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1of7 posted:List is out. Along with what remained of my morale. The absence of my name on the list is the deathnell for my career. Next fall, I'll be bidding on my fourth assignment in my 8th year as an 04 who's failed to be promoted at least twice. There's a chance I'll be promoted before next bidding season, but it won't go into effect before the bidding starts, so I'll still be an 04 in the system no matter what. ZERO chance for overseas posts and probably a hard sell for what I want in DC. I am ready to go to DC but really want to stay overseas for one more assignment for family reasons (daughter wants to finish high school overseas), so that dream is dead. I understand why I didn't get promoted. Sure, maybe I just suck at this job (or writing EER), but mostly its because my wife died the first week I was in the office and I wasn't able to function at the highest level in the subsequent year. Since you can't talk about personal issues in an EER, it just looked like I sucked, whereas if the whole story was known, my performance was pretty drat good. Most recent one was was good but only balances out the lovely one from last year, so didn't get it this year. If I don't get it next year, I'll face up to the fact that I'm just not suited for this job and find something else to do. It's pretty painful though, to be honest, as I absolutely love this job and think i actually am good at it. I've always said I'd stay in this job as long as they'd have me, I just wasn't expecting to TIC out as a 04. I'll still give it a shot next year, but I will begin looking for post-FS options immediately.
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Sep 2, 2017 10:00
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Holy poo poo man, that is awful. So sorry to hear about your wife. Sounds like an extremely rough tour.
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Sep 2, 2017 10:22
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Tough break man, I'm sorry to hear how all that went down. Hopefully the next EER gets you through.
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Sep 2, 2017 22:24
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I am so sorry to hear that, man. That is absolutely terrible.
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Sep 3, 2017 07:20
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the_chavi posted:Concur. Oh well, I'm in Turkey for three years, the local wine isn't bad, and the exchange rate works in my favor. I'd totally bid Turkey if the wife would let me.
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Sep 3, 2017 08:38
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Thanks for the support, friends. It was a rough experience but the embassy community there completely rallied around us socially. Workwise the bosses were great too, understanding and supportive and most importantly not afraid to talk to me. Personal advice to anyone who finds themselves a spectator in someone else's tragedy: Don't be afraid to talk to them about it. They'll will welcome the effort and signal how they want to respond. Some may not want to talk about it, others (like me) found it therapeutic to talk to trusted friends. My and my daughter are fine now, even though of course we live with her loss. But we have happy, thriving lives, and keep her memory with us. I realize now that my current stress is a combination of bad timing with the pig in the python, the re-org, and my personal family trauma. In the end, the worst case scenario is still a pretty good one in the grand scheme of things and I know I'll be just fine. I never expected to serve overseas in my next tour, I just was expecting to have a shot at it. I don't think I have much of a shot any more, but 1) there's still a chance and 2) I was genuinely expecting a domestic assignment. The odds have just changed from 75% likely domestic to 99% likely. 
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Sep 3, 2017 17:03
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The US system for ambassadors seems strange. Our ambassadors are a mixture of the President's unqualified friends, career professionals, and outsiders hand-picked for their foreign policy expertise. How do other countries select their ambassadors?
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Sep 3, 2017 17:43
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SCRwM posted:I'd totally bid Turkey if the wife would let me. Happy to talk offline about it if you want. This is my second tour here, and while it's no Sweden, it's also a fascinating place with a lot of good things about it, if you can handle the traffic/language.
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Sep 3, 2017 19:02
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the_chavi posted:Happy to talk offline about it if you want. This is my second tour here, and while it's no Sweden, it's also a fascinating place with a lot of good things about it, if you can handle the traffic/language. Yeah hit me up on Onet. I'd like to get some more info (not sure if it would be enough to convince the wife but still...)
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Sep 3, 2017 19:20
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How are the high schools in Turkey?
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Sep 4, 2017 02:03
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Nutrimentia posted:How are the high schools in Turkey? Unsure - my kid's not a year old yet. I know there's a DOD school that a lot of people's kids attend in Ankara, plus several other international options (British, Turkish, maybe French too). The American school in Istanbul is good but is a hike away from housing. The British school in IST is nearer housing and is quite good AFAIK.I'll be back in the office tomorrow but god only knows when my account will be transferred. Shoot me your .gov emails and I'll follow up with what I know.
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Sep 4, 2017 07:21
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Nutrimentia posted:Since you can't talk about personal issues in an EER First, condolences on your wife. Secondly, I didn't know personal issues weren't allowed and now my plan for my next EER is totally screwed. I figured since talking about my work accomplishments didn't work I'd just say "Met all my work requirements" and then spend the rest of the space talking about my personal accomplishments like my crypto investments, some vacations, and, hopefully by then, some weight loss. 1of7 fucked around with this message at 14:38 on Sep 5, 2017 |
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Sep 5, 2017 13:39
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1of7 posted:First, condolences on your wife. It's hardly comparable to losing a spouse, but four months into my second tour, my mom's sister (one of two blood relatives I talked to, and a surrogate mom I lived with during my parents' divorce) was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Fewer than ten weeks from diagnosis to death. It hosed me up right proper, and my EER that year reflected it. A good COM or DCM can help respond to that in subsequent reviews - we had my CG and the DCM at the Embassy weigh in on my EER the following year to talk about my competence and ability to perform at higher levels, even under extreme stress. They didn't come out and say what happened, but they alluded to something terrible happening, which got me over the tenure+promotion hump.
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Sep 5, 2017 17:40
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Hey FYI, on Monday a bunch of people who knew Chris Stevens and Sean Smith from Libya and various other posts are gathering at the memorial wall at the C Street entrance of HST. 1230, all welcome. Look for the people laughing and crying in equal measure.
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Sep 10, 2017 07:21
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Miss you my friend
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Sep 12, 2017 02:35
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Did any of you current or vet FSO's have a chance to participate in the VSFS? Its a year long commitment offered on a grad or undergrad basis and I just started working on my project last week. Following from that, I also applied for a DC internship with European and Eurasian affairs to begin next summer and made sure to hype my participation in the virtual project within my letter of intent. Some background, for those of you that don't follow the Peace Corps thread: I am invited to serve in Ukraine in the fall of 2018 and am trying to get my head around what my networking options are before, during and immediately following service. My understanding is that, very commonly, PCVs abroad will have the opportunity to work on other projects in connection with local NGOs and other orgs (I have mostly heard about grant writing and proposal) I already know there is no particular trick to the FSOT, just gotta take it, and I will most likely do that in my 2nd year of service in Ukraine. Any tips and tricks I should know in terms of making the most of networking opportunities within State given my plans to serve in Ukraine for 2 years? I am really flexible and am pretty humbled to have even gotten this far. I am not dead set on any particular path at all, but more curious if you guys have any "wish I would have known/done/etc." sentiments.
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Sep 17, 2017 23:46
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Hello FSOT thread! While I was away in Britain recently I took some time to reflect on my poor degree and career choices (Journalism) and started thinking about other options when the idea of being an FSO jumped into my head. I took a practice FSOT and got a 49.9 (50 percent pass percentage) on the knowledge component and a 53 (88 percent pass percentage) on the writing/grammar component. Because I can't see what questions I got wrong I basically have to go with my gut and assume that my biggest failing was either in the managerial side of things or the Cold War era history. I'm thinking of going to a local CC to buff up on my US history but wanted to know if anyone was in a similar situation and had some recommendations for what tripped them up. Also, what should my timeline be going from here? Should I try to schedule for a test early next year?
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Sep 21, 2017 18:57
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Lil Peeler posted:Hello FSOT thread! While I was away in Britain recently I took some time to reflect on my poor degree and career choices (Journalism) and started thinking about other options when the idea of being an FSO jumped into my head. I took a practice FSOT and got a 49.9 (50 percent pass percentage) on the knowledge component and a 53 (88 percent pass percentage) on the writing/grammar component. Because I can't see what questions I got wrong I basically have to go with my gut and assume that my biggest failing was either in the managerial side of things or the Cold War era history. I'd just take the FSOT - I passed mine first try but was dinged in the QEP. I'm now almost too far along as a specialist to consider changing at this point.
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Sep 23, 2017 01:03
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Bidding bidding go away  I feel like I haven't gotten any work done from the stress and anxiety bidding for next summer. I see why people say it's such a waste of time. First time doing this mid level thing...does it ever get easier?
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Sep 27, 2017 17:30
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problematique posted:Bidding bidding go away It's my second go around and it seems slightly easier. I'm not sure how much of that is do to networking/having a good reputation vs just not caring as much.
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Sep 27, 2017 17:34
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Makes sense, I feel that I'm in that strange zone where I think I have a good reputation....but I'm still not quite known or networked that wide. I keep vacillating between thinking I'll be completely fine getting a great posting or that I'll totally bomb / get zero handshakes. Also what's up with these posts that completely ignore you? Not even an acknowledgement that your interest was received. I don't even want the job, I just want to know someone received my email. Feels not very professional and reflects poorly on management, in my view.
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Sep 27, 2017 18:07
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problematique posted:Makes sense, I feel that I'm in that strange zone where I think I have a good reputation....but I'm still not quite known or networked that wide. I keep vacillating between thinking I'll be completely fine getting a great posting or that I'll totally bomb / get zero handshakes. No response is normally a response...
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Sep 28, 2017 02:40
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problematique posted:First time doing this mid level thing...does it ever get easier? Yes, once you know more people. Assuming you aren't a gently caress up, of course. Then it's bad to know a lot of people when you bid. Then again, none of my midlevel jobs have been acquired normally, so I am not sure how much I can talk...
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Sep 28, 2017 18:02
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Man, I am going to start losing sleep if the second-tour bid list doesn't come out soon.
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Oct 2, 2017 07:36
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problematique posted:Makes sense, I feel that I'm in that strange zone where I think I have a good reputation....but I'm still not quite known or networked that wide. Right there with you
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Oct 2, 2017 10:36
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If I'm about a year out from finishing my master's program and I apply to Foreign Service Officer program and get accepted, then what happens? Will they let me finish my degree? (Assuming that I get accepted in less than a year).
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Oct 3, 2017 01:09
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Howard Phillips posted:If I'm about a year out from finishing my master's program and I apply to Foreign Service Officer program and get accepted, then what happens? Will they let me finish my degree? (Assuming that I get accepted in less than a year). Well - you have to pass the FSOT, QEP, FSOA, Med, Security and Suitability. That takes a while. Once you're on the register (assuming you pass all of the above) then it depends on when the next hire class is, and how many people they take off the register. I believe you can put yourself on a do not call list for a short period of time, but, you'd probably need to verify that if/when the time comes.
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Oct 3, 2017 02:34
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TCD posted:Well - you have to pass the FSOT, QEP, FSOA, Med, Security and Suitability. That takes a while. You can go on do not call for as long as you want (I did it) but it doesn't stop the 18 month clock. You have 18 months from going on the register (the list of cleared candidates) to accept an offer or you'll time out and have to reapply.
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Oct 3, 2017 02:53
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I can't help but wonder if there's any pressure within each A-100 class not to be the first person to resign from the Service. I mean, it's so hard to get in that the thought of voluntarily walking away seems unfathomable. But then again, maybe your family won't be as excited about this lifestyle as you are. Or maybe the FS as an ELO is different from the FS as an 01 or an 02. Or maybe that one bad tour was enough to push you over the edge?
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Oct 4, 2017 00:18
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We had one person never show up for A-100, one who went AWOL shortly after A-100, and another who left for a Ph. D. program sometime during their first tour. Go big or go home.
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Oct 4, 2017 16:20
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Business of Ferrets posted:We had one person never show up for A-100, one who went AWOL shortly after A-100, and another who left for a Ph. D. program sometime during their first tour. Go big or go home. Got you beat. We had one person who quit after day one, when she saw that Germany wasn't on the bid list... because she spoke German and thus expected to go there for her first tour.
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Oct 4, 2017 17:37
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We had one denied clearance and let go the day before flag day which then turned into a huge deal because he'd never quit his other job as contractor for DOD had still been doing that at night while doing orientation at FSI during the day.
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Oct 5, 2017 16:38
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I lost two classmates after their first tour. One of them now is on the register to get back in (IMS).
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Oct 6, 2017 05:46
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1of7 posted:We had one denied clearance and let go the day before flag day which then turned into a huge deal because he'd never quit his other job as contractor for DOD had still been doing that at night while doing orientation at FSI during the day. Flag day is the day you get your bids, right? So this person not only completed their A-100s before getting a security clearance, they also somehow had been contracting for the DOD without ever even obtaining one in the first place? How the hell does that happen?
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Oct 6, 2017 14:52
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1of7 posted:We had one denied clearance and let go the day before flag day which then turned into a huge deal because he'd never quit his other job as contractor for DOD had still been doing that at night while doing orientation at FSI during the day. How did they get invited to orientation without a clearance? Or did they manage to lose it before flag day somehow?
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Oct 6, 2017 15:36
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Maybe 1of7 meant the clearance was revoked?
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Oct 6, 2017 16:17
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Yorkshire Pudding posted:Flag day is the day you get your bids, right? So this person not only completed their A-100s before getting a security clearance, they also somehow had been contracting for the DOD without ever even obtaining one in the first place? How the hell does that happen? He had a DOD clearance and I guess HR was needing to fill the class and assumed he would have no problem getting the DOS clearance since he had the current one with DOD. They called him on a Friday inviting him to start orientation the next Monday.
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Oct 6, 2017 18:08
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.
zzonkmiles fucked around with this message at 20:53 on Oct 6, 2017 |
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Oct 6, 2017 20:51
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SCRwM posted:I'd totally bid Turkey if the wife would let me. As someone who has been posted in Ankara for a while, with a wife who thought she would hate it, please let me just say that the overwhelmingly negative external perception of life in Ankara is rather mistaken. People here are very friendly, and have a sort of cultural complex now where conversations in any bar normally begin: Him: Where are you from? Me: X Him: How do you like it here? Me: It's great - rich cultural history, great food, friendly people. It's a very easy place to live. Cost of living is very low due to the Lira being weak against most other currencies. Hospitals are great (my service doesn't do insurance really, it does reimbursement) and the private health care here is outstanding. Schools are good - we do not have kids yet but were told by basically everyone, from the ex pat community to locals, that "this is the perfect place to have a family". In fact, if you're in your Ambassador's delegation (to present credentials), you will likely be asked "How many children do you have?" (Hint: the best answer is 3, or that you're planning to have 3). Anyone having second thoughts about applying for Ankara please let me know. I've spent quite a bit of time here and most people seem surprised to hear about my positive experience here, aside from those people who have actually lived here.
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Oct 9, 2017 12:31
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Ordeith posted:Anyone having second thoughts about applying for Ankara please let me know. I've spent quite a bit of time here and most people seem surprised to hear about my positive experience here, aside from those people who have actually lived here. Wait, are you here now? I got here six weeks ago. And yes, I completely support what has been said here, even with the visa news from overnight.
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Oct 9, 2017 13:45
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