The Foreign Service Journal, November 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2016 57 AFSA NEWS On Sept. 12, AFSA hosted the Public Diplomacy Council Communication Leadership Forum. At left, USC Nicholas Cull speaks to attendees about the latest volume of public diplomatic history. Kristen Ahlberg (second from left) also addressed the group on the newly released 30th volume in the State Department’s historical series, “Foreign Relations of the United States.” COURTESYOFVALERYEVSEEV ForumDiscusses the Carter Administration’s PD Policy FORE I GN AF FA I RS HANDBOOK— CH I LDB I RTH , ADOPT I ON AND FOSTER CARE The Department of State has many resources available to new parents in the Foreign Service. In August, the Foreign Affairs Handbook was updated to help employees and family members with questions about leave, medical evacuation and other pregnancy-related issues (3 FAH-3 H-110, Personnel Guidance for Childbirth, Adop- tion, and Foster Care). The update also codifies the policy of providing employees with workplace flexibility to the maximum extent possible under existing guidelines. A June update to the Foreign Affairs Manual spells out new guidelines on the depart- ment’s lactation policy (https://fam.state.gov/ FAM/03FAM/03FAM3860.html), confirming the policy to provide breaks and facilities to nursing mothers working domestically and at overseas posts. n NEWS BRIEF fewer, and must include all of the following elements: • The name of the award for which the person is being nominated, along with the nominee’s grade, agency and position • The nominator’s name, grade, agency and position, along with a description of his or her association with the nominee • A justification for nomina- tion that describes the actions and qualities that qualify the nominee for the award. This should cite specific examples of accomplishments or actions demonstrating that the nominee has met the cri- teria for the award for which they are being nominated. For additional details and instructions or to nominate online, see www.afsa.org/ performance. If you have questions, contact Awards Coordinator Perri Green at green@afsa.org or (202) 719- 9700. AFSA also celebrates con- structive dissent in the Foreign Service. It offers four awards for constructive dissent, unique in the federal govern- ment, which honor those who have had the courage to offer creative, constructive dissent on management, consular as well as foreign policy issues. Information about each of these awards, including how you can nominate colleagues, will be available in a future issue of AFSANews. All award recipients are honored at a ceremony in June in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room at the State Department. n —Perri Green, Awards Coordinator Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977-1980, Vol. XXX, Public Diplomacy , for which Dr. Ahlberg served as lead historian, concerns public diplomacy during the Carter administration. Dr. Ahlberg is assistant to the general editor in the Office of the Historian at the Depart- ment of State. n