The Foreign Service Journal, May 2003

The economic counselor in Rabat — from whom I was supposed to get clearance on my reporting — could never get my name right, nei- ther my first name (he called me Mark) nor my last name (he called me Vargas). When I once complained to Arnie, who could recount his own horror stories about how others had mangled his name, he advised me that it was no big deal and I should not fret about it as long as my boss signed off on my cables. After that, whenever I had to call Arnie about something, he would intentionally get my name wrong (“Is that Mark Vargas calling?”) to remind me of what was the crucial part of our work. I never forgot Arnie’s wise counsel. — Michael Varga A WONDERFUL MENTOR … Arnie was one of my examiners when I took the Foreign Service Oral Exam. After I passed, he introduced himself and expressed his pleasure at my success: as he was retiring, he felt it appropriate that another graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism “take his place” in the Foreign Service. I can only hope to emulate such a wonderful mentor. Arnie provided guidance and friendship. He invited me to shadow him at the U.N. in New York, as he worked on Afghan issues at a time when much of the world had given up on Afghanistan. He and his wife Joanie welcomed my family and me into their home and their hearts. They visited me and cheered me on at my first Foreign Service post in Mumbai, India. I will cherish my memories of Arnie and work to live up to his example. — Heather Variava H E THRIVED ON F OREIGN S ERVICE LIFE … It was always wonderful to see Arnie when he appeared in my office doorway. He had a positive, genial way about him that always made him welcome. During the fall U.N. General Assembly sessions, he served as a senior adviser to the U.S. mission, consulting with other nations’ diplomats on the annual res- olution on Afghanistan. To assist the U.N. Special Mission to Afghanistan, he volunteered for a three-month stint in Kabul, living under very austere circumstances. Arnie never backed away from a challenge and thrived on the Foreign Service life, even in retire- ment. We have lost a giant, but gen- tle, spirit. He will be greatly missed. — Roberta L. Chew H E WAS NEVER TOO PROUD OR TOO BUSY TO HELP … We met Arnie and Joanie Schifferdecker during our assign- ment to Morocco in the 1980s. We were all booked together for a tour of the game parks of East Africa and Zanzibar this coming summer. That was one of the few parts of the world Arnie had not yet experienced. We remember the great times we had together, hiking and camping the Ait Bougamaz Valley of the high Atlas Mountains of Morocco, the annual post-Thanksgiving hikes along the C & O Canal path, fishing on the Shenandoah River, sharing meals together, shopping for carpets in the souks of Morocco, and much more. We remember his willing and fine work, too. He helped America in tough spots from Kabul to Istanbul to Casablanca. He was never too proud or too busy to help others with his expertise. While we were in Morocco together, when I asked each year for his input as the politi- cal officer for the Peace Corps coun- try submission, he came through. We miss him for his analytical mind, his good sense of humor, his wonderful sense of place and responsibility in community, his love of his wife and family. Peace and blessings be upon him. — David and Merry Fredrick A FITTING TRIBUTE … I served with Arnie in 1986-1987 in Rabat. He was political counselor and I was the USIS information offi- cer. Arnie was a man who walked through life armed with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye. Whether in the heat of a VIP visit, in a conversation with Moroccan con- tacts or mission colleagues, or even in weekend recreation, he was never without the smile and the twinkle. I believe his warm and calm demeanor put people at their ease — interlocutors shared easily with him and colleagues got a good listen and a supportive word or hand of help for a good idea. His enthusiasm for the Foreign Service both as an active diplomat and in retirement was admirable and his contributions to maintain the excellence of the Foreign Service Journal were much appreciated. During a recent stint at FSI, I had the chance to mix informally with the scores of recently hired junior officers. Several mentioned the Foreign Service Journal as a prod- uct, a part of the corporate culture in a way, that they viewed with pride — that validated their career choice in an important way. In my view, that endorsement is a fitting tribute to Arnie’s great leadership at AFSA. — Peter Kovach 54 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 3 A P P R E C I A T I O N