American Foreign Service Association

Directions Website

American Foreign Service Association Championing the U.S. Foreign Service since 1924.

In the upside-down, many of the things we once took for granted are now the very things we must fight to preserve, like ...
10/19/2026

In the upside-down, many of the things we once took for granted are now the very things we must fight to preserve, like the value of a professional, nonpartisan Foreign Service.

The Foreign Service was established in 1924 on the principle that American diplomacy should be conducted by professionals serving the national interest, not partisan agendas. And now we are seeing politicization and erosion of the very foundations on which it was built.

Photo:

Yesterday, as he accepted his AFSA award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy, Ambassador Bill Burns issued ...
10/15/2026

Yesterday, as he accepted his AFSA award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy, Ambassador Bill Burns issued a sobering assessment of the state of America's standing in the world.

But diplomacy is a sport of optimism. Ambassador Burns closed on a hopeful note, even as he warned that rebuilding trust and repairing what's been broken could take a generation.

Our thanks to our friends at School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University for hosting us again this year.

Photo:

Traditional alliances are being demoted in favor of bilateral relationships and an increasingly transactional U.S. forei...
10/13/2026

Traditional alliances are being demoted in favor of bilateral relationships and an increasingly transactional U.S. foreign policy. Some might say we've entered the diplomatic upside-down.

We’ve asked Ambassador Nicholas Burns, one of our country's most respected diplomats, to help us make sense of it.

Join our conversation: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IjUcHyw0STObmbUqQUct8A #/registration

You never know how people will react when the unthinkable happens.When the attacks on USAID started in early 2025, Randy...
10/08/2026

You never know how people will react when the unthinkable happens.

When the attacks on USAID started in early 2025, Randy Chester, AFSA's USAID Vice President, jumped into action, even as his own career, his life's calling, was being taken from him.

Those of us who have watched him work through his own personal and professional pain can say without exaggeration that Randy has been nothing short of an extraordinary leader.

Randy is now preparing to step back from the spotlight. In his final column as USAID Vice President in The Foreign Service Journal, Randy shares a very Randy message with his USAID constituents and friends: He's still here for you. All you have to do is reach out.

Read “A Last Cup of Tea”: https://afsa.org/fsj/foreign-service-journal/last-cup-tea

Photo credit Reuters

10/02/2026

In his latest Austan Explains, AFSA’s Austan Mogharabi highlights some concerning news from the world of U.S. foreign assistance: the precarious future of FEWS NET, the early-warning system that helps America spot food crises before they become much more expensive emergencies.

If you want to get involved, our friends at Aid on the Hill are tracking this closely and have put together resources, including scripts for contacting your representatives.

The U.S. foreign affairs agencies violated federal law by unilaterally appointing members of the Foreign Service Grievan...
10/01/2026

The U.S. foreign affairs agencies violated federal law by unilaterally appointing members of the Foreign Service Grievance Board, the independent body that reviews challenges to personnel decisions affecting U.S. Foreign Service employees.

AFSA is considering all legal options to challenge these appointments.

Read our statement: https://afsa.org/afsa-condemns-unlawful-appointments-foreign-service-grievance-board

Some good news: last night brought a win for career public service, with the confirmation of 10 career Foreign Service m...
10/01/2026

Some good news: last night brought a win for career public service, with the confirmation of 10 career Foreign Service members as U.S. ambassadors.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, thank you for being such an unyielding supporter of career Foreign Service and America's diplomacy. 🙏

Many people have been pointing out the interior design changes in the Hall of Flags, i.e. the main lobby of the U.S. Sta...
09/30/2026

Many people have been pointing out the interior design changes in the Hall of Flags, i.e. the main lobby of the U.S. State Department.

We've heard that this was a temporary redecoration to celebrate our nation's 250th and that the international flags, the symbol of our global relationships, would be returned after the UN General Assembly in late September. Our members have expressed concern about what the delay in returning the flags may signal to our global partners.

It's almost October.

Address

2101 E Street NW
Washington D.C., DC
20037

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when American Foreign Service Association posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category