The Foreign Service Journal, December 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2014 49 AFSA NEWS President Silverman Addresses Local Groups AFSA President Robert J. Sil- verman spoke with regional retiree and other interest groups about the state of the Foreign Service and the work AFSA is doing on its behalf. On Sept. 24, Silverman launched the 2014-2015 speaker season for the Foreign A’airs Retirees of Northern Virginia group. Sil- verman addressed FARNOVA on AFSA’s e’orts on the Hill, including its work to get the backlog of ambassadorial nominees confirmed and its advocacy for Overseas Com- parability Pay funding. He also discussed AFSA’s e’orts regarding the admin- istration’s proposal to replace the Consumer Price Index for pension adjustments with a “chained CPI,” which AFSA calculates would reduce the average Foreign Service pension by $17,000 over 20 years. AFSA helped defeat this proposal in 2013, but it may return. Silverman commended retiree AFSA members for their volunteer commitment to the organization. He spoke of AFSA’s e’orts to advocate for reform of the Reemployed Annuitant (WAE) program and make it more transpar- ent. With a total of 16,500 members, AFSA counts nearly 80 percent of active- duty and one quarter of all retiree Foreign Service mem- bers as members. Silverman also addressed the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service in Durham, N.C., on Oct. 23. The CFFS is dedicated to promot- ing a better understanding of foreign policy–related issues. Its members include present and former Foreign Service members, as well as military and other govern- ment employees and others interested in foreign a’airs and public diplomacy. n —Debra Blome Associate Editor COURTESYOFCFFS Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service attendees from left: Ambassador David Litt, Betsy Malpass, Sue Lefes, Linda Jay, Ambassador Frank Crigler, Ann Sides, AFSA President Robert Silverman, Bill Lefes, Sharon Epstein, H.R. Malpass, June Kunesman, Eric Kunesman, Calista Moon, and Bart Moon.