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I worked with Beverly Cleary for nearly twenty years, so it's beyond difficult to pick from so many wonderful memories. Here are two that I hope capture both her remarkable [...]

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Priorities and Surveys" in the January 2010 issue, "Restore State's Office of Public Communications," by Alexis Ludwig in the December 2009 issue, and the U.S. Foreign Service readiness on language shortfall.

The article discusses the financial benefits that come to the U.S. Foreign Service retirees from all the foreign affairs agencies with the membership of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). As an AFSA member, their dues pay for a public affairs program that explains the professionalism of the Foreign Service community to the American public.

The article presents the author's opinion on the retirement of Ken Nakamura, Legislative Affairs Director of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). The author outlines the accomplishments of the retiree. Nakamura was the chief spokesperson of the AFSA at the U.S. Congress based in Capitol Hill, for 11 years. He is well known for influencing the U.S. Congress in the interest of the foreign service. He will be joining the Congressional Research Service.

The article urges retirees of the U.S. Foreign Service to represent the Foreign Service and the American Foreign Service Association in their community by reaching out legislators at their respective states or by visiting offices of representatives and senators. The Foreign Service would not only benefit the voicing out of the retirees, but also for their own retiree benefits. The Congress is a one piece representative of Foreign Service, but closer relation must be nurtured by retirees.

The article focuses on the role of Foreign Service retiree in Arizona. Retirees are working in various offices in the State Department. American Foreign Service Association Retiree Representative Larry Lesser has applied his skills being an election observer in Belarus. Representative Gil Sheinbaum has plugged a gap in the Europe embassy and become an election observer in Sri Lanka. Other have worked as compilers on congress reports, issuers of visa and servers of deputy chiefs.

The article discusses the roles of the new retiree contingent of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Governing Board in the U.S. for 2005 to 2007. The new group of retiree representatives are composed of Gil Sheinbaum, Larry Lesser, Roger Dankert, and Len Baldyga. They will encourage an increase in retiree membership in AFSA and to use that increased voice to deal with retiree issues, particularly in the Congress. Also, they will deal with the legislation on diplomacy.