The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2017

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2017 59 AFSA NEWS able Joseph Sullivan as chair- man, Karl Sprick as treasurer and Amy Madsen as secre- tary. Members of the Foreign Service who are interested in joining the group should contact Joe Sullivan at (925) 954-8294 or joseph_sullivan@hotmail.com . —Ásgeir Sigfússon, Director of Communications AFSA Membership Even More Valuable in Retirement Because many AFSA members don’t realize that their membership does not automatically carry over into retirement, their member- ship lapses unintentionally when they retire. But over the last few years members have discovered that AFSA mem- bership may be even more valuable in retirement. AFSA is an indispensable partner in navigating retire- ment, staying plugged into the foreign affairs community and amplifying the voices of retirees as they tell the story of the Foreign Service. In the last two years, well over half of AFSA members in the State Department’s Job Search Program signed up for retiree membership during or immediately after the course, with a record 79 percent joining from the August 2016 JSP class. The JSP teaches that the first rule of networking is to stay active in a professional association. For diplomats, that’s AFSA, keeping mem- bers in touch with more than 16,000 colleagues, active and retired, many of whom have mastered the transition to retirement and are happy to share their insights. The annual Retiree Directory and The Foreign Service Journal keep retirees connected. Of course, retiree coun- seling is a big part of AFSA’s retiree services. With a wealth of experience, AFSA’s membership staff can help with situations unique to the Foreign Service. They also arrange a number of work- shops and presentations from experts in their fields, from health services to Thrift Savings Plans. AFSA keeps its retiree members aware of new pro- fessional developments with The Foreign Service Journal, including the powerful new online digital archive of all 99 years of publication, as well as the “AFSA Retiree News- letter” and the media digest , a popular daily clipping service of articles on Foreign Service topics. AFSA encourages all retiree members to consider joining the Speakers Bureau, which enables us to actively engage our communities on the importance of a strong Foreign Service, no matter where we live. The most important rea- son to continue AFSA mem- bership in retirement is to help us educate Americans on the critical role the For- eign Service plays in advanc- ing American interests and American global leadership. Our voice is stronger when we speak together. n —Todd Thurwachter, Retiree Counselor