About AFSA
The American Foreign Service Association, established in 1924, is both professional association and exclusive representative for the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA’s close to 16,800 members include active-duty and retired members of the Foreign Service at the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Agency for Global Media. (Source: AFSA)
We have two series: The AFSA Oral History Collection and The AFSA Dissent Series.
AFSA Oral History Collection
With support from the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), ADST conducted several oral histories with AFSA presidents and leadership, especially those who served in the opening decades of the 21st Century, specifically focusing on AFSA and the issues of that time. These interviews provide insights into the history of the association which was established in 1924 as a professional association and representative of the U.S. Foreign Service.
AFSA Dissent Series
With support from the Una Chapman Cox Foundation and in collaboration with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), ADST has collected oral histories from winners of AFSA’s Constructive Dissent Awards, recognizing their efforts to work constructively within the system to change policy and performance for the better. Noting the intent of the dissent awards to celebrate the initiative, integrity, and intellectual courage of the recipients, winners representing all four AFSA Constructive Dissent Awards* describe: (a) the conditions that convinced them to provide a dissenting view about a policy or procedure, (b) the non-public process they followed to provide that input to supervisors and policymakers, (c) the impact or lack thereof on USG policy or procedures, and (d) the impact on the individuals, their careers and their families after the fact.
*AFSA’s Four Constructive Dissent Awards include: the F. Allen “Tex” Harris Award for a Foreign Service Specialist, the W. Averell Harriman Award for an entry-level officer (FS 7-FS 4), the William R. Rivkin Award for a mid-level officer, (FS 3-FS 1), and the Christian A. Herter Award for a member of the Senior Foreign Service (FE OC-FE CA).