Missions, details and coordination abroad

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1. Who directs assistance abroad

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ties its programs to foreign policy. Nothing in the Act may be read to infringe on the powers or functions of the Secretary of State (22 U.S.C. 2382(a)). Under the President’s direction, the Secretary of State is responsible for the continuous supervision and general direction of economic assistance, military assistance, and military education and training programs (22 U.S.C. 2382(c)). That includes deciding whether a country will have a military assistance or military education and training program, and its value. The aim is that the programs are integrated at home and abroad and serve American foreign policy best.

In each country, the President must set procedures to coordinate all American government representatives under the leadership of the chief of the diplomatic mission (22 U.S.C. 2382(b)). The chief of mission must make sure that recommendations on military assistance, including civic action, and on military education and training are coordinated with political and economic considerations. The chief’s comments go with those recommendations if the chief wishes.

2. What the Secretary of Defense does

For military assistance under subchapter II, the Secretary of Defense has primary responsibility for six things (22 U.S.C. 2383(a)). They are determining military end-item requirements, and procuring military equipment so that it fits with service programs. They include supervising end-item use by recipient countries, and supervising the training of foreign military and related civilian personnel. The movement and delivery of military end-items, and any other Defense Department functions in furnishing military assistance, education and training, complete the list.

The Secretary of Defense also sets priorities in procuring, delivering and allocating military equipment (22 U.S.C. 2383(b)). How these responsibilities play out across agencies is covered in who holds which authority.

3. Special missions and their chiefs

The President may keep special missions or staffs outside the United States in the countries and for the periods needed to carry out the Act (22 U.S.C. 2391(a)). Each is directed by a chief. For missions carrying out subchapter I, the President appoints the chief and deputy, and may remove them at discretion notwithstanding any other law (22 U.S.C. 2391(b)). The chief may receive Foreign Service Act pay and allowances the President sets, up to those of a chief of mission.

Where practicable, especially for smaller programs, subchapter I assistance is administered by the mission’s principal economic officer under the direction of the chief of the diplomatic mission (22 U.S.C. 2391(d)). The President may also appoint or assign an American citizen to serve as Chairman of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, once elected by its members (22 U.S.C. 2391(c)). The President may end that appointment or assignment at discretion, notwithstanding any other law. The chairman may receive Foreign Service Act pay and allowances up to those of a chief of mission. A chairman who is not already a federal employee is treated as one for the purposes of chapters 81, 83, 87 and 89 of title 5.

4. Lending staff to foreign governments

Where the President finds it furthers the Act, any agency head may detail or assign staff to a foreign government (22 U.S.C. 2387). The detail may be to any office or position with that government or one of its agencies (22 U.S.C. 2387). The post must not involve taking an oath of allegiance to another government. It also must not involve accepting pay or other benefits from any foreign country.

Where the President finds it consistent with and in furtherance of the Act, agency heads may likewise detail, assign or make staff available to an international organization (22 U.S.C. 2388). They may serve with or on its international staff, or give technical, scientific or professional advice or service to it or with it.

5. Status while on detail

Staff detailed or assigned to a foreign government or international organization keep their standing (22 U.S.C. 2389(a)). For preserving allowances, privileges, rights, seniority and other benefits, they are treated as officers or employees of the government and of their home agency. They continue to be paid from that agency’s funds. Staff detailed, assigned or appointed under these authorities may receive representation allowances similar to those allowed under section 4085 of title 22, under presidential regulations (22 U.S.C. 2389(b)). Authorizing and paying those allowances from available appropriations satisfies all the requirements of section 5536 of title 5.

6. Who pays for a detail

Details and assignments may be made on four financial bases (22 U.S.C. 2390). The same terms also govern details under section 1928 of title 22. The first is with no reimbursement from the foreign government or organization (22 U.S.C. 2390(1)). The second is on its agreement to reimburse pay, travel, benefits and allowances, in whole or part (22 U.S.C. 2390(2)). Those reimbursements, including in foreign currency, are credited to the account that paid the costs or to the account currently available for them.

The third is on an advance of funds, property or services by the foreign government or organization, accepted with the President’s approval for specified uses (22 U.S.C. 2390(3)). Advanced funds may be held in a separate Treasury fund, and any unspent balance is returned. The fourth applies to international organizations (22 U.S.C. 2390(4)). The United States receives a credit, based on the detailed employee’s pay and benefits, against its share of the organization’s expenses.

7. Objections to American staff

Some countries may object to an American officer or employee present to carry out development programs, on the basis of that person’s race, religion, national origin or sex. No funds under the Act may then provide economic development assistance to that country (22 U.S.C. 2426(b)). The Secretary of State issues the rules needed to carry this out (22 U.S.C. 2426(c)).

Key terms

Chief of mission	The head of the American diplomatic mission, who leads coordination in each country.
Special mission	A mission or staff kept abroad to carry out the Act, directed by a chief.
Detail	A temporary loan of a federal employee to a foreign government or international organization.
Representation allowance	An allowance for official representation like those of the Foreign Service.
Expense credit	A credit against the American share of an organization’s costs for a detailed employee.

Every statement above links to the document behind it. The full source list for this piece is on the sources page.

This page describes public United States government programs for general information. It is not legal, regulatory or procurement advice, and it does not address the facts of any particular case.

How Sentfore supports this

Teams working under embassy direction still need protection and logistics. Sentfore works at the delivery end of defense programs in difficult environments, providing secure movement, protective security, facilities and life support. Requirements can be sent through the contact page.