Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
teach corporate employees the fundamentals of personal security. Such
training, when it does exist, is generally reserved for high-profile corpo-
rate officers. It is not made available to the rank and file.
The same is true for American and European students studying
abroad. Many schools that participate in exchange programs with univer-
sities in foreign countries offer seminars designed to help students accli-
mate to their new environment. A basic language course may be offered
as well as an overview of the culture of the host country. This training is
designed to reduce the level of stress attendant to adapting to a new and
perhaps very different culture. Typically, information relative to security
issues is not presented or, if it is, is offered on a superficial level.
To partially remedy this situation, the U.S. State Department has cre-
ated special divisions whose task it is to help Americans address their
safety concerns while living in a foreign country. For the international
business traveler, the State Department established the Overseas Security
Advisory Council (OSAC) in 1985, in order to provide American compa-
nies that have overseas assets with a forum to share and disseminate infor-
mation relative to security matters. OSAC has published several excellent
publications that have provided guidance for the business traveler as well
as Americans working abroad. In addition, to further improve the level of
security awareness, the State Department sends DSS agents to large com-
panies abroad to provide security briefings and related training. These
DSS agents do a great deal of training for the employees of oil companies
and other large American businesses overseas, such as Coca-Cola. How-
ever, the DSS responds only by invitation, and the availability of such
courses depends largely on the personnel and resources available for
teaching private concerns at any given time. The primary function of the
DSS is to support the government mission overseas by providing protec-
tion for the local embassy and its staff. Assisting private companies, while
it does further the goals and interests of the United States abroad, is sec-
ondary to that overriding protective function. DSS agents provide excel-
lent instruction when availability of manpower allows. It is recommended
that your company request DSS services. However, demand for such train-
ing far exceeds the ability of the DSS to accommodate it. If you happen
to be an employee of a small company with offices abroad or are an Amer-
ican working for a foreign corporation, it is unlikely that the DSS will be
able to accommodate your training request. The Service will, however,
provide you with important and useful information and will direct you to
other resources that may be of help. The gaps in providing instruction as
