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Under Secretary for Management

Bureau of Diplomatic Security

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Our Mission

Diplomatic Security is the federal law enforcement and security bureau of the U.S. Department of State. Tasked with securing diplomacy and protecting the integrity of U.S. travel documents, the Diplomatic Security Service has the largest global reach of any U.S. federal law enforcement agency, with offices in 29 U.S. cities and in more than 270 locations around the world.

Through the Antiterrorism Assistance program, DSS trains select partner-nation law enforcement professionals, called SPEAR teams, to help DSS protect US diplomatic posts in high-threat countries.

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Working for DSS

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.

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.

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Security Clearances

DSS conducts personnel security background investigations for the U.S. Department of State and other federal agencies.

These investigations provide information to help determine if a job candidate or current employee is suitable for employment and should have access to classified information, or Department of State resources and facilities.

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Diplomatic Couriers

A diplomatic courier is a U.S. government official who is properly trained and credentialed by the Secretary of State to accompany classified materials across international borders.

The Diplomatic Security Service has approximately 100 diplomatic couriers who provide secure and swift delivery of classified and sensitive materials between U.S. diplomatic missions and the Department of State.

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DS Memorial

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. Information about the DS Memorial and the names of the fallen personnel are available worldwide via the DS Memorial website.

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FASTC

This state-of-the art training facility in Blackstone, Virginia, opening on November 2019, will improve training efficiency, decrease operating costs, and provide the best training to the Department of State and other law enforcement personnel.

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U.S. Department of State

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