The Foreign Service Journal, April 2021

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2021 65 AFSA NEWS AFSA Seeks Award Nominations for 2021 AFSA seeks to highlight achievement, performance, courage and sacrifice within the Foreign Service community. Our awards program began in 1968 and has continued to expand to recognize the work of our colleagues. We are proud to be able to spotlight the best of our community. Constructive Dissent Awards AFSA’s Constructive Dissent Awards recognize Foreign Service members who work within the system to change policy and perfor- mance for the better. Such dissent may be made in any nonpublic channel including meetings, emails to superi- ors, memoranda, telegrams or via the State Depart- ment’s formal Dissent Chan- nel. Thus, AFSA’s Construc- tive Dissent Awards may be given to, but are not restricted to, employees who make use of the Dissent Channel. These awards are unique within the federal gov- ernment and remain the lynchpin of AFSA’s awards program. There is no democracy without dissent, and the U.S. Foreign Service must remain a leader in the encouragement of respect- ful yet provocative construc- tive dissent. We welcome nominations for the four constructive dis- sent awards: • The W. Averell Harri- man Award for entry-level Foreign Service officers. • The William R. Rivkin Award for midlevel Foreign Service officers. • The Christian A. Herter Award for Senior Foreign Service officers. • The F. Allen ‘Tex’ Harris Award for Foreign Service specialists. Exemplary Performance Awards We also invite nominations for exemplary performance awards. These awards are meant to highlight the profes- sionalism and spirit of service and volunteerism within the Foreign Service community. These awards honor com- munity liaison officers, office management specialists and family members for their important contributions at work, at home and in the community at large. • The Nelson B. Delavan Award recognizes the work of a Foreign Service office management specialist who has made a significant contribution to post or office effectiveness and morale, both within as well as beyond the framework of her or his job responsibilities. • The M. Juanita Guess Award recognizes a com- munity liaison officer who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, dedication, initia- tive or imagination in assist- ing the families of Americans serving at an overseas post. • The Avis Bohlen Award honors a Foreign Service fam- ily member whose volunteer work with the American and foreign communities at post has resulted in advancing the interests of the United States. • The Mark Palmer Award for the Advancement of Democracy is bestowed on a member of the Foreign Ser- vice from any of the foreign affairs agencies, especially those at the early to mid career level, serving domesti- cally or overseas. The award recognizes the promotion of American policies to advance democracy, freedom and governance through bold, imaginative and effective efforts during one or more assignments. Note that we accept awards nominations all year, but the deadline for 2021 is Monday, May 17. Anyone may send in a nomination; self- nominations are also accepted for performance awards. AFSA is grateful to the many individuals and organizations that make our awards and honors programs possible through their gener- ous support. Our thanks to the Delavan Foundation, the Ambassador William R. Rivkin family, the Avis Bohlen family, Dr. Sushma Palmer and Clements Worldwide. We deeply appreciate their dedi- cation to the Foreign Service community. All of AFSA’s awards programs, as well the AFSA memorial plaques, are administered by Awards and Scholarships Manager Theo Horn. Contact him at horn@ afsa.org , and visit www.afsa. org/awards for more informa- tion. AFSA’s Awards and Plaques Committee has insti- tutional oversight over these programs and has primary responsibility for the recom- mendation of award recipi- ents and plaque honorees. n The AFSA Constructive Dissent trophies. JOAQUINSOSA