The Foreign Service Journal, April 2023

AFSA NEWS 42 APRIL 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA Welcomes Newest FS Members It has been wonderful to welcome so many new mem- bers of the Foreign Service to in-person meetings at AFSA HQ in 2023. On Jan. 19, we hosted 14 new USAID Foreign Service officers, 100 percent of whom joined AFSA at the event. The officers in this newest group speak 13 languages between them, and they have collec- tively traveled or worked in 43 countries. Their experiences include hiking to Mt. Everest Base Camp, working as a ski patroller, and winning a corn- on-the-cob eating champion- ship. We welcomed more than 200 new State Department FS officers and specialists in three groups in February. The 109 generalists and 118 specialists included regional medical officers, security engineers, DS special agents, and FSOs from all five career tracks. The group included 59 former State Department employees, including contrac- tors and family members. It also included four Pickering Fellows, one Rangel Fellow, eight former Consular Fellows, four Foreign Affairs IT (FAIT) Fellows, and four Presidential Management Fellows. Class members were This year, Foreign Service Day will be held on Friday, May 5. The AFSA Memorial Plaque Ceremony will also take place on that day. In addition, each year AFSA commemorates Foreign Service Day through a series of events and activities. This includes a week-long social media campaign drawing attention to the work of the Foreign Service and a rolling moment of silence at embas- sies and consulates overseas to recognize those lost in the line of service. On Thursday, May 4, as has become tradition, members are invited to stop by AFSA headquarters during our Open House to learn more about AFSA’s outreach and advocacy work, meet AFSA staff, and network with colleagues. In the evening, AFSA will co-host a reception with DACOR. AFSA members will receive more information about all these initiatives later this month. Members interested in receiving information about events taking place at the State Department May 5 for Foreign Service Day 2023 should email foreignaffairsday@state.gov. n NEWS BRIEF previously attorneys, consul- tants, educators, engineers, IT specialists, medical profes- sionals, and students. We enjoyed meeting all these new FS members and look forward to many years of working on their behalf. n AFSA President Amb. Eric Rubin speaks to an incoming class of State Department FS members on Feb. 14, 2023. AFSA/HANNAHMCDANIEL Save the Date AFSA’s Foreign Service Day Programming Don’t forget! The filing deadline to submit 2022 tax returns or an extension to file and pay tax owed is Tuesday, April 18, 2023, for most taxpayers, with an automatic two-month extension to June 15 for U.S. citizens and resident aliens living outside the United States. To help you navigate filing both federal and state tax returns, AFSA’s 2022 Tax Guide is available online at afsa.org/taxguide. It summarizes many of the tax laws that mem- bers of the Foreign Service community will find relevant, including changes mandated by new legislation and laws regarding the taxa- tion of Foreign Service annuities. n NEWS BRIEF Consult AFSA’s Tax Guide Online