Join AAFSW!

Why Should YOU become a Member of AAFSW?

If you are a Foreign Service employee or family member, a retired employee or the spouse of a retired employee, you will find a community of like-minded people in AAFSW. Connecting to people and to programs and events of interest are the reasons most of our members joined AAFSW. Our motto is “AAFSW, Where the Foreign Service Becomes a Community.”

Who are we?

AAFSW is a non-profit organization dedicated to bettering the quality of life of Foreign Service families everywhere. Read about the benefits of membership!

For fifty years we have served as an advocacy and support group for Foreign Service employees and family members. AAFSW began pushing the Department in the 1970’s to expand support, and as a result, today there are more services in place to assist employees and their family members with quality of life issues.

Two key offices, the Family Liaison Office (FLO) and the Overseas Briefing Center (OBC) exist as a direct result of AAFSW advocacy. As a private organization operating independently of the government, AAFSW steps up to help the Foreign Service community whenever and wherever a need presents itself.

Here are just a few of the current services offered by AAFSW to the Foreign Service community:

• “Livelines” is a private, moderated online forum connecting over 4,000 members of our community for discussion and mutual assistance.
• The Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Overseas (SOSA) is an annual award recognizing outstanding volunteers worldwide.
•  Scholarships for Foreign Service youth (merit and need-based.)
• The Evacuee Support Network assists FLO with meeting and assisting Foreign Service evacuees.
• The Washington, DC area playgroup offers support and networking for Foreign Service parents of young children.
• The Foreign-Born Spouses group is a community for those who are “foreign at home and abroad.”
• Foreign-language conversation groups meeting in the Washington, DC area.
• The Housing Office in the Department of State, is co-located with the Employee Services Center and run by AAFSW volunteers.
• Ongoing liaison and advocacy with AFSA, FSYF, FLO, OBC, ADST, DACOR, and other Foreign Service-related organizations and institutions.

Join AAFSW today!