The Foreign Service Journal

04/14/2025

Now online: the April-May Foreign Service Journal focuses on the evolution of U.S.- relations in honor of the 30th anniversary of restored diplomatic relations, the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, and the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s independence. Also inside …

🔸“Lives Upended”: a compilation of personal accounts revealing the effects of USAID’s dismantling
🔸New FS Know-How: A Brief RIF Explainer
🔸Requiem for the Voice of America

+ more. Read the full edition here🔗 https://afsa.org/foreign-service-journal-aprilmay2025

03/28/2025

“About 120 miles northwest of Johannesburg, Pilanesberg National Park sits within the crater of an ancient volcano."

Get a closer look at this early-morning scene from South Africa in the March by Michael Roome.

🔗https://afsa.org/sites/default/files/flipping_book/0325/78/index.html

03/18/2025

USAGM, which includes the Voice of America, is a vital tool of U.S. foreign policy and national security, playing a key role in promoting American interests, democracy, and press freedom around the world.

Read the full statement: https://afsa.org/afsa-statement-dismantling-us-agency-global-media

03/05/2025

Now online (and in the mail): the March Foreign Service Journal features our third “Notes to the New Administration” compilation, plus:

🖊️Defending and the — the American Foreign Service Association's legal response
🖊️A conversation with special representative Nina Hachigian on
🖊️How to “bridge the interagency gap” between military and FS personnel
🖊️Foundational skills for all professionals — cultural competency for effective communications

+ more. Read the full edition here 🔗 https://afsa.org/foreign-service-journal-march2025

02/25/2025

members ➡️ American Foreign Service Association recently compiled a new resource to help members be prepared for the unexpected.

See the “Virtual Go Bag” checklist, here: afsa.org/virtual-go-bag

MEMBERS | Every Foreign Service member knows the importance of a Go Bag. You probably have one packed right now. But do you have your employment Go Bag ready? These are the key documents and things you should have in case of a sudden departure.

Make sure you’re prepared for any eventuality & review our “Virtual Go Bag” checklist now: afsa.org/virtual-go-bag

02/18/2025

The is proud to serve as a historical record of the evolution of U.S. and the , since 1919. For breaking news, be sure to bookmark the American Foreign Service Association’s press center page 📰 https://afsa.org/press 📰 for the latest litigation updates and public statements by our organizational leaders.

02/04/2025

Weakening or eliminating USAID will only help those who seek to undermine American leadership.

Read the full statement: https://afsa.org/statement-afsa-decision-dismantle-usaid

01/30/2025

High in the Andes Mountains and two hours from Santiago, Chile, FSO Martin Claessens shot this image of the Inca Lagoon.

❄️ See it in the January-February (link below).

01/29/2025

Members of the often face unique tax situations—and we understand that it can get complicated. Check out our 2024 Federal in the January-February for valuable information on:

✅ The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) ✅ New tax updates that could impact your filing ✅ Key deadlines and tips for avoiding penalties. Link in comments, below!

01/11/2025

🖋️ Call for input: President Jimmy Carter left an indelible impression on so many in the community. Please share your remembrances for an Appreciation in an upcoming edition of the .

📧 Send up to 300 words and related photos (with your name and Foreign Service affiliation) to [email protected] by Friday, January 17.

Note: All submissions will be attributed. Submissions will be edited for style and clarity. AI-generated content will not be accepted. We cannot guarantee all submissions will be featured, but we will print as many as possible.

01/08/2025

📨 The first Foreign Service Journal edition of 2025 is now out!

In this , we dive into the dynamics of U.S. presidential transitions, with:

🔹 insights on the future of in “Liberate the Future” by Amb. Tom Shannon

🔹 inside perspectives from Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST)’s oral history collection in “Working a Presidential Transition: First-Person Accounts”

🔹 a fresh collection highlighting the significance of elections for the U.S. , “A Look Back—The Foreign Service and Presidential Elections”

+ more. Read the full edition here 🔗 https://afsa.org/foreign-service-journal-januaryfebruary2025

01/01/2025

As we bid farewell to 2024 and welcome 2025, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our readers. This new year, we're excited to continue bringing you insightful content and inspiring stories from practitioners of across the globe.

🎉 Have a safe & happy New Year! 🎉

12/14/2024

CLOSING SOON— members: active-duty and retired, we want to hear from you.

As a part of our “Notes to the New Administration” compilation for the March 2025 edition, we welcome your thoughts in response to this prompt:

How can diplomacy and development practitioners of the Foreign Service best serve and advance America’s foreign policy interests for the new administration? What are your specific recommendations?

✍ Share your recommendations (400 words or fewer) by sending them to [email protected] with the subject line: "Notes to the New Administration" by this Monday, December 23.

Note: All comments will be attributed. Submissions will be edited for style and clarity. AI-generated content will not be accepted. We cannot guarantee all submissions will be featured, but we will print as many as possible.

12/10/2024

2024 American Foreign Service Association award winners’ stories are here!

Closing out the centennial year for and the , the December profiles this year’s awardees, plus:

🏆 A conversation with Award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy winner Ambassador Marc Grossman on “Building a Better Diplomatic Service”
🏆 Search for Common Ground founder and veteran FSO John Marks discusses “Social Entrepreneurship and the Professional Diplomat”
🏆 A copy of the FSJ reaches adventurous new heights (!) with regional refugee coordinator Nathan Tidwell in Tanzania

+ more. Read (and share) the full edition here: https://afsa.org/foreign-service-journal-december2024

11/23/2024

🐧 Check out FSO Justin Franklin’s encounter with an Adélie penguin on Horseshoe Island, Antarctica.

Learn more about the adorable Adélie—one of only four penguin species to nest on the Antarctic continent—in the November : https://afsa.org/sites/default/files/flipping_book/1124/82/

11/07/2024

The November is out! 📖 In this issue:

➡️ U.S. Ambassadors to NATO, including Permanent Representative Julianne Smith, reflect on the alliance’s 75th anniversary
➡️ Veteran FSO Dan Spokojny and scholar/researcher Thomas Scherer discuss “The Marginalization of Career Diplomats”
➡️ Find a new roundup of books written by and for the Community in our “In Their Own Write” and “Of Related Interest” catalogs

+ more. Read (and share) the full edition here: https://afsa.org/foreign-service-journal-november2024

11/05/2024

This here in the U.S., team + our noble mascot, Bark Twain, encourage you to get out and VOTE, if you haven’t already!

10/26/2024

“The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is a sight to behold.”

Take a closer look at this incredible work of art and architecture in the October by Carole Fenton, here: https://afsa.org/sites/default/files/flipping_book/1024/82/