The Foreign Service Journal, November 2021

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2021 83 AFSA NEWS AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION Please check www.afsa.org for the most up-to-date information. November 3 9-10 a.m. AFSA Global Town Hall (SCA, NEA) November 4 12-1 p.m. Webinar: 2022 FEHB Insurance and Benefits, including Medicare coordination November 4 4-5 p.m. AFSA Global Town Hall (WHA) November 5 12-1 p.m. AFSA Global Town Hall (CONUS) November 9 – December 13 Federal Health Benefits Open Season November 9 10-11 a.m. AFSA Global Town Hall (AF, EUR) November 10 Time TBD Happy Hour Honoring the 60th Anniversary of USAID at The Hamilton November 11 Veterans Day: AFSA Offices Closed November 17 12-2 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting November 25-26 Thanksgiving Holiday: AFSA Offices Closed December 8 12-2 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting CALENDAR View from Washington AFSA President Outlines Challenges Facing the Foreign Service Continued on p. 91 AFSA Calls for Improved Confirmation Process The Foreign Service, facing a host of serious issues, is at a crucial crossroads, AFSA President Eric Rubin said in a Sept. 9 virtual “View from Washington”meeting with Foreign Service retirees. “We have been des- perately underfunded for decades—since the end of the Cold War. We’ve cut our engagement in half since then,” he said. “We have many AFSA President Eric Rubin. embassies around the world that are continuing to have a very difficult time getting all their work done because they are understaffed.” Compared to a decade ago, only about a quarter as many people today are applying to become Foreign Service officers, Ambassador Rubin said. “We still have superb officers coming in, You may have noticed that some of AFSA’s social media messages over the past few months related to delays in both the nomina- tion and confirmation processes for senior positions in foreign affairs agencies, including ambassadorships. With this messaging, we hoped to high- light the obstacles facing our members who could fill these positions and to raise broader concerns of national interest. As Congress came back for its September legislative ses- sion, AFSA ramped up calls to address the over-politicization of these processes. Many of the pending Foreign Service pro- motion lists saw passage in the Senate just before the August recess or earlier this sum- mer. AFSA thanks the Senate Foreign Rela- tions Committee and Senate leadership for confirming these lists and recognizing a key element of retention in the Foreign Service: the ability to have one’s promotion confirmed in a reasonable time frame. The following are key themes we are communicating on social media these days. If you don’t already, please follow AFSA on Facebook (facebook.com/afsapage) and Twitter (@afsatweets) and help amplify our social media campaign by sharing AFSA’s posts and tweets. • The State Department has more Senate- confirmed political appointees than any other federal agency. Thus, there are simply more appointments to be made and more confir- mations to devote time to in the Senate. The workload is substantial and, while it is under- standable that it would take some time for the executive and legislative branches to act, they must be prepared to do so promptly. • At USAID, only the Administrator has been confirmed. Of real concern, there are no career Foreign Service officers nominated to any Senate-confirmed positions, includ- ing assistant administrator. The absence of seasoned career FSOs in senior Washington positions denies the Administrator, USAID staff and the interagency the perspective, leadership and lessons that come from proven field experience. •Despite many bipartisan confirmation Continued on p. 92