The Foreign Service Journal, January 2012

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 59 A F S A N E W S cally buying into the latest priority of a new administration if I did not believe in it. I may even have delayed a couple of promotions by blurting out my thoughts on a proposed reorganization or expressing my concern over certain management issues. But I have been trying hard to get better at biting my tongue and learning how to couch my opinion in ways acceptable within a hi- erarchical bureaucracy. My colleagues in uniformpraisedme for being willing to challenge the chain of command at AFRICOM. But it was easy, in this particular case, because I was working on behalf of women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who had no voice over decisions that would affect them. Receiving the RivkinAward meant a lot tome, but not because I had dissented. Rather, it was an affirmation that I had learned how to effectively present an alternative point of view and approach a very senior government of- ficial (a four-star general) and have it ac- cepted. Though AFSA is always telling peo- ple that winning a dissent award is not detrimental to your career, I have State colleagues, in particular, who continue to express concerns about speaking out. In my case, however, within six months of winning the award, I was selected to be themission director for the DRC, one of USAID’s most visible posts in Africa, and was promoted into the Senior For- eign Service within a year. I suspect the visibility that came with the RivkinAward reassured some of my colleagues that, while I continue to be willing to speak truth to power, I could now be counted on to come up with a viable alternative and use the kind of language that merits a diplomatic pass- port. Diana Putman is currently serving as USAID Mission Director in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retirement: Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service BY HANSON R. MALPASS D uring his 27 years with the For- eign Service, EdWilliams, found- er of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service, always planned to retire to Chapel Hill, the site of the University of North Carolina, fromwhich he grad- uated in 1950. Enough retired Foreign Service hands hadmigrated to the area for Ed to think of forming a luncheon group. In early 1984, Ed started seeking out peo- ple from the retired foreign affairs and military communities to start a social group. His first luncheon, on May 21, 1984, was attended by nine people, the founding members of the group: Henry Mattox, RoyMelbourne, Dorothy Eard- ley, John Lund, Paul Morris, Harrison Lewis, Gilbert Chase, Shepard Jones and Ed. At the initial meeting, the group agreed to meet every two or three months and invite a speaker for the oc- casion. Dorothy Eardley volunteered to assist Ed at the gatherings and to pass out name tags and collect money for meals. By the next meeting, onNov. 2, 1984, the word had gotten out and new peo- ple joined the group, including Bill Dale and Curt Jones. Ed arranged for Pro- fessor Enrique Baloyra from the politi- cal science department of UNC Chapel Hill to speak to the group. For the next 20 years, Ed continued to line up speak- ers and manage the myriad details for the group. In 1996, the luncheon group brought together the co-founders of American Diplomacy , an electronic journal of com- mentary and analysis on international is- sues that is published in cooperation with UNC’s College of Arts and Science (www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/). T he online publication describes its founders as a group of retiredAmerican diplomats residing in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle area of North Carolina. In 2004, when the luncheon group had grown to a size that Ed felt was a lit- tle toomuch for him to handle, at his re- quest a steering committee was formed to plan and manage the group’s events. Today, the membership has evolved into an educational and professional group with a new name, Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service; a 10-member steering committee; and a mem- bership of 131. CFFS welcomes not only Foreign Service andmil- itary retirees, but anyone who has worked or served abroad, is inter- ested in foreign affairs, or is think- ing about a career in a foreign affairs agency. The most recent luncheon was held on Oct. 21. FSO Bill Lucas spoke to the group about his recent assignment in Afghanistan, where he worked with American, international and Afghan partners to establish the rule of law. Members attended from all around the state, in some cases frommore than 200 miles away. Hanson R. Malpass, a retired FSO, is chairman of the CFFS Steering Committee. (L to R) Bill Lucas, Diplomat-in-Residence at UNC Chapel Hill and Duke, with Ed Williams, CFFS founder. PHOTOS BY H.R. MALPASS Dissent • Continued from page 47 I had learned how to effectively present an alternative point of view and have it accepted. (L to R) CFFS members Daniel LeBold, Susin Seow, George Cass and Ambassador Brenda Schoonover.