The Foreign Service Journal, June 2008

Dear Colleagues: Our effort towin legislative approval of overseas comparability pay is beginning to resemble 1914-1918 trench warfare. We pourhuge resources intothe struggle togain small advances. This does highlight, how- ever, the reality that in congressional mat- ters, patience and perseverance are critical to achieving long-term goals. 2007was a year of “patience andperse- verance.” 2008 and 2009 will be a time of newbeginnings. This fallwewill elect anew president, House and Senate. In that con- text, AFSA-PAC will be supporting the AFSA leadership in another “big push” for comparabilitypay andadditional resources for the 150 account. Themetrics for2007generallyparalleled those of 2006. The number of donors was slightly smaller (471 vs. 511), but the aver- agedomestic contributionwas higher ($60 vs. $58). Distributionwas virtually identi- cal: retired colleagues represented 75 per- cent of donors anddomestic contributions remainedat83percentofthetotal. Wehave not foundaway tochange either trend, and welcome your suggestions onhowto stim- ulate greater active-duty and overseas par- ticipation. 2007 was a non-election year, and we reduced contributions somewhat in antic- ipation of 2008, a major election year. Fi- nancial donations totaled$18,000andwere dividedequallybetweenthetwoparties. We continued to focus on the chairs (Demo- crats) andrankingmembers (Republicans) on the State authorizing andappropriating committees in the House and Senate. Avery positive reformin2007 brought oversight of State Department operations and foreign assistance activities together under the exclusive jurisdiction of a single appropriations committee in each cham- ber. Not having to compete for attention and funds with theCommerce and Justice Departmentswill enhanceour situationand focus the attention of our appropriators. The 2008 elections and the 150 account budgets for 2009 and 2010 will be pivotal for the Foreign Service as regards compa- rability pay and the fundamental issues of ourmissions, staffing and resources for the future. My AFSA-PAC Advisory Council colleagues Nick Rey, Terry Hearly, Vern Penner, Irv Rubenstein andGene Schmiel join me in reminding you of the need for consistent support for U.S. diplomacy. AFSA-PAC’s impact is cumulative over time, andwehavemade real progress in the last five years. Respectfully submitted, TomBoyatt Treasurer, AFSA-PAC tor for Africa Kate Almquist, Director General of the Foreign Service Harry K. Thomas Jr., Representative JohnDoolittle, R-Calif., and JonathanWesten, represent- ing Representative Brian Higgins, D-N.Y. “The individuals honored at the cere- mony were separated by many miles and the circumstances of their deathswere dif- ferent,” AFSAPresident JohnNaland said in his remarks. “However, both volun- teered to serve their country, just as their colleagues do today indangerous postings around the globe.” The two plaques on either side of the lobby are a testament to the commitment anddedicationof themen andwomenwho choose to serve America abroad. But they also serve as a reminder of the profound sacrificemade by the indi- viduals and their families while pursuing these goals. • STEVEN THOMAS STEFANI IV: Tom Stefaniwas aUSDAForest Service employ- ee on voluntary assignment with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service inAfghanistan. Hewas serving on a Provincial Reconstruction Teamas anagricultural adviserwhenhewas killed in an explosion on Oct. 4, 2007, in Ghazni Province. Hewas 28 years old, and is survivedby his parents and two younger brotherswho live intheAuburn,Calif., area. Anumber of his colleagues fromthe PRTs inAfghanistanattended the ceremony. He was also honored with the Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service in a sep- arate ceremony. • JOHN MICHAEL GRANVILLE: John Granville was a USAID democracy and governance ForeignService officer serving in Sudan. He was killed in Khartoum on Jan. 1, 2008, along with his driver, AbdelrahmanAbbas Rahama, when their vehicle was fired upon as they were returning from an official reception. Granville was a former Peace Corps Volunteer inCameroonwho later returned there as a Fulbright Scholar. He served in KenyawithUSAIDprior tohis assignment in Sudan. He was 33, and leaves behind his mother and sister, who reside in the Buffalo, N.Y., area. In 2000, AFSA established, in cooper- ation with the Associates of the American Foreign ServiceWorldwide, a new type of plaque that honors Foreign Service fami- lymembers who have died abroad. Every year, during the AFSA Memorial Plaque Ceremony, awreath is alsoplacedat the site of that plaque, located on the other side of the State Department lobby, to recognize the sacrifices made by those who accom- panied their spouse or parent overseas and they are also acknowledgedduring the cer- emony. Later in the day, AFSA welcomed retirees andotherForeignAffairsDayguests toa receptionat theStatePlazaHotel (AFSA headquarters is still closed for renovation). Amb. Ed Dillery, chairman of the AFSA Scholarship Committee, presented merit scholarshipawards to the fourwinnerswho were present. o A F S A N E W S 60 F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L / J UN E 2 0 0 8 2007 AFSA-PAC TREASURER’S REPORT FAD • Continued from page 57 Mikkela Thompson