The Foreign Service Journal, November 2005

section of Rock Creek Cemetery, or to Arlington National Cemetery, where some Foreign Service mem- bers are also buried, to recognize that we stand on the shoulders of others. While there, the new entrants could hear a presentation on what some of these departed colleagues accom- plished for our country. • The Bureau of Human Resour- ces could list the accomplishments of those honored at the State Depart- ment’s retirement ceremonies so that people could leave that event with a booklet which recorded some of the contributions their service made to the United States. • The Historian’s Office could send a note to those leaders taking on new assignments describing the peo- ple who served in those positions before them. This might encourage them to seek out a predecessor for advice and emphasize the chain of American diplomacy. • The Director General’s office, working with the Historian’s Office, could offer to provide photographs or news clippings at memorial services for Foreign Service decedents to sup- plement family photographs and memorabilia and honor service to country. • Regional assistant secretaries should keep an eye out for memorial services of those who had served in their region and then send someone to represent the bureau at the service. The person assigned this important task might not even know the person being honored, but that is not the point. The job is a different one: to acknowledge the debt to those who went before. A Foreign Service career is like being in a relay race. We are given the baton by those who came before us and we hold it for our time of ser- vice. We then pass it to the next gen- eration. It is the moments when the baton is passed that we need to do more to remember, to acknowledge and to celebrate. n 50 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 A Foreign Service career is like being in a relay race. We are given the baton by those who came before us. We then pass it to the next generation. Interim Accommodations for Corporate and Government Markets Apartments, Townhouses & Single Family Homes “FOR THE EXECUTIVE ON THE MOVE” h finder5@IX.netcom.com Locations throughout Northern Virginia and D.C. Units fully furnished, equipped and accessorized Many “Walk to Metro” locations Pet Friendly 5105-L Backlick Road, Annandale, Virginia Tel: (703) 354-4070 Fax: (703) 642-3619 Executive Lodging Alternatives