AFSA NEWS AFSA NEWSTHE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 61 Continued on page 68 2025 AFSA Awards Celebrate Diplomatic Excellence AFSA/JOAQUIN SOSA On October 1, 2025, members of the Foreign Service community gathered at Georgetown University’s Lohrfink Auditorium to celebrate the achievements of their colleagues at the annual AFSA Awards Ceremony. The event, hosted by AFSA, the School of Foreign Service and Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, honored excellence, leadership, and integrity across the ranks of the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA President John “Dink” Dinkelman opened the ceremony alongside Ambassador Barbara Bodine, director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, and Dean Joel Hellman of the School of Foreign Service. In his remarks, President Dinkelman reflected on the turbulence facing the Foreign Service this year and the enduring resilience of its members. “Since January,” he said, “the Foreign Service has faced both a thinning of its ranks and the heavy hand of politicization. Both forces strike at the core of who we are: a merit-based, nonpartisan workforce devoted to the Constitution.” The evening’s top honor, the Award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy, was presented by President Dinkelman to Ambassador Linda ThomasGreenfield, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a 40-year veteran of the Foreign Service. Her long career in diplomacy earned praise for her leadership, mentorship, and dedication to creating a Foreign AT THE BREAKING POINT AFSA Conducts Global Survey on the State of the U.S. Foreign Service America’s diplomatic capacity is being decimated from within. Since January 2025, as many as one in four members of the U.S. Foreign Service have resigned, retired, seen their agencies dismantled, or been removed from their posts. This unprecedented loss of personnel and institutional capacity puts U.S. global leadership and the safety of U.S. citizens at serious risk. To assess the impact of these dramatic shifts, AFSA surveyed its active-duty Foreign Service members. More than 2,100 responded, from entry-level officers to senior leaders, from Washington-based staff to those at posts worldwide. “At the Breaking Point: The State of the U.S. Foreign Service in 2025” is based on the findings of this survey, which was conducted electronically between August and September 2025— before the government shutdown began on October 1. The results are sobering: • 86 percent said changes in Washington have undermined their ability to carry out U.S. foreign policy. • 98 percent reported poor morale. • Nearly one-third reported changing their career plans since January 2025. Service that reflects the diversity of America. Dinkelman commended her “Gumbo Diplomacy,” her unique ability to bring people together through warmth, empathy, and food. The Foreign Service Champions Award, presented by President Dinkelman, recognized 2025 AFSA Award recipients with AFSA President John “Dink” Dinkelman (center) gathered outside the Lohrfink Auditorium at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Continued on page 71
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