Tag Archives: US Embassy Vienna

Justice Breyer Swears-In Victoria Reggie Kennedy as U.S. Ambassador to Austria

November 29, 2021 By in Ambassadors, EUR|Europe, Political Appointees, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , ,

 

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U.S. Senate Confirms Two Ex-Senators and Two Widows of Senators to Ambassadorships. Yay!

November 1, 2021 By in Ambassadors, Confirmations, Foreign Service, FSOs, Political Appointees, Realities of the FS, Senate Hold, Senators, State Department, Trends, U.S. Missions, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

 

On October 26, the institution that used to be called the “world’s greatest deliberative body” finally confirmed four ambassadorships despite Cancun Cruz’s blanket hold. The senators confirmed the former senator from Arizona for a post in Turkey, confirmed the former senator for New Mexico for a post in New Zealand and Samoa, and they confirmed the widows of two senators who used to represent Arizona and Massachusetts.
Oh, yes, the U.S. Senate also confirmed three Foreign Service lists two days after they confirmed their friends to these ambassadorships. By Thursday, somebody must have thought, hey, it might look bad that only Senate-connected nominees were confirmed on Tuesday.
Now, no one really think that, right?   Does it look bad? Wait! Did you think that?
Well, somebody did! So they rolled out what we’re calling their fruit basket strategery. Sure, they confirmed four political appointees but they also confirmed 283 regular Foreign Service folks who have been waiting from 2-3 months for their confirmation.
Apples and oranges in the fruit basket, see?
Do send your thanks to these jolly, old fellows in the Senate.
AMBASSADORSHIPS
2021-10-26 PN872 Jeffry Lane Flake, of Arizona, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Turkey.
2021-10-26 PN918 Tom Udall, of New Mexico, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to New Zealand, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Independent State of Samoa.
2021-10-26 PN1008 Cindy Hensley McCain, of Arizona, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.
2021-10-26 PN1031 Victoria Reggie Kennedy, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Austria.
FOREIGN SERVICE LISTS
2021-10-28 PN904 Foreign Service | Nominations beginning Ninoshka Abreu Guerra, and ending Stefanie Nicole Yacubovich, which 224 nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on July 19, 2021.
2021-10-28 PN905 Foreign Service | Nominations beginning Rosemary Gallant, and ending Eric Wolff, which 17 nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on July 19, 2021.
2021-10-28 PN1015 Foreign Service | Nominations beginning Elizabeth R. Baiocchi, and ending William K. Makaneole, which 42 nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on August 9, 2021.

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New Havana Syndrome Hotspots — U.S. Embassies in Germany and Austria

August 19, 2021 By in Blinken, Diplomatic Attacks, EUR|Europe, Foreign Service, Hotspots, Huh? News, MEDical, Realities of the FS, Security, State Department, Trends, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , ,

 

 

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@NewYorker: Vienna Is the New Havana Syndrome Hotspot

July 19, 2021 By in Blinken, Diplomatic Attacks, Hotspots, MEDical, Realities of the FS, Security, State Department, Trends, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , ,
Thank you to over 500 readers and supporters who made our continued operation possible this year. Raising funds for a small outlet that is already open and free for all to read has often been the most challenging part of running  this blog. We are grateful for your continued support and well wishes. Gracias — DS

 

Via New Yorker:
Since Joe Biden took office about two dozen U.S. intelligence officers, diplomats, and other government officials in Vienna have reported experiencing mysterious afflictions similar to the Havana Syndrome. U.S. officials say the number of possible new cases in the Austrian capital—long a nexus of U.S. and Russian espionage—is now greater than the number reported by officials in any city except for Havana itself, where the first cases were reported.
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The first possible syndrome case in Vienna was reported a couple of months after Biden’s Inauguration. That case and subsequent ones were reported to officials in Washington soon after they occurred. But the Biden Administration decided not to announce the Vienna outbreak—officials were concerned that any public disclosure about the cases would hamper ongoing U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement investigations, which are still under way in Vienna. The Austrian Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the cluster of cases.
CNN quotes a State Department spox:
“In coordination with our partners across the U.S. Government, we are vigorously investigating reports of possible unexplained health incidents (UHI) among the U.S. Embassy Vienna community or wherever they are reported,” a State Department spokesperson said. “Any employees who reported a possible UHI received immediate and appropriate attention and care.”
On May 25, 2021 U.S. government workers and their spouses who say they were injured by Havana Syndrome sent a letter to Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeon (via NBC)

 

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U.S. Embassy Vienna Partners With McDonald’s to Assist U.S. Citizens in Need, Cue the McJokes

May 17, 2019 By in Ambassadors, Americans Abroad, Consular Work, Social Media, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment
U.S. Embassy Vienna Partners With McDonald’s to Assist U.S. Citizens in Need, Cue the McJokes

 

 

 

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Vienna (@usembvienna) announced on FB that the U.S. Ambassador to Austria Trevor D. Traina signed a Memorandum of Agreement with McDonald’s Austria that would allow the Golden Arches to assist Americans in need. McDonald’s staff will reportedly assist Americans in distress if they need consular assistance but have no way to contact the U.S. Embassy.

It looks like this FB post is actually their most popular one with over 200 comments though with varied reactions from the public.

“Come on! It sounds so ridiculous!”

“Great idea!”

“Happy meal for the distressed Americans in Austria 🍔

“One McPassport to go, please”

“Can I get uh….. a… diplomatic assistance meal please?”

“Would you like to supersize your passport? “

“I will have small coffee, egg mcmuffin and a passport, on the side please”

“The land of the fries and the home of Big Mac.”

“Can you help me find the McEmbassy?”

“As a U.S. citizen, I find it odd that this seems to be an endorsement for a specific corporation.”

One commenter asked if “this in lieu of a staffed embassy?” and US Embassy Vienna set that right with “Certainly not. Our Embassy is fully staffed and ready to assist American citizens in need. This partnership is only one extra way for Americans to connect to the Embassy when they are in an emergency situation.”

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Confirmations: Trujillo, Pence, Prado, Traina, Moley, Royce, and More

March 23, 2018 By in Ambassadors, assistant secretaries, Confirmations, Functional Bureaus, State Department, Top Ranks, U.S. Missions, U.S. Senate Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted: 12:04 am  ET

 

Late on March 22, the U.S. Senate confirmed the following executive nominations for the State Department, the Peace Corps, and a few other reps for international banks:

Exec. Cal. #616 Carlos Trujillo, of Florida, to be Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States
Exec. Cal. #752 – Robert Frank Pence, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Finland
Exec. Cal. #753 – Edward Charles Prado, of Texas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Argentine Republic
Exec. Cal. #754 – Trevor D. Traina, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Austria
Exec. Cal. #759 – Kevin Edward Moley, of Arizona, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (International Organization Affairs)

Exec. Cal. #761 – Marie Royce, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Educational and Cultural Affairs)

Also confirmed:

PEACE CORPS
Exec. Cal. #760 – Josephine Olsen, of Maryland, to be Director of the Peace Corps

EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

Exec. Cal. #330 Steven T. Mnuchin – to be United States Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, United States Governor of the African Development Fund, and United States Governor of the Asian Development Bank.

Exec. Cal. #756 – Judy Lynn Shelton, of Virginia, to be United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

Exec. Cal. #331 Steven T. Mnuchin – to be United States Governor of the International Monetary Fund, United States Governor of the African Development Bank, United States Governor of the Inter-American Development Bank, and United States Governor of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a term of five years.

INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

Exec. Cal. #755 – Erik Bethel, of Florida, to be United States Alternate Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a term of two years

The nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Germany is still stuck in confirmation purgatory:

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Holiday Greetings From U.S. Embassies and Consulates Around the World – 2015

December 23, 2015 By in Foreign Service, Holidays and Celebrations, U.S. Missions, USAID, Video of the Week Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted: 12:58 am EDT
Updated: 12/23/15 @ 10:31 pm PDT
Updated 8:34 pm PDT
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For the rest of the holiday videos from U.S. embassies and consulates, please check out those from US Embassy Phnom Penh, US Embassy Bishkek, US Embassy Rome, US Consulate General Naples, US Consulate General Jerusalem, and US Embassy Helsinki.

U.S. Embassy Podgorica

 

U.S. Embassy Seoul

 

U.S. Embassy Vienna

 

U.S. Embassy Oslo

 

USCG Mumbai

 

U.S. Embassy Jakarta

 

U.S. Embassy Prague

 

U.S. Embassy Port Moresby

 

Happy Holidays From USAID

 

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Holiday Greetings From American Embassies Around the World – 2014

December 23, 2014 By in Foreign Service, FSOs, Holidays and Celebrations, Social Media, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

— Domani Spero
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Wishing all our readers a safe and wonderful Holiday Season with loved ones and friends and a new year of good health and happiness.  A special shoutout to our men and women in unaccompanied foreign service assignments who will not be spending the holidays with their loved ones.  Tennessee Williams writes  that “time is the longest distance between two places.” May you bridge that distance soon. A few holiday greetings from our diplomatic posts in Poland, Norway, Austria, Thailand, Croatia, and Indonesia.

 

U.S. Embassy Warsaw, Poland

Diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw and Consulate General in Krakow await the arrival of Santa Claus…but will they receive presents or rózga from Santa’s elves this year? According to Polish legend, naughty children receive rózga – twigs – from Santa. A note from the embassy says that no personnel were injured in the filming of this video, although they did help a colleague find a local tailor – watch the bloopers! Video is currently on FB and has not been posted on the embassy’s YouTube channel, but it’s online courtesy of YouTube user Interpol 1923.  Three years in a row for awesomeness! Click the links for the previous videos in 2013, and 2012.

 

U.S. Embassy Oslo, Norway

Vi mimer julen inn og ønsker hele Norge god jul og godt nytt år! Happy holidays from the U.S. Embassy in Oslo! Del gjerne videre!

 

U.S. Embassy Vienna, Austria

 

U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand

The U.S. Embassy in Thailand counting down to the New Year with its own version of a popular holiday song. Happy New Year everyone and Sawadii Pii Mai!

 

US Embassy Zagreb, Croatia

Year in Review 2014! Želimo vam sretan Božić i sve najbolje u novoj godini….

 

U.S. Consulate General Surabaya, Indonesia

Konjen AS di Surabaya mengucapkan selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun Baru 2015. Happy Holidays!

 

US Embassy Manila, Philippines

U.S. Consulate General Mumbai, India

U.S. Embassy Baku, Azerbaijan

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