U.S. Department of State

The Overseas Briefing Center offers U.S. Government employees and their families assigned to, considering, or returning from an an assignment under Chief of Mission authority, the opportunity to research living conditions at overseas posts and the foreign affairs lifestyle. 

The Spouse/Partner Orientation Program - for members of household and eligible family members of incoming employees to the Foreign Service; offered on-site and online; held separately for family members while the employees are in their own orientation program.


On-site Option

Who and When:

Spouses/Partners of incoming Foreign Service employees who have already been accepted a place in the next Foreign Service Generalist or Specialist class are eligible for the Spouse/Partner Orientation Program. Confirmed incoming employees will receive instructions via email to register his/her spouse/partner for the Spouse/Partner Orientation Program.

For Specialist Spouses/Partners - Sample Schedule
Two-day program - 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (Day 1) and 9:00 am to 2:30 pm (Day 2) 

September 17-18
October 29-30

For Generalist Spouses/Partners - Sample Schedule
Two-day program - 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (Day 1) and 9:00 am to 2:30 pm (Day 2)

September 17-18
October 29-30

Background reading materials:

Spouse and Partner Guide to the Foreign Service
Acronyms and Jargon
Essential Online Resources
Thriving as a Foreign Service Spouse article
Foreign Service YAHOO Groups listing

Daycare options:

The Transition Center is a family-friendly environment.  Supervised children are welcome to attend the Spouse/Partner Orientation. For upcoming classes through August, a separate, adjacent room will be available for those with small children. The adjacent room will have the presenter's audio broadcast through wall speakers so parents can tend their children while still listening to our program. Small children can play with floor toys and/or use the desktop for drawing and coloring. A limited amount of used toys are placed in that room. Please bring your own activities for older children (toys, Gameboy, books to read, etc.). 

Where:

Overseas Briefing Center
located at the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center
(also known as the Foreign Service Institute (FSI)
4000 Arlington Boulevard, Room E2126
Arlington, VA
Directions, facilities, and parking information.

NOTE: There are TWO shuttle bus services.
1) OAKWOOD SHUTTLE - If you are staying at Oakwood Apartments, they provide a shuttle bus between FSI and the apartment complex. As a resident of Oakwood, you and your spouse should have access to that shuttle.
2) U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUTTLE - The U.S. Government Shuttle bus transports employees only between FSI and Main State as well as many other government office buildings. To ride the U.S. Government shuttle, employees must show a valid government id.  Spouse/Partners cannot ride the government shuttle bus unless they are U.S. Government employees.

FSI Access for Spouse/Partner Orientation:
After submitting spouse/partner name to the OBC Coordinator, the spouse/partner name will then be submitted to front gate for entry on spouse/partner orientation day. On the day of the spouse/partner orientation, arrive early as the badge process is time consuming. Go to the Visitor's Center and bring a passport of driver's license for photo id. 

Online Option

A pilot program has been launched to provide an online version of the Spouse/Partner Orientation to the Foreign Service. If spouses/partners are unable to attend the on-site orientation, they may register as a new user to the online version. The online version features the same speaker presentations and background materials offered to the on-site attendees. 

Who and When:

Spouses/Partners of incoming Foreign Service employees who have already been accepted a place in the next Foreign Service Generalist or Specialist class are eligible for the Spouse/Partner Orientation Program. Confirmed incoming employees will receive instructions via email to register his/her spouse/partner for the Spouse/Partner Orientation Program. The program is accessible 24/7 via a password-protected internet link.