The Foreign Service Journal, January 2006

Maryland, Washington, Texas, and Maine. AFSA speakers are offered free of charge to host groups, who are encouraged to assist with travel and local accommodations where possible. Retiree speakers are free to accept honoraria from host groups if offered. (AFSA pays limited travel and other expenses to facilitate certain higher-pri- ority programs.) Who can be an AFSA speaker? All Foreign Service retirees from the five foreign affairs agencies are welcome to enlist as participants in AFSA’s speakers program. All speakers should be able to address various types of audiences, as well as be willing to travel moderate distances by auto or rail, for which they may sometimes be reimbursed by AFSA. Retirees are strongly encour- aged to contact their local high schools, colleges, civic organizations and media, and offer to speak about how the Foreign Service contributes to promot- ing vital U.S. interests around the world. How are audiences identified and topics chosen? AFSA collaborates with multiple regional and national organi- zations that sponsor programs on inter- national issues. These include: The World Affairs Councils of America, the Foreign Policy Association (sponsors of the regional “Great Decisions” lecture series), United Nations Associations, the OASIS Adult Education Program, Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions Clubs of America, as well as universities and think-tanks. In addi- tion, we list available speakers on AFSA’s Web site. AFSA responds to requests for speakers on specific topics by identifying the most suitable retiree speaker from our database who resides near the host group, and arranging contact between the host and speaker, who then work out the logistics of the program. Good speakers tailor their remarks to their audience based on its members’ awareness of foreign affairs. Most audi- ences seem to prefer clear, easily under- standable descriptions of how diploma- cy is important to American interests. Photos and maps are useful program tools. Anecdotes from a speaker’s own career experiences are well appreciated. For example, speakers have described how the actions of FS per- sonnel might affect Americans: indi- vidually (e.g., consular officers who res- cue Americans in trouble overseas); in specific states or regions (e.g., Foreign Commercial Service officers who pro- mote the export and sale of a region’s products); and the country generally (e.g., political and public diplomacy experts who protect and explain vital U.S. security interests to foreign coun- terparts and publics). Energetic Outreach Examples abound of retirees’ out- standing contributions to AFSA’s effort to enhance the understanding of U.S. diplomacy among key opinion leaders in government, business, education, and the media. Among the best are Amb. Grant Smith, Stephen Buck and David Reuther, who elicited glowing reviews from attendees at Johns Hopkins’ prestigious Evergreen Society adult education series in late 2004-2005 for their presentations on U.S. policies in South Asia and the Middle East. They also described the attractions and challenges of careers in the Foreign Service, including considerations of family issues. Former USIA officer Patricia Kushlis has displayed exceptional creativity in developing outreach programs throughout New Mexico. She has written frequent arti- cles for leading newspapers and become, in effect, the voice of the Foreign Service in the state. She has lectured on foreign affairs at the University of New Mexico and other institutions. And she has also mentored students exploring Foreign Service careers. In the Houston region, Bill Cunningham has become “Mr. Foreign Service.” Especially noteworthy was his F O C U S 50 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 Tom Switzer is director of communications for AFSA. He was an FSO from 1969 to 1998, serving in Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Spain, the U.S. mission in Kosovo and Washington, D.C. Ambassador Kenton Keith addresses the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning in Sarasota, Fla. Ambassador Tom Boyatt leads a press conference at AFSA head- quarters.