The Foreign Service Journal, December 2010

8 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 8. Trade full overseas comparability pay for dramatic reductions in the level and applicability of post differential. (My family’s comfort level at non-hard- ship and 25-percent differential posts has been basically the same.) 9. Develop a two-tier per diem rate for overseas TDYs, using the current rate for stays of one week or less at any given location but dropping it by half after one week (while allowing up to the initial rate for fully documented claims). I could go on, but if AFSA takes this up, I’m sure there will be no shortage of other ideas. The poll could invite ad- ditional suggestions. Brent Schaeffer USAID, retired Washington, D.C. Remembering Smith Simpson The late Smith Simpson (as R. Smith Simpson was generally known) was a truly exceptional Foreign Service officer. He took an early interest in management back when that skill was not a standard feature of diplomatic ex- pertise. A brilliant analyst of what was going on in the countries where he was posted, he advocated careful officer preparation that included instruction in all aspects of diplomacy. One point that the otherwise fine obituary that appeared in the Sept. 9 Washington Post missed was that after moving to his retirement community in Charlottesville, Va., Simpson encour- aged his alma mater there, the Univer- sity of Virginia, to teach diplomacy (as he had previously done at George- town). He established the annual Smith Simpson Debate on Diplomacy between the school’s two debating clubs on major international issues. He was an exceptional individual with a strong sense of purpose and a lifelong dedication to the Foreign Serv- ice. George High FSO, retired Lake Ridge. Va. Editor’s Note: An obituary of R. Smith Simpson appears on p. 71 of this issue. ■ L E T T E R S AFSA Resource Marketplace Find the Most-Requested Resources from the Overseas Briefing Center Online at www.afsa.org/ads 1. FSI’s Transition Center 2. U.S. Department of State Overseas Briefing Center (OBC) 3. Security Overseas Seminars: PSOS, ASOS, SAA, SOS, SOS 4. Transition Center Training home page for eligible family members and members of household (MOH) 5. International Jobs - Working Overseas 6. Country Information (Bidding Resources) 7. Transition Center Courses 8. Preparing to Go Overseas 9. Pets and International Travel 10. Foreign Service Assignment Notebook: What Do I Do Now? 11. U.S. Department of State Career Transition Center (CTC) 12. Personal Post Insights 13. Elementary School Stuff 14. Arrange Medical Clearance and Immunizations 15. High Stress Assignment Outbrief Program CORRECTION Due to an editing error, the listing of the establishment of AFSA’s con- structive dissent awards in Ambassa- dor Edward Peck’s September Speaking Out column (“Recognizing Those Who Have Made a Differ- ence”) was out of sequence. The first of the four to be established was the William R. Rivkin Award, followed by the W. Averell Harriman Award, the Christian A. Herter Award and the F. Allen “Tex” Harris Award. In addition, Amb. Peck received the Rifkin Award in 1973, not 1974 as er- roneously stated. Send your Letter to the Editor to journal@afsa.org.