The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2023

AFSA NEWS 68 JULY-AUGUST 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA Hosts Road Scholars As AFSA marks its 27th year of collaboration with the Road Scholar lifelong learn- ing organization (formerly known as Elderhostel), the association led two of its three annual Washington, D.C., programs with the group to educate partici- pants about the work of the Foreign Service. On March 26-30 and again on April 16-20, AFSA members gave presenta- tions at the “Inside American Diplomacy: Stories of the U.S. Foreign Service” col- laboration between Road Scholar and AFSA. The presenters for the two sessions included AFSA Governing Board Retiree Representative and retired Foreign Agricultural Service FSO Philip Shull, State FSO Ann DeLong, AFSA U.S. Agency for Global Media Vice President Steve Her- man, AFSA Foreign Commer- cial Service Vice President and FSO Charles Ranado, retired USAID FSO Beth Hogan, AFSA Director of Professional Policy Issues Julie Nutter, Foreign Com- mercial Service FSO Dao Le, and retired USAID FSO James Bever. The speakers discussed their respective agencies and shared their experi- ences as diplomats with a combined total of 64 Road Scholar participants. As part of the program, the group also visited key diplomatic institutions. They took a simulated language class at the Foreign Ser- vice Institute, had lunch at the historic DACOR Bacon House, and received a tour of the U.S. Institute of Peace. Participants said they were impressed by the depth of experience showcased by presenters, and that the program was an effective instruction tool. “As a former teacher, I was pleased to be taught at my reach level,” one partici- pant said. “It was fun to be at graduate school level again. An A+ for all.” Another added, “This was an excellent program with specialized speakers who educated us without repeti- tion. I felt respected as well as enlightened.” AFSA’s next program in collaboration with Road Scholar will take place Sept. 10-14, 2023. It continues to be a highly successful outreach and constituency- building vehicle. For more on AFSA’s programs and course offerings through Road Scholar, visit https://afsa. org/road-scholar. n The Governing Board met in person at AFSA head- quarters. Associate Members: The board approved the appli- cations of two new associate members. n AFSAGoverning Board Meeting, May 17, 2023 AFSAWebinars Help Active-Duty Members Prepare for Retirement On April 25, AFSA’s Vice President for Retirees John Naland held two webinar sessions on early- and mid- career retirement planning. The virtual events, which contained the same infor- mation but were scheduled throughout the day to accom- modate an audience spread across time zones, drew a total of 390 attendees. As a three-term VP for retirees and former director of the State Department’s Office of Retirement, Naland is AFSA’s resident expert on retirement-related issues. His presentations offered tips on how to avoid major oversights in retirement planning and how active- duty professionals can best position themselves for life after the Foreign Service. He also provided view- ers with two lists highlight- ing key considerations at various career junctures: a mid-career checklist and a checklist for those one year away from retirement. More information on these and related topics is available in the Retirement Services section of the AFSA website at https://www.afsa. org/retirement. AFSA’s federal benefits programming is designed as a continuum that offers guidance and support to members every step of the way, from early in their careers into retirement. This added value motivates many members to maintain their membership after retiring. Members can view the webinar at https://afsa.org/ afsa-videos. n