THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH-APRIL 2026 65 AFSA NEWS AFSA President John Dinkelman traveled to Florida in midJanuary for a multiday outreach trip that included three speaking engagements with current and retired members of the foreign affairs community, as well as civic audiences interested in the state of U.S. diplomacy. Dinkelman addressed audiences at a World Affairs Council program in St. Petersburg, an informal “Café con Tampa” discussion, and the annual general meeting of the Foreign Service Alumni Association of Florida. Across all three engagements, he spoke candidly about the unprecedented challenges facing the U.S. Foreign Service, the erosion of institutional capacity across foreign affairs agencies, and AFSA’s evolving role as both a professional association and a defender of the diplomatic workforce. A central theme of his remarks was that diplomacy is ultimately carried out by people and that weakening the professional, nonpartisan Foreign Service has direct consequences for U.S. security, economic competitiveness, and the protection of Americans overseas. Dinkelman highlighted AFSA’s recent workforce survey and report, “At the Breaking Point,” and the association’s decision to pursue litigation to defend legal protections for the Foreign Service. “When we talk about strong U.S. diplomacy, we often focus on strategy and geopolitics,” he said at the World Affairs Council. “But diplomacy is carried out by trained professionals serving on the front lines. If that workforce is hollowed out, our diplomacy suffers, no matter how good the strategy looks on paper.” Speaking to alumni, Dinkelman emphasized the continued importance of engagement and advocacy beyond active service. “Even in retirement, you can make a difference,” he said. “AFSA needs you now to show that the Foreign Service is still worth fighting for.” n AFSA President on the Road Dinner Event Supports AFSA Legal Defense Fund On the eve of the January 25 snowstorm, 55 AFSA supporters gathered for a dinner in Arlington, Va., organized by a group of AFSA alumni volunteers. The event raised more than $16,000 in support of the AFSA Legal Defense Fund. AFSA extends its thanks to the volunteers for their organizational and culinary talents, and to the guests AFSA supporters gather for a Legal Defense Fund dinner in Arlington, Va., on January 24, 2026. COURTESY OF SUE SAARNIO AFSA Governing Board Meeting, December 10, 2025 The board accepted the resignation of Gunter (Eric) Schwabe as USAGM representative. The board agreed to change the AFSA Employee Handbook by: (1) removing a paragraph relating to personal calls in the office; (2) removing the AFSA-paid Family and Medical Leave Act benefit; and (3) making other nonsubstantive changes for clarity, language, specificity, redundancy, or spelling errors, as detailed in the distributed draft AFSA Employee Handbook revision. n who braved a cold winter night to show their generosity and support. “It was heartwarming to see so many AFSA colleagues gather in support of the Foreign Service community. My thanks to the organizers and particularly the venue staff who volunteered their time on a Saturday night in support of AFSA. It was a perfect way to spend a winter evening,” remarked FS alum Ambassador Jennifer Galt. The alumni volunteer group plans to host additional social events this year to raise resources in defense of AFSA and the Foreign Service. They are also happy to share tips and ideas with others interested in organizing similar events in their communities. To learn more or get involved, contact the volunteers at AFSAvolunteers@ gmail.com. For more information on the Legal Defense Fund, visit https://afsa.org/legaldefense-fund. n
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