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RETIREE ■ BY ROBERT W. “BILL” FARRAND
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AFSA Has Your Back
The economic news of recent months leaves me more
persuaded than ever of AFSA’s important role as
“Watcher of the Hill” insofar as retiree benefits are concerned. Even a cursory reading of Retiree Coordinator Bonnie Brown’s bimonthly newsletters reveals an increasing
number of congressional bills affecting one or more federal
employee retiree benefits. A sampling of topics in Bonnie’s
recent newsletters — Medicare Part B, Premium Conver-sion/Flexible Spending Plan, Social Security offsets, changes
to the Thrift Savings Plan, sick-leave credit for FSPS retirees,
When Actually Employed rules and related issues — attests
to this state of affairs.
The question I ask myself is: how much is this information worth in dollars and cents to AFSA’s retiree membership? Let’s take just one example: Medicare Part B. What
would happen if its benefits were cut by, say, 20 percent? Depending on the state of your health and the frequency of
your visits to the doctor, the sum of money involved could
reach into several hundred dollars a year, much more than
the cost of your annual AFSA dues. The time for seriously
thinking about these matters is upon us.
For me, this is a perfect example of the congruence of
AFSA’s organizational interests and those of its individual
members. I am reminded of the line in the film “Jerry
Maguire” when Tom Cruise’s character exhorts his client
football star: “Help me help you!” As I’ve said before, this is
our basic cry to the more than 7,000 Foreign Service annuitants who have chosen not to join our ranks and support
AFSA’s mission.
While we on the Retiree Membership Task Force continue to reach out to these retirees through many channels,
I must be candid in saying that the going is slow. For
starters, we lack solid information as to their whereabouts.
And even when we have valid addresses and phone numbers, there is the challenge of overcoming people’s tendency,
in this day of screening devices, to refuse to pick up phone
calls or open the many requests for support they find in either their e-mail or snail mail. But we soldier on in our efforts to sign up new members to assure the future viability
of our association.
Since this is my last column as vice president for retirees,
permit me a few departing observations on AFSA’s role in
promoting the Foreign Service and in defending the rights
and privileges of its members: active-duty, retired (
including persons in transition to second careers) and surviving
spouses. First, as to the old question, which still sparks debate, especially among our older members: Is AFSA primarily a professional association or a labor union? My reply is
that depending on the situation, its role can be one or the
other or both at the same time. When Bonnie Brown describes AFSA as “multidimensional,” she’s right.
What is undeniably true is that AFSA is the only voice
that can be relied on, unencumbered by political or bureaucratic considerations, to defend the Foreign Service. We
are able to speak truth to power when Foreign Service mem-
What is undeniably true is that
AFSA is the only voice that can be relied on,
unencumbered by political or bureaucratic
considerations, to defend the Foreign Service.
bers inside the system are unable to express publicly their
professional concerns or policy differences.
Second, with your continued support — and bless you
for it! — AFSA remains an organization that you can count
on in this time of change to protect and preserve the benefits you have justly earned after years of service to your
country. Its expert staff members fulfill one of our most important roles: providing information and guidance to our
members and their families in time of need. (I will resist
the temptation to name them individually lest I leave someone out; but rest assured they are all working full-tilt to
make your association the best of its kind.)
As the State Department resumes its place at the head of
the foreign policy table, AFSA will continue to watch the
Foreign Service’s back.
Finally, to you retirees and members in career transition,
I extend my deepest gratitude for the opportunity to serve
as your representative on the AFSA Governing Board. It has
been an honor and a privilege. ❏
