THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 7 AFSA Carries On, With You BY JOHN “DINK” DINKELMAN John “Dink” Dinkelman is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. For more, see his Aug. 14 Foreign Policy op-ed (https://bit.ly/Dink-Foreign-Policy) and Aug. 19 Newsweek op-ed (https://bit.ly/Dink-Newsweek). PRESIDENT’S VIEWS AFSA’s Foreign Service Journal team was kind enough to provide me with samples of my predecessors’ inaugural columns. Each incoming president looked forward to constructive, collaborative cooperation with agency leadership. They were inspirational, positive messages meant to assure readers of a bright future filled with lofty goals and clear horizons. This is not such a message … AFSA is now engaged in the fight of its life. While I would hope that by the time this article is published, level heads would prevail and recognize the error of discontinuing AFSA’s collective bargaining rights (for which AFSA will continue to seek legal remedy), I am not optimistic that leadership will come to its senses. I would also hope that—given AFSA remains the professional association of the Foreign Service that it has been for more than a century—leadership would recognize it is in the best interests of all concerned that AFSA be involved in noncollective bargaining discussions on the range of issues affecting its members. But because of the continued lack of any response from leadership, I can only continue to “sojourn in the wilderness” here at AFSA headquarters—hoping that, at some point in the not too distant future, AFSA is again allowed to cross Virginia Avenue and regain its rightful position at the table. Until then, under my guidance, AFSA’s Governing Board and staff will utilize every tool available to continue to fight for our membership during this unprecedented assault on the Foreign Service and its membership. To our USAID colleagues: I will continue to work for your return to the critical development work you masterfully oversaw for decades. Barring that, AFSA will continue to help ensure an orderly processing of your individual affairs with the dignity your many years of dedicated service merit. To our USAGM colleagues: As your voice is silenced, I will amplify your message. The damage created to our nation’s public diplomacy efforts by your absence will place greater burdens on those left to perform your critical work. AFSA will not allow this travesty to be swept under the rug. To our “RIFed” State colleagues: As a member of your ranks, I know the feeling of betrayal that such a capricious, ill-conceived, and poorly executed mass action has had on you and your families. The loss of such a valuable pool of foreign affairs expertise will hurt our nation in ways that the present short-sighted leadership on HST’s seventh floor will eventually regret. AFSA will continue to seek legal remedy for the damage caused by this monumental failure to effectively manage human resources. To those “left behind” in this mess: I can only imagine the loss of faith in your leadership that you suffer every day. I am grateful to the scores of you who have proactively provided me with valuable insights into the feckless management practices you are being subjected to as well as your reports of the massive influx of work you are being asked to shoulder due to the loss of more than 1,300 of your former colleagues. I lament the loss of any semblance of esprit de corps that such a moralebusting series of events has exacted over the past eight months. I see you. I hear you. I will not give up on you. And finally, to all AFSA members: Just as AFSA will not give up on you, I ask you to not give up on AFSA. Leadership may have kicked us out of our offices, abolished our leadership positions, and even ceased to collect our membership dues. Nevertheless, AFSA will carry on! To do this, your membership and your membership dues are needed. If you are now paying your dues directly to AFSA, thank you! Please tell your colleagues to visit https://afsa.org/staywith-afsa to do the same. Only together can we fight this battle. Rest assured we will win. n We will utilize every tool available to continue to fight for our membership.
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