The Diplomatic Security Service serves as the law enforcement branch of the U.S. State Department. Before receiving an assignment, agents face comprehensive training in multiple locations over a span of seven months.
Geography
Candidates to become special agents for the U.S. Department of State go through seven months of training at the Diplomatic Security Training Center in Washington, D.C. and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia.
Initial Training
Diplomatic Security training begins with personal protection techniques and defensive tactics such as hand-to-hand combat, then moves on to cover criminal law and investigation, background investigations, first aid, firearms and defensive driving.
Overseas Assignment Training
All candidates who make it through initial training will serve abroad during their career. For this reason, extended training includes everything from foreign languages and counterintelligence to post-operations and electronic security.
Domestic Field Office Training
Upon completion of their seven months of training, all agents are given a domestic assignment to receive practical experience in various security functions. This could include passport and visa fraud investigations or protection detail for the Secretary of State and visiting foreign dignitaries.
Tags: Diplomatic Security, seven months, Diplomatic Security Training, months training, Security Training
