American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), established in 1924, is the

professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and t ...

of the

United States Foreign Service The United States Foreign Service is the primary personnel system used by the diplomatic service of the United States federal government, under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of over 13,000 professionals carr ...

. With over 15,000 dues-paying members, American Foreign Service Association represents 28,000 active and retired Foreign Service employees of the Department of State and Agency for International Development (AID), as well as smaller groups in the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB).

About AFSA

American Foreign Service Association's principal missions are to enhance the effectiveness of the Foreign Service, to protect the professional interests of its members, to ensure the maintenance of high professional standards for both career diplomats and political appointees, and to promote understanding of the critical role of the Foreign Service in promoting America's national security and economic prosperity. American Foreign Service Association is the exclusive bargaining agent for the Foreign Service employees of all five agencies. In this labor/management relations capacity, American Foreign Service Association negotiates with the agency management on personnel policies and practices affecting members' working conditions. American Foreign Service Association also represents members in formal grievance proceedings, office of security and inspector general investigations, and EEO cases, while providing them informal assistance in dealing with administrative problems. Foreign Service retiree concerns are an integral part of the American Foreign Service Association agenda. American Foreign Service Association works closely with retired Foreign Service personnel on legislative issues related to retiree pensions and benefits. Retirees, individually and through independent retiree groups around the country, actively promote the Foreign Service and international engagement in their communities. In its efforts to explain the Foreign Service's role and to build domestic constituencies to support its activities, American Foreign Service Association operates a speakers' bureau, which makes experienced diplomats available to speak to a wide range of groups all across the country. Through Road Scholar programs, American Foreign Service Association members conduct continuing education classes on the Foreign Service.

Governance

AFSA's Governing Board is elected by the membership every two years. The

board Board or Boards may refer to: Flat surface * Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat ** Plank (wood) ** Cutting board ** Sounding board, of a musical instrument * Cardboard (paper product) * Paperboard * Fiberboard ** Hardboa ...

's constitution is governed by the American Foreign Service Association's

bylaws A by-law (bye-law, by(e)law, by(e) law), or as it is most commonly known in the United States bylaws, is a set of rules or law established by an organization or community so as to regulate itself, as allowed or provided for by some higher authori ...

. The board has 21 members for the 2019-2021 term. AFSA's

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...

is Ambassador

Eric S. Rubin Eric Seth Rubin (born March 30, 1961) is an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2016 to 2019. He was confirmed as ambassador on January 27, 2016, and succeeded Marcie Berman Ries. Diplomatic career Rubin j ...

, a career Foreign Service Officer and member of the Senior Foreign Service who served as U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2016-2019.

Offices

American Foreign Service Association maintains its headquarters building at 2101 E Street NW in Washington, DC. There are also smaller offices within the Department of State, USAID, and the Department of Commerce.

Organization

American Foreign Service Association's staff is divided into the following departments: Executive Office, Member Services, Advocacy, Scholarships, Communications, ''Foreign Service Journal'', Business and Accounting, and Labor Management.

Awards

Since 1968, American Foreign Service Association has honored achievement, performance, courage and sacrifice within the Foreign Service community through their awards program. All of American Foreign Service Association's awards programs, as well the American Foreign Service Association's memorial plaques, are administered by American Foreign Service Association's Coordinator for Special Awards and Outreach.

Constructive Dissent Awards

American Foreign Service Association's Constructive Dissent Awards recognize Foreign Service members who work constructively within the system to change policy and performance for the better. Such dissents may be made in any non-public channel including meetings, emails to superiors, memoranda, telegrams, or via the

State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nat ...

's formal

Dissent Channel A 1971 telegram sent by diplomat Archer Blood, decrying the U.S. failure to intervene in genocide by the Pakistani army in Bangladesh The Dissent Channel is a messaging framework open to Foreign Service Officers, and other U.S. citizens employed ...

. Thus, American Foreign Service Association's Constructive Dissent Awards may be given to, but are not restricted to, employees who send in Dissent Channel messages. These awards are unique within the federal government, and remain the center of American Foreign Service Association's awards program. There are four awards: * F. Allen 'Tex' Harris Award for Foreign Service Specialists * W. Averell Harriman Award for entry-level officers *

William R. Rivkin William Robert Rivkin (April 16, 1919 – March 19, 1967) was a United States diplomat who served as ambassador to Luxembourg, Senegal, and Gambia in the 1960s. Early life and education Rivkin was born in 1919, the first child of Samuel Wolf Riv ...

Award for mid-level officers * Christian A. Herter Award for members of the

Senior Foreign Service The Senior Foreign Service (SFS) comprises the top four ranks of the United States Foreign Service. These ranks were created by the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and Executive Order 12293 in order to provide the Foreign Service with senior grades eq ...

Exemplary Performance Awards

Six Exemplary Performance Awards are given each year to highlight the professionalism and spirit of service and volunteerism found within the Foreign Service community. These awards honor community liaison officers, office management specialists, family members, and American Foreign Service Association post representatives for their important contributions at work, at home and in the community at large. In addition, these awards honor contributions to American Foreign Service Association and those who have excelled in the advancement of democracy. * Nelson B. Delavan Award * Avis Bohlen Award * M. Juanita Guess Award * AFSA Achievement and Contributions to the Association Award * Post Representative of the Year Award * Mark Palmer Award for the Advancement of Democracy

Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy

The American Foreign Service Association established its award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy in 1995. By giving this high-profile award, American Foreign Service Association also seeks to bring greater recognition to its other awards, including its unique annual awards for constructive dissent Candidates are proposed by American Foreign Service Association's Awards and Plaque Committee. The American Foreign Service Association governing board makes the final decision. Originally, there were no criteria beyond those implied by the award's name. In 2009, the American Foreign Service Association's Governing Board specified that "lifetime" means at least a decade of service to diplomacy, ideally including continuing involvement after retirement. The contributions should include involvement in foreign policy development and/or implementation as well as efforts that advance the diplomatic profession. Recipients will normally be career diplomats, but may include other individuals in exceptional cases. Recipients must attend American Foreign Service Association's annual awards ceremony. The presentation takes place during American Foreign Service Association's annual Awards Ceremony in June in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Room of the State Department. The Secretary of State is invited to present this award. If the Secretary is unable to attend, a distinguished individual who has worked with the recipient is asked to present the award.

Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell ( ; April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African ...

presented the award to Thomas Pickering and to

George Shultz George Pratt Shultz (; December 13, 1920February 6, 2021) was an American economist, businessman, diplomat and statesman. He served in various positions under two different Republican presidents and is one of the only two persons to have held fo ...

;

Elliot Richardson Elliot Lee Richardson (July 20, 1920December 31, 1999) was an American lawyer and public servant who was a member of the cabinet of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. As U.S. Attorney General, he was a prominent figure in the Watergate ...

presented the award to

Frank Carlucci Frank Charles Carlucci III ( ; October 18, 1930 – June 3, 2018) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the United States Secretary of Defense from 1987 to 1989 in the administration of President Ronald Reagan. He was the f ...

; Mr. Carlucci presented it to Lee Hamilton;

Robert Zoellick Robert Bruce Zoellick (; ; born July 25, 1953) is an American public official and lawyer who was the eleventh president of the World Bank, a position he held from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2012. He was previously a managing director of Goldman Sa ...

presented it to

Richard Lugar Richard Green Lugar (April 4, 1932 – April 28, 2019) was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Indiana from 1977 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party. Born in Indianapolis, Lugar graduated from De ...

; Senator Lugar presented to award to Senator Nunn; and

Lawrence Eagleburger Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger (August 1, 1930 – June 4, 2011) was an American statesman and career diplomat, who served briefly as the Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush from December 1992 to January 1993, one of the shortest t ...

presented the award to Joan Clark. Honorees are presented with a globe and certificate. The Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy is American Foreign Service Association's highest award. It is offered to an inspiring and respected diplomat or public servant for their contributions to the conduct and success of American diplomacy. The criteria call for a sustained commitment to the cause for a good portion of their professional lives. Previous Recipients of the Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award:

Sinclaire Language Awards

These awards celebrate those Foreign Service employees who have demonstrated the greatest facility and success in the learning and utilization of languages in their career. This learning may have taken place at FSI or individually. The awards are made possible through a generous bequest from former Foreign Service Officer Mathilda W. Sinclaire.

George F. Kennan Strategic Writing Award

Each year, American Foreign Service Association honors the State Department employee whose essay has been chosen as the best from among their cohort during the National War College graduation ceremonies. The award is named after

George Kennan George Frost Kennan (February 16, 1904 – March 17, 2005) was an American diplomat and historian. He was best known as an advocate of a policy of containment of Soviet expansion during the Cold War. He lectured widely and wrote scholarly histo ...

AFSA Memorial Plaques

Two large memorial plaques in the C Street lobby of the Department of State honor colleagues who have given their lives in service to their country. Each year, names are added and those on the plaques are honored during a solemn ceremony on Foreign Affairs Day.

AFSA National High School Essay Contest

The National High School Essay Contest is available to all High School students in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and to U.S. citizens pursuing high school education abroad. The competition awards a $2,500 cash prize, a paid trip to Washington, D.C., to meet the Secretary of State and a tuition-free Semester at Sea upon enrollment at an accredited post-secondary institution.

Selected publications

References

{{Commons category, American Foreign Service Association Professional associations based in the United States United States Department of State 1924 establishments in the United States Organizations based in Washington, D.C.