AFSA NEWS 72 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Brain Drain Diplomacy was once a lifelong calling. For generations, Foreign Service members dedicated their entire careers to advancing U.S. interests abroad. In AFSA’s 2025 survey, 81 percent of respondents said they entered the Service intending to serve 20 years or more. Today, that commitment is wavering. Only about half of those say their plans haven’t changed, and nearly one-third said they have changed their minds since January 2025. By contrast, in AFSA’s 2022 survey, only one in four respondents said they might leave before completing a full career. The difference in just three years speaks to a growing sense that the Foreign Service has become untenable for many of its members. The numbers do not capture those whose careers were cut short involuntarily, through reductions in force, politically motivated dismissals, or agency closures beyond their control. Policy Priorities Survey respondents identified a series of urgent priorities aimed at restoring the integrity, independence, and effectiveness of the U.S. Foreign Service. At the top of the list is protecting the Foreign Service career path itself. Respondents voiced alarm over the replacement of career positions with political appointees, widespread budget reductions across the foreign affairs agencies, and the erosion of the merit-based systems that govern assignments and promotions. They also called for greater protection of the Foreign Service performance review process, the integrity of the assignments system, and fair retirement and benefits policies. In open-ended responses, more than 380 members elaborated on their concerns. The most common appeals were to reverse ongoing reductions in force, prevent additional layoffs, reform the employee review processes and assignments systems to ensure fairness and transparency, and reinstate collective bargaining rights—an essential mechanism for safeguarding the workforce’s voice within government. Survey participants were particularly troubled by recent procedural changes that appear to politicize or weaken professional standards. Among the most alarming was the introduction of a new “fidelity” or loyalty category for employee evaluations, which 77 percent cited as a major or moderate concern, and the sweeping changes to the Foreign Affairs Manual, which were noted by 86 percent. Other controversial developments include the use of directed assignments, the cancellation of detail assignments, and the elimination of the annuity exception, which provided an earned annuity to those forced out of the Service before full retirement age. Respondents were equally clear about what must be preserved to sustain the Foreign Service’s professional corps. Nearly all—an overwhelming 98 percent—rated nonpartisanship as “important” or “very important.” Other key priorities included maintaining opportunities for advancement into senior leadership roles, preserving collective bargaining rights, ensuring a fair and transparent grievance process, and protecting the Service’s rotational assignment system and training pipeline for new officers. Together, these findings reflect a workforce deeply alarmed by the erosion of the systems that have long upheld their professionalism. The message from U.S. diplomats is clear: Safeguarding the integrity of the career Foreign Service is essential to safeguarding the nation’s capacity to lead. Conclusion AFSA’s 2025 workforce survey reveals a stark truth: America’s professional diplomatic corps, long one of the country’s greatest strategic assets, is under extraordinary strain. The numbers tell a story of deep loss. Behind the numbers are dedicated public servants who have spent their careers advancing U.S. interests abroad and safeguarding the country’s safety and stability. The findings of this survey demonstrate that the U.S. Foreign Service—the professional, nonpartisan corps that carries out U.S. foreign policy—is in crisis. AFSA urges Congress to protect the nonpartisan career Foreign Service, reassert congressional oversight of U.S. foreign policy and the Foreign Service, and work to strengthen the Foreign Service as an institution. To read the full report, go to https://afsa.org/at-thebreaking-point. n —Lisa Heller, AFSA’s Director of Professional Policy Issues
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