The DSS currently employs 2,500 special agents, diplomatic couriers, security technical specialists, and security engineering officers across the globe. DSSA Selection Process Accessible Text DSSA Selection Process Non-Accessible PDF DSSA Selection Process Download to learn more. [57] Once assigned overseas, a DSS agent will typically serve first as a Special Agent called an Assistant Regional Security Officer (ARSO) in a Regional Security Office. His arrest was the result of an exhaustive and well coordinated investigation by the FBI's Washington Field Office, the FBI legal attach, and Special Agents of the Diplomatic Security Service assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Managua.[56]. Although DSS was by then a Bureau within the State Department, the vast majority of RSOs overseas continued to report to the Administration Officer. In addition, the office relies on a cadre of security engineers to deter, detect, and neutralize attempts by foreign intelligence services to technically penetrate U.S. office buildings and residences. DS Special Agents protect the U.S . As the day progressed, the protesters threw combustible material over the wall landing at the bottom of the watch towers which smoked U.S. personnel out of the towers. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which had the best forensic laboratory in the country. [10] The agents were overseen by a junior Foreign Service Officer, Leland Harrison. vacancy announcement on their website. The resultant Inman Report recommended that security at the State Department needed to be elevated to a higher priority. ATF job announcements are available on USAjobs.gov. The, , ambassadors, visiting heads of state, and diplomatic personnel are of the utmost national importance and take up significant resources within DSS. Positions may have unique application procedures. Ariel Patrick was featured on America's Most Wanted.[47]. The age limit for special agent recruits is 37. This is a self-evaluation to assess your preparedness for the DSS-administered Physical Readiness Test (PRT). Security and law enforcement arm of the U.S. State Department, Overseas Criminal Investigations Division. On December 31, 2019, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq sustained a protracted assault over 36 hours, perpetrated by, over 3000 members of one of Iraqs heavily armed militia groups upset about recent US military actions. The Diplomatic Security Service Office of Investigations and Counterintelligence (DS/ICI/CI) conducts a robust counterintelligence program designed to deter, detect, and neutralize the efforts of foreign intelligence services targeting Department of State personnel, facilities, and diplomatic missions worldwide. personnel; including then U.S. The operation is 24/7 and the incumbent is expected to work nights/weekends/holidays and overtime (OT), as needed. State Department Internship webpage to learn more. If there is a nexus to passport and/or visa fraud, use of State Department documents, diplomatic activities, the U.S. Foreign Service, or terrorism, DSS is typically involved. [citation needed] Newer agents generally dislike the title,[citation needed] because it doesn't reflect their law enforcement status, and consider it a vestige of Diplomatic Security's SY days. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security's Office of Foreign Missions is responsible for the protection of foreign embassies and consulates on U.S. The Diplomatic Security Service ( DSS or DS) is the principal security and law enforcement agency of the United States Department of State. Course are taught by special agents. The U.S. Parole Commission issued an arrest warrant for Gorham on Oct. 17, regarding the subject's original conviction of sodomy, kidnapping and assault with the intent to commit sodomy. Thanks in advance for any help. These positions are referred to as I positions as in Investigator and they are commonly referred to as ARSO-Is. Stockless or "shorty" versions of the Remington 870 shotgun may still be found in some DSS offices. [50][51][52], On October 8, 2010, DSS agents located Dario Sarimiento Tomas in Pampanga, Philippines. The DS Memorial honors employees, contractors, and military support personnel U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who lost their lives supporting the DS mission of providing a secure environment for the conduct of American diplomacy. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Diplomatic Securitys Regional Security Office in Lima worked closely with the U.S. Special Agents may also conduct background investigations for individuals desiring employment with the Department of State, or updating the security clearances of Department of State employees. When not on an overseas assignment, agents serve at DSS headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, or in one of the 29 field offices nationwide. A secondary coordinated attack on the CIA Annex resulted in the death & injury of additional US personnel. This DSS Special Agent position is a 2501 Foreign Service position It is a federal offense to apply, or assist someone in applying, for a U.S. passport or visa when they are not entitled to one. Book: The Armies of Ignorance: The Rise of the American Intelligence Empire by William R. Corson, 1977; Page 74, Bureau of Diplomatic Security official home page, Book The New Jackals: Ramzi Yousef, Osama bin Laden and the Future of Terrorism, by Simon Reeve, Targeted: Volume 1, The Evil Genius (Ramzi Yousef) (Wild Eyes Productions for the History Channel; A&E Networks) 2003, Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, Assistant Secretary of State for Administration, Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Europe, Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information, Learn how and when to remove this template message, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Bureau of Diplomatic Security bibliography, Office of Mobile Security Deployments (MSD), Office of the Inspector General of the Department of State, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, "Diplomatic Security Service: Then and Now", "U.S. Department of State DS Pictorial History Photo 5 of 192 1916: U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing creates an informal Secret Intelligence Bureau to examine information of a secret nature received from other U.S. agencies and from allied intelligence agents, and to oversee surveillance of the German Embassy in Washington, DC. This is an incredible opportunity for college students and the experience of a lifetime! The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for a limited number of Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent (DSSSA) vacancies based on the needs of the Department. Originating from diplomatic security measures enacted during the First World War, DSS was formally established in 1985 following the deadly 1983 bombings of the U.S. embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Before his departure in 1947, SY Director Bannerman began codifying procedures for overseas security. Recruitment requires that applicants be at least 20 years old to become a Foreign Service Specialist; this includes careers as a special agent, security engineering officer, security technical specialist, and diplomatic courier. passport & visa fraud . Among the many benefits you will receive are: paid housing or a housing allowance, when serving overseas, health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, paid education for dependent children in K-12 overseas, generous paid leave, and an unprecedented chance to see the world and experience different cultures. Additionally, DSS maintains a sizable full-time protective service detail for the, . Lansing also proposes an inter-agency secret service to be centered in the Department of State, but the White House fails to act on the suggestion. Qualifications Questionnaire (20 minutes), 5. 30 users here now. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is headed by the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, who in turn is served by several Deputy Assistant Secretaries (DAS). The DS oversees all security related matters of the Department of State, which includes security at U.S. embassies and consulates. Ambassador to the United Nations and other senior diplomats. An Interpol Red Notice, as well as investigations by the U.S. Counterespionage investigations are conducted in coordination with the FBI in accordance with their legal mandates. [27], On June 4, 2009, DSS and the FBI arrested former Department of State employee Walter Kendall Myers on charges of serving as an illegal agent of the Cuban government for nearly 30 years and conspiring to provide classified U.S. information to the Cuban government. In 1961, Otto Otepka, then a deputy director of SY, brought to the attention of the U.S. Senate Internal Security Subcommittee deficiencies in the State Department clearance process. This is my first time doing any federal hiring process so any advice is appreciated. U.S. passports and visas are valuable travel documents, and consequently some foreign nationals fraudulently acquire U.S. passports and visas to carry out criminal activities, including terrorism, inside the borders of the United States. (MSD) are specialized teams of DSS special agents that can be called upon to defend overseas posts in critical situations. Once the announcement is closed, applicants are Video). No matter which professional, academic or personal path you have taken in life, you can turn your unique perspectives and law enforcement, technical, or engineering skills into an exciting public service career. State Department agents began investigating subsequent instances of passport and visa fraud. If you still have that restlessness in you, this is the job.. DSS also conducts tens of thousands of background investigations per year not just for the Department of State, but for other federal agencies as well. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. Read More. At the same time, the protestors pulled down the Embassys cameras around the perimeter. Domestically, DSS also has significant responsibility in providing security for visiting heads of states at diplomatic events (. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security also conducts overseas investigations for the Department of State and other federal agencies. The RSO stayed at the embassy and managed security preparations in response to political or criminal changes in the country; responded to a threat against a U.S. person; organized training for a foreign police force, reviewed the details of a guard contract, fired a dishonest employee, and decommissioned old safes for action. This is a 45-50 minute process conducted by a member of the Foreign Service Board of Examiners and a DS Special Agent. [21][22][23][24][25] ARSOs generally focus on managing the guard force, bodyguards, and Marine Security Detachment. Please refer to the Vacancy Announcement for complete information on eligibility requirements and qualifications. equivalent to the 1811 CS Series. All employees who work for Bureau of Diplomatic Security, including those of DSS, are referred to as DS employees. Myers arrest is the culmination of a three-year joint DSS/FBI investigation.[28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. [4], While best known for its security role, DSS is a full-fledged law enforcement agency that conducts international criminal investigations, threat analysis, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, security technology and cybersecurity. For information on Diplomatic Security positions in the Department of State, please visit us at careers.state.gov/ds. Usually after two back-to-back overseas tours, agents will be encouraged to return to the U.S. and serve in a headquarters position before returning overseas as a Regional Security Officer. DSS has been expanding its criminal role overseas and now has many overseas fraud investigator positions. The Diplomatic Security Service maintains agents in dozens of Joint Terrorism Task Force operations around the country. [82], Many former DSS agents have become authors and written works of fiction and non-fiction about their experiences.[83]. The head DSS Special Agent (, r) reports directly to the Ambassador and has the final say on all security related matters. Perks include worldwide travel for you and your family, comfortable housing, as well as top-rated international schooling for children, student loan repayment, and employment opportunities in embassies and consulates for spouses and qualified dependents. Foreign Service Specialist Selection Process Updated: April 2024 Accessible Text FSS Selection Process Non-Accessible PDF FSS Selection Process Download When his suggestion failed to gain support, on April 4, 1916, Secretary Lansing, with the authorization of President Woodrow Wilson, created his own task force, the Bureau of Secret Intelligence, which he dubbed "the Secret Service of the Department of State. That means if you are graduating on February 1, but the position closes on January 31, you do not meet the basic requirements, and your application will not be considered.. [3] As employees of the U.S. State Department DSS special agents are unique in U.S. federal law enforcement for also being members of the Foreign Service. YouTube. DSS worked with Philippine officials to apprehend Tomas, who was wanted in South Korea on charges that he defrauded an individual there of more than $200,000. Online Application. All training programs enhance the understanding of both foreign intelligence and espionage threats and countermeasures, and educate employees on the foreign intelligence environment. [65] The division's prevailing goal is to "combat crime where it originates rather than waiting for it to cross U.S. Sources: Washington Post, Sept 7, 2004, State's Security Bureau Takes on Expanded Role, Washington Post article by Robin Wright; (Book) 2002 Relentless Pursuit: The DSS and the Manhunt for the Al-Qaeda Terrorists, Samuel M. Katz. Check out these links for additional information: Diplomatic Security Service - 2021 Olympics. The card will be charged $5 to hold the appointment. I know a few current diplomatic security agents, but they have been in long enough that the hiring process may have changed some. Additionally, the [12] However, DSS is the federal law enforcement agency, and not the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS). of State. [48][49], On July 30, 2010, special agents from DSS located fugitive George Alvin Viste in Peru. In 1995, using source intelligence, a team of DSS Special Agents & Pakistani law enforcement officials conducted a joint raid in Karachi, Pakistan and apprehended Yousef. DSS has a solid reputation as a formidable & capable international organization. Senators and not backing down, Secretary Rusk removed Otepka from his position and ultimately unceremoniously fired him.[11]. This is because the host country will not investigate or prosecute diplomats, who are considered to have immunity from their laws. [60][61][62] Sometimes the title Senior Regional Security Officer will be used to help prevent confusion or to indicate that the agent is the most senior in the country. DSS is located in 30 U.S. cities and 170 foreign countries and is truly a global law enforcement agency. [40] DSS Special Agent Terrance Lawrence was involved in returning Yaffe from Brazil. Positions currently available span educational backgrounds ranging from high school equivalency to specific degrees in engineering and physics. This site offers hiring tips & information about what it is like to be an 1811 special agent. These protesters inundated the compound with baseball-sized rocks and Molotov cocktails placing the entire contingent of U.S. personnel and third-country nationals under direct threat. When assigned to domestic field offices, DSS special agents investigate passport fraud and visa fraud, and protect visiting foreign dignitaries. If you would like to schedule an appointment further than eight weeks out, you will need to log back into this system closer to the date you wish to schedule the test to make a request. According to U.S. law, the title "security officer" is legally defined as someone who is employed by a private entity and is not a law enforcement officer. When assigned to the United States special agents are authorized to carry firearms both on and off duty and when assigned overseas are authorized to carry firearms when approved by the chief of mission. However, they spend a large amount of their time working with the fraud units in consular sections, investigating visa and passport fraud, as well as crimes that have a nexus to those documents, including terrorism, organized crime, trafficking in persons, and narcotics violations. DSS is a premier Judge Ellen S. Huvelle of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the former CIA officer. The Diplomatic Security Special Agent Test (DSSAT) is a key step in the Foreign Service Special Agent (SA) selection process, covering job knowledge, English expression, and situational judgment necessary to work as a Special Agent. Click the links below for more information: An official website of the United States Government, Security Engineering Officer Careers (PDF), Security Technical Specialist Careers (PDF), Internships with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (PDF), Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. After the initial duty assignment, Special Agents are expected to serve a substantial portion of their careers living and working abroad and can expect to rotate every few years between an overseas assignment and a domestic office/Washington DC. The test consists of doing push-ups, sit-ups and a 1.5 mile run. Candidates must complete two registration steps: submitting an application and selecting an appointment. In 1985, Congress created the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), headed by the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, and the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), headed by the Director of DSS, who is subordinate to the Assistant Secretary of State for DS. [63][64], The OCI manages all DSS investigative forces abroad, namely Assistant Regional Security Officer-Investigators (ARSO-Is), DSS special agents responsible for ensuring the integrity of the U.S. passport and visa system. The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) has more than 2,500 special agents, security engineering officers, security technical specialists, and diplomatic couriers working and traveling worldwide. Less than 2% of applicants successfully completes and passes the hiring process. Twitter If you are interested in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we are now hiring Foreign Service Diplomatic Security Special Agents. Was reappointed as director on February 1, 2013, to enable him to serve as acting Assistant Secretary pending formal nomination and confirmation. At Foreign Service posts, Diplomatic Security Special Agents are referred to as Regional Security Officers, and are responsible for the administration of a broad range of security services to protect Foreign Service personnel, facilities, operations, and information against foreign intelligence, criminal, and terrorist activities. I would also like to know more about the hiring process in general if anyone has any info or advice. The agents going to those locations attend additional training (HTOC) in these weapons before they are deployed. The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS or DS) is the principal security and law enforcement agency of the United States Department of State. ). To be eligible, the U.S. Department of State requires that each candidate be: At the time of application, you must possess at least a bachelors degree from an accredited college or university and at least one year of work experience and/or academic achievements that reflect progressively increasing levels of responsibility. The allegations were traced all the way up to then Secretary of State Dean Rusk. Final selection for SA position is made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications. Nevertheless, the DSS has expanded its protection mission, including providing security to the heads of Afghanistan, Haiti and Liberia in their respective home countries.[19][20]. [2] It is the leading U.S. law enforcement agency abroad and the most widely deployed in the world, protecting 275 U.S. diplomatic missions in over 170 countries and 29 U.S. DSS SAs, depending upon assignment, are responsible for Department of State security policies, provision of a range of security services, management of security operations, supervision of subordinate staff, and the performance of some, or all, of the following functions: You can view complete information on the DSSA Selection Process. The Director of DSS is an active DSS agent and is often referred as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS), as he/she is senior to the various assistant directors of Diplomatic Security who hold positions equivalent to Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS). Facebook PURPOSE: The information solicited on this form will be used to determine eligibility to take the DSSA Test, to register for the DSSA Test, to assess qualifications for selection as a Diplomatic Security Special Agent, and to ensure the integrity of the examination process. The Office of Protective Intelligence and Investigations (PII) in the Threat Intelligence and Analysis division has DSS Special Agents who travel all over the world investigating threats to the Secretary of State and U.S. Embassies and Consulates. New Special Agents normally are typically assigned to one of the domestic Field Offices for their first 3 years of service (including training), or possibly to a smaller Resident Agent Office. Read More. The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) has more than 2,500 special agents, security engineering officers, security technical specialists, and diplomatic couriers working and traveling worldwide. To be considered for the position of special agent, applicants must meet the following requirements: Be a U.S. Citizen. This is the official Facebook Page run by DSS & often includes info. DSS agents have often found themselves in harm's way, with four agents and 28 contract security specialists killed in the line of duty as of July 2006. Around this time, the Chief Special Agent's office became known as SY (short for Office of Security), which in turn was under the Administration Bureau of the Management Undersecretary. The origins of DSS go back to the early stages of the First World War, when the United States, which sought to maintain its neutrality, found itself the target of espionage, sabotage and passport fraud. hbbd``b`z$ge `b\Q@"5hPd100&3` i This is a comprehensive and in-depth historical analysis of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The ARSO-I's may work alien smuggling and human trafficking investigations alongside resident or regional ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents. The bureau, which has the most extensive global reach of any U.S. federal law enforcement agency is located in 180 countries and more than 275 cities around the world. During World War II, State Department agents were once again involved in interning and exchanging diplomatic officials of enemy powers. Special Agent - Diplomatic Security Service (Current Employee) - Los Angeles, CA - September 4, 2017.