This is an excerpt from an October 2016 Report to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives entitled – Diplomatic Security – State Should Enhance Its Management of Transportation-Related Risks to Overseas U.S. Personnel:
U.S. diplomatic personnel posted overseas continue to face threats to their security. According to State, personnel and their families are particularly vulnerable when traveling outside the relative security of diplomatic work facilities or residences.
State Provides Several Types of Transportation Security Training that cover overseas transportation security. Please note that the basic training programs for Regional Security Officers (RSO’s) and Non-Security personnel include Surveillance Detection. Also, note that they call it Surveillance Detection (SD). So would it not make sense that SD is a taught in any training program that involves personal protection?
These are the subjects taught in the Selected Department of State Training Courses
Regional security officers – Basic Special Agent Course
- Counterterrorist driving
- Motorcade operations
- Surveillance detection
- Vehicle evacuations
Regional security officers – Basic Regional Security Officer Course
- Development of post security directives
- Emergency action planning
- Regional security officers – High Threat Operations Course
- Vehicle bailouts
- Protective security formations
- Moving securely through hostile terrain
Non Security personnel – Foreign Affairs Counter Threat Course
- Defensive driving
- Surveillance detection
- Route analysis
- Importance of varying routes and times
Non Security personnel – High Threat Security Overseas Seminar
- Defensive driving tips
- Surveillance detection
- Crime and personal protection
- Threats from explosives and countermeasures
Non Security personnel – New arrival briefings
- Managing personal security and situational awareness
- Surveillance detection
- Procedures for searching vehicles for explosives