As Foreign Service professionals, you are part of an unbroken diplomatic tradition of dedicated service that began with founding fathers Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Today, you number more than 16,600 across six foreign affairs agencies and count 14,500 retirees among your ranks. Together, you and your colleagues serve your country, representing U.S. diplomatic interests abroad, often in difficult and dangerous circumstances and sometimes far away from family and loved ones.

Now, as a way to honor all members of the Foreign Service family, the American Foreign Service Association has created an online memorial page to remember those of your colleagues who have passed away.

The online AFSA Memorial Tribute will offer a place to honor all Foreign Service members, those who died while on active-duty as well as those who died after retirement, and pay tribute to their service, regardless of the circumstances of their deaths.

The names of close to 2,500 Foreign Service members (active-duty and retired) are included on the online AFSA Memorial Tribute. They are but a fraction of the many who have died since the inception of the Foreign Service. AFSA did not begin to track deaths of Foreign Service employees until 1990, so this list is not complete.

You are invited to share your memories and stories of your deceased colleagues, family members and friends. As AFSA members share these personal remembrances, the Memorial Tribute will become more meaningful. The site is embedded with “Disqus” software that allows you to share these memories exclusively with other AFSA members. To get started, you must create a Disqus account, which is quick, easy and self-explanatory. Just enter your email address and choose a password.

We invite you to learn more about those who serve in the U.S. Foreign Service and join us in respecting, honoring and remembering them. Pictures and biographical information of deceased colleagues can be submitted by sending information to member@afsa.org with the subject line online AFSA Memorial Tribute.

Click here to visit the online AFSA Memorial Tribute.

Note: To log in for the first time, use your primary email address and your last name in all lowercase letters for the password. Please be sure to update your address and other contact information as needed. If you have questions, please email us at member@afsa.org.