Daily Archives: June 4, 2014

US Embassy Ulaanbaatar Gets First Ever Marine Security Guard Detachment

June 4, 2014 By in Ambassadors, Defense Department, Foreign Service, Photo of the Day, Security, Staffing the FS, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , ,

— Domani Spero
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Via US Embassy Mongolia:

On May 23, 2014,  U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar held a welcome ceremony to institute the first ever U.S. Marine Security Guard detachment in the Embassy. Ambassador Piper Campbell expressed her delight at having Marines serving at the Embassy Ulaanbaatar.  The Ambassador concluded her speech with a quote from 1885, “The Marines have landed and the situation is well in hand.”

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Adam Zybert thanked the Embassy for the work in preparing for the Marines’ arrival.  He quoted Ronald Reagan “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don’t have that problem”, and continued “If President Reagan were still here today, I believe he would say the U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar does not have that problem either”.

As part of the ceremony, the Marine Security Guards presented the colors for the raising of the flag in the Embassy compound.

U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar held a welcome ceremony to institute the first ever U.S. Marine Security Guard detachment in the Embassy.

Ambassador Piper Campbell during U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar’s welcome ceremony to institute the first ever U.S. Marine Security Guard detachment in the Embassy.

 

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Official Guidance on Nap Rooms: Our diplomats are tireless, no nap rooms needed!

June 4, 2014 By in Foreign Service, John F. Kerry, Photo of the Day, Secretary of State, Snapshots, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , ,

— Domani Spero
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Well, that was quick.  Yesterday, there was this Tweet of the Day: US Embassy London to Get Nap Rooms?. Barely 24 hours later, the State Department slapped down the nap room idea at Embassy London or any of our diplomatic missions. The State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf  said that the agency is not considering establishing nap rooms “at this time.” Below is an excerpt from the DPB:

2 kittens taking a nap

2 kittens taking a nap (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

QUESTION: This is a slightly whimsical question —

MS. HARF: Uh-oh.

QUESTION: — but I see a tweet suggesting that the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom has —

MS. HARF: You’re asking about nap rooms, aren’t you?

QUESTION: Yes. Is there anything to that?

MS. HARF: I was going to make a joke, but I’m not. Actually, I might still.

QUESTION: Do you have guidance on this?

MS. HARF: Yeah, I have guidance.

QUESTION: Amazing.

MS. HARF: And I wrote at the top: Our diplomats are tireless advocates for our foreign policy. It’s pretty good, right? Nap room, tireless, no? Okay, fine. No one liked my joke.

QUESTION: I liked it.

MS. HARF: Thank you, Elise. So yes, I do have guidance on this. In a private talk yesterday, U.S. employees at the Embassy in London – Arianna Huffington touted the productivity benefits of getting more sleep – something we can probably all attest to – and urged the ambassador to follow the Huffington Post example of installing nap rooms. The ambassador graciously and diplomatically said he would look into it. While we are not considering establishing nap rooms at Embassy London or any of our diplomatic missions at this time, we obviously think that work-life balance is important, and someday I will attempt to find it.

While they were at it, the Secretary arrived in Poland.  Attending a meeting in Warsaw, the Secretary was spotted taking what appears to be a snooze. Was this a nano-nap, a micro-nap,  a mini-nap or a power nap?

JK’s rapid response:

 

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