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pamchenko posted:Regional Security Officer. All things security. I have been on SA for years, but only learned about VileRat being associated with the FS in the recent press. The loss of each American hit us hard in a way I can't adequately express. Ambassador Chris Stevens was one of the best people I've ever had the pleasure of working with. To think of him being gone.... Ours is a job very few people know about, but it contains some of the most remarkable people I've ever met. Please...ask away. EDIT: for discretion! Bruxism fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Sep 15, 2012 |
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Sep 15, 2012 20:52
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Homie S posted:Now there are 3 of us! Look at that! A wealth of resources for future DS Agents. Been in for a while, Homie S?
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Sep 15, 2012 21:14
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vulturesrow posted:RSO looks interesting but I think Im still leaning towards FSO. That said, its certainly an option for me to take a look at. Whats the pay scale like? You guys should definitely put together a post to add to the OP. DS Agents get paid on the FSO pay scale (http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/pay/) just like all the other FSO's. The primary difference is we make overtime more easily and automatically make 25% more due to our Federal Law Enforcement status and the Congressionally Mandated LEAP system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_Enforcement_Availability_Pay). Basically, when you look at the job posting on USA jobs assume you will be making much more than the stated starting pay. Not a bad idea about adding something to the OP.....
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Sep 15, 2012 21:52
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Homie S posted:1st tour hump agent. I think theres another first tour guy around as well. Same here. In the middle of finishing up a TDY and sifting through the bid list at the moment. Small world.
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Sep 15, 2012 22:47
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Gravel Gravy posted:That's pretty cool and I've been trying to get into that. How many recruits have you met that weren't from either a military or law enforcement background? Gravel Gravy: I would say about thirty percent of my class (of 24 people) had no military/police background. All you need is a college degree and the savvy to make it through the BEX panel (our version of the oral exam). In fact, we had one dude that was straight out of undergrad; never even had a job before. There are some advantages to having military/police background, but I would say it is definitely not essential. Salah-al-diin: I know a TON of former-enlisted in both generalist and specialist positions. I was enlisted myself back in the day. Of the other veterans I run into in DS, I would say at least half of them were enlisted. I would be happy to answer any other questions you have about the DoD-DoS transition.
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Sep 16, 2012 09:14
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Red Crown posted:What kind of clothing do you guys wear on the job? Do you have any kind of uniform, or at least uniform insignia on your suits? for DS: During protection work we generally wear suits. Criminal investigations is usually bluejeans and t-shirts, RSO work is button up shirts/polos and 5.11 type pants. That would be great if the foreign service had a uniform. Like we could all wear Hawaiian print full body jumpsuits.
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Oct 7, 2012 14:31
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Vasudus posted:Yeah, it's for DS. So I'm just assuming that it's like any military/LEO board. Regardless, I'll start prepping myself for a variety of situations so I don't get too thrown off, even though I know that's one of the main points of the board. Congrats on making it to BEX! Don't freak out, show up early, and wear a drat suit. Take a moment to brush up on what it is DS, does both domestically and abroad, and be prepared to handwrite (like with pencil) a short essay similar to the one you wrote on the online portion. If you have any specific questions about what to expect or about DS in general feel free to PM me. Good luck!
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Oct 10, 2012 21:27
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Tyro posted:The essays are typed now! Crazy! Oh thank god. I had to restart that bullshit twice. Kept forgetting to skip lines and such. Follow the essay formatting directions EXACTLY. Kase Im Licht posted:Listen to the things they say, they'll give some hints on answering questions. All good advice, though I would warn against walking in expecting an easy experience. I have heard some horror stories from my colleagues about really combative BEX panels. Particularly in non-DC based ones. I don't think there is anything about the more far-flung panels that makes them harder... I just think that the panels being run at headquarters tend to be a little more consistent and easy-going due to taking place in the comfort of a familiar environment (I've heard of BEX panels in other cities being run out of hotel rooms for example). It probably WILL be a kinder, gentler experience, but I don't want you to get blindsided by some salty-rear end old-schooler.
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Oct 11, 2012 04:47
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Diplomaticus posted:Confirming that playing the new X-Com on Classic difficulty, with your troops named after co-workers is utterly hilarious. I right there with yea, buddy. Let me know if you ever need a reference for your transition to DS.
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Oct 13, 2012 15:31
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Vasudus posted:I wish I could take the BEX today and get it over with I sympathize. My BEX was delayed almost 2 months due to Snowpacalypse in DC. The worst thing about these sorts of exams is waiting for them.
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Oct 16, 2012 18:05
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Vasudus posted:I can only hope that the person reading the exam is not as apt at spelling as my third grade teacher. Or that the grading program doesn't have one either. Writing academic papers nonstop this semester has left me using unnecessarily large words and not having any form of spell checking is going to loving blow. Dude, you are set...with that preparation, you are already a step ahead of the pack. Just stick to words you KNOW you can spell. Crazy vcab isn't going to help you out; clarity and simplicity will. Diplomaticus posted:"DS is the best job in federal law enforcement if you don't want to be a cop." This is good and bad advice. It's true that once you leave the domestic side, law enforcement definitely is less prominent, but, depending on what field office you end up in, you will definitely be participating in "traditional federal law enforcement activities." In the context of your BEX, neither come on with too strong of or too dismissive of an attitude towards LEO work. A lot of agents have chips on their shoulders about one stance or another and you don't want to hit a nerve. Once again, don't stress and let me know if you have specific questions you are stressing about. Cheers.
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Oct 19, 2012 03:30
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Tyro posted:
Seconding this. Any military experience will reflect well on you. It is always nice to be able to say "I did this exact job already, just in the military.", but that is by no means a requirement.
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Oct 27, 2012 17:14
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HiroProtagonist posted:I've found myself seriously considering submitting an application to Diplomatic Security for a Special Agent position in the past few months. Enough so that I've been poking around for information in various places to get a better picture of what's involved. I'm fine with the job hazards, physical requirements and blessings/curses of carrying a badge, and I have a previous (lapsed now) security clearance issued by DSS (edit for clarity: Defense Security Service, not Diplomatic). What interests me most about DS is the wide variety of assignments compared to the five tracks of the Foreign Service de jure. Glad you're applying! It sounds like you have already done a lot of research and made a serious effort to learn what DS does; this will help you a lot in the application/testing process. Besides myself, there are a few other DS agents participating in this thread who will probably have different responses to your questions, but here are my thoughts: DS does operate a bit differently than the rest of DoS, but we are firmly a part of it. Particularly overseas and in DC, we work very closely with our generalist and civil service counterparts. I have personally worked very closely with a few individuals in this thread in a variety of environments. Regarding the tests, there is more of an emphasis on domestic law enforcement than on FSO Generalist subject matter on the initial online written test, but there are a lot of topics that overlap. Also, during the final portion of the oral exam, one of the people sitting on your panel will be a generalist that will ask you foreign policy related questions. Here is the basic structure of the application process: Apply online and taking a short relatively easy "written test" which also includes a short essay. wait forever to hear the results and whether or not you are invited to take the oral exam. take the oral exam has a short written portion, a job skill interview, and then concludes with a hypothetical situation interview. If you pass the oral portion they have you get your medical and security clearances. Once you have both of those you get put on the register and wait for a class date wait forever and get a class date I could be mistaken on when the health/security clearance is in the above timeline. I would venture to say that the process on average takes about a year for people. I know people that got through it much quicker and some people that took much longer. It depends on a lot of things. After you get a class date and start training it goes like this: 3 weeks of FSI orientation in DC. 3-4 months (depending on time of year/holidays) of FLETC in GA 2-3 months of specialized training split between the DC area and Winchester, VA area. Hope that makes the process a little more clear. If you have more specific questions, I would be happy to answer them.
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Nov 9, 2012 06:40
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the_chavi posted:Wait how much crash and bang do you get out in Winchester? Our driving training is quite extensive. HiroProtagonist posted:First, thanks for the detailed post! I appreciate it. Regarding the tests and oral exam, are the questions asked and answered more aptitude or knowledge oriented? I would say the exams by nature are more aptitude oriented. I went into the BEX panel with zero experience in law enforcement. Think of FLETC as basic training for federal agents. You'll learn everything you need to conduct a criminal investigation in a safe and thorough fashion. Your days will begin early and end a little late. They will consist of a mixture of physical training and classroom lecture. If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me and I'll tell you what I can.
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Nov 12, 2012 17:15
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CherryCola posted:Thank you so much for sharing this. It's good to, for once, hear an honest opinion by someone who is not a politician. Ugh....what a frustrating mischaracterization.
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Nov 16, 2012 04:08
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Dameius posted:I was just wondering about this but I'm assuming that while at an overseas mission State people have to abide by the laws of the US when those laws conflict with the local laws (to an extent). The example I was thinking of was basically stuff like drug use, prostitution, whatever other edge case behaviors there may be. I know State generally is pretty live and let live as far as lifestyles are concerned so yeah. Planning a party?
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Nov 18, 2012 01:32
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iyaayas01 posted:As a general rule does DoS have the same hard-on (pun intended) for anti-human trafficking stuff that DoD does? If anything, our hard-on is way...harder.
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Nov 18, 2012 08:03
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Looks like I'll be heading to Lilongwe, Malawi for my next post. Anyone have any insight or know anyone at post? My move is still several months away.
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Dec 11, 2012 20:53
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the_chavi posted:Congrats, Brux! I have a few friends who've served there - they really enjoyed it, though they said it was very quiet. (Might be a nice change of pace for you.) That is consistent with what I have heard so far. Quiet, a little sleepy, lots of medivac, and lots of outdoors activities. Not going to lie, my fiance and I are pretty excited to spend some time at a post without crazy security concerns. I'll spend plenty of time at such places in the future I'm sure.
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Dec 11, 2012 23:00
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astolfo83 posted:
Congrats! Almost there. Let us know if you get a class invite and when you'll be starting. A lot of us know people in the upcoming BSAC's. Bruxism fucked around with this message at 15:37 on Dec 18, 2012 |
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Dec 18, 2012 04:40
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the_chavi posted:Has anyone here applied for or succeeded in getting the Presidential Management Fellowship? My husband just got selected as a semi-finalist, and we're trying to find people he can study with in DC for the interviews in January or February. All the people I know who've gone through PMF did it long enough ago that we think the process has changed a lot since then... I was a PMF finalist in 2010. I went to the job fair and secured a few different offers, but decided to go with DS instead. I would be happy to discuss my experience with him. It's a great way to get fast-tracked into DoS (well, any department) civil service and opens the door to a shorter/easier FSO exam.
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Dec 22, 2012 23:59
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Skandiaavity posted:Some clarification; I need to make a few corrections here regarding DS assignments. Your first post (right out of BSAC) is TYPICALLY a domestic post at one of our larger field offices. There are times when people are taken from training right into the Secretary's Detail or some other "non-traditional" first-tour post. Also, it is extremely easy to get AIP as your second tour. With trends being what they currently are, it's almost the only way to make sure you make it out overseas for your second tour and beyond. Additionally, it is very easy to get TDY's to "high threat posts" (including AIP) during your first tour. It's not uncommon for DS Agents to take positions of a higher rank; this is called a stretch tour. Those are less common at the entry level.
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Dec 27, 2012 03:46
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Diplomaticus posted:People with pulled security clearances are such a small minority it shouldn't be representative. Anyway, my best friend here at post is DS. People joke that we're married, which is doubly funny in that my wife and his wife are friends as well. No friction, but maybe it's also because I'm relatively laid back and thus get along. I've also never heard of jealousy over LEAP -- it all balances out in the end when the FSOs aren't struggling looking for jobs as an FS-02, and also due to the fact that we don't have to fight to get non-AIP overseas assignments. Everything has its benefits and drawbacks. I think any friction you're hearing is being greatly exaggerated. As for generalists with superiority attitudes -- well, it happens. It's far from the majority, but it's just something that you have to live with. Incidentally I have seen more problems with specialists who think they can be tyrants of their own little fiefdoms and run afoul of post management, but maybe we just have relatively few problems here so those stand out. Just to weigh in from the DS side. I agree with everything my colleagues above have said. It comes down to personalities. I have had few conflicts with people and not met a single person I simply couldn't work with. For those conflicts I have had, just as many have been with other DS agents as with generalists and individuals from other specialist fields. I feel like there is a lot of talk about some great impasse between the generalists and specialists, but I feel that, when it comes down to it, this is largely an imagined division occasionally trotted out to explain the inevitable disagreements that come up at post.
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Dec 28, 2012 23:37
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SCRwM posted:Out of curiosity, what do most of the FS Goons roll with? Laptop or desktop? Apple or Windows?
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Jan 1, 2013 22:45
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SCRwM posted:For the IMS goons, what is your usual dress for work? Is it always coat and tie, or is it business casual (khaki pants and polo or long sleeve shirt)? I'm guessing you don't get to bust out the jeans and t-shirt to work. Our satellite guy at one of my posts showed up every day in blue jeans, t-shirt, and cowboy boots. That probably isn't typical though...
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Jan 21, 2013 01:52
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the_chavi posted:One of our IRM staff wears shirts that are about 8 sizes too small. I've seen his (ample) belly more than I care to count. No time for love Dr. Jones!
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Jan 22, 2013 23:40
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joe123456 posted:I hear that other than the RSO they typically aren't liked much. What do you mean? Only the RSO is disliked more than a new GSO or only the RSO likes the GSO? I definitely like to keep the GSO happy...I once worked with a GSO that was a wretched S.O.B. and it made my job very difficult.
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Jan 31, 2013 05:24
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HiroProtagonist posted:I'm in the process of interviewing for new jobs right now, and one of them that I like involves work with classified material, and hence if I came on board, I'd be upgrading my Secret to TS. Unless your TS/SCI clearance was issued to you while working with the Department of State, you will probably have to do it all over again. It will probably happen quickly though if you already hold that level of clearance in another organization.
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Feb 1, 2013 22:01
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Skandiaavity posted:(edit: sucks, real bad, about Ankara. I heard 2 DOS servicemen died (via reuters)? was that confirmed yet? It looks like it was a member of the Local Guard Force. They are local nationals hired to work the outer perimeter. More of these guys get killed than people realize.
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Feb 2, 2013 03:07
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photoguy posted:Hi all, Funny you should mention it. I just got married about two weeks ago and am currently going through the process now for my move in September. I can only speak to the first step which was filling out a form in HR Online that officially changed my status from single to married. Filling out the form online took about 5 minutes. Following that I sent a scanned copy of my marriage certificate to my HR Tech and received confirmation of the change about 2 days later. This week I plan on having my wife added to my insurance plans and then will begin figuring out the process to to get her health clearances for travel to post. If you come across any handy guides/advice, please share!
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Feb 11, 2013 05:09
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Sorry to digress from the unfolding Pigeon Gate, but thought this might be interesting for prospective DS agents: The training DS agents undergo for our job has recently been certified by Veteran's Affairs as a valid institution for awarding GI Bill benefits. The training usually measures out to using 7 months of your benefits, so it's a really nice chunk of change. This is the product of a few years of lobbying done by a few of my BSAC buddies. The only drawback to that fact is that this will only cover agents who were in my BSAC class (114) and up. If you have any questions or need some diplopedia links, drop me a PM.
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Feb 15, 2013 04:01
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Vasudus posted:If it's being covered by the GI Bill that means you can double dip. Collect DC-area BAH (2106/mo) and collect at least 500 dollars for supplies, if not the full 1k. Useful for people who have GI Bill benefits left over (note that this applies to anyone who has at least one day of benefits left). Ends up being a cool 15k or so, for essentially nothing. I'm guessing that State has a tuition assistance program? If so, then there is literally zero reason to not do this if you can. Right, we end up collecting bah, but I think the amount is closer to 7000.
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Feb 16, 2013 17:04
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Kase Im Licht posted:Got an email that my clearance was approved last week. Just need to pass the Final Review Board or whatever and I'm on the register. Great! The final review board seems like a formality. I've never heard of anyone stopping at that point. Let us know once you find out where you are on the registry and I'll keep my ear to the ground for upcoming BSAC classes. Congrats on getting another step closer.
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Feb 21, 2013 15:32
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Tyro posted:A guy who I OA'ed with passed security and failed FRP, it is rare but it happens. Any idea what caused him to get stopped at that point?
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Feb 21, 2013 22:20
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Homie S posted:O RLY We'll be fine.
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Mar 6, 2013 23:07
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Homie S posted:HOLD ME OH GOD Ha ha. "We'll be fine." That's what I'll be telling the bright young faces at the job fair tomorrow... I'll be up for it later this year. I feel pretty confident I'll get it the first go, but who knows.
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Mar 7, 2013 15:27
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HiroProtagonist posted:Question for DS SAs: careers.state.gov is being unusually squirrely about new application periods for the position, probably due to budget concerns and the fact that the loving ARB report on Benghazi didn't secure any additional funding. Is there any information you could share regarding the opening of an upcoming application period? (PMs or email included -- my username (.) SA at Gmail.) I'll answer here for the benefit of other people wondering the same thing. It has been a while since I saw the last announcement and the impression I get from talking to people is that they are cutting back on new classes, though this isn't from any official source. We aren't getting new people (fresh out of BSAC) at my office until AUGUST! We are used to getting 5-10 people every other month or so. I am going to be spending some time with an HR dude tomorrow and I will try to pick his brain for info on upcoming classes (how many, when, how full.) I'll post anything I can share here.
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Mar 8, 2013 02:52
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Just finished up a day repping DOS and DS at the Columbia U. job fair. I return with the following information and resources for prospective FS goons: First, something that I feel should be added to the OP: HR has developed, and barely advertised, this great smart-phone app for people interested in careers at DOS: DOSCareers app for Android DOSCareers app for Iphone not only does it condense our careers site down to a handy app, but it also contains practice test questions for the various disciplines. Seems handy for people just looking into applying as well as those at various stages of testing. Concerning DS Special Agent positions: I am told that the sequester has NOT impacted our hiring or training class plans for the foreseeable future. That said, I am also told there will not be another job opening window until Fall of 2013. No specific dates on when it will open, but the impression I got is they usually come out in October. Apparently, we are STILL interviewing people from the last job opening. If I find out anything more specific I'll post it here.
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Mar 9, 2013 00:04
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Homie S posted:GRRR that's my favorite one! The spread is usually pretty solid. Didn't see him. Actually an HR guy came from DC with boxes of stuff to give away. I didn't bring anything from the office.
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Mar 9, 2013 17:21
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problematique posted:On one of the cheesy State career videos overviewing IMS careers the lady said her first posting was Pakistan. I thought AIP was only open to tenured folk? Can officers or specialist be assigned AIP right out of FSI? I can't speak for generalists or other specialists, but it is extremely common for untenured DS agents to both TDY and PCS to AIP and other high-threat posts.
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Mar 25, 2013 15:28
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