The Foreign Service Journal, December 2006

DE C EMB E R 2 0 0 6 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 67 “I would recommend serving on theGoverningBoardwithout reservation.” —AndrewWinter, Treasurer Every twoyears,AFSAmembersworld- wide elect a newGoverning Board. AFSA is currently seekingnominations for the 24 positions on the next Governing Board, which will serve from July 15, 2007, through July 14, 2009. The Governing Boarddirects thepoliciesof this 82-year-old institution that represents all Foreign Service employees. As both theprofession- al associationand theunion for theForeign Service, AFSA’s principal mission is to enhance the effectiveness of the Foreign Service, toprotect theprofessional interests of itsmembers, to ensure themaintenance ofhighprofessionalstandardsforbothcareer diplomats and political appointees, and to promote understanding of the critical role of the Foreign Service in advancing America’s national security and economic prosperity. Please consider running for a position on thenext board, ornominate a colleague. Help make sure the voice of the Foreign Service isheardbymanagement, ontheHill and around the country. Instructions on how to submit a nomination are in the November AFSA News , posted at www. afsa.org/news/index.cfm . The officer positions to be filled in this election are: President (full time) Vice President for State (full time) Vice President for USAID (full time) Vice President for FCS (half time) Vice President for FAS (full time) Vice President for Retirees Secretary Treasurer Theconstituencyrepresentativepositions to be filled in this election are: StateDepartmentRepresentatives (eight positions) USAID Representative (one position) FCS Representative (one position) FAS Representative (one position) IBB Representative (one position) Retired-member Representatives (four positions) Why Serve on the AFSA Board? Inorder togive a clearer pictureofwhat service on the board is about, we askedour current board members to comment on their experiences. State VP Steve Kashkett says, “At a timewhenthe roleof theForeign Service isunder fire frommanyquarters— andwhenwearefightingtopreserveacareer with good promotion opportunities and flexibility in terms of assignments that are good both for professional advancement and for families—AFSA’smission is vital.” He adds that “The AFSA board can speak out indefenseof theForeignService inways that no one else can—or will.” “There is nothingmore important that we can do for our colleagues than ensure theFSremainsaprofessional,respectedenti- ty that fullyutilizes the talents of thosewho join,” says StateRep.Namde. “It is vital that weallparticipatetohelpshapetheFStomor- rowwhile keeping it a good place to work now. Especially in this era, AFSA is having amajor impact and say inwhat the FSwill look like and how management will treat its employees for years to come.” State Representative Andrea Tomas- zewicz, a newcomer to the board who entered theForeignService in2001, says she joined the board because the Service “is at a moment of change for the way we work overseas, and I want tomake sure that the way forward is aninclusiveprocess. Ibelieve AFSAplays an important role in this.” She found her first board meeting interesting, noting that “everybody was very welcom- ing.” “The board and executive committee meetings are intellectually stimulating and personally fulfilling,” says Foreign Com- mercial ServiceVicePresidentDonBusin- ger. “Each time we meet, I gain more re- spect and admiration for my AFSA board colleagues, whether dealing with general issues, State Department problems, the Finance Committee or other functions.” He adds that “It is precisely the broad out- ward-looking functionof beingCommerce VP that I enjoy, the contacts with State, USAID,FASandIBBinanattempttomake sense of our collective interests, as opposed tonavel-gazing ina smaller function inside an HQ operation.” Retiree Representative Gil Sheinbaum says that serviceontheboard“hasbeenvery stimulating, sincewe have a hands-on role infollowinghowtheForeignServicehashad to cope with the needs of our foreign pol- icy. There have been very interesting and impressive people on the board, including from the other agencies.” Your Time Thepresident and theState,USAIDand FAS vice presidents are full-time positions detailed to AFSA. The FCS vice president is detailed 50 percent of his or her time to AFSA. These employees are assignedover- complement and are eligible for time-in- class extensions. The Retiree VP position is avolunteerpositionthat cantakeasmuch or as little time as desired,withaminimum of four hours a month for the board and executive committee meetings. Board representatives areonly required to spenda couplehours amonthonAFSA business. “TheStateactive-duty repsonthe boardmake a small time commitment— just one two-hour board meeting each month,” says StateVPSteveKashkett. “But theyget tohave abigvoice inhelpingdefine the future of the Foreign Service.” The treasurer andsecretarypositions are volunteer positions. The secretary attends the board and executive committee meet- ings. The treasurer must be available for more hours, because he or she heads the Finance Committee. Treasurer Andrew Winter says that hispositionrequires about six to 10 hours per month, which “is a lit- tle more work, but very rewarding.” This is a challenging and critical period for theForeignService. Consider a termon theAFSAGoverningBoard,soyoucancon- tribute to ensuring the Foreign Service career is protected. A F S A N E W S Governing Board • Continued from page 59 Important dates in this electioncycle: Feb. 1, 2007 —Deadline for nomina- tions March 26, 2007 — Ballots and candi- date statements mailed June 1, 2007 —Ballots counted July15,2007 —Newboard takes office