The Foreign Service Journal, October 2016

64 OCTOBER 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Retiree Corner articles are written by Retiree Counselor Todd Thurwachter. STAY INFORMED. STAY CONNECTED. Beyond the Beltway: Foreign Service Retirees Across the Country You don’t have to be in the D.C. area to stay involved —AFSA keeps in touch with 17 associations of Foreign Service retirees covering 15 states and New England. These groups meet regularly, often featuring luncheon speakers. Here, we look at a few of the most active groups. The Texas group (Aus- tin-based) has featured renowned academic experts and authors speaking to members on American for- eign policy issues. On June 14, Ambas- sador Tom Boyatt, AFSA’s VP for Retirees and chair of the American Academy of Diplomacy’s “American Diplomacy at Risk” Com- mittee, impressed his Texan audience with a presentation on the increasing politiciza- tion of the Foreign Service and its threatened capacity to serve as a critical compo- nent of America’s front line of defense. The group, which averages more than 40 participants at each of its five luncheons during the year, will conclude 2016 with its Fun Festival, featuring the funniest, crazi- est TV/cinema ads of the year. The Austin group is not the only group in Texas, either; San Antonio’s FS Retiree group draws close to 40 members to its monthly networking luncheons. In May, the New England group featured Ambassador Larry Pope in York Harbor, Maine, speaking on the need to raise awareness of the fact that career Foreign Service professionals are essential to advance American interests overseas. The group’s Octo- ber luncheon will be held in Quechee, Vermont. Maryland’s group regu- larly draws 50 to 75 for its monthly, reasonably priced gourmet lunch meetings, which have featured, among other speakers, Representa- tive Chris Van Hollen (D-Md, who was raised in an FS family); Ambassador (ret.) Tom Pickering and the Deputy Chief of Mission from the Ger- man embassy inWashington, D.C. The Northern Virginia group boasts about 100 members, with 20 to 50 attending its five luncheons annually in Arlington, though last January’s presentation by former NSA and CIA Direc- tor General Michael Hayden exceeded the average by far. Utah’s group meets monthly for lunch or dinner—its last meeting featured a presenta- tion on the history of dissent in the Foreign Service. The Minnesota-based “Upper Midwest Chapter” has recently featured some “big draw” luncheon speak- ers. In May, former Vice President (and Ambassador to Japan) Walter Mondale had high praise for the Foreign Service, saying America’s career diplomats were the most dedicated and able group of people he’d worked with in his long career. In June, Amb. Pickering spoke to the chapter about his work promoting the Foreign Service as president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, and also about the complex diplomacy and politics of the nuclear deal with Iran. Dick Virden, who retired from the Foreign Service in 2004 and coordinates the Minnesota group, likes to set the record straight: “There’s a lot of life and engage- ment out there beyond the Beltway!” You can find your closest FS Retiree Group in AFSA’s 2016 Retiree Directory (see pages 34-35). Or go to “Get Involved” at www.afsa.org/ afsa-retiree-services. Not close enough? Organize a group in your area. You can find fellow FS retirees in the Directory. Or log into your profile page on www.afsa.org and click on Member Directory, where you can search for retirees in your area. While there, you can also click on the online AFSA Com- munity, which enables you to stay connected and involved with all AFSAmembers world- wide. If you’re a member of a retiree group, please contact AFSA and let us know what you are doing. Send your thoughts to the membership team at member@afsa.org. CHECK YOUR FEGLI COVERAGE In a posting to the online AFSA Community relating his ordeal getting the Office of Personnel Management to correct his death benefit, one AFSA retiree urged members to “check with FEGLI to obtain in writing the level of your life insurance.” As of two years ago, OPM no longer shares FEGLI cases with State’s Office of Retire- ment; retirees must contact OPM directly. There are three ways to do this: (1) Log on to Retirement Services Online to view and print your verification of life insurance (VOLI); (2) Email retire@opm.gov to request your VOLI, and include your retirement claim number or claim status inquiry number (CSI) in your email; or (3) Call 1 (888) 767-6738 between 7:40 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, M-F. Call early as the line is often busy. If you can’t locate your CSI number, contact the Human Resources Service Center in Charleston —HRSC@state. gov or (866) 300-7419. Let us know how you fare—retiree@ afsa.org or (202) 944-5509. We recommend that you keep a record of your FEGLI cover- age in a safe place and give copies to your spouse and children. n