Foreign Service Optimization Act of 2016

Foreign Service Optimization Act of 2016

This bill amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to require Foreign Service employees overseas to serve at a post for between four and six consecutive years.

The Department of State may reduce such assignment period in the case of a first tour of duty or a post deemed unhealthful due to extreme conditions or hardship including war, armed conflict, or civil strife.

The State Department shall assure that Foreign Service members who have demonstrated a useful knowledge of the principal languages or dialects of the countries in which they are posted shall be are assigned to two consecutive tours of duty.

The tour of duty or period of assignment shall be between four and six years for: (1) a member of the Armed Forces serving as a defense attache, or (2) a civilian employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assigned to a Defense Attache Office outside the United States.

The Department of Defense (DOD) may reduce a tour of duty or a period of assignment if: (1) it is at an unhealthful post, (2) it is the first tour of duty or first period of assignment, or (3) DOD determines such reduced tour to be appropriate for exigent circumstances.

The State Department may assign a member of the armed forces serving as a defense attache or a civilian DIA employee assigned to a Defense Attache Office outside the United States who demonstrates a useful knowledge of the principal language or dialect of the country to two consecutive Defense Attache Office tours of duty.