The Foreign Service Journal, December 2019

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2019 71 AFSA NEWS AFSA Welcomes Incoming Classes On Oct. 2, AFSA welcomed 22 members of the 15th USAID FSO Career Candi- date Corps (C3) class to its headquarters in Washington, D.C., for a reception and overview of AFSA’s role in supporting Foreign Service officers. The reception was hosted by AFSA President Eric Rubin, and 19 class members joined AFSA. The next day, on Oct. 3, AFSA again opened its doors for a luncheon to welcome 81 members of the 154th Specialist Class. The class features 47 Diplomatic Security agents, 11 information manage- ment specialists, eight facility managers, four office management special- ists, three medical provid- ers, two human resources officers and regional public engagement specialists, and a financial management officer, a regional English language officer, a regional psychiatrist and a security engineering officer. Eighty percent of the specialist class chose to join AFSA. On Oct. 9, AFSA wel- comed 70 members of the 200th A-100 class for lunch. It is the first A-100 class to feature more women (44) than men (26). The class consists of 15 consular, 12 economic, 10 management, 18 political and 15 public diplomacy officers. Roughly three-quarters of the group has prior State Department experience. Class members are former civil servants, eligible family members and interns, among others. More than 80 percent of class members have post-grad- uate degrees. Two-thirds of the class have less than 10 years of professional experi- ence. Individual members of this class have some unusual distinctions. Among them: having unknowingly been featured in a Korean music video; having gone to Chernobyl for their birthday; having trekked to Everest Base Camp; having done a cartwheel at the Potala Pal- ace in Lhasa, Tibet; having won a belt buckle for show- ing a horse at the country fair; and having been one of the first foreigners to learn traditional Korean archery. Ambassador Rubin hosted the luncheon, and seven other retired ambas- sadors served as table hosts. Nearly 90 percent of the class chose to join AFSA. Welcome to the U.S. For- eign Service! n Members of the 200th A-100 class are sworn in. AFSA President Eric Rubin welcomes members of the 15th USAID Career Candidate Corps (C3) class. Members of the 154th Specialist class enjoy lunch at AFSA headquarters. AFSA/CAMERONWOODWORTH AFSA/CAMERONWOODWORTH STATEDEPARTMENT