The Foreign Service Journal, November 2012

70 NOVEMBER 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS RETIREE VP VOICE | BY MEG GILROY AFSA NEWS Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA Retiree VP. AFSA Needs Retirees and Retirees Need AFSA Recently, I had the honor of addressing an A-100 Class during a membership recruit- ment luncheon at AFSA headquarters. Five days later I spoke to colleagues from State, USAID and Commerce on the last day of FSI’s job search program, urging them to continue their member- ship in AFSA. These two events—one for those just beginning their Foreign Service careers, the other for those concluding rich and full Foreign Service careers—reminded me again of the unique nature of AFSA. No other entity in or outside the federal government is both a bargaining unit and a professional association. It is easy for us to overlook the professional associa- tion aspect of AFSA. For our active duty members, the role of AFSA as the sole bargaining unit of the Foreign Service is paramount. Many of our members rely on AFSA to assist them in pressing their case with management or standing up for fair treatment of the Foreign Service, including family members and members of household. AFSA has a long and distinguished his- tory of successes in fighting for the individual and collective rights of our members. More than 75 percent of active-duty Foreign Service employees are members of AFSA, attesting to the important role the organiza- tion plays in their careers. Yet far fewer colleagues remain in AFSA once they retire from active-duty. Of the potential pool of retiree members, fewer than 25 percent are members of AFSA. Why is this? Retired members may feel they no longer need AFSA as a union or the services pro- vided by its staff. Those who have moved away from D.C. may feel there’s no benefit in continued AFSA member- ship. Such views overlook the incredible value of AFSA as a professional association. We retirees are not con- strained by law and custom: we can speak openly to our elected representatives about the challenges we and our families face, and to aid us in fighting against legisla- tion that will affect current and retired members. So AFSA and retiree members across the U.S. are active participants in the federal and postal coalition, “Amer- ica Counts on Us” campaign, to reverse political attacks on federal employees and retirees. This summer AFSA’s Gov- erning Board unanimously approved the creation of the Professionalism and Ethics Committee, which includes retiree as well as active-duty members. While the PEC will rightly focus initially on active-duty members, it may ultimately explore the role emeritus members—both as individuals and through retiree associations—can play in contributing to the professional development and image of the Foreign Service. ■ Recent retirees enjoy the AFSA- DACOR reception at the Foreign Service Institute on Sept. 1. DONNAAYERST 2013 AFSA Performance Awards Call for Nominations AFSA encourages members to consider nominating a colleague or family member for exemplary perfor- mance. For procedures, forms and how to submit a nomination for the 2013 Performance Awards, please go t o www.afsa.org/performance_awards. Deadline for nominations is Feb. 28, 2013. For further information, please contact AFSA’s Coordi- nator for Special Awards and Outreach Perri Green, at green@afsa.org. More on the 2013 Performance Awards in the December issue of AFSA News . NEWS BRIEF AFSA Scholarship Applications Are Now Being Accepted Applications for AFSA scholarships—Academic and Art Merit Awards for high school seniors (top prizes are $2,000), and need-based Financial Aid Scholar- ships for undergraduate college study (aid ranges from $1,000 to $4,000)—are now being accepted. Children of AFSA and AAFSWmembers are eligible (please note that grandchildren of Foreign Service employees are ineligible). For more informa- tion, please visit www.afsa.org/scholar or contact Lori Dec at (202) 944-5504 or dec@afsa.org. NEWS BRIEF