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SCRwM posted:
Three weeks is orientation with other specialists (I've heard that its not the same as A100, but I don't know how it differs) & the rest is your "trade craft" & any additional training post wants you to get before before arriving. quote:So you've racked some serious FF miles in your first year. If you don't mind my asking, if you have a family, did they travel with you when you went "out" for training? If they stayed at home, how did the cope especially since this is your first duty location I believe? When my wife wasn't working & my daughter wasn't in school they did go with me (at my expense, of course). Only my last class was I away for a week while they stayed home (though I have another 2 weeks next month). It's kind of hard for her now, because she has an EFM position & doing that full time, plus getting our kid ready for kindergarten, bed, etc... & the other house work is pretty exhausting on her if I'm not around to help. I am trying to get her to hire someone to help, at least part time, but she doesn't want to spend the money. Or, at least she wants to wait until after Chinese New Year so that we don't have to pay a bonus. :-p
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Jan 19, 2013 16:41
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1of7 posted:Three weeks is orientation with other specialists (I've heard that its not the same as A100, but I don't know how it differs) & the rest is your "trade craft" & any additional training post wants you to get before before arriving. Thanks for the info!
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Jan 20, 2013 13:36
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A pretty well done video on Rwanda. http://vimeo.com/57465392 I did almost all of those things. I know a few State and DoD officers who went on the military patrol boat. The suspension canopy bridge was a USAID project. My good friend was the project officer for it. I did Presidential election monitoring in the north. At one poll site at the base of the mountain with the gorillas, I walked to the end of one class room and looked out the window and saw two-three dozen military troops ready to go. We were used to seeing 4-6 soldiers and police on routine patrols all around the country, but when you see a platoon plus of dudes with full gear about 1-2 miles from the border - during the Presidential election, it brings home where you are and what's going on. Now, I don't miss the constant food poisoning, going to the store only to find out that butter has been sold out in the 6 stores we went to on Friday, and many of the other hardships, but the expat community was great and we had some awesome friends there. TCD fucked around with this message at 19:01 on Jan 20, 2013 |
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Jan 20, 2013 18:57
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TCD posted:A pretty well done video on Rwanda. As an IMS, how prevalent or difficult is it to get involved in non work related functions when abroad (like what you did with election monitoring)? I think I'd enjoy getting involved in lots of different projects, on a purely volunteer basis, in areas that are outside my IT background. I guess I'm asking are these things generally through the post or do most find them on their own? This is more of a financial question, maybe not best for this forum but how do people approach things like owning a home in the states? Moving around so much it would seem that not many people would have a home besides a few that could consider it as an investment option. Do people buy homes when abroad or do most generally live in government housing? I was personally thinking of approaching the fact I don't pay for housing not as "oh free money", but that I'd square away an X amount of money equal to what I'd normally be paying in DC for rent/mortgage. I'm getting to the age when many of my friends are putting down for a home and I hate the idea that I'd be losing out on not building equity and diversifying my investments.
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Jan 20, 2013 21:16
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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.
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Jan 21, 2013 01:50
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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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it depends. (answer: all of the above). It tends to lean on Business Casual, though
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Jan 21, 2013 01:53
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That said, I've never seen so many Hawaiian shirts as I have inside the IM suite!
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Jan 21, 2013 02:19
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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. The Ambassador at my previous post liked my bowling shirts best. The only thing the front office ever said about jeans was they wish they could wear them to work. On pouch days, don't wear nice pants, and don't wear black. Burlap sheds and smells like wet dog when the tiniest bit moist. It's delightful. RE: Home ownership, I wouldn't touch real estate in the U.S. with a 100 foot pole. It has a long way to go before it reaches a sustainable price level. Demographics alone will gently caress the market up. Baby boomers will retire and sell their homes or die and their kids will sell them, and there are not enough young people to buy them. Plus our generation will delay their home purchases by at least 8 years thanks to the average amount of student loans being $27,000. ATI Jesus fucked around with this message at 04:44 on Jan 21, 2013 |
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Jan 21, 2013 04:41
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ATI Jesus posted:The only thing the front office ever said about jeans was they wish they could wear them to work. The perfect example of State Department passive-aggressive self-loathing.
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Jan 21, 2013 05:11
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Business of Ferrets posted:The perfect example of State Department passive-aggressive self-loathing. Hahahaha. Generally speaking, for IM, slacks/khakis with a button down shirt is appropriate. Our new IMO wears that with a tie now. When he was IPO and ISO, he wore it without a tie. If I know I'm going to be doing a lot of labor intensive work (pouch, pulling cable, etc.) I'll wear jeans and a t-shirt. Also, some commo shops have Hawaiian Friday's where everybody wears Hawaiian shirts. I'm going to western Europe and I hope that business casual is as formal as it gets. Most of the time RSO dresses similar to us, unless they are meeting people and they go in suites (like we do as well). Most FSOs are normally shirts with ties or suites if they plan on having meetings.
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Jan 21, 2013 07:06
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Dear SF-86; Thank you for remembering me and my information from the last time we met. This makes things so much easier. Hugs and kisses!
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Jan 21, 2013 13:40
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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. Business casual as you've defined it is fine in most shops. Personally I wear a shirt, tie, and some sturdy dress pants most days. I could easily ditch the tie though, it's just a personal choice.
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Jan 21, 2013 16:47
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Business of Ferrets posted:That said, I've never seen so many Hawaiian shirts as I have inside the IM suite! TCD posted:Hahahaha. Our DCM's OMS is singlehandedly repping Hawaiian shirt Friday.
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Jan 21, 2013 21:38
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For one, I only wear jeans if i'm on pouch duty. Rest is slacks/dress pants. You never really know who you're going to meet in the halls 
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Jan 22, 2013 01:15
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Skandiaavity posted:For one, I only wear jeans if i'm on pouch duty. You really should put a shirt on.
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Jan 22, 2013 01:48
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Business of Ferrets posted:You really should put a shirt on. (悪) It's how they know it's me.. (edit: you definately want to wear nice clothes if you're on escort duty, though) Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 02:45
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Business of Ferrets posted:You really should put a shirt on. Not when you have the fine body of an IMS. You need to flaunt it, helps post moral.
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Jan 22, 2013 13:31
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Business of Ferrets posted:You really should put a shirt on. 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. Please, for the sanity of your coworkers, don't do this.
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Jan 22, 2013 15:28
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yeah, seriously. wear shirts. Actually, gently caress. If you're in the FS you have literally no drat excuse to not get your clothes tailored. Even the polos.
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Jan 22, 2013 15:34
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Skandiaavity posted:yeah, seriously. wear shirts. Thanks for the info/clarification. Back to reviewing the FSS OA study guide and keeping my nerves in check.
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Jan 22, 2013 16:13
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Skandiaavity posted:Actually, gently caress. If you're in the FS you have literally no drat excuse to not get your clothes tailored. Uh, no... not everybody is assigned to EAP.
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Jan 22, 2013 16:48
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My "professional" wardrobe has grown considerably since I started working at the FSI. It's definitely worth the extra 15-20 bucks to get a shirt altered so it fits perfectly.
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Jan 22, 2013 19:30
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The problem with AF is that you can get cheap suits here, but they're either going to look or feel like cheap suits.
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Jan 22, 2013 19:55
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I spent today reading over the forum, going back to the beginning. For IMS, it appears (from what I read/decipher and I could be wrong) is for the OA, it isn't that technical. To the point of someone with a few years help desk and/or sys admin should be just fine (more or less).
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Jan 22, 2013 23:07
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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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SCRwM posted:I spent today reading over the forum, going back to the beginning. For IMS, it appears (from what I read/decipher and I could be wrong) is for the OA, it isn't that technical. To the point of someone with a few years help desk and/or sys admin should be just fine (more or less). From my experience, yes... It's weird for me sitting in an ISC... Really strange coming from an IPC.
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Jan 23, 2013 00:20
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has nothing to do with EAP; I was getting them tailored even while in D.C. I suppose if you're posted in EUR it might be a bit different, but still...
Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 00:52 on Jan 23, 2013 |
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Jan 23, 2013 00:50
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Skandiaavity posted:has nothing to do with EAP; I was getting them tailored even while in D.C. I suppose if you're posted in EUR it might be a bit different, but still... I had a reply typed, and then I realized I'd sound like a jackass on a bureau I really enjoyed. For any other IMSs, you don't need to have poo poo (outside of suites and formal wear) tailored on a regular basis. E: Depending on posting this can both be costly or difficult to get it done right. However, in some parts of the world, it can be excellent and very affordable to replace a wardrobe with some really nice looking attire. TCD fucked around with this message at 19:17 on Jan 23, 2013 |
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Jan 23, 2013 01:15
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Skandiaavity posted:yeah, seriously. wear shirts. I didn't even know polos could be tailored. Surely ignorance is a pretty good excuse. 
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Jan 23, 2013 04:06
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I hear the plaque ceremony is soon (next month) for the deceased of the Benghazi tragedy? Seemed a bit too soon.
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Jan 23, 2013 05:14
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1of7 posted:I didn't even know polos could be tailored. Surely ignorance is a pretty good excuse. I never knew it either. ::and knowing is half the battle::
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Jan 23, 2013 13:47
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Pompous Rhombus, if you see this, your PM inbox is full.
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Jan 23, 2013 15:11
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Hope that someone can help me with this question... the embassy website is a little nebulous, it doesn't cover what I'm asking... We're looking to help a Chinese kid go to summer camp in the US this summer and we've been having some issues with being told different stuff from different people, I wonder if anyone could answer a question. The kid is 13, and would be traveling accompanied by me and my wife (Chinese national) to the US, spend 3 weeks in a summer camp, then go back home. The camp is willing to provide an invitation letter that will say whatever we want it to say, mention us by name as accompanying guardians or whatever. What I can't figure out is how to get this kid a visa. Does he need to go to get the visa? Do his parents need to go and have an interview on his behalf? Could we bring him to Beijing for the interview without his parents? http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/drop-off_for_minor__aged.html#ans There's absolutely no mention of what to do to get a child a visa but not the parents, though I know obviously it's possible to do... if anyone with any experience in this could give me some advice at least on an avenue to follow I'd appreciate it.
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Jan 23, 2013 17:07
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Skandiaavity posted:I hear the plaque ceremony is soon (next month) for the deceased of the Benghazi tragedy? Seemed a bit too soon. Not sure there's ever going to be a right time. One thing I wish for is the political aspect of it to go away... TCD fucked around with this message at 20:12 on Jan 23, 2013 |
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Jan 23, 2013 19:45
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Skandiaavity posted:I hear the plaque ceremony is soon (next month) for the deceased of the Benghazi tragedy? Seemed a bit too soon. You mean adding them to the plaque listing the fallen at HST? Not sure what other ceremony you could mean.
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Jan 24, 2013 04:25
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Yup.
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Jan 24, 2013 04:32
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Skandiaavity posted:Yup. Not sure when they carve them into the wall, but the formal ceremony recognizing the year's additions is on/around 1 May every year. Apparently 1 May is Foreign Affairs Day - which doesn't help our cause when the Loyal Opposition on the Hill calls us commies.
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Jan 24, 2013 18:45
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the_chavi posted:which doesn't help our cause when the Loyal Opposition on the Hill calls us commies. Did I miss something from the recent hearings? Commies?
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Jan 24, 2013 19:14
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the_chavi posted:Not sure when they carve them into the wall, but the formal ceremony recognizing the year's additions is on/around 1 May every year. Apparently 1 May is Foreign Affairs Day - which doesn't help our cause when the Loyal Opposition on the Hill calls us commies. I am pretty sure that AFSA has done it independently of the regularly scheduled ceremony in the past. There was an article in Foreign Service Journal about it, I believe, or maybe on AFSAs site. problematique posted:Did I miss something from the recent hearings? Commies? May 1 is International Labor Day, or "may day". Int'l labor, commies, etc. Incidentally it's nice that we get it off here as a local holiday.
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Jan 24, 2013 19:32
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