2 FAM 1920
BRIEFING, DEBRIEFING, AND ARRANGING CONSULTATION FOR
NEWLY APPOINTED OR RETURNING AMBASSADORS
(CT:GEN-480; 10-26-2017)
(Office of Origin: HR/PC)
2 FAM 1921 RESPONSIBILITY
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
The Director General has general responsibility for
ensuring that effective procedures are established and implemented for
preparing selectees to serve as chief of mission or ambassador. The
Presidential Appointments Staff Unit (HR/CDA/SL/PAS) provides suggestions for
briefings and consultations to appropriate bureau offices in order to
facilitate this process.
2 FAM 1922 INITIAL ARRANGEMENTS
2 FAM 1922.1 Responsibility of the
Assistant Secretary and Staff of Bureaus
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
Responsibility for briefing and assisting a newly
appointed or returning ambassador is assigned to the Assistant Secretary of the
bureau concerned, who may, in turn, delegate to the appropriate bureau desk
officer the planning and execution of the briefing, debriefing, and
consultation schedules on a Department- and Government-wide basis.
2 FAM 1922.2 Advance Notification
of Expected Arrival
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
Upon receipt of information that a newly appointed or returning
ambassador is to be in the Department for leave, consultation, briefing,
debriefing, or other purpose, if necessary the senior desk officer notifies the
Operations Center, the Bureau of Legislative Affairs (H), the Bureau of
Intelligence and Research (INR), and the executive director of the appropriate
bureau of the ambassadors approximate travel dates.
2 FAM 1922.3 Notification of
Changed Time of Arrival
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
When the arrival of the ambassador in the Department has
been changed, the senior desk officer must notify he officers indicated in
section 2 FAM
1922.2.
2 FAM 1922.4 Making Appointments
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
Requests for appointments with the President, the
Secretary, and the under secretaries are submitted by memoranda through normal
channels. Appointments with other officials, including those outside of the
Department, are requested by written communication with the offices as
necessary.
2 FAM 1922.5 Extension of Time for
Consultation
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
The period of consultation in the Department prior to
departure for his or her post, and during home leave, can be extended to permit
an ambassador to carry out the briefing and debriefing set forth in these
regulations.
2 FAM 1922.6 Beginning New Assignment
After Previous Assignment
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
Ambassadors returning for assignment to another geographic
area, for the purpose of this regulation, remain the responsibility of the
Assistant Secretary of the geographic bureau controlling the terminating
assignment until the ambassador is released to the new area of assignment.
2 FAM 1923 BRIEFINGS and Consultations
(CT:GEN-480; 10-26-2017)
The senior desk officer follows the guidelines provided by
this regulation and the Presidential Appointments Staff (HR/CDA/SL/PAS) in the
preparation of a proposed list of consultations with Department officers and
other U.S. Government officials who have a direct interest in the problems of
primary concern to the ambassador. The senior desk officer schedules the
appointments, briefings and consultations and coordinates with the Post
Management Officer to ensure that the ambassador receives information regarding
management issues for his or her post. Please refer to 3 FAM 1412.4
for detailed guidance on briefings and consultations.
2 FAM 1923.1 Congressional
Appearance
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
Once the President has nominated an individual for Senate
confirmation, the Bureau of Legislative Affairs (H) becomes the focal point for
assisting the nominee through the Senate confirmation process. H, under the
direction of the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, will:
(1) Brief the nominee on the Senate confirmation
process;
(2) Provide the names and biographic information on
appropriate members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and
(3) Assist the bureau in preparing a nominee for a
Senate hearing.
2 FAM 1923.2 Briefing for
Assignment
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
The ambassador is urged to take advantage of a fuller,
more detailed briefing dealing with the over-all background, and the detailed
specific information about his or her assignment along the lines suggested by
the appropriate bureau office, and as arranged in accordance with 2 FAM 1922 and 2 FAM 1923. The
Department expects an ambassador to complete his or her briefing prior to
departure.
2 FAM 1923.3 Language Preparation
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
a. The Department prefers that chiefs of mission
acquire minimum language and area training prior to departure to foreign areas
where they have not previously served. The Foreign Service Institute provides
language training. During the language training, the ambassador be free from
operational duties in order to assure that the he or she has can participate in
a controlled and supervised program, which is free from interruption.
b. For a chief of mission who already has a substantive
knowledge of the language of the post, refresher training may be arranged on an
ad hoc basis, if desired.
c. Eligible family members are urged, whenever
possible, to undertake Foreign Service Institute language training.
2 FAM 1923.4 Security Briefings
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
The post management officer (PMO) from the relevant regional
bureau coordinates with the staff of the Assistant Secretary of Diplomatic Security
to schedule all security-related briefings for ambassadors. The DS staff
assistants will coordinate within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and advise
PMOs as appropriate.
2 FAM 1923.5 Briefings for
Eligible Family Members
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
a. The schedule of briefings for a chief of mission
includes scheduling of briefings for spouses or domestic partners as defined in
3 FAM 1610,
so that they may also make careful preparation for assignments abroad. The
Foreign Service Institute and the regional bureau will provide briefings on the
following:
(1) Government organization;
(2) Current foreign policy;
(3) Post problems;
(4) The nature and character of the host country where
assigned, and its people; and
(5) The embassy, the residence, and the staff.
b. Spouses and domestic partners as defined in 3 FAM 1610 are
encouraged to attend, along with the new ambassador, the two-week ambassadorial
seminar organized by the Foreign Service Institute.
c. The Family Liaison Office (M/DGHR/FLO) seeks to
establish continuing relationships with the spouse or domestic partners (as
defined in 3 FAM
1610) of the chief of mission in order to assist such spouse or domestic
partner in arranging for his or her departure and life after arrival at the
post. M/DGHR/FLO maintains current and comprehensive files on the contributions
of dependents on the economic, political, and social-welfare life of countries
of assignment. The Director and M/DGHR/FLO staff are prepared to discuss
community activities at the post and the availability of support for embassy
dependents projects with the chief of missions dependent(s). There are also
files available on previous experience of direct interest to spouses and
domestic partners.
2 FAM 1924 MATERIAL TO BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO Ambassadorial Nominees
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
a. Provided that the ambassadorial nominee has the
appropriate security clearance, the senior desk officer will make available the
following documents:
(1) Most recent post report;
(2) Office of Inspector General audit, security and
intelligence oversight, and inspection and compliance reports;
(3) Organizational material on the Department;
(4) Intelligence material;
(5) Copies of pertinent mission cable traffic;
(6) Basic documentation, both legislative and executive,
such as may be available in the Department for assistance in the form of
reports, manuals, or publications; and
(7) Biographic material on prominent figures of the
country or organization to which assigned.
b. The bureau executive director will provide complete
briefing material on administrative matters.
c. Incumbent chiefs of mission will provide the
ambassadorial nominee with complete briefing material on administrative
matters.
2 FAM 1925 STAFF MEETINGS
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
The senior desk officer consults with the Executive
Secretariat to determine whether the new or visiting ambassador will attend the
Secretary's staff meeting. The ambassador is invited to attend the appropriate
staff meeting within the bureau.
2 FAM 1926 SPEECH MAKING AND PRESS
CONFERENCES
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
The senior desk officer will inform the Assistant
Secretary for Public Affairs, in writing, when the dates of a chief of
missions return for any reason to Washington are known, the senior desk
officer will inform the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, in writing, of
those dates so that the Assistant Secretary may, as appropriate:
(1) Ask the chief of mission if he or she would be
willing to make speeches;
(2) Arrange informational activities;
(3) Arrange press conferences; and
(4) Arrange individual appointments with
correspondents.
2 FAM 1927 FACILITIES
2 FAM 1927.1 Administrative
Services
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
During the chief of missions stay in the United States,
the executive director of the geographic bureau will:
(1) Arrange for office space and secretarial
assistance; and
(2) Process the chief of missions travel plans,
reservations, passports, visas, etc.
2 FAM 1928 DEBRIEFING
2 FAM 1928.1 Availability
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
a. The Department regards debriefings as especially
important and urges that the fullest advantage be taken of the chief of
missions knowledge of the country of his or her past assignment. Therefore, on
return to Washington for consultation, leave, transfer, retirement, or other
purposes, the chief of mission is expected to be available on an extensive
basis for such debriefing.
b. Section 401(b) of the Foreign Service Act (22 U.S.C.
3961) requires chiefs of mission leaving the Foreign Service to perform such
functions as debriefing while on chief-of-mission salary.
2 FAM 1928.2 Responsibility
(CT:GEN-382; 09-26-2011)
The bureau assistant secretary is responsible for the
debriefing, but may delegate the preparation, planning and execution of the
debriefing schedules to the appropriate bureau officer.
2 FAM 1929 Unassigned