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R.I.P. VileRat. I've lurked on SA since I graduated from law school in 2000, but never bothered registering for the forum until now. I was drawn into this thread last month, after I registered for the FSOT. I read through VileRat's posts, among others, in preparing myself for my journey to what will hopefully be a new career. It's heart-breaking to see a husband and father taken away by such senseless violence, and it's a sobering reminder of the 'other side' of this career choice. Nevertheless, VileRat's sacrifice has only strengthened my resolve to get through this process, so that I can maybe serve with the courage and sense of humor that he has demonstrated over the years.
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Sep 13, 2012 14:52
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CherryCola posted:Alright! It's on. I just got notification that I've been approved for the FSOT, so I'm taking it on October 6th. Time to cram! I'm taking it October 2nd in Fort Worth -- good luck!
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Sep 17, 2012 17:47
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Tyro posted:Not at all, I'm on the Register for Consular. Out of the Generalist roles it was the only one that really appealed to me. I'm stoked for it also. I've worked as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney, and Consular just seems like a perfect match -- who wouldn't like screening a visa applicant's circumstances or helping Americans after they've made foolish decisions?
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Sep 18, 2012 00:59
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I took the written test yesterday in Fort Worth. I barely finished the biographical section on time, and only had 2 minutes left to look over my essay after I finished. The practice tests in the official study guide helped a lot, and I'd recommend it to anyone. I agree with everyone saying you can't really study for the test. For some reason, I took a lot of business electives in undergrad (BA in history, 1997), which, combined with Law School, pretty much covered the 'Job Knowledge' section. It's nice when the nonsensical choices I made in college actually help me out now. Fingers crossed for 3-4 weeks . . .
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Oct 3, 2012 18:53
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Here's the friendship pin nobody will be ordering:
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Oct 8, 2012 14:54
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Azuth0667 posted:I'm about to register for the test is it a good idea to buy the study guide from ACT or am I okay preparing with the free materials available? I think the guide is totally worth it -- if you really want to pursue a lifelong career in diplomacy, $29 is a small price for a little help. I took the test 10/2, and am ~patiently~ awaiting the results. The practice tests in the guide absolutely helped get me into the proper mindset which is half the battle with standardized testing.
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Oct 24, 2012 14:27
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Gold and a Pager posted:You'll get an e-mail about it telling you to go to this website: https://actapps.act.org/fsotresults/ to download your results letter. The Yahoo group was abuzz yesterday, and some posters are saying ACT told them we'll have results by the end of the week. It's really hard to get anything done at work when you're constantly checking to see if the PNQ link has appeared . . . Edit: Got my link! d1rtbag fucked around with this message at 15:02 on Oct 25, 2012 |
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Oct 25, 2012 14:42
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Coin posted:I'm sorry if this has already been answered, but I didn't see anything on the last couple of pages. Mitigation also plays a big role in assessing how bad something is, so taking classes, therapy, AA, or even having a plan in place to avoid similar trouble can go a long way. Seriously, most of the people who don't get the clearance in the decisions have HUGE histories with substances, infidelity with foreign nationals, concealed crimes, and bankruptcy - and usually 2 or more of the above. If all you have is a DUI, then go for it. As a current criminal defense attorney (and hopefully a future FSO), I can tell you that lots of 'normal' people get DUIs or DWIs, because it's easy to misjudge when you've had one too many. There is much less stigma attached to that than any degree of theft or fraud.
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Oct 29, 2012 02:29
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Turned in my PNs last night -- now I'm back to helpless waiting until January . . .
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Nov 15, 2012 15:03
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the_chavi posted:What do I think? I think that I know every person involved in what happened in Benghazi and in Tripoli, and I'm really loving sick of the political games about the death of my boss and my coworkers. That's what I loving thing. Politicians aren't human beings - they're going to twist everything to support their 'side' to gain points for the next election', leaving the rest of us as detritus on the roadside.
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Nov 16, 2012 01:36
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Ron Don Volante posted:How many sites in the U.S. is the FSOT usually offered at? Is it like multiple locations per state or just large metropolitan centers? When I took it in October, the Dallas site was already full, but they had openings in Fort Worth (~30 minutes away). It seems like there are places within a 2 hour drive of just about anywhere you might be living in the U.S.
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Jan 8, 2013 22:45
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I just got my letter, and I made it through the QEP! It was gut-wrenching opening the letter, but fortune smiled upon me this time. Thanks to all the goons for helping me get through this process!
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Jan 14, 2013 18:34
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Since we're talking about spouses with careers, is there a need for counselors / therapists at some posts?
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Jan 30, 2013 01:31
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CeramicPig posted:Thursday I take my FSOT test. I'm nervous about it. Good luck! Just get as much sleep as you can tonight, and give yourself plenty of time in the morning, so you won't feel rushed.
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Feb 6, 2013 17:22
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Zoots posted:You're gonna groan, but IT DEPENDS. As a consular hopeful, would I be correct in assuming that I would be getting HUGE workout in the language department at each foreign-language post? Does State require more time in language training for FSOs who are heading to consular rotations, or do they toss you into a visa line to sink or swim?
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Feb 12, 2013 17:07
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Miscreant Fromage posted:I got an invite today for the March 25th class (even though I was supposed to be on DNC status). I had hoped to wait till the fall but I think I'm going to go ahead and snag it. Have had lots of discussion with the husband about it, he is in the Army but stationed near DC (no per diem for us). He gets out in a couple years so maybe this will sync up better. This would also put me in more of a better time period I assume with the school year (I hope). It won't seem real until I actually set foot in orientation though. Congratulations! I say go for it while you have the chance.
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Feb 12, 2013 22:39
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the JJ posted:Sooo... I'm looking at taking the test, I've done some practice tests online as a baseline, about what kind of percentages should I be looking at for 'passing' grades? Passing is based upon T-scores, so there's no good standard. However, I was scoring 80-90% and passed the October FSOT with a comfortable margin. I would recommend practicing the hell out of the essay, getting used to working in the limited time available.
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Feb 16, 2013 07:21
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Continuous posted:Looks like Anonymous got a hold of and published DoS employee data It's interesting how these groups, when they feel mistreated by an agency, will strike out at completely unrelated workers who had nothing to do with their "wrong". The equivalent retaliation would be finding whatever random hackers you can lay hands on and beating the snot out of them. Whatever sympathy Anonymous may engender at times, these childish tantrums just create more enemies.
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Feb 20, 2013 01:16
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problematique posted:FRP always seemed like most opaque step in the process (more so than QEP panels). I can't imagine making it so far, through so many hoops, having been cleared already, to get denied. How about getting probation from the SA Forums?
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Feb 22, 2013 17:23
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Long shot question -- does anyone here have any contacts with Peace Corps or USAID in Malaysia? We have a Burmese (Chin)woman who came to the US from a Malaysian refugee camp, but the father was left behind in Malaysia. The child (my client) is now in CPS custody, and we have been unsuccessful in locating the father through the consulate.
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Feb 26, 2013 19:27
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I think the parties are really blowing this out of proportion to try to score points. This year's impact is $85 Billion out of a $3.8 trillion budget, but the politicians and talking heads on both sides act like the world is about to end. Selfishly, I just really hope my candidacy isn't sabotaged by this mess.
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Feb 27, 2013 03:43
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kys posted:Took the FSOT Feb. 2, passed multiple choice with 171 but failed the essay portion with a 5 out of 12. Any tips for next year? I selected Consular Track because I'm currently a CBPO at Skid row. With a 5/12, you should consider requesting that the essay be regraded. I think it costs $35, but since the score is a composite of 2 graders, that means one person passed you and the other failed you. A regrade may get you over the hump.
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Feb 28, 2013 19:04
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Sequester fun: OMB put up a report of the funding impact of sequestration. It looks like the requested State Department budget was built to withstand any impact. Page 147 of the PDF is the beginning of State funding, and sets out the sequestrable Net Budget for Diplomatic and Consular Programs as roughly $10.9 Billion, with a potential sequester impact of around $1.1 Billion, leaving us with $9.8 Billion. The previous budget projections from State and OMB appear to be requesting $9.6 Billion for FY 2013, so we MAY be okay. By comparison, in FY 2012 State received $8.9 Billion for Administration of Foreign Affairs (which includes Diplomatic and Consular Programs), down from $11.2 Billion in 2011. The only problem with this analysis, is that these budget numbers are often fudged a bit depending upon who is drafting the report. Strangely enough, the amount requested for Diplomatic and Consular Programs is sometimes listed as only $7.1 Billion for FY 2013, which leads me to believe some versions of the report require that we look at the entire Administration of Foreign Affairs budget. At the end of the day, I could be completely wrong, but this gives me a way to stay sane as I push toward my OA next week.
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Feb 28, 2013 19:35
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hitension posted:It doesn't necessarily mean that-- he could have scored a 2 and a 3, for example. That seems far more likely to me than a 5 and a 0. Yes, that's what I meant. One person likely gave him a 3 (passing) and the other a 2 (failing) for a total of 5 out of 12 possible points.
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Feb 28, 2013 19:37
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Gold and a Pager posted:Does the essay score help you much or is it as long as you pass, it doesn't matter if you got a 6 or a 12? (or is the answer to that question inside the black box of the QEP?) I got a 6 on my essay, and made it through the QEP, so it didn't seem to hurt me at all. There is speculation all over the place as to how much the essay matters for QEP, but I've encountered a lot of people who got a 6-8 who are going to the OA.
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Feb 28, 2013 19:41
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problematique posted:Thanks for the analysis! I too have been pouring over anything to calm me down. My suspicion is that they planned for the sequester, and increased the budget request accordingly. Alternatively, losing diplomats and staff in Benghazi may have led to an increase in requested funding by the end of the year. I just wish congress and the president could be forced to work it out. When a vital industry has a labor dispute, the federal government sometimes orders the parties back into negotiations; it would only be fair to lock our elected officials in a room, sequestered like jury members, until they work something out. 536 Angry Men? d1rtbag fucked around with this message at 21:10 on Feb 28, 2013 |
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Feb 28, 2013 21:00
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Fatewarns posted:Passed the multiple choice, but got a 4 on the essay. Would the regrade generally be able to improve the essay score? That's a difference of one point for each grader. Is it worth $35 to have a chance to not wait a full year to start over?
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Mar 1, 2013 20:26
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SCRwM posted:Is this as a result of the sequester? I'm wondering if this will effect Officers more than Specialists ( I'm guessing the Specialist register is smaller than Officers). At the same time that may make it a lot more difficult for those on the Specialist register since (I'm guessing) there are fewer Specialists in the field, so it could be entirely possible that only one (example) IMS could be hired for the remainder of the year. Or maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way..... I have my OA on Thursday (2 days!) in San Antonio. Good thing there's no additional pressure . . .
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Mar 5, 2013 14:39
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FSOA in San Antonio today. 5 out of 10 passed, including me! Come on clearances, so I can get on the register . . .
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Mar 8, 2013 02:17
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problematique posted:Congrats! What cone? Consular. I got a 5.6, so I feel pretty good about my chances, assuming clearances go without a hitch and we get funding from Congress. State leased some space in an 'Executive Suite' on the north end of the Riverwalk. It's a regular office building, so there were no secure areas to worry about. One odd thing I noticed: Out of ten candidates, I was the only one actually living in Texas. The rest were from all over the country, plus one from London (though he grew up in Austin). We even had two people from the D.C. area! Now that I've passed the OA, I'm already getting anxious about setting up the medical appointments and getting the security clearance. I just want to fast-forward and get on the register!
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Mar 9, 2013 12:17
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Tyro posted:High five, d1rtbag, good job, solid score too. Thanks! Now I'm already starting to freak out about clearances. Every time you feel like you're making progress, this process throws another step at you...
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Mar 9, 2013 21:53
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On a related note, how important is regional focus for Consular officers? There are no regional bureaus, so is there any benefit to focusing on a particular region?
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Mar 16, 2013 02:04
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Business of Ferrets posted:The difference d1rtbag is getting at is that CA owns all domestic and overseas consular positions. This differs from pol and econ jobs, for example, which are owned by the regional bureaus. CA assignments also function a bit differently, with the CA front office roughly plaing the role of EL CDOs, as it were. Thanks! That's a great explanation. It gives me some food for thought as I wait on my clearances.
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Mar 17, 2013 00:57
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May A-100 offers have started going out. I'm still in clearance limbo (I've heard from DC investigator, but not the local one yet), but it's encouraging to see people still getting jobs.
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Apr 2, 2013 20:58
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problematique posted:This is for May A-100? Yes. I've seen a few people already posting their offers on the Yahoo group. I'm hoping that having a May class means the hiring situation is not as dire as we'd feared.
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Apr 2, 2013 21:34
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I've always read that Falls Church is the Oakwood property to pick if you have small children. Is this not the case?
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Apr 8, 2013 21:31
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TCD posted:Lots of families enjoy Falls Church. Are the other 2 properties appropriate for families? Also, if you're willing to share, what was it about Falls Church that you disliked?
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Apr 9, 2013 01:23
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When my dad was in the Air Force, we just bought used cars in Portugal. Dad had an awesomely ugly Opel, and Mom had an old VW Rabbit. When it was time to leave, they just sold them to other military.
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Apr 11, 2013 00:03
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SCRwM posted:Advice for anyone going through the Medical clearance process. If at all possible, I highly suggest having DoS Medical do your "fit for duty" exam. Even though they say they will, getting reimbursed for going to your doctor is a nightmare (along with getting someone to call you back, reply to your emails, etc.). Our biggest problem has been convincing the doctors that they have to do everything State asks for - I give mine, my wife's and my son's all an 'F' for failing to follow simple instructions. Just because they think something "isn't important" doesn't mean they should do whatever they want. I suspect that it is primarily about : 1) Ego; and 2) What they think insurance will pay for. Just do the tests on the piece of paper, fill it out, and give me the labs! /rant
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Apr 11, 2013 18:28
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Business of Ferrets posted:If you're going to be in DC/VA (maybe MD?) for more than a few months, there is basically no way to avoid changing residency. Its how the system is set up, and the states are smart and want their taxes. We don't get to choose the way the military does. Some people try to skirt it, but that's risky; a boss of mine wound up paying tens of thousands of dollars in back taxes to the State of VA after they came after him. His argument that he had alternate residency didn't hold up in court. AFSA has a nice guide for maintaining your domicile (in my case, Texas), while in the FS. Of course, you still have to pay VA, DC, or MD income tax if you are physically present for more than 6 months, but you can maintain significant ties to your home state so you're not losing your tax money when you serve overseas.
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Apr 12, 2013 15:01
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