THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2025 57 AFSA NEWS AFSA Global Town Hall AFSA hosted a global town hall on Dec. 12, 2024, offering members an opportunity to engage with AFSA leadership, hear updates on advocacy efforts, and ask about pressing issues facing the Foreign Service. The event was moderated by outgoing Professional Policy Issues Director Julie Nutter. Panelists included AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi, USAID Vice President Randy Chester, FCS Vice President Joshua Burke, and FAS Vice President Evan Mangino. Yazdgerdi highlighted recent AFSA advocacy achievements, including the successful extension of overseas comparability pay (OCP) authorization. While OCP remains capped at two-thirds of D.C. locality pay, he noted that this extension provides a solid foundation for future advocacy to secure full parity. Other legislative successes were covered, including provisions in the Fiscal Year 2025 State Authorization Act. Notable measures include safeguarding paid leave for employees in combat zones and highthreat posts and per diem allowances for local hires during their first six months of orientation. Yazdgerdi also explained that there may be potential cuts to the international affairs budget this year. Attendees asked about delays in ambassadorial nominations, commissioning, and tenure lists. Yazdgerdi noted that these bottlenecks are due largely to external factors beyond AFSA’s control, though AFSA continues to advocate for approval of nominations and lists. Participants also raised concerns about a possible hiring freeze and the reintroduction of Schedule F. Yazdgerdi reassured members that AFSA is monitoring these developments closely, advocating for policies that protect the integrity and stability of the Foreign Service workforce. Note: Executive Orders for both a hiring freeze and reinstatement of Schedule F were subsequently issued on Jan. 21, 2025. AFSA reaffirmed its commitment to providing robust support to members navigating challenges such as retaliation and other workplace issues. Members were reminded to utilize AFSA’s resources and contact the association for assistance using personal email accounts to ensure confidentiality. Additionally, the town hall emphasized the value of professional liability insurance, with agency reimbursements covering half the cost. This coverage offers vital protection for Foreign Service professionals in an uncertain environment. The session also brought good news on programmatic fronts. Provisions for spousal employment and childcare subsidies were included in recent legislation, addressing long-standing concerns about family support. The reinstatement of emergency backup care for domestic State Department employees was another significant win. AFSA leaders closed the town hall by emphasizing the importance of member engagement and dues support in sustaining advocacy efforts. While acknowledging the uncertainty of the road ahead, AFSA reiterated its readiness to tackle challenges head-on, drawing on decades of experience and a steadfast commitment to the Foreign Service community. n Good Stewardship for Our Members As we reported in the November 2024 issue of AFSA News, AFSA received its 15th straight “clean” audit, also known as an unmodified opinion, in 2024. AFSA is proud of its long history of fiscally sound stewardship of our greatest resource: your member dues and contributions. Together, these account for well over 90 percent of AFSA’s revenues each year. We believe our greatest responsibility is to ensure that these resources are invested wisely and managed with an eye toward longevity and maximum returns. Therefore, we are happy to report that AFSA entered 2025 on a strong financial footing. Our members can be assured that the association is well positioned for any type of unexpected financial setbacks. In early January, our operating reserve stood at $3.2 million, which is sufficient to cover between six and seven months of regular AFSA operations. In addition, our Scholarship Fund is now at $12.6 million, the Legal Defense Fund at just over $400,000, and the entities that make up the Fund for American Diplomacy, our 501(c)(3) outreach arm, together stand at $900,000. We remain committed to our fiduciary responsibilities and will continue to report on our financial standing as a matter of transparency. n
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