The Foreign Service Journal, March 2020

64 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS our followers and are regu- larly retweeted by notable journalists and individuals in the foreign affairs field. Thanks to a partnership with the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, AFSA also pre- miered its first-ever original video. The clip, an “animated explainer” video on economic diplomacy, has already become the most-viewed video on AFSA’s YouTube channel. A new companion video is in the works. Outreach During a period of signifi- cantly expanded outreach, the AFSA president was invited to grassroots and high-profile events across the country to tell the story of the Foreign Service. These events included the keynote speech for the national Model UN conference in Washington, D.C., FarmFest in Minnesota, the Common- wealth Club in San Francisco and at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. Other speaking invitations took the AFSA president to Michigan, Florida, Oregon and Texas, in addition to numerous engagements in and around the Washington, D.C., area. The AFSA Speakers Bureau continues to be a criti- cal element of our outreach efforts. In collaboration with Road Scholars and the Smith- sonian Associates, AFSA planned and executed a series of programs throughout the year, reaching more than a thousand participants. More generally, AFSA fulfilled the steady request for speakers about specific topics or the Foreign Ser- vice. To support the many (largely) retired members actively engaged in speaking about the work of the For- eign Service, AFSA updated its resources for speakers, including talking points and new short explainer videos. AFSA’s annual national high school essay contest continued to attract hun- dreds of submissions each year from students across the country, culminating in a visit to D.C. for the winner and their family. Finally, during these two years we continued to support and honor excellence within the Foreign Service com- munity through the awards program, which moved from June to October in 2018. Membership After the hiring freeze was lifted, AFSA was pleased to resume our membership lun- cheons for incoming classes of A-100 FSOs, specialists, limited non-career appoint- ments, USAID FSOs and Foreign Commercial Service officers. These luncheons are a critical way for new Foreign Service members to learn about AFSA, and we are proud that, on average, 85 to 90 percent sign up. AFSAmem- bership numbers remained strong during this period and are currently at an all-time high (more than 16,800). AFSA has successfully increased programming for members, including the launch of the highly popular Next Stage program, offer- ing panels of expert retired Foreign Service colleagues who have embarked on “next stage” careers. To date, Next Stage topics have included how to work in teaching, writing and the private sector and a program focused spe- cifically on post-FS careers for DS agents. The Federal Benefit series continued with expert presentations on Medi- care, Thrift Savings Plan, Long-Term Care insurance, Social Security and Federal Employee Health Benefits. With an eye toward providing access to our many mem- bers outside the Beltway, these programs are recorded and offered exclusively to members on our website. AFSA continues to com- memorate Foreign Service Day, the first Friday in May, as a day of honor and remembrance. We remember colleagues who have died in the line of duty with a rolling moment of silence, observed by numerous embassies, during a moving memorial service in the C Street lobby at the State Department. Each year, members join AFSA’s letter-to-the- AFSA State VP Ken Kero-Mentz addresses the 194th A-100 class in August 2018 at AFSA headquarters. AFSA/DONNAGORMAN