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The tragic and untimely death of a young Foreign Service Officer in a suicide bombing on April 6 in Afghanistan’s Zabul province has drawn significant attention to the work of U.S. diplomats. This topic has been increasingly present in the minds of many Americans, especially after the success of the critically acclaimed film Argo, which focused on foreign service efforts.
Anne Smedinghoff, a 25-year-old U.S. diplomat, had been assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan since July, a position she took on after a tour in Caracas, Venezuela. On the day her convoy was attacked, she was en route to deliver books to a school. Following the attack, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated, "I wish everyone in our country could see first-hand the devotion, loyalty and amazingly hard and hazardous work our diplomats do on the front lines in the world’s most dangerous places."
U.S. diplomats, or Foreign Service Officers (FSOs), have varied duties. These can range from assignments like Smedinghoff’s, where they promote literacy, to more routine tasks such as issuing new passports to U.S. citizens abroad. FSOs are stationed in one of 265 embassies, consulates, or mission stations worldwide, working in both conflict zones and peaceful nations. Their work, as defined by the official Department of State literature, is to "promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad."
Diplomats choose from five distinct career paths—consular affairs, economic affairs, management affairs, political affairs, and political diplomacy—that shape their daily responsibilities. Consular affairs include tasks like facilitating adoptions, while economic officers focus on topics such as environmental concerns. Management officers oversee areas like real estate and budgets, political affairs center on the host country, and political diplomacy officers engage with local leaders and officials to advance U.S. policies. Additional details on each path can be found here. Junior Officers are typically the first-stage FSOs, with their early assignments considered entry-level, meaning they might be the ones conducting visa interviews for travelers planning trips to New York City.
Although diplomats can indicate preferences for their career paths and select their assignment locations, they must remain flexible, ready to serve wherever they are needed, regardless of job role or destination. Post assignments can range from six months in certain locations, like conflict zones, to several years in others. The Department of State facilitates housing arrangements and handles transitions, aiming to make the relocations as smooth and comfortable as possible. However, future officers are advised that the standard of living at different posts can vary greatly and may differ from the comforts they're used to in the U.S.
In addition to the Department of State, several other agencies also hire Foreign Service Officers, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, and the Commercial Service. These agencies offer specific roles, assignments, and tasks for FSOs. However, the majority of FSOs are employed by the Department of State.
Foreign Service Officers, also known as diplomat 'generalists,' represent one key segment of the U.S. Foreign Service. Other significant roles within the service include ambassadors, Foreign Service Specialists—such as doctors and human resource experts—and Foreign Service Nationals, who are citizens of the host country where the embassy or consulate is based.
Becoming a Foreign Service Officer requires passing through a thorough and demanding application process, including a detailed background check. The first major step is taking the Foreign Service Officer Test, with results determining whether candidates move forward to the next stages, which involve submitting a personal narrative and undergoing an oral assessment. More information about the application process can be found here.
For those exploring a career as a Foreign Service Officer, there is also an app for that, provided officially by the U.S. Department of State. This app allows candidates to explore general information about the Foreign Service, practice with test questions, and find diplomats, among other useful features.
