The Foreign Service Journal, June 2003

Consul General; June H. Kunsman, Deputy Consul General; Kim Marie Gendin, Consul; and Natasha Franceschi, Vice Consul. Runner-up: William David McKinney, USAID Country Coordinator, Embassy Baku. The WilliamR.RivkinAward , for amid-career officer, will not be presented this year. The W.AverellHarrimanAward , for a junior ForeignService officer: DeanM. Kaplan, whowas Political/Military Affairs Officer at Embassy Abuja at the time of his nomination. The TexHarrisAward , for a Foreign Service specialist: Charles O’Malley, FP-3, who was assigned to Embassy NewDelhi at the time of his nomination. Runner-up: JohnL.Whitney,OBOProjectDirectorinAbuDhabi. EXEMPLARY SERVICE AWARDS These awards recognize exemplary performance and extraordi- nary contributions to professionalism, morale and effectiveness. The Avis BohlenAward , for a Foreign Service family mem- ber whose relations with the American and host-country com- munities at a Foreign Service post have done themost to advance American interests: Bonnie Miller, Embassy Athens. Runner-up: Kristine Luoma-Overstreet, Consulate Merida. The DelavanAward , for extraordinary contributions to effec- tiveness, professionalism and morale by an Office Management Specialist: Laura Baer, Embassy Islamabad. Runner-up: Nancy Alain, currently at Embassy Tallinn, but nominated for her work at Embassy Bujumbura. The M. Juanita Guess Award , for outstanding service as a Community Liaison officer assisting American families serving at an overseas post: Joy Bacik, CLO, Embassy Jakarta. Runner-up: Julie Konichek, CLO, Embassy Cairo. AFSA ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS The AFSA Achievement Awards honor two AFSA members (one active and one retired) for their significant contributions to AFSA and its members during the past year. AFSAAchievementAward , for an activemember: Cecile Shea, Embassy Tel Aviv. AFSA Achievement Award , for a retiree member: Dick Thompson. AFSASpecial One-Time Award for Lifetime Contributions to Foreign Service Family Members: Mette Beecroft. AFSA greatly appreciates the efforts of all those who sent in nominations or served on a panel this year. A warm thank you also goes to Director General Ruth A. Davis for co-sponsoring our annual awards ceremony, which is open to any employeewish- ing to attend. Articles about each of this year’s award winners will appear in the July/August issue of AFSA News. ▫ Inside a U.S. Embassy: Getting the Word Out The 2003 edition of AFSA’s book, Inside a U.S. Embassy , is being well received both inside and outside the Foreign Service community. Among those who have expressed enthusiasm for the book are Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman and Director General Ruth A. Davis, both of whom spoke at the March 27 book launch. As part of our public outreach and education efforts, we sent the book to every member of Congress, and we have received kind words from a number of Senators and Representatives. The State Department’s Diplomatic Readiness Task Force ordered 10,000 copies of the book for State’s recruiting efforts, and since the book became available in late February, another 2,500 have been sold through the fulfillment house’s Web- based ordering system. We would like to see this unique resource in every career coun- seling office and foreign relations department in every university and college in America. It is time for Americans to understand what the Foreign Service is and what goes on inside embassies, and this book is one of AFSA’s contributions toward that aim. If you (or anyone you know) are giving a talk on the Foreign Service, consider using this book as a resource. We have promotional postcards available. Just send a request to embassybook@afsa.org and we’ll send you cards. Go to www.afsa.org/inside for ordering and other information about the book. Orders can also be placed by phone: (847) 364-1222. (The number is not toll-free.) JUNE 2003 • AFSA NEWS 3 AFSA Wins Laundry Ruling AFSA wrote to the department to protest the recent ruling that laundry and dry cleaning expenses would not be reimbursed for FSI students, pointing out that the Federal Travel Regulations state that these expenses will be reim- bursed. The department responded positively to our request that the ruling be altered, and stated that it would modify the FAM to reflect the new ruling allow- ing laundry and dry clean- ing expense reimburse- ment. FSI students on TDY orders whose claims were rejected may now resubmit the claims. AFSA NEWS BRIEFS Continued from page 2 Continued on page 6 Awards • Continued from page 1 JOSH