The Foreign Service Journal, March 2003

8 AFSA NEWS • MARCH 2003 AFSA Annual Report 2002 AFSA in 2002: By the Numbers 5 Foreign affairs agencies represented by AFSA 13 Fallen colleagues added to the AFSAMemorial Plaque 26 Professionals on AFSA’s staff 38 AFSA articles and letters placed in newspapers around the nation 94 Foreign Service students receiving AFSA-awarded scholarships 200 Members represented by AFSA lawyers in grievances 535 Lawmakers receiving AFSA’s Foreign Service Journal 888 Students participating in AFSA’s High School Essay Contest 990 New Foreign Service members joining AFSA 5,400 Subscribers to the AFSANet e-mail service 11,500 Attendees at AFSA speaker programs nationwide 11,674 AFSAmembers at year’s end 2,915,255 Dollar amount of AFSA’s annual budget Benefits of AFSA Membership LABOR MANAGEMENT RELATIONS: AFSA negotiates the regulations affecting employ- ees’ careers. We work to make the Foreign Service a better place in which to work, live, and raise a family. Our network of AFSA Post Reps provides on-site assistance to over- seas members. CONGRESSIONAL ADVOCACY: AFSA is your advocate before Congress on issues affect- ing the careers of active members and the annuities of retired members. OMBUDSMAN: Wework to resolvemember problemswithpay, allowances, claims, annu- ities, health care and many other issues. VOICE OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE: As the professional association of the Foreign Service since 1924, AFSAworks to strengthen our profession and is ever vigilant for threats to the career Foreign Service. GRIEVANCE REPRESENTATION: AFSA’s legal staff provides hands-onassistancewithgriev- ance proceedings when your rights are violated. OUTREACH: AFSAcommunicates the views of the ForeignService onprofessional issues to the news media and directly to the general public. FOREIGNSERVICE JOURNAL: Ourmonthlymagazine offers provocative articles that will keep you current on developments in the foreign affairs profession. AFSA NEWS: AFSA’s monthly newsletter, inside the Foreign Service Journal , highlights issues impacting your daily life. LEGAL SERVICES: Free legal advice and representation on employment issues, includ- ing security and OIG investigations. INSURANCE PROGRAMS: Competitively priced insurance programs designed for the ForeignService community, including professional liability insurance, accident, dental and personal property/transit. RETIREE SKILLS DATABASE: Online database of AFSA members who are available for jobs, college teaching, and speaking engagements in a wide variety of areas. AFSA SCHOLARSHIPS: AFSA grants approximately 100merit and financial need schol- arships a year to Foreign Service familymembers. Since 1926, AFSAhas awarded approx- imately $4,306,000 in scholarships. AFSA AWARDS: Unique awards programhonoring constructive dissent and outstand- ing performance. AFSA LETTER: Bimonthly newsletter exclusively for retired members. DIRECTORY OF RETIREDMEMBERS: An annual listing of names and addresses of retired members, by state, provided to all retired members. AFSAWEBSITE: Onlinemember area includingmember directory andmember forums. MAGAZINE DISCOUNTS: Member-only discounts to major foreign affairs journals. ESPRIT DE CORPS: AFSAworks tobuilda sense of commoncause andprofessional pride between all ForeignServicemembers—active and retired; officer and specialist; junior and veteran. For more information, go to www.afsa.org, e-m ail member@afsa.org, or phone (202) 338-4045, ext. 525. ▫ AFSA Core Values The American Foreign Service Association Established in 1924 MISSION Tomake the ForeignService amore effec- tive agent of United States international leadership. VISION We work to make the Foreign Service a better-supported, more respected, more satisfying place inwhich to spend a career and raise a family. — RESPONSIVENESS: We listen to our members and actively promote their interests. — EFFECTIVENESS: We act with a sense of urgency, get results, andmake adifference. — INTEGRITY: We demonstrate openness, honesty and fairness in everythingwe do. — EFFICIENCY: We carefully expend our resourceswhere they canhavemaximum impact. — COMMUNITY: We foster teamwork, respect each other, and enjoy our time together. — COURAGE: We encourage responsible risk-taking in order to achieve results. —PATRIOTISM: We are faithful to thegrand and enduring ideals that gave our nation birth. —EMPOWERMENT: We trust eachother to give our best efforts guided by these core values. ▫