The Foreign Service Journal, March 2005

10 AFSA NEWS • MARCH 2005 A FSAenhanced its national outreach efforts in2004 aimed at broadening and deepening public support for fundingfordiplomaticreadiness. Oneofour mosteffectiveoutreachelementsisour speak- ers program , which deployed 442 Foreign Servicespeakersin2004. Theyexplainedthe importanceofU.S.diplomacyforAmerican nationalintereststomorethan26,000atten- dees in 42 states andWashington, D.C. Audiences ranged from world affairs councils and universities to community- service organizations, “town meetings,” churches and high schools. Amb. Grant Smith, Stephen Buck and David Reuther elicited glowing reviews from attendees at theprestigious JohnsHopkins “Evergreen” adult educationseries for theirpresentations on U.S. policies in South Asia and the MiddleEast. These speakers alsodescribed the attractions and challenges of careers in the Foreign Service, including insightful considerations of family issues. AFSA speakers addressed other topics including: counterterrorism; public diplo- macy; U.S. initiatives in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia; UnitedNations peacekeeping; international crime,migra- tionandenvironmental issues; andhuman rights. All AFSA speakers were provided with talkingpoints and issueupdates fromAFSA, aswell as promotionalmaterial forAFSA’s excellent book, Inside a U.S. Embassy . Speakers stressed the critical role of diplo- macy in advancing America’s vital securi- ty andeconomic interests around the globe. They also encouraged audience members to contact their congressional representa- tives to request increased funding for U.S. diplomatic readiness. Moreover, speakers reached out to talented youth—especial- lyminority-groupmembers—to encour- age them to consider Foreign Service careers. AFSA also held major press confer- ences to highlight the vital role of the Foreign Service. A June press conference, titled “Extreme Diplomacy,” featured AFSAPresident John Limbert and former Baghdad consular officer Beth Payne, who described their dangerous working con- ditions during recent tours in Iraq and appealed to Congress to approve the full State Department authorization bill. A November AFSA press conference pre- sented the Foreign Affairs Council’s assessment of Secretary Colin Powell’s stewardship of the State Department since 2001. Both events generated heavy media coverage. AFSA’s media outreach efforts were also intensive in 2004. We placed, either direct- ly or throughAFSAretirees, 83 op-eds, letters-to-the-editor, articles andpress releases advo- cating increased public and congressional support for U.S. diplomacy in leadingmedia entities includ- ing the Washington Post , NewYork Times , Wall Street Journal , Los Angeles Times , Government Executive , Federal Times , Associated Press, NPR and CNN. Our motto is: “No cheap shot against the Foreign Service will go unanswered.” Among our most suc- cessful efforts was AFSA’s annual awards ceremony heldat theStateDepartment in June, whichattracted sev- eral network TV cameras and some 20 journalists from major media. The result was in-depth treatment of this event via some 32 media outlets nationwide, including the Washington Post , NBC, CNN, ABC, theAssociatedPress andNPR. AFSAoutreacheffortshaveplacedheavy emphasis on the vital role played by U.S. diplomacy in the struggle against terrorism. Since9/11wehavedeployedmore than450 AFSA retiree experts on Middle East and South Asian issues for speaker and media programs nationwide. We have held fre- quent discussions regarding AFSA issues with the more than 35 diplomatic corre- spondents attached to the State Department, as well as with editors and bureau chiefs of national media based in Washington. These outreach programs have pro- moted three importantAFSAgoals: broad- ening the Foreign Service constituency throughoutreach to the public; enhancing public awareness of global affairs andof the key role of the Foreign Service and diplo- macy; and activating theAFSAretiree con- stituency by involving it in significant pro- grams that drawon their backgrounds and skills intellingour story toaudiencesnation- wide. If you want to be involved with AFSA outreach, contact me at Switzer@afsa.org, or call toll-free (800) 704-2372, ext. 501. ▫ BROADENING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR DIPLOMACY AFSA Reaches a National Audience BY TOM SWITZER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AFSA speakers explained the importance of U.S. diplomacy to more than 26,000 attendees in 42 states and Washington, DC. AFSA — Foreign Affairs Council Press Conference.