Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the U.S. Foreign Service

The U.S. Foreign Service is sometimes derided, often underappreciated, occasionally praised, rarely examined, and almost never understood. And yet whether America's diplomacy succeeds or fails depends to a large extent on its Foreign Service professionals. "Career Diplomacy" is an insider's guide that examines the Foreign Service as an institution, a profession, and a career. Harry W. Kopp and Charles A. Gillespie, both of whom had long and distinguished careers in the Foreign Service, provide a full and well-rounded picture of the organization, its place in history, its strengths and weaknesses, and its role in American foreign affairs. Based on their own experiences and through interviews with over 85 current and former Foreign Service officials, the authors lay out what to expect in a Foreign Service career, from the entrance exam through midcareer and into the senior service - how to get in, get around, and get ahead. This book concludes with a stirring chapter on tomorrow's diplomats and the future of the Foreign Service as an institution. Readers will benefit from several appendices, which include a Department of State organization chart, core precepts of the Foreign Service, and internet resources. "Career Diplomacy" reveals what America's professional diplomats do and how they do it. It is a rare, first-hand look in to the life and work of this country's professional diplomats, who advance and protect U.S. national security interests around the globe.