Unprepared Adventurer: Foreign Service

Foreign Service

Becoming a Diplomat

GOT IT! (FEB 6, 2010) - ON THE REGISTER
I got THE LETTER!!!! The letter came today. I passed the final suitability review and now my name is on the register for the A-100 class!

Can you tell how excited I am???? Again - we don’t know what our decision as a family will be, but just to have made it this far has been a HUGE, and I mean HUGE adventure!

Hubby had the good grace to congratulate me (although internally he must have wished to strangle me).

The letter is on blue letterhead from the US Department of State and gives me the names of my mentor and my contact at HR. I need to call them on Monday to understand what my postponement options are. Both Darin and I need time to figure out what we want to do, how it’ll impact our adoption plans and most importantly, how our daughter Aly will be affected.

I’m on cloud nine hundred and nine! Can’t believe this is happening to me and best of all, I feel like I’m continuing my dad’s legacy. I grew up hero worshipping the guy. To know that I may have a chance to do a little of what he did is thrilling! Family dynasty!

As for the rest - time will tell. For now, I’m just basking in the moment and allowing myself a little unfettered daydreaming.

Those of you whose clearances are still pending - please know it took me 5 months, 5 LONG months to get to this point! Hang in there - it’s going to come through, I promise!

HKV

UPDATE (JAN 31, 2010) - FINAL SUITABILITY?

I may, just may have made it. Not sure yet, but on Friday (29th Jan) there was a breakthrough.

After four months of calling the state department’s customer service line I’ve lost any sense of shyness. Those dudes all know my name by now (the crazy woman who calls weekly about the adjudication status). I know their names too - won’t share them here, in case it compromises their identities in any way. I imagine them staring down at their screens on the other end of the line, rolling their eyes as I announce myself, probably a bunch of 20-something boys who couldn’t care less about security clearances and would rather be playing Wii.

Anyway - having lost all politesse, I called the HR department as I’d been instructed to do earlier in the week by the guy who told me my security clearance had come through.

I plucked up the courage to call on Friday, and after some serious waiting, got through to a gal who sounded half drunk, half annoyed that anybody would want to talk with her at 4 pm before the start of the weekend.

Upon my insistent inquiry, she said I had passed. Passed what? I asked, vying for clarity. The suitability review, she answered blithely.

I was a little stunned.

She said I would be getting a letter soon - but she didn’t know when.

Okay, I thought.

So, umm, what does this mean? I have to say, given her inability to convince me of her state of sobriety, I’m not convinced that she was telling me the truth.

The clock is ticking. My nails are little stubs - bitten down from the sheer tension this ordeal is putting me through.

My adoption, my kid’s registration for kindergarten, my current job and my ability to be a decent human being at home are all hanging in the balance. I may just lose my mind.

HKV

UPDATE (JAN 27, 2010) - TS SECURITY CLEARANCE GRANTED

Today, today I got the news I’ve been waiting 4 months for! I got TS security clearance! You would have laughed to hear me whooping and screaming on the phone with the folks in the State Department customer service section.

I could not believe my ears. I had been itching, itching, itching to get an update since the 22nd (date of my last call). As usual, they had told me to check back in 10-14 days. Yeah right. I called five days later and was told the clearance came through on the 25th.

My file is now in the final suitability review. After that, assuming no issues, a final offer is made and then I get to go to the register!

The world awaits! I’m super duper excited. Have to figure out what Darin and I will do. Do we give up what we have in favor of this option or do we smile, say no thanks, and move on?

I’ll keep you posted. Either way, it’s been an extraordinary experience thus far.

YIPPEE!

HKV

UPDATE (JAN 22, 2010)

Still in adjudication hell. Apparently now my file is in the “final review” stage after which my clearance status should be clear. I was told today that I should be hearing from HR in the next 10 days or so.

In sheer desperation I asked the State Department customer service guy what he would do if he were in my position. His cryptic reply:

Well, I wouldn’t sell my house, but I might buy a lottery ticket.”

Actual words. I kid you not.

And of course, this takes me back to every probability class I’ve ever taken (and very unfortunately, I’ve taken a lot of them) - and what this means is nothing at all. A lottery ticket is a total gamble. It means neither a yes nor a no. It essentially leaves me exactly where I was at the beginning of the conversation - with a hope in a haystack - or a hope in hell, depending on how you choose to look at the 8 oz. glass of opportunity - half full or half empty.

I’ll call in again next week - though they told me to hold off for two weeks. They’ve been telling me to hold off for two weeks at a time since October 2009. Whatever.

HKV

UPDATE (JAN 17, 2010)

Spoke with the State Department this week. Looks as though the file has moved up to a supervisor. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I am very nervous - it has been more than three months since my file went to adjudication. That could signal complications with my profile (although what these might be, I cannot begin to imagine).

On the other hand, it could mean that the process is nearing the end and that I will soon be granted final clearance. One can hope!

So the waiting game continues.

In the beginning

It’s almost official!

It took almost two years, but on June 5, 2009 the US Department of State offered me conditional employment as a Foreign Service Officer - pending an exhaustive security clearance.

Getting to that point was arduous, involving a series of tests, interviews and reviews. The Hegemonist details that process better than I ever could and should be consulted if you’ve got a mind for that sort of thing.

Since receiving the offer after passing the oral assessment, I’ve been engaged in medical clearances, security checks and whatnot. At this moment, my security clearance has been pending for more than 3 months.

Factors that complicate clearances include international travel (guilty) and naturalization issues (I was born overseas, in no less a hotspot than Pakistan). I imagine they will leave no stone unturned in assessing my suitability for a Top Secret post (I know, it tickles me silly to use those words in a totally serious way).

What does it mean?

Well, if the security clearance comes through I’ll be faced with a choice. Move to DC for a while and complete training prior to being posted overseas, or else say no thanks, bye bye and continue in the private sector.

The perks of the foreign office are incredible. Aside from exposure to a very unusual set of people worldwide (and in a variety of amazing and not-so-amazing settings), free housing and top-notch education are some pretty cool draws. Learning languages is expected. I mean, how cool is that?

Besides which the world of diplomacy is so removed from ordinary life for us non-diplomats. It sounds exotic and interesting. Having had exposure to it as a diplobrat, I can definitely provide a child’s view of the experience - which was, in short - amazing.

What next?

Don’t really know. I’m waiting to hear from the adjudicators who are reviewing my file for any final hurdles. Apparently once finished, they send out “The Email” to provide an unconditional offer of employment to the conditional candidates.

Assuming all systems go, I will be faced with making a decision between my current path and this alternate path.

Factors to consider

Well, my husband is not exactly a newbie in his field. The impact to his career and life could be monumental. Besides which, between us we would be taking a HUGE, and I mean HUGE pay cut.

The salaries of even the most qualified entry level foreign service officer don’t begin to compare with what the private sector offers capable individuals.

But this is one of those callings for which cash is not the primary driver. The lifestyle is one of great comfort, many luxuries. The riches of this life are in the experiences and in the people one encounters along the way.

Next update?

I will post updates as soon as they become available. For now, if you’re curious about this career, take a look at the following blogs, all of which are incredibly exciting and full of cool insights:

1) Diplojournal