The Foreign Service Journal, October 2007

8 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / O C T O B E R 2 0 0 7 L E T T E R S and perhaps move them to a more prominent location — for example, in the Employee Services Center (form- erly known as the Foreign Service Lounge). Giving appropriate recog- nition to deserving individuals sustains morale — particularly when the Service itself is under stress. David Jones FSO, retired Arlington, Va. Pomp and Circumstance Our military colleagues aren’t the only ones confused by diplomatic and consular ranks and titles. Fred Don- ner’s amusing and informative article, “HowMany Guns Does a Vice Consul Rate?” (July-August Journal ) brought to mind a long-ago event that illustrated more general bafflement. It was back in the days before jet travel, when we still had a consulate general in Yokohama. To get us there, the department booked the customary “minimum first-class” accommoda- tions aboard the S.S. President Cleve- land . About midway through the 13 days across the Pacific, an elderly lady invited my wife and me and a few others for a pleasant pre-dinner cocktail hour. We hadn’t yet met, and our guess was that she was just picking us at random from the first-class passenger list. Asked by our hostess how far we were going and why, I replied that I would be a new vice consul in Yokohama. “How wonderful!” she ex- claimed. “And you’re so young!” Maybe I looked puzzled, but in any case she elaborated, “Why, I have a friend who’s a vice admiral — but he’s over 40.” We smiled apprecia- tively. When we disembarked in Yokohama a few mornings later, there were — sad to say — no guns and no ruffles, let alone a flourish. Bob German FSO, retired Austin, Texas Send your letter to the editor or “Speaking Out” column to: journal@afsa.org . Note that all submissions are subject to editing for style, format and length.