FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank.
   For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog.
   For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide.

How to Address a Deputy Chief of Mission?
      Your website is extremely useful. I just ordered your book.
      I have a question for you regarding addressing a US Deputy Chief of Mission. You mention briefly you give all the forms of address for this office on page 230 of your book.
      I am hoping to mail off this letter today and do not have time to wait for your book to come in the mail. Can you please provide the right way to address an official envelope a DCM?
               -- RMM

Dear RMM,
    Only an the accredited ambassador from one head-of-state to another head-of-state gets a special form of address.
    So ... a DCM is addressed as Mr./Mrs./Ms./etc., (Name) and identified as Deputy Chief of Mission.
               -- Robert Hickey

How to Address an Acting Head of Mission?
    I've purchased your book, but still have a question related to how list the names of the following people for table tents, who are visiting our corporate office the end of this month. I'm confused about the title "Acting Head of Mission." I've read about it in your book, but it seems to me that the title is equal to that of being a consul. I'd appreciate your assistance in this! Here is what I think is correct:
     His Excellency Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria
     Mr. Nikolay Mladenov
     Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Los Angeles, Acting Head of Mission
     Ms. Julia Tzerova

          -- Monica

Dear Monica:
    Great question!
    HEAD OF MISSION
    Head of Mission is the same as a Charge d'Affairs ... the person in charge at an embassy, consulate, or general consulate when the ambassador, consul or general consul isn't around. The US uses the term Head of Mission, but most other countries use Charge d'Affairs. An acting head of mission is just that.
    A consul is head person at a consulate which is a business office of a foreign country in a city where there's no ambassador ... thus there's an ambassador & embassy in Washington but a consul & consulate in, say, Atlanta.
    A general consul is in charge of a general consulate which is just a larger business office / larger version of a consulate in a bigger city .... like Los Angeles .... that offers more services.
    THE NAMES
    His Excellency .. the courtesy title .... precedes a name .. never an office
    It is the person who is "Excellent"
    Ambassadors, heads of state, heads of government and ministers when outside their country are addressed as "Your Excellency" whether or not they are addressed that way at home. Heads of Mission are not "Excellencies"
        His Excellency Nikolay Mladenov
        Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria
        Mr. Julia Tzeroz
        Acting Head of Mission, General Consulate of the Republic of Bulgaria
Does that answer the question?  Let me know.
          -- Robert Hickey

Robert,
    Thank you for your quick reply! My understanding was that for foreign countries (not the US), the country name and title precede the person, because they are there on behalf of the country. So, just this last week, I had a table tent for
          Ambassador of Mexico to the United States
          Arturo Sarukhan
     and also had (in reverse order)
          Michael Rich
          Executive Vice President, (Company Name)
    I had found that in the book "Protocol 25th Anniversary Edition." But you list the person first, then country. Ah - the confusion! Is there a hard and fast rule related to listing of country names, titles, and people for table tents?

          -- Monica

Dear Monica:
    You could do it office first ... name second .... ... but I would not agree that its a protocol among foreign countries. Either is O.K., as long as you are consistent.
     However ..... there is a tradition in a formal introduction, like you are introducing a guests from the podium ....
     When the name is first it would be the full version of the name is given ....
         His Excellency Arturo Sarukhan, the Ambassador of the Mexico to the United States
         The Honorable James Smith, Secretary of Smithsonian Institution
         Dr. James Wilson, Administrator of Mercy Hospital
     and when the office is first ... a shortened form of the name / conversational version is used.
         The Ambassador of the Mexico to the United States, Ambassador Sarukhan,
         The Secretary of Health and Human Services, Mr. Smith
         The Administrator of Mercy Hospital, Dr. Wilson
     But you should get his name complete and correct  ... His Excellency Arturo ....
     And most formally it should be "Ambassador of the United Mexican States ..... .
          -- Robert Hickey

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For forms of address for invitations, place cards, name badges, introductions, conversation, and all other formal uses, see Honor & Respect: the Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address.

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Photo: Marc Goodman.