The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2023

8 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL resident in the Washington, D.C., area and attend monthly board meetings in person. If the changes are adopted, we will still require members of the AFSA Executive Committee as well as State and retiree representatives to be resi- dent in the D.C. area, but other agency representatives will be able to serve from overseas and attend board meet- ings virtually. Therefore, up to a quarter of the board could serve from abroad. We believe this is an essential change that will increase representation and participation without detracting from the effectiveness of the board. The full language of these proposals starts on page 53 in AFSA News and will be shared again with members by email in mid-January. You can also find it on the AFSA website at www.afsa.org/election. In recent years, AFSA and the Foreign Service have navigated the treacherous shoals of impeachment, COVID, and the war in Ukraine. AFSA has helped achieve major changes to legislation that protect our members and their fami- lies and ensure that their service is less onerous, from in-state college tuition for FS kids to the guaranteed right to cancel leases and contracts in connection with service overseas. AFSA has played a significant role in fixing the rules that govern assign- ments for members with special-needs children, and in navigating changes to Foreign Service entry and support for members with disabilities. AFSA has contributed to serious efforts to address the lack of diversity in our Service, and to combat bullying and toxic workplace culture. There is much more to be done. That is why I am making an appeal to all AFSA members: please consider running for a seat on the AFSA Govern- ing Board. The Call for Nominations is in this month’s AFSA News and will be disseminated to members by email in mid-January. All seats on the board are open. The president and the four vice presidents for State, USAID, FCS, and FAS are full-time active-duty positions, considered as details to AFSA under our framework agreements with the agen- cies. The AFSA secretary and treasurer can be active-duty or retired, and the retiree VP comes from the constituency of retired members. All these positions, as well as the six State representative positions, require in-person attendance at monthly board meetings in Wash- ington. If the bylaw amendments are approved, then other agency represen- tative positions—one each for USAID, FCS, FAS, APHIS, and USAGM—can be filled by members in Washington or remotely. We want AFSA to represent our Service in all of its diversity: racial and ethnic; gender; career tracks, skills, and backstops; geographic; and multi- agency service. To be successful, we need members to run for the AFSA Governing Board. Now that the election announcement is out, I hope that many of you will consider running for AFSA positions. Please reach out to current constituent vice presidents and repre- sentatives with any questions about the roles. The union and professional asso- ciation is only as strong as its Governing Board. As we head into a new year that promises to bring new challenges and new opportunities, we need you to con- sider serving our Service, our members, and our profession. Thank you for your membership, thank you for your dedication to service, and thank you for all that you do to support our country and the causes of diplomacy and international develop- ment. As always, AFSA is at your service: please email us at member@afsa.org . n