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27-554: The award consists of a gold medal set and a certificate signed, as appropriate, by the Secretary of State. Due to the demanding nature of the criteria, the award is not routinely issued; only a few non-Ambassadorial rank Foreign Service Officers have ever received an individual award. The following criteria are applicable to granting a Distinguished Honor Award: Nominations for State and USAID employees are submitted on Form JF-66, Nomination for Award, through supervisory channels to

54-653: A second will strike their names from the register. Some candidates go on "do-not-call" status until they are ready to receive offers, but the 18-month timer still continues to run. It is common for a candidate with a low score to simply expire from the register, thus making the process even more competitive. In the end, fewer than 2% of initial applicants to the State Department Foreign Service will matriculate as Foreign Service officers. In extremely rare cases when no Foreign Service officers are available, non-career civil servants can be appointed by

81-559: A somewhat different process. Because USAID has a strong technical focus in many of its overseas positions, FSOs are generally recruited for specific backstops. Most successful candidates will have an advanced degree (often a masters) and pertinent job experience related to their backstop and will undergo an interview and testing process tailored to that backstop, but otherwise it is similar to that for State Department applicants. American Foreign Service Association American Foreign Service Association ( AFSA ), established in 1924,

108-725: Is elected by the membership every two years. The board 's constitution is governed by the American Foreign Service Association's bylaws . The board has 21 members for the 2019-2021 term. AFSA's president is Ambassador Eric S. Rubin , a career Foreign Service Officer and member of the Senior Foreign Service who served as U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2016-2019. AFSA maintains its headquarters building at 2101 E Street NW in Washington, DC. There are also smaller offices within

135-543: Is invited to present this award. If the Secretary is unable to attend, a distinguished individual who has worked with the recipient is asked to present the award. Colin Powell presented the award to Thomas Pickering and to George Shultz ; Elliot Richardson presented the award to Frank Carlucci ; Mr. Carlucci presented it to Lee Hamilton ; Robert Zoellick presented it to Richard Lugar ; Senator Lugar presented to award to Senator Nunn ; and Lawrence Eagleburger presented

162-709: Is the professional association of the United States Foreign Service . With over 15,000 due-paying members, AFSA represents 28,000 active and retired Foreign Service employees of the Department of State and Agency for International Development (AID) , as well as smaller groups in the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) , Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) , and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) . American Foreign Service Association's principal missions are to enhance

189-465: The American Foreign Service Association agenda. American Foreign Service Association works closely with retired Foreign Service personnel on legislative issues related to retiree pensions and benefits. Retirees, individually and through independent retiree groups around the country, actively promote the Foreign Service and international engagement in their communities. In its efforts to explain

216-673: The Department of State, USAID, and the Department of Commerce. Since 1968, American Foreign Service Association has honored achievement, performance, courage and sacrifice within the Foreign Service community through their awards program. All of American Foreign Service Association's awards programs, as well the American Foreign Service Association's memorial plaques, are administered by American Foreign Service Association's Coordinator for Special Awards and Outreach. American Foreign Service Association's Constructive Dissent Awards recognize Foreign Service members who work constructively within

243-407: The Department of State. Ambassadors have been selected from other foreign affairs agencies from time to time. Almost all of the remaining third are political appointees, considered patronage appointments by changing administrations. A handful of State Department Senior Executive Service personnel have received ambassadorships. FSOs also help fill critical management and foreign policy positions at

270-556: The Foreign Service employees of all five agencies. In this labor/management relations capacity, American Foreign Service Association negotiates with the agency management on personnel policies and practices affecting members' working conditions. American Foreign Service Association also represents members in formal grievance proceedings, office of security and inspector general investigations, and EEO cases, while providing them informal assistance in dealing with administrative problems. Foreign Service retiree concerns are an integral part of

297-422: The Foreign Service's role and to build domestic constituencies to support its activities, American Foreign Service Association operates a speakers' bureau, which makes experienced diplomats available to speak to a wide range of groups all across the country. Through Road Scholar programs, American Foreign Service Association members conduct continuing education classes on the Foreign Service. AFSA's Governing Board

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324-605: The Joint Country Awards Committee for review and recommendation to the Chief of Mission for final action. Nominations initiated in Washington are submitted to the appropriate area awards committee for final action. For USAID, nominations initiated in Washington are reviewed by the USAID bureau/office with final approval by the appropriate assistant administrator or office head. Upon authorization, members of

351-538: The Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award: These awards celebrate those Foreign Service employees who have demonstrated the greatest facility and success in the learning and utilization of languages in their career. This learning may have taken place at FSI or individually. The awards are made possible through a generous bequest from former Foreign Service Officer Mathilda W. Sinclaire. Each year, American Foreign Service Association honors

378-535: The Secretary for entry into the Foreign Service, providing they meet rigorous standards expected of career members. These limited appointees are not officially members of Foreign Service and must leave anytime a career officer becomes available for their positions. This is a legal requirement negotiated with the American Foreign Service Association . Applicants for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) FSO jobs follow

405-552: The State Department employee whose essay has been chosen as the best from among their cohort during the National War College graduation ceremonies. The award is named after George Kennan . Two large memorial plaques in the C Street lobby of the Department of State honor colleagues who have given their lives in service to their country. Each year, names are added and those on the plaques are honored during

432-645: The U.S. military may wear the medal and ribbon in the appropriate order of precedence as a U.S. non-military personal decoration . Foreign Service Officers A Foreign Service officer ( FSO ) is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service . FSOs formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States . They spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies , consulates , and other diplomatic missions , though some receive assignments to serve at combatant commands , Congress , and educational institutions such as

459-448: The application process, received a top secret security clearance, been medically cleared for worldwide deployment, and passed a final suitability review, they receive a score and are placed on a hiring register for their career tracks. New candidates are appointed from the top of the register (highest score), and candidates who are not appointed within 18 months will be removed from the register. Candidates may decline one offer; declining

486-463: The award to Joan Clark . Honorees are presented with a globe and certificate. The Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy is American Foreign Service Association's highest award. It is offered to an inspiring and respected diplomat or public servant for their contributions to the conduct and success of American diplomacy. The criteria call for a sustained commitment to the cause for a good portion of their professional lives. Previous Recipients of

513-650: The community at large. In addition, these awards honor contributions to American Foreign Service Association and those who have excelled in the advancement of democracy. The American Foreign Service Association established its award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy in 1995. By giving this high-profile award, American Foreign Service Association also seeks to bring greater recognition to its other awards, including its unique annual awards for constructive dissent Candidates are proposed by American Foreign Service Association's Awards and Plaque Committee. The American Foreign Service Association governing board makes

540-553: The diplomatic profession. Recipients will normally be career diplomats, but may include other individuals in exceptional cases. Recipients must attend American Foreign Service Association's annual awards ceremony. The presentation takes place during American Foreign Service Association's annual Awards Ceremony in June in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Room of the State Department. The Secretary of State

567-420: The effectiveness of the Foreign Service, to protect the professional interests of its members, to ensure the maintenance of high professional standards for both career diplomats and political appointees, and to promote understanding of the critical role of the Foreign Service in promoting America's national security and economic prosperity. American Foreign Service Association is the exclusive bargaining agent for

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594-512: The federal government, and remain the center of American Foreign Service Association's awards program. There are four awards: Six Exemplary Performance Awards are given each year to highlight the professionalism and spirit of service and volunteerism found within the Foreign Service community. These awards honor community liaison officers, office management specialists, family members, and American Foreign Service Association post representatives for their important contributions at work, at home and in

621-430: The final decision. Originally, there were no criteria beyond those implied by the award's name. In 2009, the American Foreign Service Association's Governing Board specified that "lifetime" means at least a decade of service to diplomacy, ideally including continuing involvement after retirement. The contributions should include involvement in foreign policy development and/or implementation as well as efforts that advance

648-475: The headquarters of foreign affairs agencies in Washington, D.C. Applicants for State Department FSO jobs go through a highly competitive written exam, oral assessment, and security investigation process before they are eligible to be hired. Of the more than 100,000 applicants for State Department FSO positions between 2001 and 2006, only 2,100 became Foreign Service officers. Once candidates have completed

675-513: The hiring agency. They follow career tracks separate from those of State Department FSOs. For example, within USAID, there are multiple technical "backstops", including: Many leadership roles at U.S. embassies are typically filled from the ranks of career FSOs, who receive extensive training for these roles, including learning languages and cultures of numerous countries. In the early twenty-first century, about two-thirds of U.S. ambassadors have been career Foreign Service members primarily drawn from

702-559: The system to change policy and performance for the better. Such dissents may be made in any non-public channel including meetings, emails to superiors, memoranda, telegrams, or via the State Department 's formal Dissent Channel . Thus, American Foreign Service Association's Constructive Dissent Awards may be given to, but are not restricted to, employees who send in Dissent Channel messages. These awards are unique within

729-470: The various U.S. service academies . As of 2021, there were over 8,000 FSOs. FSOs of the State Department are split among five career tracks, called "cones": consular officers, economic officers, management officers, political officers, and public diplomacy officers. FSOs of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Commercial Service , Foreign Agricultural Service , and Agency for Global Media are selected through processes specific to

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