The Foreign Service Journal, September 2015

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2015 57 AFSA NEWS 2015 AFSA Lifetime, Performance and Dissent Awards The 2015 AFSA award recipients with Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Back row, from left: Alexei Trofim (Guess Award), Thomas Duffy (Herter Award), Samuel Kotis (Rivkin Award), Amb.William Harrop (Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award), Blinken, Amb. AndrewWinter (Contributions to AFSA Award), AndrewYoung (Palmer Award) and Rodney Ford (accepted the Delavan Award on behalf of Julia Harrison). Front row, from left: Melissa Fraser (accepted the AFSA Post Representative of the Year Award on behalf of Charlee Doom), Megan Gallardo (accepted the Harris Award on behalf of Jeffrey Bing), Amelia Shaw (Harriman Award) and Mary Beth Bechtel (Bohlen Award). AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA On June 9, approximately 300 people gathered in the Benjamin Franklin Diplo- matic Reception Room of the Department of State to celebrate the recipients of the American Foreign Service Association’s 2015 awards for constructive dissent, exemplary performance and lifetime contributions to diplomacy. Then-AFSA President Rob- ert J. Silverman opened the ceremony to a distinguished audience, including eight past winners of the Lifetime Contributions to Ameri- can Diplomacy Award and numerous State Department principals. Eleven awards, one of them new in 2015, honored members of the Foreign Service community. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken presented this year’s LCAD Award to Ambas- sador William C. Harrop for his 39-year Foreign Service career, his dedication as the chairman of AFSA from 1972 to 1974 and his commitment in retirement to advancing diplomacy. In his remarks, Deputy Secretary Blinken praised Amb. Harrop for his admi- rable record of service: “From helping to resettle refugees after World War II to seed- ing the roots of democracy in Kenya and navigating the complexities of the Middle East, Amb. Harrop served with distinction at pivotal moments in history.” Amb. Harrop, the Deputy Secretary said, is one of “a few very good men and women who leave an indelible impression not just on what we [as the Foreign Service] do, but on who we are.” Amb. Harrop has been a strong advocate of the Foreign Service in retire- ment, serving on the boards of the American Academy of Diplomacy, the Senior Living Foundation of the American Foreign Service, American Lifetime Contribution to American Diplomacy Award recipient Amb. Harrop calls for improved training to prepare America’s diplomats to face today’s challenges. AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA