A child—an employee family member—plants a flag on the lawn of the Embassy Addis Ababa compound in honor of the victims of 9/11. Photo by Robyn Kriel

Addis Ababa community plants flags for remembrance

By Chanh Nguyen and Robyn Lin-Justiniano The idea was a simple one. Anyone from the U.S. Embassy community who walked a lap around the Addis Ababa compound could plant a small American flag on the...
Rich Vinnacombe, deputy director of the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization, speaks to attendees at the 25th Annual Awards ceremony in Rosslyn, Va., Oct. 16. Photo by Isaac D. Pacheco

Small businesses recognized at 25th annual OSDBU awards ceremony

By Anna Urman The Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s (OSDBU) mission is to help small U.S. businesses obtain contracts with the Department of State in compliance with statutory requirements. An important part of that...
Center: Consul General Robert Silberstein stands with six enthusiastic 2019 interns and (third from left) Human Resources Supervisor Tehmina Maqbool. Photo by Narendar Kumar

Interns promote opportunity at ConGen Karachi

By Brian Kressin The U.S. Consulate in Karachi’s internship program, which just finished its second year, was a first for Mission Pakistan. Once the consulate received approval in the spring of 2018, they reached out...
Front row, from left: Counselor T. Ulrich Brechbuhl and Ambassador Dan Smith, FSI director, join a reception with students of the inaugural One Team course in the Grove Atrium at FSI, Aug. 28. Photo by Caroline Agsten

Breaking down barriers and building cohesion

By John Berry This past July, the Department of State celebrated its 230th anniversary. As employees reflected upon the Department’s rich history, they also looked forward by rededicating themselves to their work, to their oaths...
Through the Feds Feed Families program, staff at the El Paso Passport Agency collected nearly 250 pounds of food, which was donated to El Paso Fights Hunger who cooked meals for victims and their families in the days following the attack in El Paso, Texas. Photo by Anna Sanchez-Perea

El Paso Passport Agency supports community

By Joshua Smith In the wake of tragedy, the strength of a community rises. After the Aug. 3 domestic terror attack at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, many residents felt a collective need to spring...
Russell Palarea, an operational psychologist in the Diplomatic Security Service office gives a presentation “Mass Shootings: What You Can Do To Manage the Threat” as part of National Insider Threat Awareness Month activities, Sept. 11. Photo by Luis A. Jimenez Jr.

Building a culture of trust

By Jacqueline Atiles September marked the inaugural National Insider Threat Awareness Month and the Department of State enthusiastically championed this effort. Throughout the month, the Department’s Insider Threat Program offered employees educational information and activities...
Navy Corpsmen and embassy first responders provide medical attention to an injured Marine in the simulated attack by placing a tourniquet on his leg. Photo by Gianna Messina

Embassy Madrid reinforces emergency preparedness

By Gianna Messina Twenty-three Marines from the Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Company Europe (FASTEUR) arrived at Embassy Madrid for a weeklong embassy engagement exercise, June 9. The exercise focused on interoperability training with embassy security...
Global HRO conference attendees pose for a group photo with DGHR Carol Z. Perez (center) at the conclusion of the final seminar in Rosslyn, Va., Sept. 18. Photo by Isaac D. Pacheco

Global HRO Conference empowers Human Resource Officers

By Lourdes Cué and Heidi Howland More than 90 Human Resource Officers (HROs) from posts across the globe gathered in Washington, Sept. 16-18, for the first of its kind Global HRO Conference. Entitled “HR is...
From left: Assistant Secretary Carl C. Risch and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discuss photos on display at the exhibit inauguration, May 29. State Department photo

Commemorating Consular Affairs’ commitment to service

By Mikala Williams The Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) celebrated its 40-year anniversary this past summer by partnering with the United States Diplomacy Center on a unique exhibit that highlighted the 239-year history of consular...
Personnel assigned to the Diplomatic Security Service joint operations center at Embassy Paris monitor potential threats and security concerns as they watch the U.S. women’s national soccer team match against Chile at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, June 16. State Department photo

DS helps safeguard Women’s World Cup

By Angela French While the United States was cheering on its national soccer team, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) special agents and analysts worked behind the scenes to provide security support at...

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