The Foreign Service Journal, March 2017

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2017 63 AFSA NEWS For 2017, the Governing Board has injected $100,000 of funds from the operating reserve into the initial FAD bud- get, with the objective of jump-starting a larger and more focused set of activities to achieve the FAD mission. This new budget, with its potential to expand our fundraising totals, is vital to our ability to both build out and sustain our program and mission to serve as the “Voice of the Foreign Service.” Success will be measured by the impact we have on advancing the understanding of the American public and key stakeholders of the importance of diplomacy and develop- ment, and the Foreign Service’s role in its conduct. Our strong financial position entering 2017 allows us to con- tinue our long-standing work in support of workforce planning and the union, while opening up new programs and services that advance the mission of our professional association. In conclusion, the table above shows key data and indica- tors that capture our current financial situation numerically. To provide context, I also have included data that covers five- year periods since 2000. I believe this history is important in that it creates an awareness of our financial health and a sense of gratitude to prior boards and AFSA leaders for their careful stewardship of the resources of the growing AFSA membership. It has been my privilege and pleasure to serve as your Treasurer in this 2013-2017 timeframe. Best wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful 2017. n —Ambassador (ret.) Charles Ford, AFSA Treasurer AFSA DATA 2000 2005 2010 2015 2017 Membership 10,755 13,303 15,438 16,446 16,571 Operating Budget $2,757,589 $3,471,200 $4,000,187 $4,359,386 $4,464,821 Operating Reserve $407,111 $1,695,471 $2,933,839 $3,271,799 $2,944,237 Scholarship Reserve $4,581,392 $4,359,903 $4,465,238 $6,696,108 $8,195,260 Professional Staff 22 25 24 34 32 (Full-time equivalent) people attended the event. Beginning the discussion, Mr. Sell recalled the moment he received the call from the Kremlin announcing the resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev, then-president of the Soviet Union, and the “moment of euphoria” at the end of the Cold War. He discussed the use of intelligence gathering to analyze Russian media, the Soviet governing system, and also addressed the expansion of NATO into for- mer Soviet republics after the fall of the Soviet Union. Mr. Sell spoke about the role played by radio in the collapse of the Soviet Union, noting that the BBC and Voice of America broadcasts were extremely influential, with approximately 50 per- cent of the Russian popu- lation tuning in to Radio Liberty during the Cold War era. Considering the merits of studying Russia and U.S.-Russia relations, Mr. Sell said that he is “a deep believer in specialization.” He recommended that Foreign Service officers focus on language training and that senior officials live “outside the bubble,” engag- ing with the local people at their post. An engaging Q&A session followed, in which Mr. Sell answered questions on a variety of topics, including his opinion of Boris Yeltsin, the role of the Politburo and the importance of so called cyber-warfare. Concluding the event, Mr. Sell was asked if he had any advice for the incoming administration. “The first challenge is nuclear,” he said, noting that Russia still has a huge nuclear arsenal. Secondly, he advised, “Don’t obsess over Russia; it is not the most dangerous threat facing the United States today.” Check the calendar or sign up for email alerts to receive information about the next moderated conver- sation with FSJ authors. n —Gemma Dvorak, Associate Editor The New Russia Continued from page 57