The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2007

B efore entering the Foreign Service, I was an Air Force offi- cer for five years, and later spent 10 years at the Defense Intelli- gence Agency. So I am keenly aware of both sides of the diplomatic-military interface, which is so important for the new “expeditionary” Foreign Service. Soon after I arrived at DIA, I was asked, in apparent seriousness, if I knew how to send a message to an embassy slugged “so the ambassador would not see it.” After assuring my questioner that there was no such pro- vision in cable traffic, I suggested using a postage stamp to route the communi- cation directly to the intended recipi- ent. I also had occasion to explain the differing approaches to foreign policy of State (building the bilateral linkage), Defense (regional alliances and power vacuums) and the White House (domestic electoral impact). Frequently, I had to remind my mil- itary colleagues that a common percep- tion of the Pentagon at State is of a cul- ture entirely dependent on viewgraphs (admittedly, that was 20 years ago), and was called upon to explain State jargon (e.g., “corridor rep”) and other diplo- matic lingo and acronyms. Now I have the opportunity to informmy State friends of a fascinating aspect of military protocol. All of you know that the U.S. armed forces ren- der 21-gun salutes to our president, the heads of foreign governments and reigning royalty. But how many guns do Foreign Service officers rate? The origin of gun salutes is buried in antiquity, but current practices were standardized by the late 1800s. Diplo- matic and consular officers have always been recognized on a par with equiva- lent military officers — not surprising considering that, until the beginning of the 20th century, they were often uni- formed government officers. The pre- ponderance of consular salutes is a remnant of the days when consulates in port cities, rather than an embassy or legation in a national capital, were often the most active foci of diplomatic work. So how many guns does a vice consul rate? American and foreign ambassadors, high commissioners and special diplo- matic representatives with “authority equal to or greater than that of an ambassador” rate 19-gun salutes in the nations to which they are accredited. They also receive four ruffles on the drums and four flourishes on the bugles, followed by their national anthem. Among U.S. Cabinet mem- bers, only the Secretary of State quali- fies for this salute. The others get the same number of guns, ruffles and flourishes, but a march replaces the national anthem. All Cabinet under- secretaries rate 17 guns, four ruffles and flourishes, and a march. American “envoys extraordinary” and “ministers plenipotentiary,” and their equivalents accredited to the U.S., rate a 15-gun salute, three ruffles and flourishes, and a march. American “ministers resident” receive 13 guns, two ruffles and flourishes, and a march. A chargé d’affaires rates 11 guns, one ruffle and flourish, and a march. Career ministers or counselors of embassies and legations rate no guns, but do get one rendering of ruffles and flourishes and a march. Back to our basic question: a consul general — or a consul, vice consul or deputy consul general, when in charge of a consulate general — rates 11 guns, one ruffle and flourish, and a march. A consul, or a vice consul who is in charge of a consulate, gets seven guns, but the music has stopped now— there are no ruffles, flourishes or marches. A vice consul, when serving as the only repre- sentative of the U.S. in his or her assigned district (and in charge of nei- ther a consulate general nor a con- sulate) gets five guns, and no music. U.S. military organizations and ships, whether on U.S. or foreign soil or water, may fire reciprocal salutes to equivalent foreign ranks in appropriate circumstances, and foreign military units and ships may similarly recognize U.S. equivalents. By now the astute reader will have noticed some glaring omissions in the Foreign Service ranks rendered mili- tary honors: First, second and third secretaries of embassies and legations rate no military honors at all. Eat your hearts out, political officers! 92 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 R EFLECTIONS How Many Guns Does a Vice Consul Rate? B Y F RED D ONNER Fred Donner, a Foreign Service officer from 1980 to 1985, served in Manila and Washington, D.C. His “Overland from China” appeared in the April 1985 FSJ . The origin of gun salutes is buried in antiquity.