The Foreign Service Journal, May 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2018 61 AFSA NEWS CALENDAR May 1 12-2 p.m Seminar: “Long TermCare” May 3 11 a.m.-5 p.m. AFSA Open House (and complimentary professional headshots) May 3 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Book Notes: Our Woman in Havana May 3 2-2:30 p.m. Workshop: “How to Write a Concise Professional Bio” May 3 3-4:30 p.m. Workshop: “Advocating for the Foreign Service in Your Local Community” May 4 4:15-4:45 p.m. AFSA Memorial Ceremony May 4 5-6:30 p.m. AFSA Foreign Service Day Reception May 8 12:30-1:30 p.m. Luncheon: 16th Consular Fellows Class May 15 12-1 p.m. Foreign Affairs Retirees of Maryland and D.C. Host AFSA President May 16 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting May 25 Deadline: AFSA Dissent and Performance Award Nominations June 3-8 AFSA Road Scholar Program Chautauqua, N.Y. “DeepDish”Podcast InterviewsAFSAPresident AFSA President Ambas- sador Barbara Stephenson joined the Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs for its Deep Dish podcast on March 15. She discussed cuts at the department, our country’s anomalous use of political appointees, partnering with the military and the chal- lenges diplomats face when forming and implementing foreign policy. As the podcast opened, host Brian Hanson asked Amb. Stephenson to explain to his audience what the State Department is and what Foreign Service officers do for our country. “We in the Foreign Service maintain a home base called the American embassy in nearly every country in the world,”Amb. Stephenson explained. “Real Americans like me run and staff that embassy. We speak the local language. We understand that country’s history and culture, and we know how to get things done. …The presence of the U.S. Foreign Service around the world is the foun- dation for America’s global leadership role favored by nine in 10 Americans.” Amb. Stephen- son also explained why senior military leaders have been so vocal in supporting a strong State Department. Throughout her career, she said, diplomats and members of the military “spent a lot of our time work- ing together out in the field as an integrated team, and at our best we just worked seamlessly under the Ameri- can flag.” When asked what she plans to tell the incoming Secretary of State, Amb. Stephenson said that she would ask that he “use us as fully as possible so that we can contribute meaningfully to the mission that Congress gave us, which is to shape and implement America’s foreign policy.” You can listen to the com- plete podcast at https://www. thechicagocouncil.org/blog/ global-insight/deep-dish- inside-state-department. n AFSAHosts Networking Happy Hour A-100 classmates Frances Chisholm and Phil Skotte catch up at AFSA HQ. AFSA/SHAWNDORMAN On March 28, AFSA wel- comed members and nonmembers alike to a networking happy hour at its D.C. headquarters. This was a great opportunity for AFSA members to meet and social- ize, as well as for nonmem- bers to learn about AFSA’s role in promoting the Foreign Service. AFSA is planning more happy hours in the near future—contact member@ afsa.org to find out more. n AFSA/ASGEIRSIGFUSSON