BRIEFING, DEBRIEFING, AND ARRANGING CONSULTATION FOR NEWLY APPOINTED OR RETURNING AMBASSADORS
(CT:GEN-617; 04-16-2025)
(Office of Origin: GTM/PAS)
2 FAM 1921 RESPONSIBILITY
(CT:GEN-561; 06-10-2020)
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 (GTM/ 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 ambassador’s 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-561; 06-10-2020)
The senior desk officer follows the guidelines provided by this regulation and the Presidential Appointments Staff (GTM/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-617; 04-16-2025)
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 receiving state 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 (GTM/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. GTM/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 GTM/FLO staff are prepared to discuss community activities at the post and the availability of support for embassy dependents’ projects with the chief of mission’s 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 mission’s 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 mission’s 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 mission’s 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 mission’s 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