The Foreign Service Journal, June 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2013 47 AFSA NEWS Foreign Affairs Day was com- memorated on May 3, with a series of events including memorial ceremonies at the State Department’s C Street lobby and at USAID in the Ronald Reagan Building. Eight individuals’ names were added to AFSA’s memorial plaques at State, while two Foreign Service officers were memorialized at USAID. It was a day that made it clear that our profession carries risks not always recognized by our citizens. The causes of death of those whose lives we celebrated ranged from explosions and terrorist attacks to malaria and inadequate medical care. At the State Department, Vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry gave moving eulogies whose empathy comforted the attending family mem- bers. Biden declared that For- eign Service officers should receive the same respect that we give our military personnel for contributing so much to our national security and progress without car- rying a weapon. At USAID, Administrator Rajiv Shah emphasized the fact that the Foreign Service officers we were honoring had given their lives so that our mission could move forward. While many of the causes of Foreign Service employ- ees’ deaths are easily under- stood by most, others are questioned. A recent com- ment by someone outside of The Everyday Risks of Overseas Service the Foreign Service makes this clear, “Is a plaque really justified just because you are overseas? After all, I work in Washington and if I die of a heart attack or car accident, I am not recognized with a memorial plaque. Why is it justified for overseas employ- ees?” Many of the places where Foreign Service personnel and their families serve, are much more dangerous than in the United States. Access to services we take for granted here are nonexistent at most overseas posts. In the U.S., we call 911 and an ambulance and emergency medical technicians arrive to treat us and take us to a modern, well-equipped hospital. Overseas, we might be lucky to have a decent medical clinic, much less ambulance service. While the State Depart- ment’s Office of Medical Programs can be a lifesaver overseas, it cannot compare to the options for care we receive stateside. In the event of a medical emergency overseas, depending on the post, we are better off being flown out of the country to a location where the care won’t kill us. I say this from my own medical emergency, which caused me to be transported by a rickety and poorly equipped ambulance over a torturous drive of several hours to Cairo from the Sinai Peninsula. I am sure many of you have similar horror stories to tell. Both AFSA’s and USAID’s criteria for recognition spe- cifically cover death caused by lack of adequate medical treatment. As Vice President Biden noted, Foreign Service employees volunteer for the job despite the dangers and risks, and fully understand that acceptable medical care may be lacking. This is a message others also need to understand to better appreci- ate the risks taken by FSOs and their family members assigned overseas. n USAID VP VOICE | BY FRANCISCO ZAMORA Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP. AFSA Scholarships Established, Renewed or Added in May • An anonymous donor pledged a substantial gift to the financial aid scholarship she established in 2009. A portion of the funds were received in May, with the remaining sums arriving over the next four years. This gift will increase AFSA’s endowment and the size of the scholarships bestowed in her name.  • Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and his siblings, along with donations from friends and colleagues, have established a perpetual financial aid scholar- ship in their parents' names. The Christopher and Eliza Van Hollen Memorial Scholarship honors their Foreign Service careers and will be awarded for the first time in the 2013-2014 year. • Stephen Hubler renewed the annual Alice and John Hubler Financial Aid Scholarship dedicated to his parents. Mr. Hubler originally established the scholarship in 2005. It will be bestowed in 2013- 2014. As a past AFSA scholarship recipient, he feels giving back is important. • Carefirst BlueCross BlueShield Federal Employee Program sponsored two AFSA academic merit awards for the first time in May 2013. The awards were bestowed on Meredith Hilton and Lee Ellen Myles, both high school seniors and children of AFSA members. • The Public Members Association of the Foreign Service renewed its annual financial aid scholarship for 2013-2014 for a student pursuing a career in the Foreign Service. NEWS BRIEF