Readiness
Foreign Service Brats
In the United States, a Foreign Service brat (also referred to as diplobrat or FSB) is a person whose parent(s) served full-time in a Foreign Service posting abroad during that person's childhood. The term brat is often thought of as derogatory; however, for some who have experienced this background, the term has a neutral feel and is sometimes taken as a sign of pride. A Foreign Service brat may spend the majority of their childhood outside their parents' home country.
Foreign Service Brats
The children of Foreign Service Officers–those working in embassies and consulates–are another subset of TCKs. They are sometimes referred to as Foreign Service BRATs. Whatever you call them, they share the Third Culture Kid experience with the BRATs, MKs, and business kids.
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​The frequency of their moves lies between that of the military and missionaries. Normally, the diplomatic corps is reposted every two to four years. Two-year postings characterize the start of a diplomat’s career. As seniority is earned, postings lengthen.
​Foreign Service dependent children often live inside what is called “the Expat Bubble.” While they may explore and interact with the local culture of a posting, most diplobrats are often more isolated from it as a means of protecting them from more dangerous situations and from being used as a pawn in international relations.
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​Like similar groups, such as military brats, missionary kids, or other third culture kids, Foreign Service brats are faced with frequent moves, and possibly the absence of a parent. Some Foreign Service brats will grow up to take on roles similar to their parents, while the majority will pursue a private sector career. Many of these children feel very different from their peers if they are eventually "repatriated".