The Foreign Service -- An Excellent Career Choice!

Having become a big fan of the U.S. Foreign Service, and the good work that it does around the world, I wanted to dedicate a post to the promotion of the U.S. Foreign Service as a career choice for both young and old. As a caveat, let me start by saying that Eli and I are not technically part of the U.S. "Foreign Service." Eli works for the U.S. Department of Justice's OPDAT program, which is focused on helping improve judicial and law enforcement systems in countries that have expressed interest in receiving U.S. assistance in those areas. Although Eli is assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, he is not a "Foreign Service Officer."

The U.S. Foreign Service is part of the U.S. State Department, and is a career path designed for folks who want to serve the U.S. government overseas. As I understand it, getting into the foreign service is very competitive, and many young, adventurous, smart folks vie for these positions every year. And, while the mental image of an FSO might be the young college graduate, I should note that the upper age limit for entering the Foreign Service is 59, so even older folks have a shot at entering this exciting field.

We have many friends and colleagues here in Belgrade who are Foreign Service Officers and/or spouses of FSOs. It is a most interesting way of living, to say the least. After passing the exam, new FSOs receive their first assignment, which is a two-year assignment. If they are assigned to a post that requires proficiency in a language other than English, then they must attend a language course at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), outside of Washington. These courses, as far as I can tell, generally last about 9 months. Once they have passed their language competency exam, they move to post, and begin their work in the Embassy. Approximately one year prior to the end of a tour, FSOs enter into the bidding process for their next post. A list of openings is disseminated (usually in the Fall), and folks begin talking to their contacts and colleagues at other posts, and trying to get themselves noticed for these openings. Then, they put a preference list together and wait to find out where they've been posted. If the next post requires language training, then they return to the FSI for another round of language training, and then head to the post. If a new/different language is not required, then they go straight to post (possibly with a stopover in the U.S. first -- not sure how this works).

As you can see, during the course of an average-length FSO career, an FSO could be posted to 8-10 different locations, including, most likely, several tours back in Washington, D.C. These people and their families have the great privilege of serving the United States, while living in different countries and learning about cultures and customs throughout the world. They also have the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the regions in which they are posted, which I must say, is a phenomenal opportunity.

Of course, this career choice has some obvious drawbacks. FSOs and their families are separated from their families back in the U.S., although many of them will travel back home at least once a year for an extended visit. Kids of FSOs also must move every three years, which, for some kids, can be disruptive and challenging. Research shows, however, that this kind of lifestyle can also be very beneficial, as it develops many good qualities, not the least of which is the ability to acclimate easily to new and different environments.

If I had it to do all over again, I think that I would seriously consider a career with the Foreign Service. How very, very exciting to think about spending 30 years living in so many different countries, and having the opportunity to help people and governments all over the world. We have friends here who have spent years in Africa, and who seriously cannot say enough wonderful things about their experiences there, despite the hardships of living in some African countries. Clearly, the Foreign Service is not for everyone, but for those seeking adventure and a lifetime of new and different experiences, I think that it is an outstanding choice!!

Have a wonderful day.

Erin