Eric J. Boswell
Encyclopedia
Eric J. Boswell is the United States
Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
, serving since 2008. He previously served in the same post from 1996 to 1998.
, Italy
on May 31, 1945. From 1968 to 1969, he served in the United States Army
. He was educated at Stanford University
, graduating with a B.A.
in 1970.
Boswell joined the United States Foreign Service
in 1972. As a Foreign Service Officer
, he was posted to Dakar, Senegal 1973-74 and Quebec City
1977-80. He spent 1980-83 in Washington, D.C.
working on Near Eastern assignments for the Bureau of Personnel of the United States Department of State
. From 1983 to 1985, he was Deputy Executive Director of the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs. He then returned to the field and was posted in Amman
1985-87 and in Ottawa
1987-90. From 1990 to 1992, he was Executive Director of the Bureau of Near East and South Asian Affairs. From 1992 to 1993, he was Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Management.
In September 1992, President of the United States
George H. W. Bush
nominated Boswell as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions
and he became Director, with the rank of Ambassador, in May 1993. President Bill Clinton
then nominated Boswell as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
and Boswell held this office from January 5, 1996 until January 31, 1998.
In 1998, Boswell became Director of Administration for the Pan American Health Organization
, a specialized agency of the United Nations, serving there until 2005. In 2004 he served a senior advisor at UN Offices in New York.
From 2005 to 2008, Boswell was Assistant Deputy Director for Security in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, where he was responsible for the development of security policies and standards in the United States Intelligence Community
.
In 2008, President George W. Bush
nominated Boswell to a second term as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
, and concurrently as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with Boswell assuming office on July 7, 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
The Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security is the head of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in the United States Department of State...
, serving since 2008. He previously served in the same post from 1996 to 1998.
Biography
Eric J. Boswell was born in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on May 31, 1945. From 1968 to 1969, he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He was educated at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, graduating with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1970.
Boswell joined the United States Foreign Service
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
in 1972. As a Foreign Service Officer
Foreign Service Officer
A Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
, he was posted to Dakar, Senegal 1973-74 and Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
1977-80. He spent 1980-83 in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
working on Near Eastern assignments for the Bureau of Personnel of the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. From 1983 to 1985, he was Deputy Executive Director of the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs. He then returned to the field and was posted in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
1985-87 and in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
1987-90. From 1990 to 1992, he was Executive Director of the Bureau of Near East and South Asian Affairs. From 1992 to 1993, he was Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Management.
In September 1992, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
nominated Boswell as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions
Office of Foreign Missions
Mandated by Congress, the Office of Foreign Missions provides the legal foundation to facilitate secure and efficient operations of U.S. missions abroad, and of foreign missions and international organizations in the United States...
and he became Director, with the rank of Ambassador, in May 1993. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
then nominated Boswell as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
Bureau of Diplomatic Security
The Bureau of Diplomatic Security, more commonly known as Diplomatic Security, or DS, is the security and law enforcement arm of the United States Department of State. DS is a world leader in international investigations, threat analysis, cyber security, counterterrorism, security technology, and...
and Boswell held this office from January 5, 1996 until January 31, 1998.
In 1998, Boswell became Director of Administration for the Pan American Health Organization
Pan American Health Organization
The Pan American Health Organization is an international public health agency with over 100 years of experience working to improve health and living standards of the people of the Americas...
, a specialized agency of the United Nations, serving there until 2005. In 2004 he served a senior advisor at UN Offices in New York.
From 2005 to 2008, Boswell was Assistant Deputy Director for Security in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, where he was responsible for the development of security policies and standards in the United States Intelligence Community
United States Intelligence Community
The United States Intelligence Community is a cooperative federation of 16 separate United States government agencies that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities considered necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the...
.
In 2008, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
nominated Boswell to a second term as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
The Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security is the head of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in the United States Department of State...
, and concurrently as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with Boswell assuming office on July 7, 2008.