International Relations Officers

Background

Information about the military capabilities of foreign countries is vital to our national defense. Our leaders need to know the strengths and weaknesses of both friendly and unfriendly countries. International relations officers collect, analyze, and report information about foreign countries to be used for military planning.

What They Do

International relations officers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Advise commanders about situations in foreign countries
• Analyze political, social, and economic matters in foreign countries
• Collect and report information about the military forces of foreign countries
• Hold meetings with foreign military and government officials
• Project foreign political trends

Physical Demands

No information available.

Special Requirements

A four-year college degree is normally required to enter this career. Some specialties require an advanced degree. Knowledge of the people and language of one or more foreign countries may be required.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely
• Interest in collecting and analyzing data
• Interest in living and working in a foreign country
• Interest in working closely with people

Helpful School Subjects

No information available.

Helpful Fields of Study

Helpful fields of study include:

• History
• International affairs
• Political science

Work Environment

International relations officers work mainly in offices of US embassies and missions located overseas.

Services offering this career:

• Air Force
• Army
• Marine Corps
• Navy

Hiring Practices

To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.

This position is for officers.

Wages

The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.

Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay. 

Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.

There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.

Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.

Training Provided

Job training is provided in some specialties. Training length varies by entry requirements and specialty area.

Course content typically includes:

• Development of foreign area expertise
• Organization and functions of diplomatic missions
• Political and cultural awareness

Further training occurs on the job.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilians who perform work similar to the work of international relations officers are employed mainly by government agencies, such as the Department of State. Called foreign service officers, they work in U.S. embassies and missions overseas. Other civilian counterparts include political scientists, university instructors, and advisors to corporations doing business overseas.

Related Civilian Careers

• Geographic Information Systems Specialists
• Political Scientists

Employment and Outlook

In peace time the services have about 500 international relations officers. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new international relations officers due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. Normally, international relations officers are selected from among officers who have several years of military experience. They are selected from a variety of military career fields. These officers usually return to their main career field after several years of duty as international relations officers.