The
Senior Foreign Service (
SFS) comprises the top four ranks of the
United States Foreign Service. These ranks were created by the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and in order to provide the
Foreign Service with senior grades equivalent to general- and flag
ranks in the military and naval establishments, respectively, and to grades in the
Senior Executive Service. Like military ranks and other Foreign Service ranks, the Senior Foreign Service grade system assigns rank in person, not rank in position.