AFSA NEWS 52 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL USAID Memorial Wall Finds Permanent Home at State AFSA Opens Its Doors More than a year after contractors removed it from the walls of a shuttered headquarters, the USAID Memorial Wall now has a permanent home at the Department of State, following a May 28 rededication ceremony that added new names and included family members of the fallen. The wall’s journey began in the chaotic weeks after the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) moved to dismantle USAID in early 2025, terminating most staff and closing the agency’s Washington headquarters. In April 2025, the federal government posted a $41,142 contract to remove and relocate the memorial, whose tiles honor USAID staff members killed in the line of duty. That alarmed former colleagues, members of Congress, and the families of the dead, who worried the memorial would not be treated with the respect it is due. In the months after the wall’s removal, a USAID memorial committee that included USAID FSO Dinah Zeltser-Winant and former AFSA presidents Ambassador Eric Rubin and John Naland began working to ensure a compliant handover of the memorial to State. In parallel, AFSA moved to preserve the historical record, publishing an online tribute with biographical sketches of the 108 honorees. By April 2026, the wall had been installed at State. In a statement at the time, AFSA confirmed the move, crediting the committee’s advocacy and noting a rededication ceremony was expected around Foreign Service Day. Behind the scenes, the committee had coordinated with State’s Bureau of Administration to identify a suitable location for the memorial. A location was ultimately found at the D Street entrance that allows employees and visitors passing through the building to view the memorial. During the May 28 rededication ceremony, Deputy Secretary of State Landau addressed a gathering of family members and department staff, followed by a color guard presentation and a moment of silence. AFSA was not invited to participate or attend, but AFSA President John Dinkelman, invited by a family member of one of the honorees, was able to be there to pay his respects to the families of those we’ve lost and to represent the association. n Deputy Secretary Landau delivers remarks at the USAID Memorial Wall Rededication Ceremony in the State Department on May 28. AFSA/JOHN DINKELMAN In June and July, AFSA hosted a series of open houses at its headquarters to offer Foreign Service members—new and experienced alike—more opportunities to interact with the association’s leadership. The series kicked off on June 1 with “What They Didn’t Teach You at FSI,” an evening event featuring a panel discussion with AFSA President John Dinkelman and members of AFSA’s Governing Board. The panel gave new hires a candid, informal forum to ask questions about navigating onboarding, demystifying FSI procedures, and other aspects of Foreign Service life that don’t always make it into official training. AFSA followed up with additional open houses on June 30 and July 1. FSOs were invited to drop by AFSA headquarters throughout the day for sandwiches, refreshments, and informal conversation with AFSA leadership and staff members. During the June 30 and July 1 open houses, Dinkelman sat outside AFSA headquarters with water and a friendly greeting for all new FS members who were in the neighborhood for admin tasks. The relaxed, come-as-youcan format let people stop in around their schedules and gave AFSA the chance to hear directly from new hires about the questions and concerns on their minds. Across all three events, the goal was: to make AFSA’s headquarters an accessible, welcoming space for FS members to connect, ask questions, and get to know the people representing them. And of course, AFSA was there and is always here to welcome new FS members to join AFSA. AFSA was glad to see members of the Foreign Service community stop by throughout the month and looks forward to hosting similar opportunities for personal engagement. n
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