The Foreign Service Journal, December 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2022 49 AFSA Post Representative of the Year Jeff Osweiler Advocating for Community Health at Post I n the fall of 2021, employees at U.S. Embassy Kingston grew increasingly alarmed as they awaited news on the deploy- ment of the COVID-19 vaccine booster. The State Department had not shared information on when staff at post could expect to receive it, and as Kingston had been the last post in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs to receive the initial vaccine, many employees feared the lack of transparency on boosters portended another lengthy wait. Jeff Osweiler, the embassy’s nonimmigrant visa chief and AFSA post representative, saw an opportunity to advocate for his colleagues during a period of stress and ambiguity. “Significant and successive delays in the distribution of COVID vaccines and boosters to the field had become a wide- spread concern in the community,” he recounts, “not least because host-country vaccination rates and access to appropri- ate care were very low.” “Despite the successful (and desperately needed) delivery of tens of thousands of vaccine doses to the host government, access to these protective measures for post personnel lagged months behind their widespread distribution in the United States. I knew we could do better.” Mr. Osweiler actively yet respectfully engaged with mission management to determine the status of booster shots, prompt- ing leadership to obtain more precise information from the Bureau of Medical Services (MED). These updates were shared in real time with post employees to alleviate uncertainty. Thanks to his tenacity in chasing answers and sensitivity to the needs of his colleagues, boosters arrived in Kingston in December 2021 for immediate disbursal. “AFSA was an extremely supportive partner as we articulated our concerns to post management and MED,” Mr. Osweiler says. “I believe concerted action by both post and MED on vaccine procurement and delivery occurred as a direct result of our efforts to bring member concerns forward. This has improved communication with post personnel on subsequent rounds of distribution and, hopefully, given a template for improving the timeline as new boosters are made available.” Kingston is the third overseas post at which Mr. Osweiler has volunteered and been selected to serve as an AFSA post repre- sentative, a role he believes is crucial to connecting members with the guidance and resources they need. “I learned early in my career how important AFSA is as an agent of advocacy, change, and equitable treatment,” he says. “I have deeply appreciated the role of the association in ensuring that the Foreign Service takes care of those who bring it to life.” Jeff Osweiler currently serves as the nonimmi- grant visa chief at U.S. Embassy Kingston, one of the largest nonimmigrant visa operations in the world. He began his Foreign Service career more than 10 years ago as vice consul in Abuja. He has since served in consular manager and reporting roles in Rabat, Antananarivo, Tunis, and Mon- treal. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Osweiler was a program officer at McGill Univer- sity and an editor at a national, bilingual trade magazine for Universities Canada, Canada’s higher education lobby. He completed his bachelor’s degree in politi- cal science at the University of Iowa and holds a master’s degree in comparative politics and international relations fromMcGill University. Jeff Osweiler. Jeff Osweiler drives his French Citroen 2CV, proudly bearing the AFSA logo, in his hometown’s annual Fourth of July parade in 2016.