Secretary Powell to Honor Fallen Foreign Service Employees

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell will unveil the names of six Foreign Service employees to the American Foreign Service Associations’ Memorial Plaque on Friday, May 9, 2003 at 10:15 a.m. in the C Street Diplomatic Lobby at the Department of State.

This year’s ceremony will honor six members of the Foreign Service family, including Laurence Foley who was murdered outside of his residence on October 28, 2002. The additional members of the Foreign Service family are being honored because of a recent change in ceremonial criteria to include those who died in the line of duty, in addition to the traditional criteria of “heroic or other inspirational circumstances.”

Foreign Affairs Day is a long-standing tradition of commemorating the service performed by those dedicated employees. Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson oversaw the first such ceremony in 1933. The addition of these names brings the total number of honorees to 209.

Pick-up time for cameras: 8:45 a.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance
Pick-up time for stills and writers: 9:30 a.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance
Final access for press: 9:45 a.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance
(THIS IS A SOLEMN CEREMONY WITH NO Q AND A)

Media representatives who plan to attend must present one of the following press credentials: (1) a U.S. government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification (driver’s license or passport).

Press Contacts:
Tom Switzer
 American Foreign Service Association
(202) 944-5501 (office)

Office of Press Relations
US Department of State
(202) 647-2492