 Lake joined the Foreign Service in 1962.After serving in several capacities in overseas assignments in Canada, Dahomey, and China he became an analyst in the Office of Research for East Asia in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the Department of State from 1969 to 1971.From 1973 to 1976 he was second secretary and political officer for the U.S. Embassy in Taipei, and from 1976 to 1977 he served as a political-military officer for the Office of Philippine Affairs in the Bureau of East Asian Affairs at the Department of State.