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Tucked away in a nondescript building in Rosslyn, Virginia, is an office handling some of the most secure documents around the globe. Not to be confused with the Diplomatic Courier magazine, the Diplomatic Courier Service exists as the sole network for delivering classified materials to over 240 U.S. embassies and consulates. A subsection of the Department of State, its members log countless hours crossing continents and oceans to ensure the protection of these sensitive packages. Diplomatic Courier Service Director James Angell sat down with the Diplomatic Courier to offer his take on the Courier Service, its strengths, and challenges.
To say Director James Angell has seen a lot of the world would be an understatement. Working overseas for over 19 years, traveling through Africa, South America, and innumerable Pacific Islands, he’s accumulated more frequent flyer miles than most people can dream. And although he’s now sitting behind a desk overlooking the National Mall, “It’s [The Courier Service] still one of the best jobs in government.”
Apart from Director Angell’s position in Washington, the Diplomatic Courier Service hosts offices in Frankfurt and Bangkok. While the DC office may serve as the heart of the service, these hubs allow the couriers access to destinations in every corner of the planet, all the other headquarters are essential conduits for material heading overseas. At Director Angell’s previous position heading the Bangkok office, deliveries were regularly made as far north as Vladivostok, Russia, and as far south to Wellington, New Zealand.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about the Diplomatic Courier Service isn’t the number of countries traveled to, but the small number of couriers actually traveling. With only an elite group of 100 diplomatic couriers in the Service, they are responsible for missions into both tropical paradises and war zones. It seems an amazing feat, according to Angell, but it’s the perfect number to tackle these overseas deliveries. As it’s easy to imagine, joining the ranks of the Diplomatic Courier Service is no simple task. Fortunately, at the time of this interview a vacancy announcement was made, allowing Director Angell to explain what it takes to become a courier.
With thousands of applicants, and less than 10 openings per year, admission to an Ivy League school can seem an effortless task in comparison. As Angell remarked: “They read the description of the job, as I did 22 years ago, and thought ‘that sounds cool’.” The process can involve years of background checks, medical checks, and other prerequisites before a candidate can finally receive an invitation to the Courier Service. Considering the demanding nature of the job, traveling thousands of miles a year, navigating in foreign countries and cultures, and carrying packages upwards of 50 lbs., couriers come from numerous diverse backgrounds. Many couriers already have established professions such as lawyers, teachers, military personnel, etc.
For those lucky few that are given the opportunity to work with the Diplomatic Courier Service, it is often a life-long career. The travel, as well as the variety and critical nature of the work are incredibly rewarding. According to Director Angell: “It gives you a buzz, it’s a great job.” But at the same time, the Courier Service also offers opportunities for people looking for a second career. Although the Foreign Service requires retirement at 65, applicants at least 59 years of age can be considered for positions as well. While couriers may be the ones actively traveling the globe, there is still a strong support structure to make sure that missions go according to plan.
When imagining the life of a diplomatic courier, it is easy to become wrapped up in the romantic fantasy of the job: globetrotting, intrigue, suspense, and black limousines all come to mind. Director Angell even has a poster from the 1952 thriller of the same name hanging on the wall in his office. And while the job can certainly have exciting moments, it is far different than the Hollywood image that shares its name. In an ever expanding world, more and more sensitive material needs to be securely delivered, meaning the Courier Service must constantly innovate in order to stay on schedule.
Travel for the modern courier has seen some of the biggest changes in the past few years. Armed with up to four diplomatic passports, missions can happen at a rapid-fire pace, with couriers crossing multiple borders each day. In the past, the almost exclusive use of commercial flights (and the jokes about reaching a million frequent flyer miles in a year) was the keystone for document transport. Now however, methods like cargo planes, which allow a courier constant access to their material, have become more prevalent.
Security has also come to the forefront of change for the Courier Service. Whether it’s a single diplomatic pouch or a crate full of classified documents, the courier must be able to quickly and safely deliver the materials. And with more and more reports of hacking and cyber attacks, the relatively low risk of hand delivered information has greatly increased the workload for couriers. Angell noted that after the Edward Snowden incident, they started utilizing a courier system much more frequently.
The days of multi-day trips and the possibility of sightseeing after a mission are dwindling as well. In high-risk areas such as Pakistan, couriers are now making flights from Bangkok to Karachi and Islamabad and back in a single day. With top-secret exchanges on the tarmac, the risk for any security issues can be minimized. There are times however, when the danger can’t be completely avoided, and a courier must find a way to complete a mission despite war, disease, or any other number of obstacles.
The rise of the Arab Spring was a particularly complicated scenario for the Diplomatic Courier Service. But in a time period of upheaval and violent tensions, it was even more crucial to ensure that the proper information was delivered to American resources in the area. Director Angell recounted the story of [courier] Shane Morris, who had to reroute classified material through Italy and the UAE when airports and other routes were shut down. More recently with the Houthi takeover of Yemeni airports, the diplomatic couriers have to come up with creative options to still accomplish their deliveries.
War isn’t the only threat to a diplomatic courier however. The recent Ebola outbreak in western Africa proved difficult to successfully disseminating important U.S. information. Speaking highly of the creative solution to the epidemic, Director Angell explained that with a hub in Dakar, Senegal (which had not been classified as Ebola-stricken), couriers were able to arrange military flights in order to deliver their diplomatic pouches. Even with such precautions, the couriers involved still underwent a 21-day quarantine before going back to their main hub.
Despite some harrowing obstacles that can prove challenging for the Diplomatic Courier Service, there are still many missions that provide a unique opportunity to explore less tumultuous parts the world. As Director Angell recounted in a piece for the Foreign Service Association, it can truly highlight the best parts of the job.
“For me, it was a Diplomatic Courier classic.” During a courier route known as “The Island Hopper”, Angell spent a time exploring the scenery and WWII history on a journey from Bangkok to a U.S. embassy on the island of Majuro. He was able to delve into the Pacific Theater of World War II and discover the history of islands like Truk, and the Marshall Islands, housing a landing strip on an atoll barely 30 yards wide. The experience captured the romance of the job for Angell, and the amazing opportunity the Diplomatic Courier Service had provided. Making sure however to not sell the job as simply a paid vacation, Angell added that not every mission was a trip to paradise. Noting that some trips through Africa or other parts of the world “aren’t so glamorous” but that there is a good balance that keeps the passion alive.
From war zones to tropical paradises, globetrotting with the Diplomatic Courier Service never seems to lack adventure or a story to tell. With over 20 years with the Service, and more stamps in his passports than you can count, Director James Angell has experienced a career that is the envy of even the most veteran travelers. A job requiring physical strength, diplomatic prowess, and a global mindset, the ranks of the 100 Diplomatic Couriers are a group dedicated to the protection of American knowledge. As Angell put it, “People used to joke about us [Diplomatic Courier Service] being a sort of pony express, old-fashioned”. But when it’s a matter of national security, there’s no better place to turn.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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Around the World with the Diplomatic Courier
July 27, 2015
Tucked away in a nondescript building in Rosslyn, Virginia, is an office handling some of the most secure documents around the globe. Not to be confused with the Diplomatic Courier magazine, the Diplomatic Courier Service exists as the sole network for delivering classified materials to over 240 U.S. embassies and consulates. A subsection of the Department of State, its members log countless hours crossing continents and oceans to ensure the protection of these sensitive packages. Diplomatic Courier Service Director James Angell sat down with the Diplomatic Courier to offer his take on the Courier Service, its strengths, and challenges.
To say Director James Angell has seen a lot of the world would be an understatement. Working overseas for over 19 years, traveling through Africa, South America, and innumerable Pacific Islands, he’s accumulated more frequent flyer miles than most people can dream. And although he’s now sitting behind a desk overlooking the National Mall, “It’s [The Courier Service] still one of the best jobs in government.”
Apart from Director Angell’s position in Washington, the Diplomatic Courier Service hosts offices in Frankfurt and Bangkok. While the DC office may serve as the heart of the service, these hubs allow the couriers access to destinations in every corner of the planet, all the other headquarters are essential conduits for material heading overseas. At Director Angell’s previous position heading the Bangkok office, deliveries were regularly made as far north as Vladivostok, Russia, and as far south to Wellington, New Zealand.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about the Diplomatic Courier Service isn’t the number of countries traveled to, but the small number of couriers actually traveling. With only an elite group of 100 diplomatic couriers in the Service, they are responsible for missions into both tropical paradises and war zones. It seems an amazing feat, according to Angell, but it’s the perfect number to tackle these overseas deliveries. As it’s easy to imagine, joining the ranks of the Diplomatic Courier Service is no simple task. Fortunately, at the time of this interview a vacancy announcement was made, allowing Director Angell to explain what it takes to become a courier.
With thousands of applicants, and less than 10 openings per year, admission to an Ivy League school can seem an effortless task in comparison. As Angell remarked: “They read the description of the job, as I did 22 years ago, and thought ‘that sounds cool’.” The process can involve years of background checks, medical checks, and other prerequisites before a candidate can finally receive an invitation to the Courier Service. Considering the demanding nature of the job, traveling thousands of miles a year, navigating in foreign countries and cultures, and carrying packages upwards of 50 lbs., couriers come from numerous diverse backgrounds. Many couriers already have established professions such as lawyers, teachers, military personnel, etc.
For those lucky few that are given the opportunity to work with the Diplomatic Courier Service, it is often a life-long career. The travel, as well as the variety and critical nature of the work are incredibly rewarding. According to Director Angell: “It gives you a buzz, it’s a great job.” But at the same time, the Courier Service also offers opportunities for people looking for a second career. Although the Foreign Service requires retirement at 65, applicants at least 59 years of age can be considered for positions as well. While couriers may be the ones actively traveling the globe, there is still a strong support structure to make sure that missions go according to plan.
When imagining the life of a diplomatic courier, it is easy to become wrapped up in the romantic fantasy of the job: globetrotting, intrigue, suspense, and black limousines all come to mind. Director Angell even has a poster from the 1952 thriller of the same name hanging on the wall in his office. And while the job can certainly have exciting moments, it is far different than the Hollywood image that shares its name. In an ever expanding world, more and more sensitive material needs to be securely delivered, meaning the Courier Service must constantly innovate in order to stay on schedule.
Travel for the modern courier has seen some of the biggest changes in the past few years. Armed with up to four diplomatic passports, missions can happen at a rapid-fire pace, with couriers crossing multiple borders each day. In the past, the almost exclusive use of commercial flights (and the jokes about reaching a million frequent flyer miles in a year) was the keystone for document transport. Now however, methods like cargo planes, which allow a courier constant access to their material, have become more prevalent.
Security has also come to the forefront of change for the Courier Service. Whether it’s a single diplomatic pouch or a crate full of classified documents, the courier must be able to quickly and safely deliver the materials. And with more and more reports of hacking and cyber attacks, the relatively low risk of hand delivered information has greatly increased the workload for couriers. Angell noted that after the Edward Snowden incident, they started utilizing a courier system much more frequently.
The days of multi-day trips and the possibility of sightseeing after a mission are dwindling as well. In high-risk areas such as Pakistan, couriers are now making flights from Bangkok to Karachi and Islamabad and back in a single day. With top-secret exchanges on the tarmac, the risk for any security issues can be minimized. There are times however, when the danger can’t be completely avoided, and a courier must find a way to complete a mission despite war, disease, or any other number of obstacles.
The rise of the Arab Spring was a particularly complicated scenario for the Diplomatic Courier Service. But in a time period of upheaval and violent tensions, it was even more crucial to ensure that the proper information was delivered to American resources in the area. Director Angell recounted the story of [courier] Shane Morris, who had to reroute classified material through Italy and the UAE when airports and other routes were shut down. More recently with the Houthi takeover of Yemeni airports, the diplomatic couriers have to come up with creative options to still accomplish their deliveries.
War isn’t the only threat to a diplomatic courier however. The recent Ebola outbreak in western Africa proved difficult to successfully disseminating important U.S. information. Speaking highly of the creative solution to the epidemic, Director Angell explained that with a hub in Dakar, Senegal (which had not been classified as Ebola-stricken), couriers were able to arrange military flights in order to deliver their diplomatic pouches. Even with such precautions, the couriers involved still underwent a 21-day quarantine before going back to their main hub.
Despite some harrowing obstacles that can prove challenging for the Diplomatic Courier Service, there are still many missions that provide a unique opportunity to explore less tumultuous parts the world. As Director Angell recounted in a piece for the Foreign Service Association, it can truly highlight the best parts of the job.
“For me, it was a Diplomatic Courier classic.” During a courier route known as “The Island Hopper”, Angell spent a time exploring the scenery and WWII history on a journey from Bangkok to a U.S. embassy on the island of Majuro. He was able to delve into the Pacific Theater of World War II and discover the history of islands like Truk, and the Marshall Islands, housing a landing strip on an atoll barely 30 yards wide. The experience captured the romance of the job for Angell, and the amazing opportunity the Diplomatic Courier Service had provided. Making sure however to not sell the job as simply a paid vacation, Angell added that not every mission was a trip to paradise. Noting that some trips through Africa or other parts of the world “aren’t so glamorous” but that there is a good balance that keeps the passion alive.
From war zones to tropical paradises, globetrotting with the Diplomatic Courier Service never seems to lack adventure or a story to tell. With over 20 years with the Service, and more stamps in his passports than you can count, Director James Angell has experienced a career that is the envy of even the most veteran travelers. A job requiring physical strength, diplomatic prowess, and a global mindset, the ranks of the 100 Diplomatic Couriers are a group dedicated to the protection of American knowledge. As Angell put it, “People used to joke about us [Diplomatic Courier Service] being a sort of pony express, old-fashioned”. But when it’s a matter of national security, there’s no better place to turn.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
