Eric J. Boswell

Eric J. Boswell

Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security U.S. Department of State
In office July 7, 2008 – December 19, 2012
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Deputy	Jeffrey Culver
Preceded by	Richard J. Griffin
Succeeded by	Scott Bultrowicz (acting)
Deputy	Gregory Starr
Personal details
Born	May 31, 1945 Naples, Italy
Nationality	United States
Alma mater	Stanford University, 1970
Awards	Distinguished Service Award Distinguished Honor Award
Military service
Rank	8th Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security

Eric J. Boswell was the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security from 2008 to 2012. He previously served in the same post from 1996 to 1998.

Eric J. Boswell was born in Naples, Italy on May 31, 1945. From 1968 to 1969, he served in the United States Army. He was educated at Stanford University, graduating with a B.A. in 1970.

Boswell joined the United States Foreign Service in 1972. As a Foreign Service Officer, he was posted to Dakar, Senegal 1973-74 and Quebec City 1977-80. He spent 1980-83 in Washington, D.C. working on Near Eastern assignments for the Bureau of Personnel of the United States Department of State. From 1983 to 1985, he was Deputy Executive Director of the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs. He then returned to the field and was posted in Amman 1985-87 and in Ottawa 1987-90. From 1990 to 1992, he was Executive Director of the Bureau of Near East and South Asian Affairs. From 1992 to 1993, he was Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Management.

In September 1992, President of the United States George H. W. Bush nominated Boswell as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions and he became Director, with the rank of Ambassador, in May 1993. President Bill Clinton then nominated Boswell as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security and Boswell held this office from January 5, 1996 until January 31, 1998.