The Foreign Service Journal, September 2003

2 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2003 AFSA NEWS BRIEFS AFSA Membership at Record High For the first time in AFSA’s history, membership has risen above the 12,000-member mark. Some 577 new hires joined AFSA during the first six months of 2003, representing an 83 percent join rate. In addition, many long-time employees are joining or rejoining AFSA. Currently, 73 percent of active-duty Foreign Service employees belong to AFSA. More members means more clout on the Hill and with management officials. In Recognition We are proud to report that the Foreign Service Journal has won a 2003 Award for Publication Excellence in the four-color magazines and journals category, and AFSA News received a 2003 APEX award in the one to two person-produced annual report category. BOOKFAIR The 43rd annual BOOKFAIR of the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide will open on the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 17, and continue through Sunday, Oct. 26. It will be held in the Diplomatic Exhibit Hall on the first floor close to the cafeteria. BRIEFS continued on page 5 Life in the Foreign Service ■ BY BRIAN AGGELER, FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER & CARTOONIST Staff: Executive Director Susan Reardon: reardon@afsa.org Business Department Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Accounting Assistant Steven Tipton: tipton@afsa.org Labor Management General Counsel Sharon Papp: papps@state.gov Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: badrichz@state.gov Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: yorkej@state.gov USAID Senior Labor Management Advisor Douglas Broome: dbroome@usaid.gov USAID Office Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: asigfusson@usaid.gov Grievance Attorneys Harry Sizer: sizerhs@state.gov, an d Neera Parikh: parikhn@state.gov Office Manager Christine Warren: warrenc@state.gov Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: hedrick@afsa.org Representative Lindsay Peyton: peyton@afsa.org Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org Outreach Programs Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: brown@afsa.org Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: switzer@afsa.org Congressional Affairs Director Ken Nakamura: nakamura@afsa.org Corporate Relations/Executive Assistant: Vacant Scholarship Director Lori Dec: dec@afsa.org Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: berger@afsa.org AFSA HEADQUARTERS: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA OFFICE: (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 AFSA Internet and E-mail addresses: AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org AFSA E-MAIL: afsa@afsa.org AFSA NEWS: afsanews@afsa.org FSJ: journal@afsa.org PRESIDENT: limbert@afsa.org STATE VP: cranelk@state.gov RETIREE VP: jones@afsa.org USAID VP : wcarter@usaid.gov FCS VP: charles.ford@mail.doc.gov AFSA News Editor Shawn Dorman : dorman@afsa.org (202) 338-4045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 On the Web : www.afsa.org/news How to Contact Us: Governing Board: PRESIDENT: John W. Limbert STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Louise K. Crane USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Bill Carter FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Charles A. Ford FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Vacant RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: George F. Jones SECRETARY: F.A. "Tex" Harris TREASURER: Danny Hall STATE REPRESENTATIVES: Pamela Bates, Cynthia G. Efird, Scot L. Folensbee, Raymond D. Maxwell, John C. Sullivan, Jim Wagner USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Thomas Olson FCS REPRESENTATIVE: William Crawford RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Gilbert Sheinbaum, David E. Reuther, Theodore S. Wilkinson, III, Stanley A. Zuckerman IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Alex Belida FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Vacant AFSA-PAC Going Strong The second annual fund-raising drive for the AFSA-PAC has raised over $34,000. Foreign Service retirees have again been the strongest supporters. The PAC has begun to evaluate how this year’s money will be distributed to promote AFSA’s legislative agenda. - -