The Foreign Service Journal, June 2010

Harlan’s creative spelling: The Near East from Gomorrah to Sodom Has more crises than people to spodom But these are but trifles Small-arms fire and rifles To the warfares that rock Foggy Bodom. Your mission is then to relate As you travel at leisurely gate, The yearnings of peoples With onion-domed steeples And hamburger eaters – with State. Few Americans frequently go To Bangui, Nouakchott or Bordo. But tales of those needs Can be strewn like ripe seeds By a trailer-ensconced FSO. Robert Harlan passed away in 1999, but his widow Lois retains fondmemo- ries of that summer. “It was a wonderful way to spend home leave,” she recalls. In sending these limericks and reminis- cences toAFSA, she won- dered, “Do you suppose such levity is still, upon occasion, found at the de- partment?” Those working there now will have to answer that question. Some might say that, these days, there isn’t much time for levity—nor for a 4,000-mile journey in a trailer across America, sowing public diplomacy seeds. A new generation, at- tuned to new media, demands new methods of communication, such as Facebook and Twitter. Still, there’s something as American as apple pie in the image of a diplomatic family emerging from an Airstream, ready to tell their story to a small-town crowd. ❏ 56 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 1 0 A F S A N E W S Lighter Side • Continued from page 55 FSO Robert Harlan and his children, Stephen and Heidi, at the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Mo., August 1967. The Ford sedan and the Airstream trailer, Iowa, August 1967. LEGAL SERVICES ATTORNEY WITH 30 years’ successful experience SPECIALIZING FULL-TIME IN FS GRIEVANCES will more than double your chance of winning: 30% of grievants win before the Grievance Board; 85% of my clients win. Only a private attorney can ad- equately develop and present your case, in- cluding necessary regs, arcane legal doctrines, precedents and rules. Call Bridget R. Mugane at Tel: (301) 596-0175 or (202) 387-4383. E-mail: fsatty@comcast.net . Free initial telephone consultation. WILLS/ESTATE PLANNING by attorney who is a former FSO. Have your will re- viewed and updated, or new one prepared: No charge for initial consultation. M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, P.C. 307 Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA 22180. Tel: (703) 281-2161. Fax: (703) 281-9464. E-mail: mbhirshorn@boringandpilger.com . EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS REPRE- SENTING FS officers in grievances, per- formance, promotion and tenure, financial claims, discrimination and disciplinary ac- tions. We represent FS officers at all stages of the proceedings from an investigation, is- suance of proposed discipline or the initia- tion of a grievance, through to a hearing before the FSGB. We provide experienced, timely and knowledgeable advice to employ- ees from junior untenured officers through the Senior FS, and often work closely with AFSA. Kalijarvi, Chuzi & Newman. Tel: (202) 331-9260. E-mail: attorneys@kcnlaw.com . LEGAL SERVICES ATTORNEYS EXPERIENCED IN REP- RESENTING FOREIGN SERVICE OFFI- CERS and intelligence community mem- bers in civil and criminal investigations, ad- ministrative inquiries, IG issues, grievances, disciplinary investigations, and security clearance issues. Extensive State Depart- ment experience, both as counsel to the IG and in L and in representing individual offi- cers. We have handled successfully some particularly difficult cases confronting For- eign Service and intelligence officers, both before the Foreign Service Grievance Board and in the federal and local courts. We work closely with AFSA when appropriate and cost effective. Doumar Martin PLLC. Tel: (703) 243-3737. Fax (703) 524-7610. E-mail: rmartin@doumarmartin.com . Web site: www.doumarmartin.com . LEGAL SERVICES PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: $1.40/ word (10-word min). First 3 words bolded free, additional bold text 85¢/word. Head- er or box-shading $11 each. Deadline: 5 wks ahead of publication. Adv. Mgr. Tel: (202) 944-5507. Fax: (202) 338-8244. E-mail: miltenberger@afsa.org . PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: $1.40/ word (10-word min). First 3 words bolded free, additional bold text 85¢/word. Header or box-shading $11 each. Hyperlink $11. Deadline: 5 wks ahead of publication. Adv. Mgr. Tel: (202) 944-5507. E-mail: miltenberger@afsa.org . CLASSIFIEDS HARLAN FAMILY PHOTO HARLAN FAMILY PHOTO