Yesterday we welcomed home the remains of Ambassador J. Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods. Employees were welcome to go to Andrews Air Force Base for the ceremony, but even though I feel enormously connected to what happened, I don't, well didn't, know any of the four personally. So I decided to stay at work, complete my assignments since I am going to be out next week, and watch the ceremony via our internal media. I know this is the same, or at least similar, ceremony that our soldiers receive, and it was both beautiful and heartbreaking. I greatly appreciate the fact that the Secretary made her eulogy personal, mentioning Sean's online friends for example, and that both she and the President made it clear that justice will be done and that this will not push us out of Libya. That is not what these four men would have wanted, and I feel that continuing our mission there is one of the best tributes we could give them. Secretary Clinton's line that the people of the Arab Spring did not come out from under the thumb of tyrants to fall under the thumb of mobs was especially compelling given the reaction to this ridiculous video all throughout the Middle East.
Yesterday I was also able to sign the condolence books for Amb. Stevens. One thing I wrote was how he has inspired me to be a better civil service employee and to possibly apply for the foreign service. I know that most people would see what happened and say no way would I want to work out there, but I have been inspired. I haven't seen a single person who has a negative thing to say about Ambassador Stevens, including those in Libya (minus the extremists who ambushed him), and his passion for his job is admirable. So I think one day in the near future I may be applying to be a foreign service officer. In the meantime, at least I can be sure that my work is making a difference, and I can continue to look for fulfilling and important work.
RIP Chris, Sean, Glen, and Tyrone. You will never be forgotten.
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