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zzonkmiles posted:I can't answer your question, obviously, but would you recommend your current post to a first-tour ELO? I've actually considered Nigeria (I know that's not where you're at) since I figure that's as close to a guarantee as you can get, thus freeing me up (hopefully) for someone I'd really enjoy being on my second tour. I would recommend the post if it was staffed properly. Post A NIV section: an FS-3 NIV chief and 8 ELOs. Post B NIV section: an FS-2 NIV chief, an FS-3 deputy NIV chief, two line supervisors, and 12 ELOs. Post A is mine. It does 15% more visas than Post B. It also only has 5 ELOs instead of the scheduled 8.
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May 15, 2016 18:18
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problematique posted:So... how long after not hearing back from my travel tech should I start to...push buttons. It's been 2.5 weeks and no updates on an amendment I need to make and no response to multiple emails, I'm PCSing in like a month. I will bet you moneys that you'll get a reply... 72-96 hours prior to departure or closer :P Their office logic is "you still have a month so you can wait" go ahead, [ask] me about the time they tried to debate/cancel my flight literally a few minutes prior to departure and I let them field a call with the Ambassador at 4am Thanksgiving day.
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May 16, 2016 07:19
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Why do they even use the word "cone"? What's conical about it?
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May 16, 2016 10:10
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More at the bottom than at the top. But the newer terminology is "career track."
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May 16, 2016 15:26
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Business of Ferrets posted:More at the bottom than at the top. Does this mean there is no more "conal rectification?" Heh.
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May 17, 2016 01:55
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QuackAttackAggie posted:Bidding question. I need some clarity on bidding out of cone as a consular officer. Follow the letter of the instructions but bid on the jobs/locations you want. If you want non-consular as a consular coned officer, put as many of them as you can as high as possible on your bid list. Be prepared for the CDOs to ignore those bids and give you one of the 25-30 ranked bids though. Since there's a good chance you'll get one of the consular jobs regardless, consider the implications on your 3rd tour bidding. Your location has nothing to do with 3rd tour, so there is no benefit of going hardship simply to get equity on the next cycle. Hardship and smaller posts can be good though, since they offer more opportunity to carry many responsibilities and demonstrate your awesomeness in a visible way. Word-of-mouth, both in 360s and personal connections, is the key to bidding after tenure. It's also worth considering some of the State networks, so if you want to work in Europe, WHA, or EAP, getting one of those in your second tour is highly advisable.
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May 17, 2016 06:27
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Nutrimentia posted:Follow the letter of the instructions but bid on the jobs/locations you want. If you want non-consular as a consular coned officer, put as many of them as you can as high as possible on your bid list. Be prepared for the CDOs to ignore those bids and give you one of the 25-30 ranked bids though. What do you think of the tradeoffs of having a second post in a large post, one in which you could attract attention from bigwigs in the post itself and maybe Washington, versus a small post, in which you might not have the glitz and glamour, but a real opportunity to show leadership and wear a lot of different hats? Coming from a medium post right now, I'm somewhat divided on which way to go next.
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May 17, 2016 23:49
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Nutrimentia posted:Follow the letter of the instructions but bid on the jobs/locations you want. If you want non-consular as a consular coned officer, put as many of them as you can as high as possible on your bid list. Be prepared for the CDOs to ignore those bids and give you one of the 25-30 ranked bids though. Good advice. Thanks.
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May 18, 2016 01:09
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Chavi please never stop trolling Sounding Board Also we got our 2nd tour bid list and I've very stoked. Anyone ever lived in Windhoek or have much experience in the Caribbean (Barbados, T&T specifically)?
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May 18, 2016 07:37
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I had a very good time in Barbados. You've kind of got to find your own fun once you get past the usual tourist stuff but you can do it if you try. Island Time is a real thing too so you have to be patient when your trying to get things done. Sometimes people stop in the middle of the road to chat with their friends going in the other direction. We had a great group of people while I was there but I've been told it's had periodic morale issues before and since due to poor management, not sure what it's like now. I never went to Trinidad but we had a few visitors come up our way and they were all pretty unhappy, it's just very poor and boring.
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May 18, 2016 08:41
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The Mantis posted:Chavi please never stop trolling Sounding Board
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May 18, 2016 11:31
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Which one this time? It's been a while since I got into full-scale trolling... the output on the SB has been sub par at best of late.
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May 18, 2016 23:00
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Nothing recent, just a reminder that I usually smile when I read your posts on SB. I haven't been on there in a while.
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May 18, 2016 23:15
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The Mantis posted:Chavi please never stop trolling Sounding Board I'm in Jamaica. From what I've heard from my friends in Trinidad and Barbados, I'd pick Jamaica.
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May 19, 2016 00:55
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Personally, I think Namibia is more of a great place to visit than do a tour. Windhoek is nice, but quiet. Think smaller, less international Cape Town, but in the desert with a bit less crime and racial tensions. I heard it's not a great deal though with how low the diff is (compared to other posts in the region). COLA wise should be extremely cheap living with the currency they use tied to the Rand. Namibia is a spectacular country in scenery, beautiful desert and beaches, but it is very isolated. I did part of my R&R there and at one point we were flying on a not minor road at 100km/h and we didn't see another car for something like two hours, which was a bit eerie. I also remember how odd it was to be in Africa and listening to radio in German with 'Halt' signs everywhere. Oh and apple strudel, everywhere. Weird place. I can put you in touch with a first tour your IMS I know there if you'd like. problematique fucked around with this message at 01:32 on May 19, 2016 |
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May 19, 2016 01:30
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Any of you guys served in Algiers before? I'm headed that way this fall, and from what I've heard, it should be a pretty good first tour.
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May 19, 2016 02:17
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problematique posted:Personally, I think Namibia is more of a great place to visit than do a tour. Windhoek is nice, but quiet. Think smaller, less international Cape Town, but in the desert with a bit less crime and racial tensions. I heard it's not a great deal though with how low the diff is (compared to other posts in the region). COLA wise should be extremely cheap living with the currency they use tied to the Rand. It's one of the least population dense nations in the world, if I remember correctly.
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May 19, 2016 02:22
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the_chavi posted:Which one this time? It's been a while since I got into full-scale trolling... the output on the SB has been sub par at best of late. Now you're not making any sense. Here, have a 27-minute lunch break. :bigtran:
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May 19, 2016 02:23
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Hungry Hippo posted:Any of you guys served in Algiers before? I'm headed that way this fall, and from what I've heard, it should be a pretty good first tour. No, but the Ambassador there is my former boss and is utterly amazing. The lovely DCM just got shitcanned, and Joan's built an amazing team of people there at the country team level. You're in luck!!
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May 19, 2016 02:58
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Wasn't that the one with a particularly scathing OIG report recently?
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May 19, 2016 03:09
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Leif. posted:Wasn't that the one with a particularly scathing OIG report recently? That doesn't narrow it down at all, dude.
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May 19, 2016 03:11
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qwertyman posted:What do you think of the tradeoffs of having a second post in a large post, one in which you could attract attention from bigwigs in the post itself and maybe Washington, versus a small post, in which you might not have the glitz and glamour, but a real opportunity to show leadership and wear a lot of different hats? Coming from a medium post right now, I'm somewhat divided on which way to go next. This is a coin flip and can go either way for you. One nice thing about a bigger post is that there are more people you can use when bidding third tour, but then again, at a small post, everyone is talking to your supervisor who hopefully will have your back. Small posts have a slightly elevated risk of catastrophe due to the impact of personalities in a small shop. One jerk, especially in a senior position (which they all will be to you) can really be a problem. Don't let that turn you away from it though, just something to be prepared for. Honestly, I wouldn't let the size of the post be the major deciding factor. Pick a job you want to do in a place you are prepared to live in and then do a good job when you get there. Follow that maxim and you'll be fine no matter what.
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May 19, 2016 13:28
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problematique posted:Personally, I think Namibia is more of a great place to visit than do a tour. Windhoek is nice, but quiet. Think smaller, less international Cape Town, but in the desert with a bit less crime and racial tensions. I heard it's not a great deal though with how low the diff is (compared to other posts in the region). COLA wise should be extremely cheap living with the currency they use tied to the Rand. Oh man, I would take Namibia in a heartbeat. It lies smack dab in the middle of that intersection of Weird and Wonderful that makes me love AF. Greetings from Dakar by the way. Family made it here safe and sound and I'm neck deep in work. Any of you roll through, drop me a line.
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May 19, 2016 23:46
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Bruxism posted:Oh man, I would take Namibia in a heartbeat. It lies smack dab in the middle of that intersection of Weird and Wonderful that makes me love AF. Greetings from Dakar by the way. Family made it here safe and sound and I'm neck deep in work. Any of you roll through, drop me a line. poo poo, you're there already? The last month flew by. Have fun!
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May 20, 2016 00:15
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the_chavi posted:That doesn't narrow it down at all, dude. LOL true. I must be thinking of a different post though, because the most recent one for Algiers I found was 2012 (https://diplopundit.net/2012/02/13/us-embassy-algiers-environment-remains-unusually-taxing-and-about-that-success-in-social-media/) and the one I'm thinking of is within the past 2 years.
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May 20, 2016 18:12
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the_chavi posted:No, but the Ambassador there is my former boss and is utterly amazing. The lovely DCM just got shitcanned, and Joan's built an amazing team of people there at the country team level. You're in luck!! Thanks, that's always great to hear! So far everyone I've spoken to at post has been wonderful, and they've been a lot more responsive than some of my classmate's posts.
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May 22, 2016 03:46
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QuackAttackAggie posted:I'm in Jamaica. From what I've heard from my friends in Trinidad and Barbados, I'd pick Jamaica. I would work for your ambassador again in a heartbeat. One of the very best bosses I ever had.
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May 23, 2016 05:47
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Business of Ferrets posted:I would work for your ambassador again in a heartbeat. One of the very best bosses I ever had. He's really great. The CG is retiring, but he has to be one of the best too.
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May 23, 2016 22:59
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Business of Ferrets posted:I would work for your ambassador again in a heartbeat. One of the very best bosses I ever had. I've only heard fantastic things about him - oddly enough, we became buddy-buddy on Twitter, and now he and I share bureau gossip on SIPR.
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May 24, 2016 23:25
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So I "friended" that ambassador and communicated with him a little bit on Open Net. Then he sent out an email blast to maybe four other ambassadors asking them to help shepherd me through being a FAST officer and to look out for me once I officially cross over. I guess I'm doing something right. My security clearance won't be adjudicated in time for me to make the September A-100 since bids are going out next month, but January or March of next year look very doable.
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May 30, 2016 02:29
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zzonkmiles posted:So I "friended" that ambassador and communicated with him a little bit on Open Net. Then he sent out an email blast to maybe four other ambassadors asking them to help shepherd me through being a FAST officer and to look out for me once I officially cross over. I guess I'm doing something right. I'm excited for you. Is your family stoked too?
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May 30, 2016 07:10
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Has anyone successfully bid on a long-term detail or training assignment in the past? My dream detail is up on the bid list now (embed in an allied MFA), and I'm trying to figure out how best to convince them that there is no one else as qualified as I am.
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May 30, 2016 15:52
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QuackAttackAggie posted:I'm excited for you. Is your family stoked too? Yeah mon. My wife is ecstatic, especially since I've been on the FSO candidate carousel five times so far. I know I'm not officially in yet, but I anticipate no issues with security or suitability clearances (I've already cleared medical) and I have a respectable OA score, so it's just a matter of time right now. We'd LOVE to be assigned to EAP, but we are interested in AF and possibly SCA as well. This should hopefully make bidding a little bit easier. Neither of us is interested in EUR, WHA, or NEA, but we realize there's always the possibility of getting assigned there. But then we've gotta think about which posts are pet-friendly, car-friendly, school-friendly, etc. So maybe we'll end up in Azerbaijan or something. Who knows?
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Jun 1, 2016 02:16
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zzonkmiles posted:Yeah mon. My wife is ecstatic, especially since I've been on the FSO candidate carousel five times so far. I know I'm not officially in yet, but I anticipate no issues with security or suitability clearances (I've already cleared medical) and I have a respectable OA score, so it's just a matter of time right now. thats great! keep us updated! I think there's another 1st tour generalist here who's bidding right now? turned in the list on friday and felt like we had a really solid top 10. gets a bit sketchy after that but with 20 perfects required that seems standard. any idea when we'll hear about second tour assignments? word on the street is within a month
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Jun 1, 2016 07:25
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zzonkmiles posted:Yeah mon. My wife is ecstatic, especially since I've been on the FSO candidate carousel five times so far. I know I'm not officially in yet, but I anticipate no issues with security or suitability clearances (I've already cleared medical) and I have a respectable OA score, so it's just a matter of time right now. Best of luck! I know that EAP isn't just China, but if you want to go to China you'll be able to go there pretty easily. The Mantis posted:I think there's another 1st tour generalist here who's bidding right now? turned in the list on friday and felt like we had a really solid top 10. gets a bit sketchy after that but with 20 perfects required that seems standard. Yeah, just turned in my bidlist. Thanks to the CDOs for changing up the bidding method within 48 hours of the deadline! It was funny pruning hundreds of possibilities into about 70 that were even possible. I agree, lots of really good possibilities!
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Jun 1, 2016 07:49
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qwertyman posted:Best of luck! I know that EAP isn't just China, but if you want to go to China you'll be able to go there pretty easily. haha agreed! i definitely do not envy their job.
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Jun 1, 2016 08:26
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Submitted my bid list on Friday too. Crossing fingers for something in my top ten. Best of luck to the rest of the 2nd tour bidders here.
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Jun 1, 2016 14:31
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I really like my list. I'd be thrilled with any in the top 12, happy up to 25, and accepting of the rest.
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Jun 1, 2016 18:21
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qwertyman posted:Best of luck! I know that EAP isn't just China, but if you want to go to China you'll be able to go there pretty easily. Thanks for the tip! I'm more interested in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines. (Hopefully those places don't have a million bidders like Frankfurt, Copenhagen, and Barcelona.) But if I can get China, I'd love to go to Shenyang or Guangzhou.
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Jun 1, 2016 21:19
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Those EAP spots are pretty popular...
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Jun 1, 2016 21:57
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