The Foreign Service Journal, June 2004

JUNE 2004 • AFSA NEWS 9 that, although you may draw less each month, you draw it for a longer time and therefore over the long haul you receive a similar amount. In fact, if you were born in 1937 and you started drawing Social Security at age 62, at age 77 youwill have received exact- ly the same total amount of Social Security as you would have if you had delayed drawing until age 65. The age at which you will have received the same total amount creeps slowly upwards, as the age at which you can start receiving full benefits creeps upwards, as shown in the table above. For instance, if youwere born between 1943 and 1954 and you start drawing at age 62, by age 78 youwill have received the same amount of total Social Security as if you had delayed draw- ing until age 65. For those born in 1960 or later, the age is about 79. On the other hand, the effect is quite small of electing to draw Social Security at age 65 instead of at the age at which you qualify for full payments. For all dates of birth after 1938, age 80 is the age at which you will have received the same amount as if you had delayed until the full eligibility age. Even at age 90 for dates of birth after 1960, there is a reduction of only just under 6 percent in the total amount of Social Security you will have received. For dates of birth between 1943 and 1954, that reduction is less than 3 per- cent. AFSA can provide more details of these reductions for the range of dates of birth from 1937 to 1960 and for Social Security starting ages of 62 and 65. AFSA’s Position In response tomember concerns, dur- ing AFSA’s recent annual meeting with Secretary Powell, AFSAActing President Louise Crane raised the retirement age issue (see p. 1). In light of the Secretary’s comments, it is apparent the department will not support an attempt to change the Foreign Service Act at this time. We are very cognizant of the need to ensure a rate of flow-through that provides opportu- nity for talent to rise fromthe lower ranks. We also recognize that any proposal from AFSA would require the department’s support to gain congressional approval. Further, raising the retirement agemay very well prompt Congress to reconsid- er the Foreign Service retirement plan with a view to making it less generous. AFSA does not want to provoke any such scrutiny. Politics is the art of the possible, and though this may become possible in the future, it is not so in 2004. ▫ Malaria is caused by one of four par- asites — Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae — that are transmitted by mosquitoes. Amosqui- to acquires the parasite after biting an infected person. It then grows inside the insect for about a week before it can be passed to another human being. When the infectedmosquito bites another per- son, the parasite travels from the mos- quito’s mouth into the person’s blood stream. Once inside the human body, the parasite moves to the liver where it uses these cells to replicate. Then it moves to the red blood cells and begins tomul- tiply inside of them. The red blood cells eventually burst, releasing not only new parasites but toxins that make the person feel sick with flu-like symptoms including fever, shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomit- ing and diarrhea. Due to the loss of red blood cells, malariamay also cause anemia and jaun- dice. These symptoms usually occur 10 days to four weeks after infection but onset may be delayed until up to one year later. ▫ Health Watch • Continued from page 7 Age at which you become eligible to receive full Social Security Year of Age to Receive Percentage of Full S/S Percentage of Full S/S Birth Full Social Security you receive at Age 62 you receive at age 65 1937 65 80 100 1938 65 and 2 months 79.2 98.9 1939 65 and 4 months 78.3 97.8 1940 65 and 6 months 77.5 96.7 1941 65 and 8 months 76.7 95.6 1942 65 and 10 months 75.8 94.4 1943-54 66 75 93.3 1955 66 and 2 months 74.2 92.2 1956 66 and 4 months 73.3 91.1 1957 66 and 6 months 72.5 90.0 1958 66 and 8 months 71.7 88.9 1959 66 and 10 months 70.8 87.8 1960 67 70 86.7 Go to www.socialsecurity.gov for more information. Position with FSYF The Foreign Service Youth Foundation is seeking a part-time Teen Community Service Program Director. The program director develops, implements and oversees monthly Foreign Service teen com- munity service events in the Northern Virginia area. Flexible hours, but candidate must be avail- able on some weekends and after- noons/evenings. Salary is $14/hour for five to seven hours per week. Please contactMelanieNewhouseby e-mail at fsyf@fsyf.org for a full job description.