The Foreign Service Journal, October 2014

58 OCTOBER 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS AFSA HOSTS BACK-TO - SCHOOL HAPPY HOUR On Sept. 4, AFSA welcomed members and guests to a Back-to-School Happy Hour at our headquarters building. More than 150 guests, ranging from members of the current A-100 class to individuals who retired decades ago, mingled and shared experiences over drinks and snacks. AFSA President Robert J. Silverman led the group in a toast to the Foreign Service. Look for one more AFSA happy hour this year, at some point during the holiday season. AFSA PROGRAM FOR FORE I GN AF FA I RS I NTERNS Ambassador John Limbert on Life in the Foreign Service On Aug. 13, AFSA welcomed foreign a‹airs interns to the second Brown Bag Series event “Life in the Foreign Service.” The event featured former AFSA President and Ambassador John Limbert, who retired with the rank of minister counselor after 33 years in the Foreign Service. Amb. Limbert holds the Department of State’s high- est award—the Distinguished Service Award—as well as other awards including the Award for Valor, which he received after 444 days in captivity in Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis. Ambassador Limbert explained how people inter- ested in the Foreign Service prepare, both academically and professionally, for the profession; what being an FSO is like; and how to determine if the Foreign Service is the right career path. After a five-year hiatus, AFSA reestablished its “Brown-Bag Series for For- eign A‹airs Interns” this sum- mer. The program is intended to provide all Washington, D.C.-based interns working on foreign a‹airs issues— whether at a federal agency or in nongovernmental organizations—an opportu- nity to discuss hot topics with foreign a‹airs practitioners and professionals, as well as to network with their peers. On July 24, the program was launched with a pre- sentation on energy politics and the Middle East by retired FSO Molly William- son, whose 30-year career focused mainly on the Middle East. She served as deputy assistant secretary at three agencies: State, Commerce and Defense. In her talk, “The Politics of Petroleum,” Williamson gave an expert opinion on the challenges for U.S. foreign policy in the area. On Oct. 2, Vinay Chawla, director of Digital Engage- ment at the Department of State, will speak at the third event, on the subject of “Social Media and Diplo- macy.” The series will continue throughout the year. Inter- ested students and interns should check the AFSA web- site for upcoming events. n –Debora Kim and Julian Steiner, AFSA Interns AFSA/DEBORAKIM Amb. John Limbert spoke to interns about life in the Foreign Service. AFSA/MATTSUMRAK

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