The Foreign Service Journal, March 2004

8 AFSA NEWS • MARCH 2004 AFSA Annual Report 2003 AFSA in 2003: By the Numbers 18 Number of one-week Elderhostel programs on the Foreign Service 49 AFSA articles and letters placed in newspapers around the nation 90 Number of students who received AFSA scholarships 137 AFSANETs sent in 2003 177 Members serving as post and bureau representatives 256 New retiree members 550 Students participating in AFSA’s High School Essay Contest 978 Foreign Service new hires who joined AFSA 7,687 Subscribers to the AFSANET Listserve 12,474 AFSAmembers at year’s end 19,000 Number of copies of Inside a U.S. Embassy sold 20,250 Attendees at AFSA speaker programs nationwide 32,000 Dollar amount AFSA-PAC contributed to members of Congress 472,013 Dollar amount of advertising in the Foreign Service Journal 2,919,264 Dollar amount of AFSA’s budgeted income Benefits of AFSA Membership LABORMANAGEMENT RELATIONS: AFSAnegotiates the regulations affecting employees’ 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 representatives provides on-site assistance to overseas members. CONGRESSIONAL ADVOCACY: AFSA is your advocate before Congress on issues affecting the careers of active members and the annuities of retired members. OMBUDSMAN: We work to resolve member problems with pay, allowances, claims, annuities, health care, and many other issues. VOICE OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE: As the professional association of the Foreign Service since 1924, AFSA works to strengthen our profession and is ever vigilant for threats to the career Foreign Service. GRIEVANCE REPRESENTATION: AFSA’s legal staff provides hands-on assistance with grievance proceedings when your rights are violated. OUTREACH: AFSA communicates the views of the Foreign Service on professional issues to the news media and directly to the general public. FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL: Our monthly magazine offers provocative articles that will keep you current on developments in the foreign affairs profession. AFSANEWS : AFSA’smonthly newsletter, published inside the Foreign Service Journal , highlights issues affecting your daily life. AFSA WEB SITE: Online member area including member directory and member forums. AFSANET: Regular e-mail updates keep you current on issues of importance to the ForeignService community. LEGAL SERVICES: We offer free legal advice and representation on employment issues, includ- ing security and OIG investigations, discipline cases and security clearance proceedings. INSURANCE PROGRAMS: You can choose among competitively priced insurance programs designed for the ForeignService community, including professional liability insurance, accident, den- tal and personal property/transit. RETIREE SKILLS DATABASE: Our online database lists AFSA members who are available for jobs, college teaching, and speaking engagements in a wide variety of areas. AFSA SCHOLARSHIPS: Approximately 100 merit and financial need scholarships are granted every year toForeignService familymembers. Since1926, AFSAhas awardedapproximately$4,450,000 in scholarships. AFSA AWARDS: This unique awards programhonors constructive dissent andoutstanding per- formance. RETIREE NEWSLETTER: This bimonthly newsletter is exclusively for retired members. DIRECTORY OF RETIRED MEMBERS: This invaluable annual listing, by state, of contact infor- mation for retired members is provided to all retired AFSAmembers. MAGAZINE DISCOUNTS: AFSA members are eligible for special discounts on subscriptions to major foreign affairs journals. ESPRIT DE CORPS: We work to build a sense of common cause and professional pride among all Foreign Service members — active and retired; officer and specialist; entry-level and veteran. AFSA MEMORIAL PLAQUES: Established in 1933, and maintained by AFSA, these plaques in the Truman Building lobby honor members of the Foreign Service who lost their lives overseas in the line of duty. ▫ 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. ▫