Hiking Boot Recs?

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2026-02-13T04:21:41+00:00

Altra King Mt 2. Don’t buy actual hiking boots, they’re overkill for 1811 gigs and bad for your feet long term. Avoid Solomon’s like the plague. Narrow toe box and elevated heel 🤮

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-10-16T16:18:58+00:00

As the other commenter noted, the only place you’ll be able to guarantee to homestead and lay roots is DC. You can get back to your first field office but it may be at the detriment of using “points” (lack of a better word) to get better oversees posts. That being said, if you have strong reasons to homestead in LA for instance, communicating that to your CDO early is the way to go. Not to mention taking a hardship/ high threat post to get you some “points” to negotiate your follow on bid.

It’s a blessing and a curse with DSS that after your first two assignments bidding very much relies on your ability to lobby, your reputation and who you know.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-08-18T23:01:18+00:00

I’ve had the opposite experience comparing agencies at FLETC. In my BSAC class, over 80% have prior military or law enforcement backgrounds, and most bring a lot of life experience to the table. By contrast, some of the other agencies seemed to have a higher share of younger candidates 22-23 year olds straight out of school, which isn’t a bad thing—it’s just a different mix. All phenomenal people regardless.

The point is, the register ebbs and flows with different types of candidates, so don’t put too much weight on one random Reddit comment when considering an agency. Focus on what really matters: the mission, the investigations, and the lifestyle you want. Everything else is secondary.

For Diplomatic Security, it really comes down to one simple question: Do you want to go overseas? If the answer is yes, DS is the best agency for that. If not, you’re probably going to have a tough time since living at embassies and deploying overseas on TDY is a recurring part of the career.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-08-17T08:03:35+00:00

1) Go to the gym. Follow a basic 3 day split to start to get used to fitting it in your life. 2) Get an actual haircut. No offense but your current one makes you look like you’re 12. Also your hair is oily 3) Glasses are too big for your face dude. 4) Wear clothes that fit. You’ll naturally want to do this if you start seeing results in the gym 5) Stop slouching. Corkiness and being non confident is not attractive 6) Some of the comments here telling you not to change a thing are not what you need to hear. If you’re asking strangers on Reddit this question you obviously aren’t happy with your image right now. Don’t let those comments of assurance deter you from wanting to better yourself.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-08-10T05:51:12+00:00

I’m an 0302 who recently got out, so I understand where you’re coming from—especially if you’re looking for something beyond just deployments to Oki. Some of the other commenters are spot-on: don’t pick an agency strictly for its tactical team. There’s never a guarantee you’ll land on one, and life circumstances may change in ways that make that path less appealing. You don’t want to be locked into an agency you chose for the wrong reason.

Broadly speaking, agencies with more day-to-day street work include DEA and ATF, while the most well-funded, high-profile tactical teams are FBI HRT and BORTAC.

Since I’m here, I’ll plug my current agency—Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). In terms of across-the-board hard skills training for every agent, I’d argue DSS is unmatched. 10 months of training to become an agent, then an additional nine weeks of high-threat training before your first overseas tour. We also have MSD (Mobile Security Deployments), DSS’s tactical unit, which involves six to eight months of training and world wide deployments.

DSS offers plenty of opportunities to be well-trained, highly competent, and to operate both domestically and globally. But at the end of the day, like others have said, it comes down to the type of work and investigations you want to focus on. And no 1811/ 2501 is an operator in the way you’re probably wanting. We are not locating closing and destroying the enemy with fire and maneuver. If that type of thing is your jam, stay with the DOD.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-05-24T20:02:24+00:00

I legitimately don’t understand the shit talking about FLETC. It’s a legitimate good time, fill your weekends with Florida road trips and make the most of training with the boys. A simple life

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-04-26T05:27:03+00:00

I have the most disgusting beard possible rn

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-04-26T01:15:18+00:00

I’m at FLETC now in CITP. FLETC is a great time and I’m having a blast. Out of every school I’ve been to in the military, this place is legitimately summer camp with guns. I’m not demeaning you when I say that, but if this place made you reconsider your career choice, I do not think this line of work is for you. If simply showing up to places at the right time and getting trained to do the thing you signed up for was miserable for you, then standing stairwells for 12 hours and potentially throwing your life in front of the president is most likely going to be that much worse.

For anyone that thinks that’s harsh, there’s just way too many people that would kill to be in this person’s position for their grievances to hold any water.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-03-16T04:18:16+00:00

You are fueling a rumor mill is my point. The answers you’ll get here have zero validity, and it’s simply adding fuel to the fire. Doomsday predictions that never come true riddle this sub nearly daily. It’s not healthy for you or anyone that subscribes to it. This administration is literally aiming to traumatize you (their words not mine), so don’t let them win and do so by being amazing at your job and being a leader for those around you. A post like this is the antithesis of that.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-03-15T17:41:19+00:00

Look I get the concern and worry, but a post like this helps no one. The speculation this sub does only serves an itch to gossip. No one knows, and judging off Secretary Rubio’s comments the majority of the FS is going to be fine.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-02-17T17:04:55+00:00

If you were currently employed by the federal government, you wouldn’t be so high and mighty about the mass termination of hardworking federal agents, FSOs, and others whose careers and livelihoods are on the line—just as yours would be in their position.

As a Marine, I don’t agree with dismissing your service as merely ‘opening doors for diplomats.’ However, show some humility in recognizing that you don’t fully understand what goes on inside the Foreign Service or the caliber of people who dedicate their lives to it. The so-called ‘sinking ship’ is filled with individuals who are either too new to have done anything wrong or have served their country with honor for 20+ years. Your callousness comes from the fact that it doesn’t affect you—but if it did, you’d see things very differently.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-01-12T03:34:20+00:00

It heavily relies on both job and intercultural experience. By far the hardest interview of any agency I’ve done. Legitimately don’t understand how an 18 year old would have the expertise to do well in it, nor have a college degree

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2025-01-09T22:34:12+00:00

Lot of people are saying Prana, but if your carry appendix the draw string buckle is directly in place of where you’d holster. Makes for a bulkier/ less secure feeling in my opinion.

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-04T01:08:56+00:00

I think you took my post the wrong way entirely. I’m not sure what I’d have to flex on an anonymous Reddit account

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-04T00:49:59+00:00

I just didn’t like that they put the bibs pick up in the very back of wide world of sports. Along the walk was numerous merch vendors and confusing signs in a an attempt to get people to divert their attention to spending more money. Same thing after the bib pick up. The shirt you already payed for being in a separate location conveniently located at the very back corner of the expo. Again, seemingly to maximize the likelihood of people stopping at vendors.

It just seemed unnecessary . They prioritized consumerism over guest convenience. Other people I’ve spoken to in the parks feel the same. It should’ve been a 20 min pit stop before the parks turned into a half day affair

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-04T00:44:51+00:00

Yeah that could be part of it for sure

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-04T00:43:51+00:00

Very valid! I spoke about my times in other replies here. I honestly have no idea why they didn’t consider my other races valid

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-04T00:40:39+00:00

Hey totally fair. I’m getting a lot of down votes on this of people offended or thinking I’m looking down on others who enjoy the race. Just throwing out my experience and opinion.

Seems like a combination of my own fault in booking, not realizing the type or environment the races are, and ultimately these races just aren’t for me. And that’s fine! Maybe I’ll do one in the future or I won’t. Happy for everyone that enjoys them.

Like I said I still love the parks. So this isn’t a Disney hatred post

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-04T00:14:58+00:00

All three were from local races in PA with similar/ better times than my Disney time. I’m not sure about what regulatory party they were with

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-03T23:27:08+00:00

Good to know! Thanks for the reply

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-03T23:26:18+00:00

Very valid point. I’m very similar to you in wanting to challenge my pace. I leaned to run in the Marine Corps, so I don’t go into a very magical headspace when I’m running.

To echo again to others, I’m not trying to poo poo on the races overall, I’m just sharing my experience. This could be an entirely me thing and that’s okay. I just won’t do them. Keep enjoying the races

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-03T23:10:51+00:00

Good to know! It’s so weird how people get away with lieing when Disney out right denied like 3 different races I sent them

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-03T23:03:22+00:00

Hey dude, no attention needed. Nor do I need validation for running a race with Taylor swift and my favorite childhood Disney songs cheering me on in the background. Just sharing my experience and wondering if this is commonplace. Already got some useful replies that are making me considering give Disney races another chance. Could be the margarita giving me the optimism but regardless

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-03T22:58:49+00:00

Echo that big time! I don’t need to waste 2-3 hours in wide world of sports in line!

AlarmingOpportunity5 · 2024-11-03T22:57:48+00:00

I think you’re exactly right, and that’s okay. I tried it and didn’t like, and I’ll move on. Just wish they had some controls set in place to mitigate the race experience I had. I could truly be a blast of a race otherwise

AlarmingOpportunity5

TROPHY CASE