The Foreign Service Journal, September 2024

Caucus to Shine a Light on Road Safety Abroad On June 4, the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) held a congressional briefing, “Protecting Overseas Employees and Travelers: Organizational Responsibility for Road Safety,” to raise awareness and increase membership in the Global Road Safety Caucus. The caucus, relaunched on March 13, 2024, by Representatives Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) and Steven Cohen (D-Tenn.), aims to bring more attention to the cause and boost programs to improve road safety globally. AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi presented the results of AFSA’s 2023 survey on global road safety, for which nearly 800 members provided input regarding their road safety experiences. The survey revealed that many Foreign Service members and their families had been involved in serious crashes overseas, often due to poor road conditions, reckless driving, and speeding. Respondents called for better road design, stronger law enforcement, and improved road maintenance. According to the World Health Organization, road crashes are the leading cause of death among young adults and children worldwide, with approximately 1.3 million fatalities each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that road incidents are among the top causes of death for Americans aged 1 to 54 and are the leading cause of non-natural death for U.S. citizens abroad. Besides data on road safety, the panel of representatives from government, international, corporate, and education sectors discussed how road safety information is conveyed to travelers in advance of their trips and presented draft plans to lessen the threat. n AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi joins Ambassador Marc Grossman (back left) and ASIRT President Rochelle Sobel (front left, red jacket) at a congressional briefing on June 4. ASSOCIATION FOR SAFE INTERNATIONAL ROAD TRAVEL AFSA is pleased to announce the successful completion of negotiations with the State Department on new appeal procedures for assignment restrictions and assignment reviews, as mandated by the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). These updates are now reflected in 12 FAM 260 on “Counterintelligence” and will soon be included in 12 FAM 230 on “Personnel Security.” Affected employees can now appeal both an assignment restriction sustained by Diplomatic Security and the Director General’s denial of an assignment review appeal to an expanded security appeals panel (SAP). The new SAP includes the principal deputy assistant secretary from the relevant geographic bureau and the director of the Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR), alongside the three existing members. During negotiations, AFSA ensured that the S/OCR office became a voting member of the SAP, aligning with congressional intent. AFSA also won inclusion of language in 12 FAM 230 clarifying the department’s Assignment Restriction policy that, as of March 22, 2023, DS is no longer imposing any additional restrictions. AFSA’s guidance will be updated to reflect these changes, ensuring that employees are well informed of the new appeal procedures. For more information on AFSA’s work to reform assignment restrictions, read State VP Tina Wong’s column on page 60. Contact AFSA@state.gov if you have any further questions. n Assignment Restriction Appeals A New Victory NEWS BRIEF AFSA NEWS THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 75 particularly the inclusion of the Office of Civil Rights as a voting member of the panel (read more above). Know your rights to appeal. You can appeal an assignment restriction and an assignment review denial. Write to AFSA@ state.gov if you need further support through the appeals process. As we continue this advocacy journey, we may not get every case lifted, but we are here to support you along the way. Good luck with bidding! n State VP Voice Continued from page 60

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