The Foreign Service Journal, June 2009

T he economic news of recent months leaves me more persuaded than ever of AFSA’s important role as “Watcher of the Hill” insofar as retiree benefits are con- cerned. Even a cursory reading of Retiree Coordinator Bon- nie Brown’s bimonthly newsletters reveals an increasing number of congressional bills affecting one or more federal employee retiree benefits. A sampling of topics in Bonnie’s recent newsletters — Medicare Part B, Premium Conver- sion/Flexible Spending Plan, Social Security offsets, changes to the Thrift Savings Plan, sick-leave credit for FSPS retirees, When Actually Employed rules and related issues — attests to this state of affairs. The question I ask myself is: how much is this informa- tion worth in dollars and cents to AFSA’s retiree member- ship? Let’s take just one example: Medicare Part B. What would happen if its benefits were cut by, say, 20 percent? De- pending on the state of your health and the frequency of your visits to the doctor, the sum of money involved could reach into several hundred dollars a year, much more than the cost of your annual AFSA dues. The time for seriously thinking about these matters is upon us. For me, this is a perfect example of the congruence of AFSA’s organizational interests and those of its individual members. I am reminded of the line in the film “Jerry Maguire” when Tom Cruise’s character exhorts his client football star: “Help me help you!” As I’ve said before, this is our basic cry to the more than 7,000 Foreign Service annu- itants who have chosen not to join our ranks and support AFSA’s mission. While we on the Retiree Membership Task Force con- tinue to reach out to these retirees through many channels, I must be candid in saying that the going is slow. For starters, we lack solid information as to their whereabouts. And even when we have valid addresses and phone num- bers, there is the challenge of overcoming people’s tendency, in this day of screening devices, to refuse to pick up phone calls or open the many requests for support they find in ei- ther their e-mail or snail mail. But we soldier on in our ef- forts to sign up new members to assure the future viability of our association. Since this is my last column as vice president for retirees, permit me a few departing observations on AFSA’s role in promoting the Foreign Service and in defending the rights and privileges of its members: active-duty, retired (includ- ing persons in transition to second careers) and surviving spouses. First, as to the old question, which still sparks de- bate, especially among our older members: Is AFSA prima- rily a professional association or a labor union? My reply is that depending on the situation, its role can be one or the other or both at the same time. When Bonnie Brown de- scribes AFSA as “multidimensional,” she’s right. What is undeniably true is that AFSA is the only voice that can be relied on, unencumbered by political or bu- reaucratic considerations, to defend the Foreign Service. We are able to speak truth to power when Foreign Service mem- bers inside the system are unable to express publicly their professional concerns or policy differences. Second, with your continued support — and bless you for it! —AFSA remains an organization that you can count on in this time of change to protect and preserve the bene- fits you have justly earned after years of service to your country. Its expert staff members fulfill one of our most im- portant roles: providing information and guidance to our members and their families in time of need. (I will resist the temptation to name them individually lest I leave some- one out; but rest assured they are all working full-tilt to make your association the best of its kind.) As the State Department resumes its place at the head of the foreign policy table, AFSA will continue to watch the Foreign Service’s back. Finally, to you retirees and members in career transition, I extend my deepest gratitude for the opportunity to serve as your representative on the AFSA Governing Board. It has been an honor and a privilege. 46 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 0 9 A F S A N E W S V.P. VOICE: RETIREE BY ROBERTW. “BILL” FARRAND AFSA Has Your Back What is undeniably true is that AFSA is the only voice that can be relied on, unencumbered by political or bureaucratic considerations, to defend the Foreign Service.