RAFINO Report
ISSUE 20 - Spring 1998 - Return to Index

TAPS

The below listed members of our Finance Family, whether members of RAFINO or not, are only those about whose death we have been notified since the publication of our immediately previous newsletter, i.e., the Fall 1997 issue.  We regret to announce the passing of these good and old friends and pray that they may rest in peace.

Day is done, gone the sun, from the lake, from the hill,  
from the sky. 
All is well, safely rest. God is nigh.
Thanks and praise, for our days, 'neath the stars, 
'neath the sky.
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

(Ed:  Above we've noted the passing of one of the illustrious members of our Finance Family.  Dick Kennedy, while not a member of RAFINO, was always one of us to the core.  Some of you will remember Dick as an instructor at the Finance School.  I served with him during a two year tour in Iran.  Dick's duty was advising the Imperial Iranian Staff, mine was with the U.S. ARMISH/MAAG there.  As you will see from reading the below copy of the obituary published in The Washington Post on January 15, 1998, Dick went far beyond the finance field to serve our country at a level we all respect greatly):  "Richard T. Kennedy, 78, who coordinated U.S. nuclear nonproliferation efforts as Ambassador at Large during the Reagan and Bush administrations, died Jan. 12 at Georgetown University Hospital of complications after heart bypass surgery.  He lived in Washington, DC.  Ambassador Kennedy had also served as U.S. representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency and as special adviser to the Secretary of State on nonproliferation policy and nuclear energy.  In 1981 and 1982, he was an Undersecretary of State for Finance.  He was a commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 1975 to 1980.  Earlier, he served 30 years in the Army, retiring in 1971 with the rank of Colonel. 

He was appointed Ambassador at Large for Nuclear Affairs in 1982 and served in that capacity until shortly before President Clinton's inauguration in January 1993.  During that period, he was said to have reinvigorated peaceful nuclear trading.  He conducted nuclear cooperation treaty negotiations with China and negotiated nuclear agreements with Japan and EURATOM.  He played a key role in blocking the acquisition by Iran of Argentinean equipment that would have enabled Iran to establish a nuclear program of its own.  He also led the negotiations with South Africa that preceded South Africa's giving up its nuclear weapons program; opened nonproliferation consultations with the Soviet Union in 1982 and also maintained a nonproliferation dialog with the U.S.S.R.; and led the U.S. response to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in the Ukraine in 1986. 

From 1969 to 1974, Ambassador Kennedy served on the National Security Council Staff as Director for Staff Planning and Coordination, and later as Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Planning.  He began this service as an Army officer and continued in a civilian capacity after his military retirement.

He was born in Rochester, N.Y., and graduated from the University of Rochester.  He began his military career during World War II, and participated in combat operations in North Africa and Italy.  After the war, he served with occupation forces in Germany, then returned to the United States.  He attended Harvard Business School, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the National War College.  He was a financial adviser in Iran and a specialist in African affairs before his posting at the White House as a security adviser.  His military decorations included a Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal."