The Foreign Service Journal, September 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2014 57 AFSA NEWS and dissent,” said O’Bryan as he accepted his award. A pro- file of Ed O’Bryan is on p. 62. Next, David Holmes received theWilliam R. Rivkin Award, presented in memory of the late ambassador to Luxembourg, Senegal and The Gambia and made pos- sible by the Rivkin family. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Charles H. Rivkin, son of the late ambassador, presented the award, which acknowledges a mid-level Foreign Service officer. In his remarks, Assistant Secretary Rivkin empha- sized the value of dissent. “It has challenged us to think differently, to make smarter choices, to do better,” he said. “Dissent didn’t just give us the courage to form a nation; it helped us forge the democ- racy we live in today.” After serving in both Afghanistan and India, and then in the Office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan inWashington, Holmes was convinced that the division of authority between SRAP and the Bureau of Central and South Asian Affairs hindered U.S. diplomatic priorities 6 7 8 9 10 6. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Charles H. Rivkin (center) presents the William R. Rivkin Award to David Holmes, while AFSA President Robert J. Silverman looks on. 7. From left: 2005 Lifetime winner and former Sen. Richard Lugar, 2013 Lifetime winner Amb. George W. Landau, 2007 Lifetime winner Amb. Joan Clark, 2008 Lifetime winner Amb. Tom Boyatt and 2014 Lifetime winner Stu Kennedy. 8. Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns with Herter Award winner Amb. Jonathan Addleton. 9. M. Juanita Guess Award winner Mary Kay Cunningham. 10. William R. Rivkin Award winner David Holmes with his spouse, FSO Stephanie Holmes, and son. and deprived policymak- ers of coordinated strategic advice. He submitted a formal Dissent Channel message in February 2013 on “organiz- ing to succeed in South Asia.” David Holmes’ profile can be found on p. 60. Accepting his award, Holmes thanked AFSA for valuing dissent and encour- aging creative thinking, and thanked the people who have had an impact on his career. “My incredible mentors, such as Bill Burns, gave me opportunities and encourage- ment to make contributions,” he said, adding that none of the award winners would have accomplished such great things without a strong sup- port system. Nick Pietrowicz was awarded the F. Allen “Tex” Harris Award, presented by Ambassador William C. Har- rop. This award for a Foreign Service specialist is made possible by the Nelson B. Delavan Foundation. Pietrowicz was Embassy N’Djamena’s regional security officer when he warned that the Terrorist Interdiction Program, through which the U.S. government provides the Personal Identification Secure AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA