To schedule, reschedule or cancel an exam: Candidates should use their personal e-mail addresses which they check regularly throughout the Foreign Service testing and assessment processes. All employees who work for Bureau of Diplomatic Security, including those of DSS, are referred to as DS employees. DSS is located in 30 U.S. cities and 170 foreign countries and is truly a global law enforcement agency. In the case of DSS agents, the RSO (senior special agent at post) is rated by the Deputy Chief of Mission and reviewed by the Chief of Mission (Ambassador). After a new agent candidate is hired, he or she begins a nearly nine-month training program that includes the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) (pronounced flet-see) in Glynco, Georgia; a Basic Special Agent Course (BSAC) at the Diplomatic Security Training Center, and courses at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, Virginia. 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]. The DSS is best identified with its protection assignments around the globe. %PDF-1.5 % DSS SA Announcement 2022 01-06-2022, 01:59 PM For any and all interested, the Department of State has sent out an email informing the DSS will be posting a Special Agent announcement in the. The office is never a formal Department bureau but only a few special agents located within the Office of the Counselor. Positions currently available span educational backgrounds ranging from high school equivalency to specific degrees in engineering and physics. On November 23, 2009, DSS Special Agents from the U.S. Embassy's Regional Security Office (RSO) worked closely with the U.S. [1] As the operational division of State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, its primary mission is to protect diplomatic assets, personnel, and information and to combat visa and passport fraud. Although the former is technically correct, both terms are used interchangeably within the agency and other organizations. Please refer to the Vacancy Announcement for complete information on eligibility requirements and qualifications. 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). Ambassador to the United Nations and other senior diplomats. Ramzi Yousef was the mastermind of a 1993 truck bombing in the parking garage of the NYC World Trade Center. The Regional Security Officer title is currently in an unofficial period of flux and, although not officially sanctioned, some agents posted overseas use derivative titles such as security attach or only use their agent titles on their business cards. DSS investigates crimes against State Department personnel and other U.S. Government personnel and families assigned under Chief of Mission authority at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. Those who apply, pass the online test and pass the minimum qualifications review will be required to submit their undergraduate transcripts. 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. These agents work out of the consular sections of embassies and consulates instead of the Regional Security Offices. Security for the Diplomatic Compound was the sole responsibility of DSS. We hope to open up this vacancy again toward the end of 2022. Click here to find a test center near you. Selected applicants will be notified of an Oral Assessment (OA) requirement in Washington D.C. or select alternate sites within the U.S. [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 is 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. In 1917, he hires the first Chief Special Agent, Joseph M. Nye. The U.S. Department of State is the United States premier diplomatic institution, with opportunities for law enforcement professionals to serve our country overseas and domestically. The actions of the six DS agents throughout the attack prevented serious bodily harm and death to U.S. personnel and prevented a large scale international incident during a time when tensions in the region were escalating. Applicants have six months to schedule an appointment for the gateway test, however due to required administrative processes, the appointment must be made within eight weeks of the desired testing date. Tomas was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul as a Customs and Border Protection Officer. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Less than 2% of applicants successfully completes and passes the hiring process. The Special agents have a different path but are frequently posted to overseas missions in their first two years. DSS agents are uniquely required to serve multiple-year tours abroad as a condition of employment. Flickr 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. For information on Diplomatic Security positions in the Department of State, please visit us at careers.state.gov/ds. security of embassies , ambassadors, visiting heads of state, and diplomatic personnel are of the utmost national importance and take up significant resources within DSS. Marshals Service (USMS) announces the capture of John Earl Gorham. On April 20, 2013, in coordination with Nicaraguan authorities, the FBI's Panama City Legal Attach Office and the Diplomatic Security's Regional Security Office of the U.S. Embassy in Managua located Eric Justin Toth in Esteli, Nicaragua, where he was placed into custody. A small percentage of DSS special agents are members of the State Department's Civil Service and are not mandated to serve tours overseas; they instead focus on criminal investigations and dignitary protection within the United States. The DSS was ultimately named as the lead agency to carry out the protection for Hillary Clinton during her tenure as Secretary of State. DSS is a premier What is the training process for DS Special Agents? Additionally, the 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. Eligible military veterans can apply up to the age of 60 years old, said Bokleman. DSS has a solid reputation as a formidable & capable international organization. Marshals Montana Violent Offender Task Force and Belize Police, DSS arrested Michael Patrick McNulty on a $100,000 warrant issued by the state of Montana.[55]. Traveling and assignments abroad may involve working in remote areas where traditional comforts and medical facilities are limited. The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS or DS) is the principal security and law enforcement agency of the United States Department of State. On April 26, 2010, after failing to check in with pretrial services within two days of his April 21 hearing on his bond status, Andrew Warren 42, was apprehended by a combined team of Norfolk Police Department Fugitive Investigators, DSS Special Agents and U.S. DSSA Selection Process Accessible Text DSSA Selection Process Non-Accessible PDF DSSA Selection Process Download State Department agents began investigating subsequent instances of passport and visa fraud. The path begins with an application, followed by the selection process, and then assignment to an orientation course that marks the beginning of a career with the DSS. Want to put your top-secret security clearance to work, continue to serve your country, not ready to settle down and join corporate American? Unlike investigations conducted in the United States by other federal agencies, DSS Agents have to work jointly with their foreign counterparts in often hostile areas of the world. . A career at DSS requires tenacity to get on board. Be at least 21 years of age at the time of application, and younger than 37 upon receipt of a conditional offer of employment, to continue in the application process*. %%EOF The selection process is complex to some, but its laid out clearly in in seven steps. The agents put out fires which prevented fuel tanks from going ablaze, evacuated the guard force and other employees just in time before the building they were in was engulfed in flames, and fortified the gates preventing additional intruders from gaining access to the compound. Security Clearance program for the U.S. State Department. [65] Embedded in 120 diplomatic posts across 85 countries, there are roughly 130 ARSO-Is who conduct criminal investigations and work with foreign governments to build a global law enforcement network; they maintain formal partnerships and training programs with foreign police, immigration, and customs officials to target a wide range of criminals, including forgers, smugglers, and terrorists. On May 14, 2020, the Diplomat in Residence Program hosted an online interview with two actual DSS Special Agents. From that time and through the early 1970s, the number of agents remained relatively small, hovering around 300, with more than half of these serving overseas at any given time. The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) provides security for the people, property, and information crucial to the State Departments role in maintaining a diplomatic presence and conducting of foreign policy around the world. As members of the Foreign Service, agents are expected to spend most of their career living and working overseas, often in hazardous environments or less developed countries throughout the world. While the Olympics are the most well-known events, DSS agents have worked with host country security on numerous other large-scale events around the world. Application Process. [50][51][52], On October 8, 2010, DSS agents located Dario Sarimiento Tomas in Pampanga, Philippines. Additionally, DSS maintains a sizable full-time protective service detail for the not a very public facing agency and its interaction with Hollywood is limited at best. State Department Internship webpage to learn more. 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. Additionally, DSS special agents are frequently assigned to positions within DS but outside of the DSS chain of command hierarchy. 30 users here now. 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. DSS has the authority to provide protection for foreign heads of state and was the lead agency for this role through the early 1970s. ATF job announcements are available on USAjobs.gov. Even some more seasoned agents have taken to referring to themselves as Special Agent-in-Charge/Regional Security Officer on their official biographies. Gorham was arrested for being drunk in public and for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female at a Chantilly High School football game. Sometimes Americans, including Foreign Service Officers (FSOs), are the target of DSS investigations, such as an FSO selling visas for personal gain. The age limit for special agent recruits is 37. There are four stages of the interview, beginning with two written test to examine your overall knowledge of the State Department and assess your writing capabilities. Online Application. Review the [36][37], The Diplomatic Security Service is tasked with tracking and capturing fugitives who have fled U.S. jurisdiction to avoid prosecution. Within a couple of years, you could be living and working in London, Rio de Janeiro, Pretoria, Istanbul, Prague.. Whereas most U.S. federal law enforcement agents are members of the Federal Civil Service, the majority of DSS special agents are both Foreign Service specialists and law enforcement officers. This DSS Special Agent position is a 2501 Foreign Service position Failure to pass any of the steps below may eliminate you from the hiring process. YouTube. 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. You can view complete information on the DSSA Selection Process. The application and clearance process is thorough and can be lengthy, but an Applicant Coordinator guides you through the entire process. Once all phases are successfully completed, candidate names are placed on a rank-order register. [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. An official website of the United States Government, Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. Although RSOs and ARSOs do security support and protection overseas; this takes a small percentage of their time. In 1995, DSS Special Agents Jeff Riner and Bill Miller, the RSOs assigned to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan, along with Pakistani police and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), arrested Ahmed Ramzi Yousef, who was wanted in connection with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York City; despite FBI press releases, the agency played no role in his capture. U.S. Department of State - United States Department of State 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. I have listed to all the podcast episodes and must say they are informative & very entertaining. DSS agent hiring thread. equivalent to the 1811 CS Series. [41] On February 11, 2009, the United States District Court, Southern District of California issued a federal arrest warrant for Yaffe, and on April 11, Yaffe was profiled on the television show America's Most Wanted. DSS special agents train heavily on protective service operations and can expect to deploy to dangerous & austre locations throughout their career (, ). The DSS also places a strong emphasis on what they refer to as the 12 dimensions, the criteria for all Foreign Service Specialist candidates. A secondary coordinated attack on the CIA Annex resulted in the death & injury of additional US personnel. Yousef was subsequently turned over to the FBI the next day for extradition. . When not on an overseas assignment, agents serve at DSS headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, or in one of the 29 field offices nationwide. Able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination. After reading all 729 pages of the thread, you and many other active agents have provided outstanding knowledge/insight about the job. I know a few current diplomatic security agents, but they have been in long enough that the hiring process may have changed some. DSS has been expanding its criminal role overseas and now has many overseas fraud investigator positions. Special Agent - Diplomatic Security Service (Current Employee) - Los Angeles, CA - September 4, 2017. hbbd``b`z$ge `b\Q@"5hPd100&3` i The allegations were traced all the way up to then Secretary of State Dean Rusk. Counterespionage investigations are conducted in coordination with the FBI in accordance with their legal mandates. With its global partners, ARSO-Is help locate and return an average of 300 fugitives to the U.S. annually; missions have included dismantling major human smuggling networks, identifying criminals involved in child exploitation and pornography, ending international scams, and disrupting suspected terrorist travel. All other federal agencies, such as the FBI, ATF, USSS, and DOD components, will report to the DSS agent in charge.[71][72][73][74]. For example, security clearances may take less time for younger candidates. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Fit for physical exertion and pass a pre-employment physical readiness test. 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. The card will be charged $5 to hold the appointment. Starting at 126233.0 GS14. 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. U.S. military community funding eligibility options, Do not sell my personal information and cookies. Language skills are considered a bonus, but no particular language familiarity is required. The DSSAT is conveniently offered throughout the U.S., likely in a location near you, and is available Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. At the same time, the protestors pulled down the Embassys cameras around the perimeter. All DS Special Agents must pass a pre-employment Physical Readiness Test (PRT) in order to demonstrate their physical competency.