Diplomatic Security Service - Training

Training

After a new agent candidate is hired, he or she begins a six month training program that includes the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) (pronounced flet-see) in Glynco, Georgia; a Basic Special Agent Course at the Diplomatic Security Training Center, and courses at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, Virginia. After completion of all initial training, agents are required to sign up for and pass quarterly re-qualifications on their duty weapon. A new training facility that will consolidate DSS' far-flung training venues is currently under development. A new agent is usually assigned to a domestic field office for two years before taking on an overseas assignment, although an agent can expect to be sent on frequent temporary duty assignments overseas even when assigned to a domestic post. However, agents may be called overseas much earlier depending on the needs of DSS. 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.

• Basic Special Agent Course (BSAC) (including FLETC): 7 months
• Basic Regional Security Office Course (RSO School): 3 months
• High Threat Tactical Training (HTT): 2 months
• Language Training: 2–12 months per language
• Basic Field Firearms Officer Course (BFFOC): 2 weeks