The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2022 67 AFSA NEWS AFSA’s Kennan Award Gets a Makeover Each year, AFSA has been proud to bestow the George F. Kennan Strategic Writing Award on a graduate of the National Defense University whose final paper is singled out as the best essay on strategy or policy among students hailing from the Foreign Service. Now, thanks to a recent decision to expand the award’s eligibility criteria, this recognition has been renamed the AFSA Strate- gic Writing Award. During its April meet- ing, the Governing Board approved three changes to the award proposed by AFSA’s Awards and Plaques committee. First, the award has been expanded to all Foreign Service students—both generalists and specialists—from any of the foreign affairs agen- cies attending any of the five colleges under the National Defense University, rather than exclusively the National War College. These additional colleges include the College of Infor- mation and Cyberspace, the College of International Security Affairs, the Dwight D. Eisen- hower School for National Secu- rity and Resource Strategy and the Joint Forces Staff College. National War College FSOs comprise about 25 percent of AFSA members at NDU, and expanding this award to the other 75 percent ensures that the award is bestowed on the most outstanding strategic writer from the full pool of FS personnel. Second, the requirement that the $1,000 prize be used only “for the purchase of scholarly books” has been struck to allow recipients greater discretion in the use of prize money. It was the only AFSA award with prize money designated exclu- sively for a particular use. Third, the name has been changed to reflect the broader scope of the award’s eligibility. It was initially known as the Ken- nan Award in honor of the first Deputy Commandant of the National War College, who wrote his famous 1947 Foreign Affairs article, “The Sources of Soviet Conduct, ” while serving at the War College. Now that award eligibility includes FS members attend- ing any colleges under NDU, the Governing Board deter- mined that a name linked so closely with just one of the colleges no longer made sense. For more information about the AFSA Strate- gic Writing Award, please contact AFSA’s Awards and Scholarships Manager Theo Horn at horn@afsa.org or (202) 719-9705. n Foreign Service Day Resolution Approved AFSA thanks the Senate Foreign Service Caucus co-chairs, Senators Dan Sul- livan (R-Alaska) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), for their introduction of a resolution and annual commemoration of Foreign Service Day on May 6. AFSA is grateful, as well, to the other co-sponsors of the resolution this year: Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). The 2022 resolution, S. Res. 627, was approved by the full Senate in the days following Foreign Service Day. This year marks the third year in a row that the Foreign Ser- vice Day resolution has been introduced and passed in the Senate. This is a pattern AFSA hopes can continue each year moving forward. “For 98 years, the men and women of the Foreign Service have promoted America’s interests, strengthened our national security, and assisted U.S. citizens abroad,” Senator Sullivan said in a joint press release. “Today, my colleagues and I salute the hard-working members of the U.S. Foreign Service and reaffirm our commitment to providing this crucial diplomatic corps with the support they need and deserve.” Senator Van Hollen added: “Our Foreign Ser- This year marks the third year in a row that the Foreign Service Day resolution has been introduced and passed in the Senate. vice members commit themselves to protect and promote America’s interests—often at great personal risk and sacrifice. Their dedication is vital to maintaining and advancing American diplomacy around the world.” n