The Foreign Service Journal, September 2008

FOREIGN SERVICE OVERSEAS PAY EQUITY ACT OF 2008 Committee Acts on the Pay Gap O n July 16, the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the “Foreign Service Overseas Pay EquityAct of 2008” (H.R. 3202) ona voice vote with no opposition. HFAC Chairman Howard Berman, D-Calif.; RankingRepublicanMember Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.; Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.; Rep. DonPayne, D-N.J.; andRep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, all made extremely favorable comments in support of thebill andof theForeignService. AFSA is grateful for their bipartisan support and to the many members on the committee who actively promoted this legislation and O n June 19, JohnNalandwelcomed approximately 300 guests to the annualAFSAAwardsCeremony in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room of the State Department and thanked Director General Harry K. ThomasJr.forco-sponsoringtheevent. The ceremony marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the first AFSA dissent award, the William R. Rivkin Award for Constructive Dissent. RobertRivkin, a sonofWilliamRivkin, presented theaward for constructivedissent by amid-level officer to this year’s winner, Rachel Schneller. Shewas honored for her courage in speakingout about the sensitive issue of the occurrence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Foreign Service person- nel returning from war zones. She spoke eloquentlyoftheneedtospeakopenlyabout PTSD and for the department to provide adequate mental health services for those who serve inwar zones. (Note: Articles on each award winner were published in the 2008 AFSA AWARDS CEREMONY Honoring Dissent and Performance in the Foreign Service BY SHAWN DORMAN S E P T EMB E R 2 0 0 8 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 69 I n July, AFSA received a substantial bequest — $658,000 — from the Martha “Mattie” Newman Trust. Retired Foreign Service officer George Newman, who passed away in April, established the AFSA George and Mattie NewmanFinancialAidScholarship in2003, when his wife passed away. These new monieswill beaddedtothisneed-basedcol- lege scholarshipforForeignServicechildren. On July 14, AFSA hosted a lunch for Janet Bayless, the foster daughter ofGeorge and Mattie Newman, to celebrate the bequest to the AFSA Scholarship Fund, which is receiving a substantial portion of the proceeds from the late couple’s estate. Mr. Newman also designated the AFSA ScholarshipFundas abeneficiaryonhis two Veterans Administration life insurance policies. The Newmans were not able to have children of their own and Janet Bayless— thedaughterof their close friends,Alvinand GEORGE AND MATTIE NEWMAN FINANCIAL AID SCHOLARSHIP AFSA Scholarship Fund Receives Major Gift BY LORI DEC, SCHOLARSHIP DIRECTOR Continued on page 73 Continued on page 74 Continued on page 77 American Foreign Service Association • September 2008 AFSA NEWS “Our Foreign Service is currently facing some of the most challenging times in its history. Our Service is stretched nearly to the breaking point serving in increasing numbers of danger- ous anddifficult postswhere ourmembers are using their diplomatic skills topromote our nation’s vital interests. The situation facing today’s ForeignServicemakes AFSA’s awards programmore relevant than ever. Now is the time tohonor thosewhohave the professional courage and integri- ty to speak out forthrightly by taking a stand for what they believe is right; by confronting the status quo; by asking tough questions; by offering alternative solutions; and by giving the best possible counsel that we are trained to give.” —AFSA President John Naland Undated photo of George and Mattie Newman.