The Foreign Service Journal, December 2016

AFSA NEWS CALENDAR THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2016 61 December 2 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Book Notes: “From Washington to Moscow” December 5 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA/Public Diplomacy Council: “Media, Conflict and Security” December 7 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting December 26 Christmas: AFSA Offices Closed January 2 New Years Day: AFSA Offices Closed January 4 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting January 15 Deadline: Sinclaire Language Award Nominations CAL L FOR NOMI NAT I ONS 2017 Constructive Dissent Awards AFSA is pleased to issue this call for nominations for our 2017 awards for constructive dissent. Following our June 2016 ceremony, during whic h only one of the four dissent awards was given out, AFSA pledged to produce a more robust definition of what con- stitutes dissent in the Foreign Service. At its Nov. 2 meeting, the AFSA Governing Board approved that new guidance, which we invite you to read in full at www.afsa.org/dissent. Why Is Dissent Important? In 1968, Foreign Service Officers John Bushnell and Stacy Lloyd became the very first recipients of an AFSA award for constructive dis- sent. In the intervening 48 years, AFSA has had the privi- lege of honoring more than 150 members of the Foreign Service with awards that are unique in the federal govern- ment: Recognition of those who dare to go against the accepted wisdom and offer constructive dissent within the system on a foreign policy or management issue. Members of the Foreign Service typically understand the local context better than anyone else in the U.S. government and are often the first to see that a long-shot goal might just be achievable if arguments are framed in a certain way. We know how to avoid that third rail and garner support from this key group while not alerting another too early. Delivering on those long-shot goals may show admirable ini- tiative and innovation. It may be outstanding performance, but it’s not dissent. The Foreign Service adds tremendous value every time its members advise with precision about what will work and what won’t work in the local context at our posts. This is a core role of the Foreign Service, and it is often the basis for well-founded constructive dissent. Dissent as a duty flows from the Foreign Service oath of office, which swears “to support and defend the Con- stitution of the United States.” Our loyalty must be first and foremost to the national inter- est, and that means giving political leadership our best analysis and advice, whether it is welcome or not. It is our obligation to offer our best judgment and, when possible, alternatives. This is the basis for constructive dis- sent as we have traditionally defined it. With this in mind, we wel- come nominations for our four constructive dissent awards: • The F. Allen ‘Tex’ Harris Award for Foreign Service specialists. • The W. Averell Harri- man Award for entry-level Foreign Service officers. • The William R. Rivkin Award for mid-level Foreign Service officers. • The Christian A. Herter for Senior Foreign Service officers. The deadline for nomina- tions is Feb. 28, 2017. Neither nominators nor nominees need to be members of AFSA. For additional information and nomination forms, please visit www.afsa.org/dissent or contact AFSAAwards Coordi- nator Perri Green at green@ afsa.org or (202) 719-9700. n From left: The Hon. Robert Rivkin, 2016 William R. Rivkin Award winner Jefferson Smith and AFSA President Barbara Stephenson at the 2016 AFSA Awards ceremony. AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA