The Foreign Service Journal, December 2005

V.P. VOICE: RETIREES n BY RETIREE REP. LEN BALDYGA Don’t “Overlook” Your Membership S ome 30 years ago I ran for the AFSA Governing Board on the “Radical Slate” anddidnotmake it. I amdelight- ed that this time around, in the 2005 board election, I was selected to be one of the retiree representatives. The slot I now occupy had been previously held for the USIA retiree representative. Although the agency no longer exists, I still consider myself a voice of those ex-USIAers who are now aging annuitants. Not long after the election results were distributed, I got an e-mail from the widow of a formerUSIAofficer askingme if she should joinAFSAandwhat the benefitswould be for her. I told her that the benefits of AFSAmembership were considerable for the affordable annual dues she would have to pay as a retiree spouse. I pointed out to her that AFSA is the only organization that is solely dedicated to protecting and catering to her needs as a ForeignService retiree. I toldher that AFSA lobbiesCongress topreserve, andhopefully toexpand, the retireebenefits she is receiving. While she did not seem responsive to the mentionofAFSA’s lobbying efforts onCapitol Hill regarding the Windfall Elimination Provisions and the Government Pension Offset issues, she became very interestedwhen IstartedtalkingaboutAFSAandherhealthben- efits, aboutMedicareprescriptions andpremi- umconversion and about information regarding various insurance programs available though AFSA. I told her she could also keep up on these personal matters of concern via AFSA News and the bimonthly Retiree Newsletter . Finally, I pointed out that if she needed counseling orwanted further information, all she had todowas contact Bonnie Brown by phone or e-mail. She then said she would send in her membership dues. All of you should be aware by now that the Retiree VP and all four retiree represen- tativeswill bemaking adeterminedeffort to recruit newmembers fromthe retiree com- munity and to convince “lapsed members” to renew their membership. AFSA’s abili- ty to lobbyCongress and the foreign affairs agencies is dependent onhowstrong a voice it has in terms of totalmembership. Iwas surprised to learn that of the3,200-plus retirees in Virginia, where I live, only 878 are AFSAmembers. In recent conversations with some of the “lapsedmembers,” I discovered that while they were paying $100 or more a year to join other social and professional organiza- tions, they had “overlooked” AFSA membership. I challenged them to compare the benefits of being amember of amonthly luncheongroup to the benefits thatAFSApro- vides its members, both professionally, as a voice of the Foreign Service, and personal- ly, as an advocate before Congress on issues that affect their own lives and the lives of their spouses. I argued that the choice is a “no-brainer,” and said I would expect them to be rejoining AFSA as soon as possible. AsAFSARetireeVPDavidReutherpointedout inhisOctober column, youcanexpect to hear fromus often. At the same time, we want to hear fromyou and welcome your comments, recommendations or concerns. I can be reached most easily by e-mail at ljbjbb@aol.com. Your Voice, Your Advocate. r 4 AFSA NEWS • DECEMBER 2005 AFSA Send-off for Susan Moorse During a farewell luncheon on Oct. 25, AFSA President Tony Holmes and AFSA State VP Steve Kashkett presented a plaque to Susan Moorse, the State Department’s outgoing labor-management negotiator, to acknowledge the productive and businesslike relationship that AFSA had with her during her tenure. Call for Writers Let your voice be heard throughout the Foreign Service community by writing a feature for AFSA News. We are now— as always — accepting submissions for a number of fea- tures, including: • “Family Member Matters,” a forum for views from Foreign Service family members about issues of concern to the Foreign Service community. ($100 honorarium upon publication) • “Of Special(ist) Concern,”where specialists can write about issues of particular concern to them. • “Where to Retire,” advice from retirees on the best places to retire. • “Memo of the Month,”where we feature unusual and entertaining memos. • “The Lighter Side,” an opportuni- ty to share Foreign Service humor. Please submit your 400- to 600- word essay/column to FSJ Associate Editor Shawn Dorman at dorman@ afsa.org . We cannot guarantee pub- lication of all submissions, but do guarantee that all submissions will be seriously considered. AFSA’s ability to lobby Congress is dependent on how strong a voice it has in terms of total membership. AFSA NEWS BRIEFS Briefs • Continued from page 2 Austin Tracy