The Foreign Service Journal, May 2019

26 MAY 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Group of 18 (1967) Adrian A. Basora* Robert Blackburn Charles W. Bray*† L. Dean Brown ***† Robert T. Curran Richard S. Dawson Morris Draper * Theodore L. Eliot Jr. *†† Philip Habib *†† Harmon Kirby* Harry K. Lennon Thomas W. McElhiney *† Michael A. Michaud Daniel O. Newberry * Charles E. Rushing Lannon Walker *** Frank S. Wile Larry C. Williamson ** AFSA Board (1970) William G. Bradford* Charles W. Bray*† Alan Carter Richard T. Davies* Donald Easum**† Theodore L. Eliot Jr. *†† Barbara Good William C. Harrop *****† Erland H. Heginbotham† C. William Kontos* George Lambrakis Princeton Lyman***† Robert L. M. Nevitt John E. Reinhardt*† AFSA Board (1972) Thomas D. Boyatt ** Herman J. Cohen **† Barbara Good F. Allen (Tex) Harris William C. Harrop *****† James L. Holmes Jr. William R. Lenderking Jr. David W. Loving Linda Lowenstein Samuel C. Thornburg John J. Tuohey The Young Turks’ Campaign How did that happen? The Young Turks conducted a prodigious organizing effort, of course, with worldwide reach. But just as important was a shift in the group’s focus. Their campaign platform said almost nothing about the role of the Service in the conduct of foreign affairs. It was clear, however, about the role of AFSA in protecting its members. AFSA “can and should be heard” on personnel and administrative issues, the platform declared, and members should be able to bring their “grievances and problems to the association.” Faced with the need to appeal for votes, the Group of 18 shifted its vision away from the professional organization that AFSA was and toward the union it would become. It would be hard to overstate the passion and energy of the Young Turks. All were on active duty, with demanding, high- pressure jobs in the department, the U.S. Agency for Interna- tional Development, or the now-extinct United States Information Agency. Charlie Bray, assigned to the office of the deputy under secretary for political affairs, took a year’s leave without pay to work on AFSA matters—during which time he was supported by donations solicited from the families of Christian Herter, W. Averell Harriman and William Rivkin (a former secretary of state, special envoy and three-time ambassador, respectively; AFSA would soon create and name its first three constructive dissent awards for them). Lannon Walker, with a day job in the executive secre- tariat, was fortunate to have a wife who “would come down to pick me up at midnight.” The enthusiasm of these reformers was catching. More than 80 active-duty members of the Service volunteered to work on a revision of the Old Turks’ report. Walker raised money from John D. Rockefeller III to finance its publication under the title Toward a Modern Diplomacy . (The report, 60 pages of tiny type, * Ambassador/Chief of mission † Assistant secretary equivalent or higher —HWK F.A. “Tex” Harris served as AFSA president from 1993 to 1997. REFORM AND ACHIEVEMENT AFSA reformers clashed often with the State Department, but their careers did not suffer. Many became chiefs of mission or rose to senior positions in Washington. AFSANEWS/AUGUST 1993