1987 Year in Review

 Highlights:

• Patrick Tyler Booth was born April 29, 1987 INOVA  Fairfax Hospital. Falls Church, VA. 

          With Brother Jeffrey

• I began my first overseas tour with the State Department as the Financial Management Officer (FMO) at the Embassy in Amman, Jordan.  Major challenge during my tenure was monitoring the finances for the construction of a new embassy compound following the new security standards established by the Inman Commission.  I was also went through an OIG Inspection during my second year.  I remember the Management Inspecor, Maurice (Mo) Blaze on that team.   Mo practiced the "Principal of Resonableness" in determining the seriousness of his findings in terms of making a formal recommendation for the team's Inspection Report.  In fact, he influenced me to join the OIG as a Management Inspector later in my career and following retirement. 

• My boss was Anne Hackett, Administrative Officer.  Anne was a native of Worchester, Mass., who earned a bachelor’s from the College of New Rochelle and a master’s from New York University.  She was very experienced beginning her service in 1975 as Admin Officer in Istanbul and then Singapore, Djibouti, and in Washington with Africa Bureau then Director if Career Assignments Division.  She was a distinct pleasure to work with not only professionaly as a mentor but also a dear friend.  After Amman Anne was assigned as Management Counselor in Rome.  Anne tragically died from complications of multiple myeloma in 1992 at the age of 50.  Patrick Kennedy, the acting under secretary for management, said: “Anne’s ready wit, good humor, caring friendship, and devotion to her job impressed many of us, Americans and foreign nationals alike. This place just won’t be as much fun-Ñand the courtyards will be a lot quieter - without her.”

FMO Staff Jibran, Leila, Afaf, Ronnie, Rula, Helen
and Nizar with Ambassador Suddarth 

• There were plenty of opportunities for travel in country to Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba and Jerash.  we also made road trips to Damascus, Syria for shopping in the souk.  My family and I would make Courier pouch trips to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv travelling by road over the Allenby bridge about every six months. Security was an issue particularly during the first Intifada (1987-90) and Palestinian protests against Israeli occupation of the West Bank.  

Petra

     

Jerash

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• I also ended up having regional resposibilty to provide assistance to our Embassies in Baghdad and Damascus making quarterly trips to review financial operations and providing technical assistance to the Manangment Officer and financial management staff.      

• I attended a Regional Financial Management Officer conference in Paris 

• Supporting trips by SECSTATE George Schultz working with King Hussein trying to establish peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

• Playing softball with Royal Jordanian sponsored team and travelling to Dubai for annual Middle East Softball tournament.

• Coaching baseball with Jeffrey's team and playing softball at ACS.    

U.S. Events:

·         US Supreme Court rules Rotary Clubs must admit women (May 4).

·         US Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., retires (June 26).

·         Oliver North, Jr., tells Congressional inquiry higher officials approved his secret Iran-Contra   operations (July 7–10).

·         Admiral John M. Poindexter, former National Security Adviser, testifies he authorized use of     Iran arms sale profits to aid Contras (July 15–22).

·         George P. Shultz testifies he was deceived repeatedly on Iran-Contra affair (July 23–24).

·         Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger tells inquiry of official deception and intrigue (July   31, Aug. 3).

·         Reagan says Iran arms-Contra policy went astray and accepts responsibility (Aug. 12).

·         Senate, 58-42, rejects Robert H. Bork as US Supreme Court Justice (Oct. 23).

World Events:

·         William Buckley, American hostage in Lebanon, reported slain (Jan. 20).

·         Iraqi missiles kill 37 in attack on US frigate Stark in Persian Gulf (May 17); Iraqi president   Hussein apologizes (May 18).

·         Prime Minister Thatcher wins rare third term in Britain (June 11).

·         Klaus Barbie, 73, Gestapo wartime chief in Lyon, sentenced to life by French court for war crimes (July 4).

Movies:

Best Picture was "Platoon".  Best Actor went to Paul Newman "The Color of Money" as "Fast Eddie". Best Actress was Marlee Matlin "Children of a Lesser God".  Best Supporting actor was Michael Caine in "Hannah and Her Sisters".  Best supporting actress went to Dianne Wiest "Hannah and Her Sisters".  Best Director Oliver Stone "Platoon".  Best original score Herbie Hancock "Round Midnight".

Super Bowl

 Super Bowl XXI  The New York Giants defeated the Broncos,     39–20, for their first Super Bowl and first NFL title since 1956.   This was the Broncos' first Super Bowl appearance since the 1977   season. Led largely through the play of quarterback John Elway   and a defense that led the AFC in fewest yards allowed, the   Broncos posted an 11–5 regular season record and two narrow   playoff victories. The Giants (14-2 record) were led by   quarterback Phil Simms,   running back Joe Morris, and their   defense.  The game was tight in the   first half, with the Broncos   holding a 10–9 halftime lead, the   narrowest margin in Super   Bowl history. The only score in the   second quarter, however,   was Giants defensive end George Martin's sack of Elway in the   end zone for a safety. This began the Giants run of scoring 26   unanswered points through the third   and fourth quarters. The   Giants also posted a Super Bowl record 30 points in the second   half, and limited the Broncos to only 2 net   yards in the third   quarter. Simms, who was named the Super Bowl MVP, finished   the game with 22 of 25 passes completed for 268 yards and three   touchdowns. His 22 out of 25 (88%) completion                                                                                         percentage broke both a Super Bowl and NFL postseason record.

World Series

The 1987 World Series saw the Twins defeat the Cardinals four games to three to win the Series. Twins pitcher Frank Viola was named as the 1987 World Series MVP.  It was the first World Series to feature games played indoors, and the first in which the home team won every game; this happened again in 1991 (also a Twins championship, over the Atlanta Braves) and in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks defeating the New York Yankees.  The World Series win was the first for the Twins franchise since 1924, when it was located in Washington, D.C., and known as the Washington Senators.  This was the third of four World Series played entirely on artificial turf, with the others in 1980, 1985, and 1993.