The Foreign Service Journal, October 2005

American Foreign Service Association • October 2005 AFSA NEWS n July 19, Acting AFSA President Steve Kashkett pre- sented the winners of the 2005 AFSA National High School EssayContestwith their awards during the annual Youth Awards Ceremony in the Department of State Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room. Family LiaisonOfficeDirector FayeBarnes opened the ceremony and introducedAmbassador Ruth A. Davis, who gave introductory remarks. The2005AFSAessaycontestwin- ners were: 1st place — Alison Noll from Tustin, Calif.; 2nd place — Andrew ScheinesonofMcLean, Va.; and 3rdplace —Alice Nian-en Lee of Niskayuna, N.Y. The essay contest is one of AFSA’s most successful outreach activities and is designed to encourage students and teachers from all over the United States to think about the role and functions of the U.S. Foreign Service, the craft of diplomacy and America’s role in the world. The contest receives funding from the Nelson B. Delavan Foundation. This year for the first time, Diplomatic Automobile Sales became an essay con- test sponsor and gave a generous contri- bution. Lynn Griffiths of Diplomatic Automobile Sales came fromNew York City to attend the ceremony, and enjoyed a lunch with the essay contest winner. AFSA received 550 essay submissions this year. Over the six years since the establishment of the contest, a total of more than 3,000 submissions have been received. Submissions have come in from all 50 states, with the largest num- ber coming fromCalifornia and Florida. AFSA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST Youth Honored for Essays and Community Service BY SHAWN DORMAN FORMER PITS, PREPARE FOR BUYBACK Interim Regulations Issued for Retirement Buyback BY BONNIE BROWN, RETIREE COORDINATOR A FSA has worked for years, along with other groups and the depart- ment, to get legislation passed and implemented that would allow former PIT (part-time, intermittent or tempo- rary) employees to buy back retirement coverage. Success is finally upon us. In 1998, the Department of State cre- ated a new hiringmechanism, a five-year limited non-career appointment (the FamilyMember Appointment, or FMA), which provided PIT employees withCivil Service retirement benefits. In 2002, the State Authorization Bill included a pro- vision that would permit PIT employees Inside This Issue: MILITARY LEAVE ................................3 STATE VP: THE 700 CLUB ................3 RETIREE VP: JOIN US.........................4 SINCLAIRE LANGUAGE AWARDS.......4 VP FCS: PLUS CA CHANGE.................5 LETTER FROM AFGHANISTAN ...........7 MOSCOW COURSE & AFSA BOOK...8 RETIREE IN ACTION: MIKE WYGANT...9 Continued on page 5 Continued on page 6 Director General W. Robert Pearson (center) with winners of the essay contest and youth awards. From front left: Rueben Luoma-Overstreet, Alice Nian-en Lee, Alison Noll, Julia Lange, Pearson, Charlie Jesmer, Alex Jesmer, Caroline Perkinson. Back row, from left: Kevin McGrath, Andrew Scheineson, Stuart Symington. O Jay Mallin