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HISTORY AND LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND On September 15 , 1789 , Congress passed an Act creating the Department Of State and appointing duties to it, including the keeping of the Great Seal Of The United States . Initially the Diplomatic Service -- providing Ambassadors and Ministers to staff embassies overseas -- and the Consular Service, which provided Consuls to assist United States sailors and promote commerce, developed separately. Throughout the 19th century, Ambassadors (or Ministers, as they were known prior to the 1890s) and Consuls were appointed by the President, and until 1856, earned no salary. Many had commercial ties to the countries in which they would serve, and were expected to earn a living through private business or by collecting fees. In 1856, Congress provided a salary for Consuls serving at certain posts; those who received a salary could not engage in private business, but could continue to collect fees for services performed. The Rogers Act of 1924 merged the Diplomatic and Consular services into one Foreign Service. A Foreign Service Exam was also implemented to recruit the brightest Americans, along with a merit based system of promotions. Since the Rogers Act, about two-thirds of US Ambassadors have been appointed from within the ranks of the Foreign Service, and the remaining third have been appointed directly by the United States President. The Foreign Service Act of 1980 was the last major legislative reform to the Foreign Service. It enacted danger pay for those diplomats who serve in dangerous and hostile surroundings along with other administrative changes. FUNCTIONS OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE The Foreign Service Act defines 5 categories of personnel, known as "members of the Service". These include: Foreign Service Officer s represent the United States' interests abroad. In addition, they are responsible for the adjudication of visa and passport applications and assistance to U.S. citizens abroad. FSOs are classified into various specialties, including Management, Consular, Public Diplomacy, Political, and Economic. Foreign Service Specialists perform unique services in support of the State Department worldwide. Examples of specialists include Medical Doctor, Health Practitioner, Information Resource Management, Office Management Specialist, and Regional Security Officer , (''Federal law enforcement employment rules apply for RSO positions which are part of the Diplomatic Security Service ).'' Foreign Service Nationals are host- or third-country citizens hired abroad to perform support tasks at Embassies and Consulates. FOREIGN AFFAIRS AGENCIES While employees of the Department Of State make up the largest portion of the Foreign Service, other US government agencies also use the system for positions that require service abroad, in accordance with the Foreign Service Act. These include the Department of Commerce (Foreign Commercial Service), the Department of Agriculture ( Foreign Agriculture Service ), and the United States Agency For International Development (USAID). JOINING THE FOREIGN SERVICE For the past fifty years, Foreign Service Officer candidates had to take an all-day written exam. Those who passed were invited to appear for an oral assessment which is an exercise in one’s ability to use general persuasion and interpersonal skills. Beginning in summer 2007, the all-day written exam is to be shortened and information on a structured or a number of other cities throughout the United States . Passage rates for the Oral Assessment are just as low {Link without Title} . The result is that with nearly 10,000 initial test-takers, barely 300 are ultimately offered an appointment as a Foreign Service Officer. Those persons who receive "the call" to become Foreign Service Officers must take part in a training/orientation course known as the A-100 Class . Foreign Service Specialist candidates are evaluated by Subject Matter Experts for proven skills and recommended to the Board of Examiners for an oral assessment of those skills. Foreign Service Specialist jobs are grouped into seven major categories: Administration, Construction Engineering, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Security. {Link without Title} Both Officers (also called Generalists) and Specialists selected for hire must pass extensive background and medical clearances. All Foreign Service personnel must agree to worldwide availability -- that is, they may be called on to serve anywhere in the world. They also agree to publicly support the policies of the United States Government. FOREIGN SERVICE LIFE Foreign Service employees are required to serve most of their career overseas. The difficulties and the benefits associated with this are many, especially in relation to family life. Dependent family members often accompany Foreign Service employees overseas. The incidence of divorce among Foreign Service employees is said to be higher than the national average, but reliable statistics regarding this are difficult to find. The children of Foreign Service members (sometimes called Foreign Service Brat s), grow up in a unique world, one that separates them, willingly or unwillingly, from their counterparts living continuously in the states. For both employees and their families, the opportunity to see the world, experience foreign cultures firsthand for a prolonged period, and the camaraderie amongst the Foreign Service and Expatriate communities in general are considered some of the benefits of Foreign Service life. FOREIGN SERVICE CAREER SYSTEM The Foreign Service personnel system is part of the Civil Service known as the Excepted Service and certain positions are competitively promoted in a system similar to that of military officers. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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