Foreign Service Officer

A Foreign Service Officer (FSO) is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions, though some receive assignments to combatant command, Congress, and educational institutions such as the various U.S. War Colleges.

Foreign Service Officers, who occupy most of the top tiers of the Foreign Service, are one of five categories of Foreign Service employees. Other categories include Foreign Service Nationals and Specialists (e.g., Special Agents of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service).

Currently, there are five career tracks (called cones) for State Department Foreign Service Officer: Consular Officers, Economic Officers, Management Officers, Political Officers, and Public Diplomacy Officers. Consular Officers are charged primarily with working with American citizens with activities such as adoptions and would be charged with evacuating Americans from the country in the case of a disaster. Economic Officers work with foreign economic agencies to facilitate economic issues as well as foreign policy dealing with technology and sciences. Management Officers are responsible for the affairs of an embassy or consulate and dealing with the personnel and budgets of the embassy. Political Officers have the responsibility of interacting with foreign governments on policy issues and negotiating policy. Lastly, Public Diplomacy Officers inform the citizens of their respective countries on the actions of the embassy, including meeting with the press and giving educational events.

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