The Foreign Service Journal, March 2007

68 F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L / MA R CH 2 0 0 7 A F S A N E W S Y E A R I N R E V I E W AFSA Annual Report 2006 JANUARY AFSA invites Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to meet with the Governing Board; she declines, but Under Secretary Nicholas Burns comes in her stead inMarch. AFSA President Tony Holmes writes to the Under Secretary for Management expressing serious con- cern about the security clearance sus- pension and revocation process, and proposes a series of meetings with the Diplomatic Security Bureau to improve the process; DS senior management decline to meet. Labor-Management works with the DS Training Center to improve the implementa- tion and operation of the newly instituted Student Performance Review Committee. AFSAmeets with the career development office to discuss the initial implementation of the Secretary’s Global Repositioning Initiative. AFSA communicates its concerns on the pro- posed addition of a “360 degree” feedback procedure to the evaluation process; the pro- cedure has not been implemented. AFSA/FCS representatives and AFSA Legislative Affairs Director Ken Nakamura meet with staff from the offices of Representatives JohnMica, R-Fla., and DonaldManzullo, R-Ill., regarding their pro- posed bills on the Foreign Commercial Service, promoting foreign trade and the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee. AFSA/Elderhostel begins its program year with a “Day of Discovery” program on Iraq. By the end of the year, more than 300 people will attend these one-day events, offered at AFSA headquarters. Subjects include Iraq, the Middle East, Afghanistan, failed states and the war on terror. In a highly popular issue, the Journal features the varied accomplishments of Foreign Service retirees and spotlights issues related to retirement. FEBRUARY AFSA engages withM/MED to get Tamiflu supplies shipped to posts in light of the spread of bird flu to Africa. The Labor-Management teammeets with the staff of the School of Applied Information Technology to discuss changes to the Skills Incentive Program for information manage- ment specialists. As a result, the department agrees to extend the deadline for IMS special- ists to become recertified. AFSA/USAID successfully negotiates a solu- tion to the first of three grievance cases, each of which is resolved with a much less severe penalty than originally proposed. AFSA arranges an interview for Ambassador Thomas Dodd to explain U.S. diplomacy in Latin America on the PBS program, “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.” AFSA/FCS meets with the Office of Foreign Service Human Resources at Commerce regarding review and reform of the Management Planning and Performance Appraisal System and precepts and related performance-management issues. AFSA Retiree Coordinator Bonnie Brown releases the first Retiree Newsletter of the year; the bimonthly newsletter provides informa- tion about federal benefits and legislation and department policies and procedures. MARCH As it had done inMarch 2004 and 2005, the Journal once again focuses on Iraq: specifically, on Foreign Service personnel there, both in Baghdad and else- where. The issue draws wide atten- tion, including a half-page excerpt in the Washing- ton Post. AFSA proposes four important changes to Chapter 11 of the Foreign Service Act to improve the operation of the Foreign Service Grievance Board. The department declines to support these changes. The Labor-Management teammeets with the department concerning the latter’s position in a “scope of duty” case concerning a principal officer overseas who was involved in a motor accident. The appeals court subsequently rules in the FSO’s favor. In cases where Foreign Service members are called for military duty, AFSA proposes that the department pay for the transport of Staff: Executive Director, Acting, Ian Houston: houston@afsa.org Business Department Controller Twee Nguyen: nguyen@afsa.org Accounting Assistant Jon Reed: reed@afsa.org Labor Management General Counsel Sharon Papp: papps@state.gov Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: badrichz@state.gov Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: yorkej@state.gov Grievance Attorneys Neera Parikh: parikhna@state.gov and Holly Rich: richh@state.gov Office Manager Christine Warren: warrenc@state.gov USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Douglas Broome: dbroome@usaid.gov USAID Office Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: asigfusson@usaid.gov Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: hedrick@afsa.org Representative Cory Nishi: nishi@afsa.org Web-site & Database Associate: vacant Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org Outreach Programs Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: brown@afsa.org Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: switzer@afsa.org Congressional Affairs Director Ian Houston: houston@afsa.org Executive Assistant to the President Austin Tracy: tracy@afsa.org Scholarship Director Lori Dec: dec@afsa.org Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: berger@afsa.org Elderhostel Coordinator Janice Bay: bay@afsa.org AFSA HEADQUARTERS: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA OFFICE: (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 FCS AFSA OFFICE: (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org AFSA E-MAIL: afsa@afsa.org FSJ: journal@afsa.org PRESIDENT: holmes@afsa.org STATE VP: kashkettsb@state.gov RETIREE VP: 42reuwash@earthlink.net USAID VP: fzamora@usaid.gov FCS VP: donald.businger@mail.doc.gov AFSA News Editor Shawn Dorman : dorman@afsa.org (202) 338-4045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 On the Web : www.afsa.org/news How to Contact Us: Governing Board: PRESIDENT: J. Anthony Holmes STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Steven Kashkett USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Francisco Zamora FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Donald Businger FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Vacant RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: David Reuther SECRETARY: Tex Harris TREASURER: Andrew Winter STATE REPRESENTATIVES: Alan Misenheimer, Hugh Neighbour, Joyce Namde, Randy Steen, Daphne Titus, Andrew Young, Andrea Zomaszewicz and Sandy Robinson USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Mike Henning FCS REPRESENTATIVE: William Center FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Robert Curtis IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Al Pessin RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Leonard J. Baldyga, Roger Dankert, Larry Lesser and Gilbert Sheinbaum