AFSA NEWS THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2026 73 AFSA Hits a Home Run at Nationals Park AFSA members and guests packed into Nationals Park on September 25 for a night of baseball, ballpark snacks, and camaraderie as the Washington Nationals took on the New York Mets. More than 300 members of the Foreign Service community came out to see the game in person. The home team gave the crowd plenty to cheer about, edging the Mets 7-6. The first 20,000 fans through the gates also received a free Nationals jersey. The Peace Corps also had a section near AFSA’s, giving Foreign SerAFSA Autumn in Chautauqua As part of its mission to educate our fellow Americans about the Foreign Service and the importance of diplomacy, AFSA brought six retired diplomats to the Chautauqua Institution in western New York from September 27 to October 2. One hundred forty participants came from as far as California, Washington, New Mexico, and Colorado to hear from these veteran Foreign Service members, who together represent service in close to 40 countries. Retired Ambassadors Elizabeth Aubin, John Limbert, John O’Keefe, and Eric Rubin were joined by retired Public Diplomacy Officer Lisa Heller and retired Foreign Agricultural Service Officer Phil Shull to discuss topics including Russia and Ukraine, NATO, Canada, China, Iran, diplomacy and negotiations, and Algeria. As has been customary for the full 30 years of this collaboration, the program received extremely high ratings from those in attendance. We were honored to be joined at our orientation session by the brand-new president of Chautauqua, retired FSO Mark Coolidge Johnson, who wrapped up a long diplomatic career this past summer. We are thrilled to have “one of our own” in this prestigious and important position and hope it bodes well for the future of these outreach programs. AFSA will next offer this program in early June 2027. n AFSA members and their families cheer on the Nationals from the stands at Nationals Park on September 25. “I’m a fan of diplomacy” paddle fans were handed out to attendees. vice members and returned volunteers a chance to cheer side by side. AFSA thanks everyone who came out for the evening. Keep an eye on AFSA News and the AFSA events calendar for details on the next member gathering. n From left: AFSA Treasurer John O’Keefe, retired Foreign Service Officer Phil Shull, Ambassador Elizabeth Aubin, AFSA Professional Policy Issues Director Lisa Heller, Ambassador Eric Rubin, and Ambassador John Limbert at the Chautauqua Institution in New York on September 27. AFSA/ÁSGEIR SIGFÚSSON AFSA/MICKEY JOHNSON AFSA/MICKEY JOHNSON
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