The Foreign Service Journal, January 2006

But just 12 years later, I left the Foreign Service for personal reasons in 1997. My dealings with the State Department’s Retirement Division were straightfor- ward and painless, in large part because I did not qual- ify for an annuity either in terms of age or length of ser- vice. As I embarked on the next phase of my life, I remember asking myself the question some of my col- leagues (particularly the ones who stayed at State) had posed — some archly, others more seriously — over the years: “ Is there life after the Foreign Service?” I never doubted there was, and unlike some of my other youthful ideals, that belief has only grown stronger with time. Judging from our coverage this month (nearly all of it sent in by AFSA members in response to our call for submissions, I am pleased to note), most FS retirees agree. The first article in our line-up, by AFSA Retiree Coordinators Bonnie Brown and Norma Reyes, notes that “Old Age Is No Place for Sissies” (p. 20). But it also details the many ways AFSA is working to make the transition to retirement as smooth as possible, both at the individual level and in terms of seeking institu- tional changes at State and the other foreign affairs agencies to protect retirees’ interests and ensure they receive the benefits and services to which they are enti- tled. Second (and Third) Careers … Many Foreign Service retirees find that attaining “When Actually Employed” status allows them to con- tinue to contribute their skills and expertise in the field of international affairs on a part-time basis. Roger Dankert, a retiree member of the AFSA Governing Board, provides an overview of the subject in “Retirees Find a ‘WAE’ Back to the Department” (p. 23). Carolee Heileman, who works in the Retirement Division, offers some “Practical Advice for Managing WAE Positions” (p. 26) to accompany that piece. Of course, many retirees find satisfying and even lucrative employment far beyond the federal govern- ment. Retired Senior Foreign Service officer David Jones, a frequent contributor to our magazine among many others, has found writing as a post-FS career “A Good Cane” (p. 29). John McDonald and his wife Christel McDonald describe their own post-retirement endeavors in “An NGO to Promote Multi-Track Diplomacy” (p. 33). Millie McCoo explains why she considers herself “Sort of Retired in San Diego” (p. 36). And Robert Raymer offers a distinct, possibly even unique, perspective in “Serving in Panama Over and Over Again” (p. 38). Colleges and universities have long been a favorite destination for retirees, whether they are interested in teaching, administration or both. Retired career Ambassador Tibor Nagy, now associate vice provost for international affairs at Texas Tech University, intro- duces us to the subject of “Managing International Programs in Academia” (p. 43). And for those with perhaps less ambitious plans, Robert Fritts offers “Eight Tips to Break into Academia” (p. 46). F O C U S 18 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6 Steven Alan Honley was a Foreign Service officer from 1985 to 1997, serving in Mexico City, Wellington and Washington, D.C. He has been editor of the Foreign Service Journal since 2001.