The Foreign Service Journal, December 2007

USDA to help cover costs associa- ted with staffing USDA personnel at the PRTs. This should not matter, how- ever. Protocol about who releases a statement should have no agency limits, especially regarding the tragedy of a death in the service to one’s country. As someone who has served in Afghanistan, completing a 14-month tour only four months ago, I am troubled by the silence from State and USAID. The lack of acknowledgment of Tom’s service diminishes the efforts of all those who have already ans- wered the call, and the contributions, commitment and sacrifice of current U.S. government employees in Afghanistan. Given this lack of support and acknowledgment from our leader- ship, it should come as no surprise that it is becoming increasingly difficult to staff posts in places like Afghanistan. I am proud to have served there and would consider vol- unteering again. But I am no long- er certain. If the State Department, USAID and other agencies are serious about demonstrating support to those work- ing in Afghanistan, Iraq and other critical-needs countries, a good start would be to recognize the service of all who serve, not just those sent by their home agency. Randy Chester USAID FSO Embassy Sarajevo Editor’s Note: Steven Thomas Stef- ani’s name will be inscribed on the AFSA Memorial Plaques in the C Street Lobby of the Department of State’s Harry S Truman Building at the next Foreign Affairs Day com- memoration on May 2, 2008. D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 11 L E T T E R S Correction We regret the errors in the entry for Foreign Service Family, the mem- oir by Harriet (Rita) Prince Parrish Youngquist and Eric V. Youngquist, on p. 31 of “In Their Own Write” in the November Journal . The cost of the book is $21.00, and it can be ordered by writing to Managing Editor Na- thaniel Kenton at Voyageur Publish- ing Co., 834 Lynnbrook Road, Nash- ville TN 37215.