The Foreign Service Journal, October 2003

2 AFSA NEWS • OCTOBER 2003 AFSA NEWS BRIEFS Loss of an Outstanding U.N. Diplomat FromAFSA USAID VP Bill Carter: “My words are not up to the task. He was one of us. I suspect some of you, like me, might have felt a special sense of loss at the death of U.N. Special Envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello. He was an energetic diplomat — the U.N.’s “go-to” guy for all of the most difficult assignments. His tragic passing is another reminder of the perils along this professional path we have chosen. We mourn his loss and those of all the others in the Aug. 19 Baghdad bombing.” Inside a U.S. Embassy at Barnes and Noble AFSA’s book, Inside a U.S. Embassy , is now available through your local Barnes and Noble store. It is also available at Politics and Prose in Northwest Washington, and is on display and on sale at the George Washington University Bookstore. AFSA members teaching a class on diplomacy or giving a talk are encouraged to request copies of the book postcard and to consider using the book as a class resource: just e-mail embassybook@afsa.org. Staff: Executive Director Susan Reardon: reardon@afsa.org Business Department Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Accounting Assistant Steven Tipton: tipton@afsa.org Labor Management General Counsel Sharon Papp: papps@state.gov Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: badrichz@state.gov Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: yorkej@state.gov USAID Senior Labor Management Advisor Douglas Broome: dbroome@usaid.gov USAID Office Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: asigfusson@usaid.gov Grievance Attorneys Harry Sizer: sizerhs@state.gov, an d Charles Henderson: HendersonCH@state.gov Office Manager Christine Warren: warrenc@state.gov Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: hedrick@afsa.org Representative Lindsay Peyton: peyton@afsa.org Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org Outreach Programs Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: brown@afsa.org Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: switzer@afsa.org Congressional Affairs Director Ken Nakamura: nakamura@afsa.org Corporate Relations/Executive Assistant Austin Tracey: Tracy@afsa.org Scholarship Director Lori Dec: dec@afsa.org Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: berger@afsa.org AFSA HEADQUARTERS: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA OFFICE: (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 AFSA Internet and E-mail addresses: AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org AFSA E-MAIL: afsa@afsa.org AFSA NEWS: afsanews@afsa.org FSJ: journal@afsa.org PRESIDENT: limbert@afsa.org STATE VP: cranelk@state.gov RETIREE VP: jones@afsa.org USAID VP : wcarter@usaid.gov FCS VP: charles.ford@mail.doc.gov AFSA News Editor Shawn Dorman : dorman@afsa.org (202) 338-4045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 On the Web : www.afsa.org/news How to Contact Us: Governing Board: PRESIDENT: John W. Limbert STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Louise K. Crane USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Bill Carter FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Charles A. Ford FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Vacant RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: George F. Jones SECRETARY: F.A. “Tex” Harris TREASURER: Danny Hall STATE REPRESENTATIVES: Pamela Bates, Cynthia G. Efird, Scot L. Folensbee, Raymond D. Maxwell, John C. Sullivan, Jim Wagner USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Thomas Olson FCS REPRESENTATIVE: William Crawford RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Gilbert Sheinbaum, David E. Reuther, Theodore S. Wilkinson, III, Stanley A. Zuckerman IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Alex Belida FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Vacant Have You Moved? Don’t forget to let AFSA know that you have transferred to a new post. Please send your new contact information, including e-mail, to member@afsa.org or go to www.afsa.org/comment.cfm to update your address directly. USAA for non-State FSOs USAA, the popular insurance agency used by many Foreign Service employees, has begun denying new mem- bership applications from non-State Foreign Service officers. According to AFSA USAID VP Bill Carter, these exclusions “have a lot of people steamed, including some in manage- ment within USAID.” USAA reportedly changed the policy based on a decision that an “agency must function under a published, institutionalized mission statement that explicitly refers to national security or national defense, both at home and abroad.” AFSA strongly opposes the exclusion of these FSOs and will push for a reversal of the policy. AFSA USAID, AFSA FCS and AFSA FAS are drafting a rebuttal letter to USAA to be sent from AFSA headquarters. Any members who have suggestions for other ways we can work to reverse this policy are urged to submit their ideas to AFSA.