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January-February 2023

The Foreign Service Journal covers foreign affairs from an insider’s perspective, providing thought-provoking articles on international issues, the practice of diplomacy, and the U.S. Foreign Service. Including the AFSA News section, The Journal is published monthly (January-February and July-August issues combined) by the American Foreign Service Association.

The January-February issue focuses on AFSA as a Union at 50.

We always welcome short, focused letters about FSJ content; please send them to journal@afsa.org.

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FOCUS ON AFSA AS A UNION AT 50

When Lightning Struck Twice: How AFSA’s “Young Turks” Launched the Union

Once a polite diplomats’ society, AFSA is now a financially and politically strong union and a player on the wider stage—with the administration, Congress, and the American public.

BY THOMAS BOYATT

AFSA Becomes a Union: Why It Matters

In becoming a union, AFSA gained new powers to influence the personnel system and safeguard the interests of career diplomats.

BY JOHN K. NALAND

Federal Unions and USAID: The Challenge for AFSA

A second-generation USAID FSO and AFSA vice president explains why the USAID Foreign Service needs a union and lays out workforce challenges facing the agency today.

BY JASON SINGER

FEATURE

When Terror Strikes Home: Covering Our Children While Protecting All Americans

Foreign Service crisis management can involve your own family. A career FSO and ambassador recalls his harrowing experience in Cambodia, and the lessons learned.

BY KENNETH M. QUINN

PERSPECTIVES

President’s Views

You Are AFSA: AFSA Needs You

BY ERIC RUBIN

Letter from the Editor

The AFSA Union at 50

BY SHAWN DORMAN

Speaking Out

Schedule F: Let’s Deprofessionalize Government and Make America Irrelevant Again

BY DENNIS JETT

Reflections

Holding History in the Vatican’s Secret Archives

BY VINCENT CHIARELLO

Local Lens

Jerusalem, Israel

BY MICHAEL LONGHAUSER

DEPARTMENTS

AFSA NEWS

State VP Voice

Focusing on Our Specialist Members

BY TOM YAZDGERDI

USAID VP Voice

USAID’s Workforce Report to Congress

BY JASON SINGER

Retiree VP Voice

AFSA’s Good Works: Scholarship Program

BY JOHN K. NALAND

FAS VP Voice

Time to Modernize Our Collective Bargaining Agreement

BY LISA AHRAMJIAN

FCS VP Voice

Communication: A Two-Way Street Named Action

BY CHARLES RANADO