AFSA NEWS AFSA NEWSTHE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION Continued on page 57 AFSA Honors Fallen Diplomats on FS Day, Without State AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO On Foreign Service Day, May 1, AFSA held its 61st annual AFSA Memorial Plaque ceremony, honoring those who gave their lives in diplomatic service to the nation. Sadly, for the first time, the ceremony was not held in the C Street lobby of Main State at the site of the AFSA Memorial Plaques, but at AFSA’s own headquarters, after the State Department declined AFSA’s request to co-host the traditional ceremony on the congressionally designated Foreign Service Day. AFSA kicked off Foreign Service Day with a video message from AFSA President John Dinkelman, who then presided over the memorial ceremony at AFSA headquarters later that morning. That afternoon, DACOR held its annual Foreign Service Cup dedication and reception at DACOR Bacon House. On May 5, the State Department separated more than 200 Foreign Service members under the reduction in force (RIF) first announced in July 2025, even as the department continues to recruit and onboard new officers and specialists. Those forced out include officers with rare language skills, specialists with decades of institutional knowledge, and crisis responders—at a moment when the United States is managing an active conflict with Iran. We estimate that roughly 246 Foreign Service members CALENDAR Please check afsa.org/events for the most up-to-date information. July 3 AFSA Offices Closed in Observance of Independence Day July 15 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting August 19 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting September 25 6:45-9:45 p.m. Foreign Service Night at Nationals Park AFSA Condemns May 5 Reduction in Force and 1,070 Civil Service employees have been laid off across the broader reorganization, though the department has not provided an official tally to AFSA. AFSA strongly opposes these separations and believes the procedures used to carry them out were legally flawed and inconsistent with the Foreign Service Act of 1980. “The department has never adequately explained why it is removing experienced Foreign Service professionals Continued on page 56 AFSA President John Dinkelman leads procession of ceremony attendees to the State Department C Street entrance to gather for a moment of silence to conclude the memorial commemoration. AFSA President John Dinkelman delivers remarks at AFSA HQ as part of the Foreign Service Day ceremony at AFSA on May 1. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO Message to Members The AFSA president’s morning message went out to all members and outlined the effort AFSA had made to coordinate with the department ahead of the solemn day. He acknowledged the difficulties of THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2026 53
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