An inside look at how American diplomats prepare for dangerous missions

BLACKSTONE, Va. — Screeching tires. A pop of gunfire. The sudden, ear-shattering boom of an explosion.

The loud noises reverberating from the State Department's sprawling training grounds in southern Virginia may seem better suited to an active war zone than the otherwise idyllic stretch of countryside, but creating vivid scenarios that mirror the real-life dangers U.S. diplomats and security staff may encounter around the world is the heart of the curriculum here.

Located in the tiny town of Blackstone, the state-of-the-art Foreign Affairs Security Training Center is a pivotal stop for American personnel on journeys to posts all over the globe.

ABC News was invited along when Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured the 1,350-acre compound designed to train up to 10,000 individuals each year.

«We're putting diplomacy at the very heart of our foreign policy. But in order to do that diplomacy, people have to be out there,» Blinken said. «Knowing that everyone who's going out is getting this training, getting the skill set to deal with any one of any number of situations gives me a lot of reassurance.»

While special agents with the Diplomatic Security Service provide protection and undergo their own rigorous training program, the instructors at the facility attempt to instill critical skills in all department employees who visit the center using hands-on learning — even for officials at the highest levels.

During his time in Blackstone, Blinken participated in a car-ramming exercise, speeding into a stopped car obstructing an escape route on a closed training track.

«For me, it was particularly fun, because in this job I haven't been able to get behind the wheel for three years now,» Blinken laughed.

For many trainees whose