Assignments and Training
As you consider a Foreign Service Specialist career, you are probably wondering how your initial assignments and training will work: Do I get to change my assignment? Will I receive training, or will I just be sent to my post? The U.S. Department of State takes seriously its responsibility to prepare new Foreign Service Specialists not just for their first assignment, but for their career, as well. Here is some general information that will give you an overview of how this process works.
Assignments
The Department of State operates an open assignments system designed to provide all members of the Foreign Service with information on all positions within the Foreign Service that will be vacant during a specific timeframe. The purpose of this system is to ensure that all specialists have the chance to compete openly with their peers for vacancies.
Specialists who are eligible to be transferred receive a list of upcoming vacancies for which they may compete. Specialists then must submit a "bid list," a list of those positions for which they would like to be considered. Bid lists must be completed in accordance with guidelines set by the Department. These guidelines often require specialists to bid on positions in hardship posts and to bid on positions in more than one geographic region.
Hardship posts are those where living conditions are considered more difficult than in the United States. Such factors as climate, the quality of local health care, crime rate, pollution levels, and availability of spouse employment opportunities are used in deciding which posts are to be designated hardship. In general terms, most locations outside of Western Europe, Canada, and Australia are considered hardship posts. Employees serving at hardship posts receive a "hardship" differential of between five and thirty-five percent of salary, depending upon the severity of the hardship. For example, in 2006, Asuncion, Paraguay, is a 10% hardship differential post; Bucharest, Romania, is a 15% post; and Kigali, Rwanda, is a 25% post. There is an additional increment of pay for service at a designated danger post. For example, Baghdad has 35% danger pay as well as a 35% hardship differential.
The Secretary's Transformational Diplomacy initiative means that increasing numbers of assignments are being made to hardship posts, some of which could be in danger or war zones. Many of these are unaccompanied assignments where the employee lives alone at post and his/her family members maintain a separate household, usually in the U.S.
Specialists also are invited to submit comments regarding the choices on their bid list. Specialists may wish to be assigned to certain posts for health, family, professional or other reasons. The Department of State attempts to provide career-enhancing opportunities to its Foreign Service Specialists and to consider individual assignment needs. Should a mutually agreeable position for the employee not be available, however, the Department ultimately will decide where the employee's skills and qualifications are most needed. All vacancies must be filled, and all Foreign Service Specialists must be assigned.
The first two overseas assignments (usually of two years each) are directed by the Department of State based on needs of the Service. While new Foreign Service Specialists may express their preferences, the needs of the Service will prevail.
Orientation and Training
New Foreign Service Specialists undergo a period of orientation and training at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Virginia (Arlington is a suburb of Washington, D.C.) prior to their first assignment. This section briefly describes the orientation and training process, explains how first assignments are made, and provides basic information on the logistics of getting to Washington, D.C.
All new Foreign Service Specialists participate in a three-week orientation program designed to introduce them to the Foreign Service. The orientation program focuses on the mission and structure of the Department of State, terms of employment, and adapting to the Foreign Service lifestyle. The orientation program consists of lectures, discussions, writing and speaking exercises, and a one-day offsite.
Once specialists are assigned, they will receive additional training specific to their post of assignment.
Your First Assignment
Initial assignments are made prior to entry-on-duty, during training at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center or during follow-on specialized training. Specialists will be assigned exclusively to positions in their field during their initial limited appointment. These positions may be within the United States or overseas, as required by the needs of the Service.
Travel to Washington, D.C.
The government pays the travel expenses of new Foreign Service Specialists and their families to Washington, D.C. Most specialists, who do not live in the Washington, D.C., area, will receive additional funds to defray the costs associated with living in the Washington area during their orientation and training. At present, the government will reimburse new employees temporarily assigned to the Washington area for lodging and restaurant expenses up to the maximum daily amounts presented in the following chart.
June 1 - August 31
| Time in Washington | Maximum Daily Reimbursement |
| First 30 days | up to $162.00 a day |
| Days 31 through 120 | up to $81 a day |
| Days 121 until departure | up to $40.50 a day |
September 1 - September 30
| Time in Washington | Maximum Daily Reimbursement |
| First 30 days | up to $195.00 a day |
| Days 31 through 120 | up to $97.50 a day |
| Days 121 until departure | up to $48.75 a day |
Transportation
The United States Government pays the cost of transporting the household effects of new Foreign Service Specialists to the Washington, D.C. area. The household effects are placed in storage until the specialist is transferred overseas.
