Political Cone
Officers in the Political Cone do what you probably imagine when you think of the Foreign Service. They meet with key government officials and opposition leaders and try to influence decision making. Political Officers used to have the most say in creating foreign policy and this was the cone if you wanted to become an ambassador.
Today ambassadors are from all cones, but the political cone is still a highly competitive cone. You will need to have a very good oral exam score to make it off the Register.
Political Officers have to know the ins and outs of the country they are in. When something happens they should know the who, what, when, where, why before most everyone else.
Entry level officers will spend most of their time writing reports on the political situation in their country. Congress has a slew of mandates to keep Foreign Service officers busy.
After tenure you will be involved in policy making decisions and recommend a course of action should a political issue erupt. If you are considering this career track be prepared for this kind of responsibility and accountability.
Additional Reading and Resources
- State.gov
- Others
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