Yorktown Volunteer Trip to Aviation Museum, Macon, GA

Museum of Aviation opened to the public on Friday, 9 November 1984 with 20 aircraft on display in an open field and another 20 were in various stages of restoration. The Museum of Aviation has grown to become the second largest museum in the United States Air Force and the fourth most visited museum in the Department of Defense. The museum is a place that honors our veterans and their families and reminds our Airmen of their legendary Air Force heritage.

The complex includes three buildings housing various aircraft including restoration projects and one designated for the period of the Viet Nam war.

Photo of Yorktown Volunteers in front of the MD F-15 Eagle 

The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is a multirole strike fighter was designed to replace the F-4 Phantom in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic-warfare aircraft. The Strike Eagle has been deployed for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya, among others. During these operations the F-15E has carried out deep strikes against high-value targets, combat air patrols, and provided close air support for coalition troops. It has also been exported to several countries.

The American Volunteer Group (AVG) was largely the creation of Claire L. Chennault, a retired U.S. Army Air Corps officer who had worked in China since August 1937, first as military aviation advisor to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in the early months of the Sino-Japanese War, then as director of a Chinese Air Force flight school centered in Kunming. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union supplied fighter and bomber squadrons to China, but these units were mostly withdrawn by the summer of 1940. Chiang then asked for American combat aircraft and pilots, sending Chennault to Washington as adviser to China's ambassador and Chiang's brother-in-law, T. V. Soong.

The First AVG of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC), Navy (USN), and Marine Corps (USMC), recruited under presidential authority and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The shark-faced nose art of the Flying Tigers remains among the most recognizable image of any individual combat aircraft or combat unit of World War II.

AVG fighter aircraft were painted with a large shark face on the front of the aircraft. This was done after pilots saw a photograph of a P-40 of No. 112 Squadron RAF in North Africa, which in turn had adopted the shark face from German pilots of the Luftwaffe's ZG 76 heavy fighter wing, flying Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters in Crete.  About the same time, the AVG was dubbed "The Flying Tigers" by its Washington support group, called China Defense Supplies. The P-40's included pilot armor, self-sealing fuel tanks, sturdy construction, heavy armament, and a higher diving speed than most Japanese aircraft.  Chennault created an early warning network of spotters that would give his fighters time to take off and climb to a superior altitude where this tactic could be executed.

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is a single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The Warhawk was used by most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in frontline service until the end of the war. It was the third most-produced American fighter, after the P-51 and P-47; by November 1944, when production of the P-40 ceased, 13,738 had been built, all at Curtiss-Wright Corporation's main production facilities at Buffalo, New York.

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission.  From late 1943, P-51s were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, for roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944.   The P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean, Italian and Pacific theaters. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed to have destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft.

A reminder of the many airfields in England beginning in 1943 where pilots were trained and aircraft like the P-51 Mustang began their missions.

Cessna AT 8 Bobcat was a twin-engined advanced trainer aircraft designed and made in the United States, and used during World War II to bridge the gap between single-engined trainers and twin-engined combat aircraft. Thirty-three AT-8s were built for the U.S. Army Air Corps, and production continued under the designation AT-17 reflecting a change in equipment and engine types

 In 1942, the U.S Army Air Force (the successor to the Air Corps from June 1941) adopted the Bobcat as a light personnel transport and those delivered after January 1, 1943 were designated UC-78s. By the end of World War II, Cessna had produced more than 4,600 Bobcats.

Overhead photos of the results of a bombing run for German factories.

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,500 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976.  The F-16 is being used by the active duty USAF, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard units, the USAF aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and as an adversary-aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center. The U.S. Air Force, including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard, flew the F-16 in combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and in the Balkans later in the 1990s. F-16s also patrolled the no-fly zones in Iraq and served during the wars in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) from 2001 and 2003 respectively. In 2011, Air Force F-16s took part in the intervention in Libya.  The F-16 had been scheduled to remain in service with the U.S. Air Force until 2025.  Its replacement was planned to be the F-35A variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, which is expected gradually begin replacing several multi-role aircraft among the program's member nations. However, due to delays in the F-35 program, all USAF F-16s will receive service life extension upgrades.  

The F-16's first air-to-air combat success was achieved by the Israeli Air Force over the Bekaa Valley on 28 April 1981, against a Syrian Mi-8 helicopter, which was downed with cannon fire.  In January 2000, Israel completed a purchase of 102 new F-16 aircraft in a deal totaling $4.5 billion.  In addition to the Israeli Air Force the Pakistan, Turkish and Egyptian Air Forces all have F-16s.  
 

The SR-71 served with the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1998. A total of 32 aircraft were built; 12 were lost in accidents but none were lost to enemy action.  In 1976 it held the world record for the fastest absolute speed of 2,193.2 mph.



The Mark 6 was an American nuclear bomb in production from 1951 to 1955 and saw service until 1962.  It was also the first atomic weapon to offer the delivery aircraft's bombardier the option of changing the detonation altitude while the bomber was in flight to the target.  The B-52 Stratofortress aircraft loaded with the Mark 6 was based at Robins AFB.



The Chartres airfield was liberated by Allied ground forces in August 1944 during the Northern France Campaign. American forces cleared the airport of mines and destroyed Luftwaffe aircraft, and repaired operational facilities for use by American aircraft.  Subsequently, Chartres Airport became a USAAF Ninth Air Force combat airfield, designated as "A-40.  Most hangars and support buildings were destroyed and subsequently, tents had to be used for billeting and also for support facilities along with a drinkable water supply.  Under American control, Chartres initially became the home of the 368th Fighter Group, which flew P-47 Thunderbolts from the field and later the B-26 Marauder-equipped 323d Bombardment Group flying combat missions.  The combat units moved out at the end of October 1944, and until the end of the war, Chartres became a resupply and combat casualty evacuation airfield, and performing other support roles for the Allies. It was returned to French civil control in June 1945

The Normandy landings took place on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) and marked the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The amphibious landings on the coast of Normandy were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault.  The landings included 24,000 American, British, and Canadian armored and airborne divisions.  The target was a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.

Operation Fortitude was the code name for a World War II military deception employed by the Allied nations as part of an overall deception strategy (code named Bodyguard) during the build-up to the 1944 Normandy landings. Fortitude was divided into two sub-plans, North and South, with the aim of misleading the German high command as to the location of the invasion. Both Fortitude plans involved the creation of phantom field armies (based in Edinburgh and the south of England) which threatened Norway (Fortitude North) and Pas de Calais (Fortitude South). The operation was intended to divert Axis attention away from Normandy and, after the invasion on June 6, 1944, to delay reinforcement by convincing the Germans that the landings were purely a diversionary attack.

The forward air controller (FAC) played a significant part in the Vietnam War.  Using makeshift propeller-driven aircraft and inadequate radio nets, they became so essential to air operations that the overall need for FACs would not be completely satisfied until 1969. The FAC's expertise as an air strike controller also made him an intelligence source, munitions expert, communication specialist, and above all, the on-scene commander of the strike forces and the start of any subsequent combat search and rescue if necessary.  The FACs would be essential participants in close air support in South Vietnam, interdiction efforts against the Ho Chi Minh Trail, supporting a guerrilla war on the Plain of Jars in Laos, and probing home defenses in North Vietnam.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft.[2] It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was also adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force, and by the mid-1960s had become a major part of their air wings.  

The Phantom has a top speed of over Mach 2.2 (1,688 mph). It can carry more than 18,000 pounds of weapons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute speed record, and an absolute altitude record.  The F-4 was used extensively during the Vietnam War. It served as the principal air superiority fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, and became important in the ground-attack and aerial reconnaissance roles late in the war. The Phantom has the distinction of being the last U.S. fighter flown by pilots who attained ace status in the 20th century.

The U.S. Air Force developed the Sikorsky HH-3E helicopter, nicknamed the "Jolly Green Giant," to perform combat search and rescue (CSAR) to recover downed Airmen during the Southeast Asia War. A highly modified version of Sikorsky's CH-3 transport helicopter, the HH-3E carried both armor plating and armament to protect it from hostile forces during rescues of aircrews in combat.  The first USAF HH-3Es arrived in Vietnam in 1967, and they operated out of Udorn Air Base, Thailand, and Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, HH-3 crewmen were awarded one Medal of Honor, twenty-four Air Force Crosses, and over 190 Silver Stars. A quarter of a century later, HH-3Es participated in OPERATION DESERT STORM, and provided rescue support in the early years of the Space Shuttle program. The last HH-3Es were retired in  1995.

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine, with two-blade main and tail rotors. The first member of the prolific Huey family, it was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet a United States Army's 1952 requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter, and first flew in 1956. The UH-1 was the first turbine-powered helicopter to enter production in 1960 for the United States military, and more than 16,000 have been built since.  The UH-1 first saw service in combat operations during the Vietnam War, with around 7,000 helicopters deployed.

Yorktown Volunteer Trip to 8th AF Base, Savanah (Pooler), GA

The National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air is located in Pooler, Georgia, near Savannah.  It is dedicated to the history of the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Corps that served in the European Theatre from England during World War II.  Among the many World War II exhibits are aircraft including a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber a model of a Messerschmitt Bf 109G fighter, and a 3/4-scale model of a P-51 Mustang fighter. Aircraft on display outside include the B-47 Stratojet, MiG-17, and F-4 Phantom II from the post-WW II Cold War era.The Mighty Eighth Air Force opened their own museum on May 15, 1996. 

Volunteer group photo with our tour guide Paul Grassey, aged 94, who was a B-24 pilot during WW II with the Mighty Eighth Air Force.  Grassey has served as a volunteer for 18 years and is now a board trustee. You Tube of Grassey at the museum can be seen at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1iYbIS2gmo.  He also published a book "It's Character  That Counts"  about his experiences during WW II.  

General James Harold “Jimmy” Doolittle (1896-1993) was a pioneering pilot, aeronautical engineer, combat leader and military strategist whose career stretched from World War I to the  Cold War. He is most famous for leading a daring bombing raid over Tokyo in 1942, the first American attack on the Japanese mainland. Doolittle’s 16 planes dropped their bombs and then, lacking fuel to return to their carrier, flew on to crash-land in China and the Soviet Union.

Jimmy Stewart (1908-1997).  Having learned to fly in 1935, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1940 as a private (after twice failing the medical for being underweight). During the course of World War II he rose to the rank of colonel, first as an instructor at home in the United States, and later on combat missions in Europe. He remained involved with the United States Air Force Reserve after the war and retired in 1959 as a brigadier general.

The Boeing B-17, nicknamed the “Flying Fortress”, was a long range heavy bomber that was given the task of destroying enemy war facilities through precision strategic bombardment.

Tail Gun on the B-17.  The tail gunner operates a flexible machine gun emplacement in the tail end of the aircraft with an unobstructed view toward the rear of the aircraft.

The "tora" of the title is the two-syllable Japanese codeword used to indicate that complete surprise had been achieved. It is a coincidence that "tora" means "tiger" in Japanese. “Tora! Tora! Tora!” is a 1970 Japanese-American war film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The film was directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku and stars Martin Balsam, Joseph Cotten, Sō Yamamura, E. G. Marshall, James Whitmore, and Jason Robards. 

 The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission.  The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 two-stage two-speed supercharged engine and was armed with six .50 caliber Browning machine guns.  From late 1943 Mustangs were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Mustangs as fighter-bombers, which helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944.  The P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean, Italian and Pacific theaters. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed to have destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft. At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang was the main fighter-bomber. 

The Boeing Stearman designated by the Army as the PT-17, was used as the primary trainer for  60,000 pilots in all branches of the U.S. military services during the war.  

The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-borne scout plane and dive bomber from mid-1940 through mid-1944. The SBD was also flown by the United States Marine Corps, both from land air bases and aircraft carriers. The SBD is best remembered as the bomber that delivered the fatal blows to the Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. The type earned its nickname "Slow But Deadly" (with the SBD initials) during this period.

Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the United States Air Force Military Airlift Command.  The strategic role demanded that the aircraft be capable of missions with a radius of at least 3,500 nautical miles (4,000 miles) with a 60,000 pound load. The tactical role required it to be able to perform low-altitude air drops of supplies, and carry and drop paratroops in combat.  The aircraft remained in service for almost 40 years until the USAF withdrew the C-141 from service on May 5, 2006, replacing the aircraft with the C-17. 

The B-25 became the most widely used medium bomber of WWII because of its adaptability and durability.  It flew a great variety of missions in all climates against all enemies and is one of the most widely recognized bombers of that era.  It flew the first high profile mission of the war, Jimmy Doolittle's daring daylight raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942.    The B-25 was in service for the entire war and served in all theaters of the War.   The movie "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" starring Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson, Robert Walker and Robert Mitchum recreates the bombing runs and subsequent forced landings in China  

Airman Down exhibit by walking under an unfurled parachute representing the airmen who bailed out over enemy territory. This exhibit includes a recreated “safe house” and a POW camp which houses artifacts donated by former POWS.

OIG Inspection of Mission China

Overview:

China is the world's most populous country. It has a continuous culture stretching back nearly 4,000 years and originated many of the foundations of the modern world.  The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949 after the Communist Party defeated the nationalist Kuomintang, who retreated to Taiwan, creating two rival Chinese states - the People's Republic on the mainland and the Republic of China based on Taiwan.  After stagnating for decades under the rigid totalitarian socialism of founder Mao Zedong, China reformed its economy along partly capitalist lines to make it one of the world's fastest-growing, as well its leading exporter. China is now a major overseas investor and is pursuing an increasingly assertive foreign and defense policy.  But economic change has not been matched by political reform, and the Communist Party retains a tight grip on political life and much of wider society.  Xi Jinping came to power in 2012-3 as the hand-picked heir of predecessor Hu Jintao and is expected to lead China for the next decade.  Since taking over, he has concentrated power in his hands, in a move seen as a turning away from the traditional system of collective leadership and has sought to present a modern face to China and the world. His position as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong was cemented in 2017 when his name and political philosophy was written into the Communist Party constitution by the National Congress.  In early 2018 the party also moved to allow him to remain in office indefinitely by abolishing the conventional two-term presidential limit.  The main themes of his leadership have been economic reform to boost market forces, as well as an anti-corruption campaign.  Xi rejects Western ideas of constitutional democracy and human rights as models for China, and his government moved to silence voices critical of one-party rule, especially on social media.

Source:  BBC Country Profile

OIG Team:

In addition to inspecting embassy Beijing, the team was also inspecting the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong.  Douglas A. Hartwick was the Team Leader and Lisa Piascik, Deputy Team Leader following on the the inspection of Islamabad.  Richard Behrend (POL), Paul Cantrell (CONS), Robert David (SY), Martha Fikru (IT), Todd Fontaine (SY), Thomas Furey (CONS), Daniel Gershator (PA), Hanane Grini (MGMT), Sarah Hall (MGMT), Paul Houge (PA), Richard Kaminski (ECON) Tanya Manglona (IT) James Norton (IT) John Philibin (Deputy) Charles Rowcliffe (SY).  I spent the week of March 30 at the OIG office in Rosslyn, Virginia for consultations with Department staff and for team meetings.  Upon return the following week I volunteered at the Volvo Car Open Tennis Tournament , an annual WTA event held on Daniel Island.  Sarah Hall, lead management inspector, was in Athens the same time as me but I never met her.  She was part of a tandem, her husband being a POL or ECON officer, she had taken an extended maternity leave.  Not all team members, including myself, went on to Hong Kong, which was fine with me.  Doris and I ended up spending a week in Bangkok after leaving Beijing in route back to the states.   

We all initially stayed at the Marriott but, after a few weeks. several team members moved over to the Four Seasons while Doris, who arrived May 13, and we moved to the Hilton.  All were within easy walking distance to the embassy.  The Chinese government was holding a Belt and Road conference while we were there so the hotel was crowded with visitors from mostly developing countries.  

During the inspection OIG rolled out the new TeamTec software program to submit our individual Time and Attendance (T&A) which took getting used to since we had to allocate our hours between the inspection/s we were working on and other hours for administration and training.  This was also the time when OIG established its own OIGNet so we were separated from the Department of State network.  We still maintained our Department email address and accessed OpenNet but we had our own OIGNet address and internal network.        

American Embassy Beijing:

The inspection took place in Beijing between April 19 to May 22, 2017.   In the absence of an ambassador, the Chargé d’Affaires was David Rank and the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission was Julie L. Kavanagh.  The acting Management Counselor was James Forbes.  The Regional Security Officer was Gregary Levin who I served with in Amman during his first tour as Site Security Manager for the construction of the new embassy compound back in 1987.   Greg had done quite well rising to Senior Foreign Service.  Greg retired and is now back as a Retired Annuitant (REA) working with DS/International Programs in D.C.  The FMO was Bob Wert, an old-time experienced FMO, who stood about 6'7" and had been around forever.  He ended up in Paris for his last tour.  Bob had a deputy, Mark Turner, who was actually a management generalist who is now S/GSO in Mexico City.  The assistant or number two FMO was Phil Cunliffe who is now FMO in Tbilisi.  The FMO had three LE Staff Certifying Officers given the volume of work.  Steve Carroll, who I had met in 2007 when he was an A/FMO in Beijing, was back as an assistant HRO.  Coincidentally, I had left my packet of DVDs, of mostly WWII videos, in the hotel and thanks to Steve he was able to recover them and forward them on to me via APO.  Steve ended up retiring to Tampa, Florida and is now a Retired Employed Annuitant (REA) and was most recently on a TDY to Bujumbura.  Another former connection with an FMO colleague, Don Simmons, was meeting his daughter-in-law Monica who was an Assistant HRO in Beijing and is now working with Global Talent Management (GTM)/EX.  I never understood why the Department changed HR to GTM.  Jeff Scarce, who I inspected in Islamabad,  is now the FMO in Beijing.  

  

In addition to the embassy there were Consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang and Wuhan. The inspectors split up into functional specific teams to cover each of the Consulates.  I ended up only going to Shanghai for three days (May 1-3) which was fine with me to at least get a chance to get out of Beijing.        

Findings:

The OIG report cited a challenging work environment for management operations. Upgrades to facilities included a $20 million lease fit-out at Consulate General Shanghai, a $17 million expansion at Consulate General (CG) Shenyang, and a new $29 million office space for Consulate General Wuhan. CG Chengdu was working on an electrical upgrade and CG Guangzhou building faced ongoing structural challenges since 2013.   Embassy Beijing supported an on-compound $17 million renovation project.   The Chinese Government’s limitations on incoming shipments and restrictive policies on taxes and tariffs made these facility-based challenges more complex.  The Facilities Manager did not conduct residential seismic surveys as required in high-seismic areas, such as Beijing, which require seismic assessments using an approved structural engineer.   It was also recommended that all designated post occupational safety and health officers receive required training.  There was also the ocntinual peoblem of air pollution and the need for air quality management.  

In the General Services Office (GSO) there were examples of non-rental costs, some personal, being paid by the wrong appropriation.  These included the cost of condo fees, service charges, maintenance of common spaces, property taxes and even personal services. These costs were referred to Building Operating Expenses (BOE) and should be paid separately from rent.  It was estimated that as much as 50% of the rental cost was BOE.  OIG recommended that the embassy and respective CGs separate the accounting charges between base rent and non-rent costs between OBO, the bureaus, and agencies. Also, any personal services provided to employees like shuttle, maid services, telephone or internet should be paid by the employee.   It was amazing some of the perks received by employees at no cost.  

The embassy had $4.9 million in funds for furnishings and appliances plus another $1.7 million to be collected from agencies in but there was only $880,000 in assets due for replacement.  Regulations required that the GSO conduct an annual assessment of the furniture and appliance pool program, including replacement cycle and spending plan.

In CG Shenyang the contracting officer processed $1.4 Million in contracts from 2015 through April 2017 without a contracting warrant resulting in unauthorized commitments.  This resulted in unauthorized commitments totaling $1.4 million during that period. Although the Bureau of Administration’s Office of the Procurement Executive informed the contracting officer of this issue in June 2015, the officer did not address the deficiency until February 2017.  OIG found that some Contracting Officer’s Representatives failed to adequately perform their duties while others did not receive the required training. We recommended the embassy require all contracting officer representatives and government technical monitors be properly trained and administer their contracts in accordance with Department standards.

There were issues with security and access controls at the embassy offsite warehouse that needed to be addressed.  Lastly, not all of the embassy motor pool drivers were properly trained and medically cleared drivers to operate official vehicles.

The Department’s hiring-freeze caused gaps in staffing at the embassy and especially the Consulates, particularly in management positions typically held by eligible family members (EFM).  Security clearances took for ever as 17 EFMs were pending and seven were pending classification.    OIG found inconsistent Embassy Human Resources (HR) support for Consulates General.  None of the consulates general had U.S. direct hire human resources officers, and instead depended on the embassy’s four human resources officers for support.  I know from my experience in Shanghai that an EFM was sorely needed in the HR office to oversee that operation.  Also, the embassy did not have a documented agreement describing its human resources responsibilities for the consulates general, including support visits. OIG recommended that the embassy implement procedures outlining the human resource support services provided and the frequency of visits at each of the five constituent posts.  CG Wuhan did not base its cost of living allowance on Wuhan but Beijing and also their Post Differential on the rate used by CG Shenyang. Justifications for Consumable Allowances for CG Chengdu and Wuhan had not been submitted every two year as required.  OIG questioned if the consumables allowance was even still justified.

In the area of financial management OIG found that the Embassy and CGs paid Official Residence staff their monthly salaries directly through electronic fund transfer as opposed to the Ambassador, DCM or Principal Officer paying directly as personal staff.

Unliquidated obligations (ULOs) included $497,000 in the FY 2012 International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) allotment; $45,093 in FY 2012-13 diplomatic and consular program allotments for secure procurement of computer equipment and accessories; and $39,541 in public diplomacy grant funding. The embassy ended up de-obligating $581,634 so that the funds could be put to better use.

Supervisors of sub cashiers at Consulates in Chengdu and Shenyang failed to conduct required Quarterly Unannounced Cash Verifications as required.  Embassy Beijing issued a management instruction stressing the importance of supervisor cash verifications as an important internal control. 

Highlights:

See our blog of photos from our visit. 

China: Beijing, Gubeiko, Shanghai, Xian - May 2017 | Doris and Bill (dorisandbilltraveladventures.blogspot.com)

Chaoyang District

Paul and I enjoyed a brew at the Great Leap Brewery

Hiking the Great Wall at Gubeikou

On the train to Xian with John Philibin
 and Tom Furey

Terra Cotta Warriors of Xian

2016 Year in Review

Highlights:

• OIG Inspection of Embassy Tegucigalpa, Honduras in February(See Separate Blog)

• Visits to Valle de Angeles, Santa Lucia and the former capital Comayagua

      

• OIG Inspection of Embassy Belmopan, Belize in March (See Separate Blog)

• Road trip to Tikal, Guatemala Ancient Mayan ruins  

         The Great Plaza and North Acropolis

• Charleston Jazz Orchestra performed the music of Stevie Wonder in March

• In April I volunteered at the Volvo Car Open Tennis Tournament doing court maintenance.  This was probably the 10th year I had volunteered starting back in 2004 as an usher and in subsequent years as a driver before settling on court maintenance dragging the court or brushing the lines.  Sloan Stephens defeated Elena Vesnina 7-6, 6-2.    

• OIG Inspection of Embassy Islamabad, and Consulate Karachi, Pakistan in May/June (See separate blog)

             Embassy                                        My Quarters Containerized

                                                                             Housing Unit (CHU)

• May:  Spoleto Music Festival and Chamber Music at the Dock Street Theater with Geoff Nuttall (1965-2022) 
• Freddie Cole Quartet at the Music Hall in June
• In August we attended a "Hard Hat" Tuning Concert at the new Gaillard Concert Hall
• August Summer Soiree at Pierce Pavilion on DI
• Low Country Jazz Festival in September saw Brian Culbertson
• Also took a quick trip out to San Francisco in September to attend Chris and Debbie's Bay Area farewell.  Boat ride on the bay and great feast at Scoma's on the wharf.  Mix of cousins, co-workers and friends. 

                       

• OIG Inspection of Embassy Tel Aviv and ConGen Jerusalem October/November (See separate Blog)
• Discovering Tel Aviv:  Holocaust Museum, Goocha Restaurant; Biking the Boardwalk, Jaffa 
• Discovering Jerusalem:  Old City, Tower of David, Ancient Tunnels under Old City, Friends of Zion Museum
• Weekend trips to Caesarea, Akko, Rosh Hanikra,  Nazareth, Capernaum, See of Galilee, Judea, Ein Gedi nature reserve, Dead Sea, Masada, Herodion and West Bank settlements.  
• Picking olives on the Mount of Olives.    

• October 8 Hurricane Matthew hits Charleston.  Although it was just a category 1 hurricane, extensive damage was done due to flodding, landslides and destruction to trees.  Doris didn't evacuate and stayed with neighbors but we lost three Leyland Cypress trees in our backyard.
• The Annual Turkey Day run in November with David and Bob & GLO.
• December 1 Charleston Symphony performing Handel's Messiah at the Cathedral
• December 3 Reindeer Run downtown

U.S. Events

·         Donald Trump is elected as US President;

·         Amazon Prime Video launches worldwide;

·         Scientists invent the Crispr-Cas9, a unique technology that enables medical researchers to edit   and delete DNA, thereby allowing effective genetic engineering;

·         Florida nightclub shooting: Omar Mateen kills 49 people and wounds 53 at a gay nightclub in   Orlando;

·         Scien

• Charleston Jazz Orchestra performed the music of Stevie Wonder in March
• Volvo Car Open in April won by Sloan Stephens
• May:  Spoleto Music Festival and Chamber Music at the Dock Street Theater with Geoff Nuttall (1965-2022) 
• Freddie Cole Quartet at the Music Hall in June
• In August we attended a "Hard Hat" Tuning Concert at the new Gaillard Concert Hall
• August Summer Soiree at Pierce Pavilion on DI
• Low Country Jazz Festival in September saw Brian Culbertson
• Also took a quick trip out to San Francisco in September to attend Chris and Debbie's Bay Area farewell.  Boat ride on the bay and great feast at Scoma's on the wharf.  Mix of cousins, co-workers and friends. 

• Annual Turkey Day run in November with David and Bob&GLO
• December 1 Charleston Symphony performing Handel's Messiah at the Cathedral
• December 3 Reindeer Run downtown
• WACC meeting with Ambassador Jerry Lanier speaking on the topic of Challenges for Trump

U.S. Events

·         Donald Trump is elected as US President;

·         Amazon Prime Video launches worldwide;

·         Scientists invent the Crispr-Cas9, a unique technology that enables medical researchers to edit   and delete DNA, thereby allowing effective genetic engineering;

·         Florida nightclub shooting: Omar Mateen kills 49 people and wounds 53 at a gay nightclub in   Orlando;

·         Scientists and researchers successfully detect the first direct evidence of gravitational waves, using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory or LIGO - The existence of gravitational waves was first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916;

·         Pok tists and researchers successfully detect the first direct evidence of gravitational waves, using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory or LIGO - The existence of gravitational waves was first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916;

·         Pokemon Go, an augmented reality mobile game, got millions of people out on the street;

·         American singer-songwriter and music icon Bob Dylan wins the Nobel Prize in Literature;

·         Swimmer and Olympic champion Michael Phelps, holder of the maximum Olympic medals in   history by an individual (23 Gold, 28 total) and 7 world records, retires.

World Events:

·         Brexit Vote: Britain votes to leave the EU - The British Exit is termed Brexit;

·         Demonetisation in India; India carries out surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line   of Control in Jammu and Kashmir; Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav abducted from Iran, held   captive by Pakistan; Mukesh Ambani commercially launches Reliance Jio, makes India the   cheapest market for mobile internet data in the world; Mother

·         Teresa canonized posthumously as 'Saint Teresa of Calcutta' by Pope Francis at a ceremony in St   Peter's Square in Vatican City;

·         The historic Paris Climate Agreement in signed to take effective measures against Climate   Change;

·         Dhaka Cafe Attack: 5 terrorists take dozens hostage at the Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka, kill 22     civilians, 2 cops;

·         The haunting image of 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh sitting shell-shocked in the back of an   ambulance in Aleppo, covered in dust with blood on his face and clothing becomes the face of   the Syrian war;

Movies:

Best Picture was "Spotlight".  Best actor went to Leonardo di Caprio in "Revenant".   Best Actress was Brie Larson in "Room".  Best supporting actor was Mark Rylance in "Bridge of Spies".  Best supporting actress went to Alicia Vikander for her role in "The Danish Girl".  Best director was Alejandro G. Inarritu. 

Super Bowl

Super Bowl 50 saw the Denver Broncos defeat the Carolina Panthers, 24–10. The game was played on February 7, 2016, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.  As this was the 50th Super Bowl game, the league emphasized the "golden anniversary" with various gold-themed initiatives during the 2015 season, as well as suspending the tradition of naming each Super Bowl game with Roman numerals (under which the game would have been known as "Super Bowl L"), so the logo could prominently feature the Arabic numerals 5 and 0.   The Broncos took an early lead in Super Bowl 50 and never trailed.  Denver recorded seven sacks and forced four turnovers.   Carolina likewise kept pace by recording five sacks and forcing two turnovers. Denver linebacker Von Miller was named Super Bowl MVP.  This game was also the final game of Peyton Manning's career; the Broncos quarterback, who also won Super Bowl XLI, announced his retirement in March 2016.

World Series 

The Cubs defeated the Indians 4 games to 3 to win their first World Series since 1908. Game 7, an 8–7 victory in 10 innings, marked the fifth time that a Game 7 had gone into extra innings and the first since 1997 (which the Indians also lost). It was also the first Game 7 to have a rain delay, which occurred as the tenth inning was about to start. The Cubs became the sixth team to come back from a 3–1 deficit to win a best-of-seven World Series, following the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates, the 1958 New York Yankees, the 1968 Detroit Tigers, the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, and the 1985 Kansas City Royals.  The Cubs, playing in their 11th World Series and their first since 1945, won their third championship and first since 1908, ending the longest world championship drought in North American professional sports history. It was the Indians' sixth appearance in the World Series and their first since 1997, with their last Series win having come in 1948. Cleveland manager Terry Francona, who had previously won World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, fell short in his bid to become the third manager to win his first three trips to the Fall Classic, after Casey Stengel and Joe Torre.  The 2016 World Series was highly anticipated due to the historical ramifications; the two teams entered their matchup as the two franchises with the longest World Series title droughts, a combined 176 years without a championship.  At the series' conclusion, numerous outlets listed Game 7 as an instant classic, and the entire series as one of the greatest of all time.  Ben Zobrist named World Series MVP after 10th-inning RBI double in game 7.