about your culture clashes as Melanie Harris Higgins did in the October 2010 issue, or you can discuss what it’s like to be an EFM when your spouse is on an unaccompanied tour. Retirees can share how they decided where or when to retire. Columns should be about 600-700 words long and written in your own voice, as if you’re talking to a friend (not writing a cable). There should be a point to the story — i.e., a lesson learned, a decision made, an obstacle overcome … any kind of denouement to satisfy your narrative arc. Another new feature in the works for AFSA News is “Photos from the Field.” I’d like to invite any amateur photographers out there to submit a great shot they’ve taken while at post, along with a short caption. One photo will be featured in each issue of AFSA News . Please get in touch with me at mckeever@afsa.org or (202) 338-4045, ext. 516, if you’re interested in writing or if you have any suggestions as to what we can provide you within these blue pages this year. I look forward to hearing from you. Happy New Year! Sincerely, Amy