The Foreign Service Journal, December 2003

'(&(0%(5 ‡ $)6$ 1(:6 3 • The W. Averell Harriman Award— for Junior Officers (FS 6-4) • TheWilliamR. Rivkin Award— for Mid-level Officers (FS 3-1) • TheChristianA.HerterAward—for Senior Officers (FS OC-CA) Nominating someone for anAFSAdis- sent award is an excellent way to publicly recognize the contributions of a colleague who has demonstrated the initiative, the integrity and the guts to “makewaves” and “rock the boat.” There is no better time than now to respond to those who ques- tion the loyalty and dedication of themen andwomenwhohave chosen to serve their country, often at great risk to themselves and their families, by honoring the qual- ities of intellectual courage, integrity and initiative that exemplify the best in pub- lic service. AFSAConstructiveDissent Awards are unique for the following reasons: • They are not based solely on superi- orperformanceof assignedduties, however exceptional, and are not the same as employee evaluation reports. •Noother government agencypresents similar awards. These are not for whistle- blowers, but for thosewho are committed to creatively and positively working for change within the system. Allwinnerswill receive amonetaryprize of $2,500 and are honored at a ceremony in late June at the State Department. Secretaryof StateColinPowell attended the last two ceremonies, in 2002 and 2003. AFSA also offers three awards recog- nizing exemplary performance of assigned duties or voluntary activities at anoverseas post that constitutes an extraordinary con- tribution to effectiveness, professionalism and morale: • The Nelson B. Delavan Award acknowledges the work of a Foreign ServiceOfficeManagement Specialistwho hasmade a significant contribution topost or office effectiveness andmorale, beyond the framework of his or her job responsi- bilities. • The M. Juanita Guess Award is con- ferred on a Community Liaison Officer who has demonstrated outstanding lead- ership, dedication, initiative and imagina- tion in assisting the families of Americans serving at an overseas post. • TheAvisBohlenAward recognizes the accomplishments of a family member of aForeignService employeewhose relations with the American and foreign commu- nities have done the most to advance the interests of the United States. Nomination procedures, additional guidelines and a nomination form can be foundontheAFSAWebsite, www.afsa.org/ awards.cfm. There is also a hyperlink to articles about the AFSA 2003 award win- ners, as well as a listing of past awardwin- ners. The deadline for submitting nomi- nations is lateFebruary. The exact datewill be announced shortly. Questions shouldbedirected toBarbara Berger, AFSACoordinator for Professional Issues, telephone: (202) 338-4045, ext. 521; or e-mail: berger@afsa.org. ▫ Legislative Update: Retiree Issues With the 108th Congress under pres- sure to cut funding, a number of federal retirement benefit issues hang in the bal- ance. Through AFSANETs and the retiree newsletter, AFSA works to keep retirees informed about issues that affect them and the actions AFSA has taken to protect their interests. On behalf of its retirees, AFSA recently urged the House Ways and Means Committee to consider favorably the premium conversion bill, filed written comments opposing an EEOC proposal to exempt employer health plans from age discrimination regulations, and began monitoring State Department procedures for collection of annuity overpayments. AFSA has also encour- aged retirees to urge Congress to adopt pending bills containing windfall elimi- nation provisions, government pension offsets, and premium conversion authority, and to include the House- passed H.R. 2631 in the Medicare con- ference bill. Senator Lugar Continues to Support the FS AFSA appreciates the continued sup- port for the Foreign Service shown by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind. During the Sept. 30 confirmation hearing for Director General W. Robert Pearson, Sen. Lugar made helpful remarks about the Foreign Service. Here is an excerpt: “Now certainly the country appreciates the sacrifices of our military people who are under fire and who are doing a very tough job, wherever they are. So little is heard of our Foreign Service employees or those who are on the diplomatic front. Those of us on this committee who have opportunities to visit some of those posts and to be with these people have some understanding of that, and so we try anecdotally to convey that to our constituents and to the press peo- ple that may want to listen to our sto- ries. “The cohorts that you have there are the stars ... the people that really have a story that all of us can tell.” Holiday Gift Idea: Inside a U.S. Embassy For only $12.95 (plus shipping and handling, subsidized by AFSA), you can help family and friends begin to understand what it is you do in the Foreign Service. Inside a U.S. Embassy takes readers inside embassies and consulates in over 50 countries, providing detailed descriptions of Foreign Service jobs, as well as first-hand accounts of diplomacy in action. To order Inside a U.S. Embassy , go to www.afsa.org/inside, cal l (847) 364-1222, or visit the nearest Barnes & Noble store. Continued on page 8 Briefs • Continued from page 2 Dissent Awards • Continued from page 1