The Foreign Service Journal, October 2005

“T here is foreign service after the Foreign Service,” says Michael Wygant. Retirement doesn’t mean relaxing holidays in the tropics or a quiet life at home for the former ambassador, who retired toMaine in 1990. On the contrary, Wygant has been busy in public service all over the world ever since he retired from the State Department 15 years ago. Shortly following his formal retirement, Wygant assisted in opening the first U.S. embassies in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in 1992 and 1993. He refers to his work in Kazakhstan as “a great introduction into ‘retirement.’” In 1994, Wygant went on to serve with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the world’s largest security organization. TheOSCE’smain goals include the resolution and prevention of conflict, particularly in countries of the former USSR and the Balkans, and active involvement with nation-building in newly-inde- pendent states. Wygant’s first assignment was in Georgia, where he spent several months as part of the organization’s conflict-resolution mission. From the Georgia assignment, he went on to head OSCEmissions toMoldova, Ukraine andCroatia, still con- centrating on conflict resolution and nation-building, from 1995 to 2000. The 1997-1998mission to Ukraine was no easy task, as his workforce consisted of only four staff. The teamwas challenged to achievemore with less, andWygant calls the mission “a small but significant success.” In 1999, Wygant served as head of the election obser- vationmission to Estonia, supervising a small teamtomon- itor the election process before, during and after election day. The teamobserved campaigns by political parties and candidates, the work of the election administration and local authorities, and themedia, as well as election-day pro- ceedings and the resolution of election disputes. Wygant then ledOSCE election observationmissions to five other nations, including Ukraine, Slovakia, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia, from 2002 to 2004. While it would seem that this busy overseas schedule would leave no time for work at home, Wygant has been just as busy stateside. He collaborated with Brown University to prepare a training course for Americans selected to work with the OSCE. As program chairman of theWorld Affairs Council of Maine, Wygant has been in charge of recruiting foreign affairs speakers since 1991. He has spoken extensively in northern New England, addressing students and faculty alike about his diplomat- ic experiences in conflict resolution and nation-building. He has made numerous presentations at Bowdoin College and the University of Maine in Orono, focusing on the former USSR and the countries that have emerged from the Soviet Union. “Amb. Wygant has provided outstanding support for AFSA initiatives in recent years,” says AFSA Director of Communications Tom Switzer. “His leadership result- ed in increased involvement of Foreign Service retirees in a wide array of outreach programs all over New England. He himself has been one of the most energetic and effec- tive AFSA speakers in recent years, explaining the key role of American diplomacy to leading universities, world affairs councils and civic associations in his region.” Although his tenure at the State Department ended 15 years ago, Michael Wygant’s career in foreign service is far from over. o OCTOBER 2005 • AFSA NEWS 9 RETIREES IN ACTION At Home and Abroad, Wygant Serves On BY BROOKE DEAL, EDITORIAL INTERN Mike Wygant, center, with European colleagues in Moldova, 2003.