The Foreign Service Journal, December 2021

AFSA NEWS 72 DECEMBER 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSAWelcomes Newest FSOs Over the course of this year, AFSA has been pleased to welcome a full slate of new classes from the State Department, USAID and the Foreign Commercial Service. Since the start of the pandemic, welcome events and recruitment activities have been conducted entirely online. AFSA President Eric Rubin greets the newest Foreign Service members and provides an overview of the dual functions of AFSA as a professional association and labor union. The new hires hear from other members of the AFSA Governing Board and staff, as well. As restrictions ease, AFSA looks forward to meeting these new colleagues in person and returning to the traditional welcome reception and recruitment luncheon at AFSA headquarters. More than 750 new mem- bers of the Foreign Service learned about AFSA in 2021, the majority opting to become AFSAmembers. There were two Foreign Commercial Ser- vice classes, USAID classes C3-21 through C3-26, State A-100 classes 205 through American Diplomacy Journal Celebrates 25 Years In a virtual event held on Oct. 14, the online American Diplomacy journal marked its 25th anniversary with a slate of speakers addressing the evening’s theme: “How Does U.S. Diplomacy Benefit Americans?” Ambassador (ret.)W. Robert Pearson, president of American Diplomacy Publish- ers, led a panel discussion with Ambassador (ret.) Piper Campbell, Ambassador (ret.) Lino Gutierrez, Ambassador (ret.) Charles Ray and retired FSOMary Thompson-Jones. Active-duty U.S. diplomats also submitted brief video seg- ments discussing the scope and impact of their work. 208 and FS specialist classes 159 through 162. The new officers include Olympic athletes, beekeepers, geographers, musicians, culi- nary aficionados and more, and they speak more than 50 languages, collectively. Welcome to the Foreign Service! n As political officer Rebecca Hunter explained,“My job is understanding the country I’m in and advocating for America ... to see the opportunities, warn of the dangers, and most importantly, tend to the relationships.” And from FSO Chuka Asike: “While we work on complex issues, we’re always thinking about how this can advance U.S. interests and improve prosperity for America.” Find more of the evening’s insights at bit.ly/adj25. AFSA congratulates the American Diplomacy journal on its 25-year anniversary. You can browse the online journal at bit.ly/adjournalonline. n AFSA Speaks to Job Search Program Participants On Oct. 13, AFSA President Eric Rubin joined FSI’s Job Search Program to discuss what the association can offer Foreign Service members in retirement. After congratulating the class, Amb. Rubin highlighted AFSA’s ongoing work to advo- cate for current and retired FSOs. Priority issues include increased resources for the foreign affairs agencies, a higher rate of career Foreign Service officers compared to political appointees in key positions, institutional reform to bolster the number of FSOs posted overseas, and diversity. By remaining a part of AFSA, he said, members stay connected to their unique community, support the association’s advocacy work and ensure that their voices are heard across these criti- cal issues. They’ll also stay abreast of the diplomacy and development matters in which they’ve invested their careers. He reminded the class that they must take action to remain a member. Those approaching retirement should contact Member Services (member@afsa. org) to let AFSA know of their retirement and to secure all the benefits of being an AFSA member. n