Conference Attendees' Personal Data May Be at Risk

"The Christmas Balls shall be three (3) to four (4) inches in diameter, include hooks and display the image of the United States flag and incorporate the OPM seal. All images shall be in full color. The image on the Ball must cover the entire surface of the ball from the top axis to the bottom axis."

The notice was spotted by Paul W. Newton , a former federal executive and president of DynaPro LLC, a consulting firm. Said Newton, "Please tell me this is someone's idea of a joke."

Asked about the holiday request, OPM spokeswoman Susan Bryant said the notice had not been approved by the agency director, Linda M. Springer , and had been taken down. Officials were kicking around some ideas, Bryant said, and the notice was "just a little enthusiastic energy channeled the wrong way."

Retirements

In-Sop Han , chief of Voice of America's Korean Service, retired April 1 after 41 years of federal service. He oversaw the expansion of VOA's Korean-language broadcasts and established a network of stringers among North Korean defectors.

Joan B. Keston , director of communications for the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, retired May 3 after 37 years of federal service. Keston is a founder of Public Service Recognition Week, an annual celebration that began in 1985.

Margaret A. Tindal , senior training adviser and human resources development team leader, retired May 3 from the Army Corps of Engineers after 31 years of federal service.

Ronald James Vadala , systems accounting officer of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, has retired after almost 33 years of federal service. He also worked at the Defense Department and at the Inter-American Foundation.

Please join me for a discussion of federal employee and retiree issues at noon today on Federal Diary Live athttp://washingtonpost.com. My e-mail address isbarrs@washpost.com.