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DoS Website OSAC Page NoTag

Working Together to Protect U.S. Interests Overseas

The U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) keeps Diplomatic Security Service representatives connected with private-sector security professionals from U.S. organizations operating abroad for ongoing threat awareness and crisis support. Through trusted peer network groups, consultations, trainings, events, alerts, and analysis, OSAC works together to protect U.S. interests overseas.

OSAC’s public-private partnership currently consists of over 5,400 organization and 18,000 individual members. Any corporate, non-profit, academic, faith-based or other U.S.-incorporated organization of any size with operations outside the United States may apply to join. All OSAC products and services are always completely free of charge. Learn more about membership here .

*OSAC does not support private U.S. citizen travelers or individuals not affiliated with a U.S. private-sector organization.


The OSAC Program Office is headquartered in Washington, DC and is overseen by a 34-member public-private Council. Its Executive Director is Ellen Tannor.


OSAC’s Mission and Values:


As threats continually arise and evolve across the world, U.S. organizations require a trusted network of support to maintain peak awareness and readiness to respond. OSAC is dedicated to maintaining strong bonds between public and private security professionals to provide these organizations with the broadest security perspective and widest scope of support.

Our peer networking groups focus in on specific industries and regions and are co-led by representatives from both the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. private-sector organizations operating abroad. Our two-way information flow keeps us connected, informed, and secure. OSAC members can reach out to analysts directly with requests for benchmarking reports around specific issues of concern, Regional Security Officers can gain insight on local conditions from those working within the facilities we’re committed to protect, and all OSAC members can stay connected through dedicated communications channels.

OSAC is accessible. We have over 150 Country Chapters in nearly every country in the world and all OSAC events and resources are always free of charge, ensuring corporate, nonprofit, academic, and faith-based organizations of every size can participate.

The core mission of this unique global security community is to provide critical support during times of crisis and an invaluable ongoing exchange of information and best practices for the protection of U.S. interests overseas.

U.S. Department of State

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