THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY-JUNE 2026 61 AFSA NEWS Retirees Are Still in Service In our time in the Foreign Service, we all have faced crises, coups, and hostile environments. The challenges confronting our profession today are as great as any we’ve ever faced. We alumni and retirees are at a small remove from the day-to-day strife our colleagues in the foreign affairs agencies experience. In our survey of active-duty members, many described the current environment as one of distrust, full of fear of retribution for speaking truth. the Foreign Service in your community. Finally, consider hosting or attending a fundraising event to support our Legal Defense Fund or the Fund for American Diplomacy. To get started, consult pages 9–13 of the 2026 AFSA Directory of Retired Members. There you’ll find a list of associations across the country, with contact information for their coordinators. Foreign Service retiree and alumni associations RETIREE VP VOICE | BY JOHN O’KEEFE Contact: okeefe@afsa.org We need to rise to the challenge. Just what might you do to help? First, reach out to your communities to illustrate how your Foreign Service career focused on service to our shared country. Second, follow updates from AFSA, particularly those regarding activities in Congress that might affect the Foreign Service. Reach out to your representative or senator to express your views. Third, engage fellow retirees and members of are in Arizona, Southern California (San Diego area), Central California, Northern California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and West Virginia. You’ll also find USAID alumni groups, public diplomacy organizations, and DACOR in Washington, D.C. If there isn’t an association in your area, consider organizing one. Even hosting an informal get-together would be a good first step. And thanks to all who have already done so much to protect our profession. n Legal Defense Fundraiser On March 10, more than 120 supporters of the American Foreign Service Association gathered at the offices of DLA Piper LLP in Washington, D.C., for a fundraiser benefiting the AFSA Legal Defense Fund. Hosted by a group of former ambassadors and senior foreign policy officials, the event brought together members of the Foreign Service community in a show of solidarity at a critical moment for the institution. Former Deputy Secretary of State Tom Shannon opened the evening with remarks that framed the gathering as an act of civic purpose. “We are fighting for a great posterity,” Shannon said. “We are fighting for ing $300,000 toward AFSA’s case to restore collective bargaining rights stripped by executive order in May 2025. In addition, the LDF deployed $25,000 in funds for AFSA’s those beyond us and who come after us, and who are in the Service now.” He called on attendees to embrace solidarity as a guiding principle, engaging with one another and with the world “with respect, kindness, and purpose.” Former AFSA General Counsel Sharon Papp gave an update on the Legal Defense Fund’s work, detailing ongoing litigation on behalf of the thousands of Foreign Service officers affected by recent reductions in force at both USAID and the State Department. She noted that the fund has raised more than $500,000 since the start of last year and has already deployed $450,000, includcase regarding the USAGM shutdown. To support the AFSA Legal Defense Fund, visit https://afsa.org/legaldefense-fund. n The AFSA Legal Defense Fund’s host committee, Washington, D.C., on March 10, 2026. JEFF PIERRE
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