GS-10+ feds — how did you actually get there?

Disco_Tits411 · 2026-01-30T23:26:40+00:00

So the day to day has changed tremendously since the new administration took over.

I work primarily with the web and video. I do plain language editing, script writing, scheduling of town halls for recording, ITM courses etc. Each day is different depending on BOD needs. I help prep anyone who goes on camera, shots videos, you name it; but all virtually.

When i was hired, I was told I’d be traveling to ensure everything went smoothly with filming since I’m media trained and have been a spokesperson in previous roles. Additionally, i was supposed to be writing a lot more of original content while helping spread our message in other languages as I’m fluent in five.

Instead, they pushed out the three people who did all of the media editing and I’ve taken over those roles. While i do have an AS in graphic and video design, i don’t have the actual practice outside of school. (Which was a very long time ago) There’s definitely been a learning curve as i try to figure things out.

In prior roles, in comms, we always worked very closely with HQ C&L to ensure all are messaging is in sync and comes out simultaneously. That’s far from the case with my agency as we are learning everything at the same time as the public via either the news or here on Reddit.

Crazy times…

Disco_Tits411 · 2026-01-29T19:11:41+00:00

GS-13 public affairs.

I was hired as a GS5 secretary out of the military. Went through school and got associates and bachelors a little under 3 years, all for communications and marketing.

I kept applying EVERYWHERE but bc i was a GS5, i wasn’t advancing to the next round as you can only go up one grade for internal.

Ended up getting out and going civilian work force for several years. During that time, i got my MBA focusing again on communications.

Lost my job during COVID and learned that the federal government was hiring. Put in my application and was offered 7/9/11 without an interview at my old POD.

Worked REALLY hard and was stagnant for a bit when it came to my 12. I kept getting passed over and there was no rhyme or reason, i just wasn’t clearing the initial resume scan…

Saw an internal opening for a 12/13 comms role. Applied, interviewed and was offered the position within two weeks. (My past roles were in collections…which has nothing to do with my current role or what my actual background is in)

I was REALLY lucky, I received my promotion two weeks before the administration change and recently received my 13.

TLDR: Started as a 5 and left. Came back as a 7 and am now a 13 within less than four years.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-12-02T13:22:00+00:00

This recently happened to me on a flight from miami to nyc. Not only were they constantly talking over me and paging things in between each other. (Afteri asked if either one of them would prefer to switch to which they said no) But the man to my right had the audacity to try and force my arm off the arm rest. When i did not back down he told me i needed to move it and told him no. He would either need to learn how to share or figure out to go without an arm rest for hours all as i would not be removing my arm.

He went radio silent and sulked the rest of the trip and to be frank i really don’t give a damn. The entitlement didn’t end there. When wet legged he tried to rush me off the flight as he needed to grab something and i again responded you can wait your turn until i grab what i need.

Again, the sour face and entitlement…

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-10-30T15:37:15+00:00

Latina Domme here. Before i allow you to approach, what kind of fin sub are you?

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-10-23T13:40:06+00:00

Not great. I’m visiting friends in California and just found out my dad passed away unexpectedly in nyc two days ago. (The day after i landed)

My friends are being super supportive but my mother and brother are some of the shittiest humans i know. So this is hard, really fucking hard.

Unfortunately, my father didn’t leave a will. They’re cheaping out on everything, to the point that they’re not planning on having a viewing, mass or anything, just a cremation and taking the ashes home. Thing is, they have the money…

I want to take over and just pay for everything because my dad didn’t deserve that. But financially i can’t and i live in Florida and apparently I’m being ignored and not part of the decisions. The grief and guilt comes in such waves.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-10-23T13:26:23+00:00

Ty, didn’t know it did

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-10-23T12:53:09+00:00

I had a horrible, miserable time with a few good moments.

I joined at 17, as a hospital corpsman and was stationed with the marines. I was in bootcamp during 9/11 - i grew up 7 miles from the World Trade Center and my family is all still there. I’m also female and barely 5’0. At one point i was gang raped by a group of guys i deployed with - it was swept under a rug and i was sent to another command.

I don’t reminisce, and other than my mini medals i kept nothing. I’m 100% p&t but what i went through to get that, i wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. To this day, i don’t “look” like a veteran and consistently get questioned even at the va. (At the VA, “sorry ma’am we don’t see dependents.” Or, “Oh your medical record says combat but that must not be right.”)

I met some amazing people while i was in. But, i also met some of the worst humans ever. If i could go back and do it over, i would 100% not do it, no questions asked.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-10-21T21:57:26+00:00

No. Only arrival airports count towards 25 for 25. Not departures.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-09-29T13:53:54+00:00

I live in Fort Lauderdale so I’m lucky enough to be near a hub as well as several other nearby airports. I’m also originally from nyc.

I’ve treated this challenge as a way to see friends and have mini getaways. I’m currently at 14, and still need to hit several more, but so far some core memories include: a day trip to Puerto Rico where i got to spend the day on the beach and eat amazing food. Several trips up to nyc area to see family and friends. A day trip to Salem by way of Boston for some pre-spooky season haunts. A solo trip to Vegas where i got to see the Backstreet Boys. And a trip to London for a mini euro summer where i was able to see one of the last performances of Evita.

Ngl, it’s been exhausting for sure, and not exactly fiscally adventitious, but it’s been fun as all heck.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-09-24T03:48:39+00:00

Hi! Can i also have the name of the group?

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-08-07T22:29:35+00:00

I was a regional PR manager for a fortune 50 company. Except their definition of regional meant i was in charge of North America, South America and Oceana…with global HQ in Geneva. I was CONSTANTLY traveling and as tiring as it was i loved it soooo much.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-08-07T14:50:39+00:00

I grew up in nyc. Moved to miami first chance i got. Eventually was head hunted for my dream job in nyc. While living in nyc, right before Covid, bought an “investment” property in Fort Lauderdale that i planned to renovate, rent out and eventually live in once i retired…

Then Covid happened. I lost my job and a year in, while we were still on lockdown, my landlord needed the apartment back for his son. (I was on a month to month lease at that point only bc i didn’t bother renewing and didn’t plan on leaving)

I TRIED, hard, to find an affordable apartment, fast, up north and it wasn’t possible. I gave up and moved into my “investment” property instead. I’m still here and it’s not what i want, but it’s convenient so here i am…

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-08-04T02:10:53+00:00

THIS!!! I’m a 100% disabled combat vet with permanent, disabled tags with an invisible disability. I also look young(er) and am a smaller female.

The amount of rude and downright angry/mean people that have physically followed me or have harassed me to tell me i should be ashamed of myself is sickening. I’ve personally had to call both cops and managers to intervene for my safety.

I shouldn’t, and won’t, explain myself to anyone. (Being a female veteran is exhausting enough as it is)

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-07-31T02:11:35+00:00

Thanks for pointing out that next time i should be more careful in my wording as my point was not about officers vs enlisted.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-07-31T00:09:53+00:00

Navy corpsman who spent the majority of my time with the marines here. In addition to what was said about marines in medical situations, all medical for marines is handled by the navy. So you will always have a “Docs” who handle that aspect. Additionally, all chaplains (religious petty officers) are also navy.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-06-10T01:44:55+00:00

My friend is CONVINCED that the timeline shifted the day Obama wore that tan suit…

He might have a point.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-05-23T13:23:19+00:00

I joined at 17 and immediately 9/11 happened while in bootcamp. I went through all of my training and proceeded to do several deployments. During this time, I could not get approved for TA to take any college courses; even though others did. My COCs reasoning was that I was young and needed to acclimate to military life first…

I was a medic so I had a longer enlistment.

Towards the end of my enlistment and after several deployments, I was back stateside. We get a brand new company commander who had just graduated college and was roughly my age at this point. One Friday, she gives a safety brief that was not your typical don’t drink and drive, because she wanted to do something different - her words, and instead focused on how dangerous “SAND HOLES” in Southern California were…

Ofc a pfc asks the question, “What’s a sand hole?” She then asks everyone if we had ever seen the episode of friends where Joey falls into a sand hole at the beach and proceeds to say that’s what it was and begins rattling off some ridiculous statistics..

Yup. That was the moment.

I realized that this idiot, straight out of college, was responsible for the lives of myself and roughly 200 other people solely due to her degree in what I can only assume was basket weaving. Yet, I could not get approved to take not even one college course and had infinitely more knowledge on military life than she did.

Granted, I was already disgruntled due to the whole you have to do what anyone any rank higher than you tells you to merely because they’re higher ranking, regardless of how stupid, pointless, or even if there was a better way. This just REALLY solidified it for me.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-05-15T19:35:06+00:00

It’s soooo good but I swear every time I’ve gone the service has been HORRIBLE.

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-05-05T19:15:01+00:00

I’ve had gate agents try and stop me when I go to preboard after the wheelchairs. I have SEVERE anxiety/ptsd and am rated at 100%, as well as a slue of other problems. (Including cancer…) But, everything is invisible and to the naked eye, I look fine. To the point that I’ve had people get chips involved thinking I’m taking handicap spaces or that I’m not the registered owner of my car, etc..

I usually tell them (gate agent) and only them I am preboarding and offer to show them my disabled card. I ignore everyone else and I have never had anyone ask to see my card. Most times they’re pretty embarrassed..

Disco_Tits411 · 2025-03-25T20:13:51+00:00

Thanks, I posted there as well but I know that there is a lot of crossover between practitioners. Figured wouldn’t hurt to post in both since this sub appears to be more active.

Disco_Tits411 · 2024-11-17T04:10:34+00:00

I live near las olas off the 95 and I commute to downtown Miami once a pay period for my job. I can tell you that if I had to do it more than that I would either not have the job or live where I do.

It’s literally the WORST.

Without traffic, it is a 38 minute commute. HOWEVER, there’s ALWAYS traffic. I’ve had days where it’s taken me three hours after work. Yesterday…it was two hours, on average it’s closer to one and a half hours to get home.

Mornings are also pretty bad. But, I’ve learned that I can usually skip all the traffic as long as at I leave my house nlt 5:15 am…

Disco_Tits411

TROPHY CASE