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Released as a brochure by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and the Overseas Security Advisory Council, November, 1994
The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) was established by the U.S. Department of State in 1985 to foster the exchange of information between American companies with overseas operations and the U.S. Government. Since that time, OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture and a dynamic vehicle for effective security cooperation.
As a part of these continuing efforts, OSAC has produced a series of publications designed to assist the U.S. private sector in meeting security challenges overseas. This latest publication Personal Security Guidelines for the American Business Traveler Overseas was developed to provide specific security guidelines for Americans who travel abroad on business.
Effective security precautions require a continuous and conscious awareness of one's environment as well as the need to exercise prudence, judgment and common sense. This is especially true where the traveler must adapt to new cultures, customs and laws. Personal security cannot be delegated to others; it is a responsibility of each one of us, as we promote American economic and commercial interests around the globe.
The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) consists of 21 organizations from the private sector and four U.S. Government departments and agencies. There are 1400-plus private sector organizations that participate in the Council's activities and are recipients of the information and guidance it provides.
As part of its security program, OSAC has prepared publications containing suggested security and emergency planning guidelines for American private sector personnel and organizations abroad. A listing of current OSAC publications is contained under the title Publications on page 47. As indicated by their titles, protection against the threat of terrorism, catastrophes, crime and theft of information is addressed in the OSAC booklets.
This publication is intended for American private sector organizations and their personnel abroad. The guidelines were written by members of OSAC's Committee on Personal Security including Chairman Roger H. Robinson, Schering-Plough Corporation; Douglas R. Laird, Northwest Airlines, Inc.; and Special Advisors Robert J. Vinsec, BFGoodrich Company; Stefanie C. Stauffer, Federal Aviation Administration; and Richard Hudak, Sheraton Corporation.
Effective security precautions require a continuous and conscious awareness of your environment. This is especially true when visiting a foreign country where it will be necessary to adapt to new cultures, customs, and laws which, in many instances, are very different from those to which Americans are accustomed in the United States.
The implementation of security guidelines contained in this publication should reduce the vulnerability of American private sector personnel traveling abroad to criminal or terrorist acts. Individuals should ensure, however, that any approach chosen is best suited for their individual situation.
The member organizations whose representatives serve on the Council are rotated periodically. Those who served as members when this booklet was first released as a print publication in November 1994 are listed below.
Mr. Mark E. Mulvey U.S. Department of State
Director, Diplomatic Security Service and Chairman, OSAC
Mr. James A. Brooke Exxon Company,
International Manager, Security and Vice Chairman, OSAC
Mr. Richard A. Lefler American Express Company
Director of Corporate Security
Mr. Gerald S. Blaine ARCO International Oil and Gas
Director of International Security Company
Mr. Robert F. Littlejohn Avon Products, Inc.
Director of Corporate Security
Mr. William E. Elder Bechtel Corporation
Manager of Security
Mr. Richard H. Blay The Boeing Company
Director, Corporate Security
Mr. John D. Glover Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Vice President-Corporate Security
Mr. Willard A. Workman Chamber of Commerce of the United States
of America
Vice President, International Division
Mr. Richard T. Bretzing Church of Jesus Christ of LDS Managing Director, Security Department
Mr. John A. Cosenza Citicorp/Citibank, N.A.
Vice President, Corporate Security Director
Mr. James A. Hush The Coca-Cola Company
Security Manager
Mr. Charles W. Rochner Cox Enterprises, Inc.
Vice President-Corporate Security
Mr. James. H. Geer E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
Director of Corporate Security
Mr. James I. Royer FMC Corporation
Director, Corporate Security
Mr. John M. Schaeffer General Electric Company
Manager - Corporate Security
Mr. Gordon W. Kettler General Motors Corporation
General Director of Security
Mr. George M. Murphy Mobil Corporation
Manager - Security
Mr. Douglas R. Laird Northwest Airlines, Inc.
Director, Security
Mr. Roger H. Robinson Schering-Plough Corporation
Director of Corporate Security
Mr. Brian R. Hollstein Xerox Corporation
Corporate Security Manager
Mr. C. Michael Flannery Agency for International Development
Assistant Inspector General
Mr. Brian C. Dowling U. S. Information Agency
Director, Office of Security
Mr. Gary D. Schatz OSAC
Executive Director