The national press recently reported the death of Barry Schweid, a veteran Associated Press correspondent who covered the State Department for thirty-five years.

I knew Barry during my assignments to the Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. I found him to be one of the most serious journalists among the corps of correspondents covering the State Department. His was interested mainly in developing solid analysis of the day’s events. He would frequently consult me and other senior State Department officials. He never asked for classified information. His objective was to understand the meaning of events and the background to developments in foreign countries. His professionalism was outstanding. He was a role model for all the State Department correspondents who worked with him and who currently survive him.