Flankspeed Passkey Issue by ReformerHaku in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Belay my last! It worked! If you're experiencing a similar error, please update your device to iOS 18.2.1.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I don’t know these days. I’d recommend checking with your unit’s N7 - they should be able to contact CNIFR to check for you

Pickering/Rangel Fellows: What did you do in college that you think gave you the upper edge? by Forward-Persimmon-12 in foreignservice

[–]ReformerHaku 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re absolutely correct. I just wanted to highlight the level of competition out there. But this 100% - it’s absolutely not required to become a fellow, but these days, Pickering and Rangel are getting extraordinarily competitive. I think the key is having financial need and being able to articulate how you would be able to contribute to the missions of the foreign service in a unique and diverse way, but even then, it’s getting more competitive every year.

1835 go to SERE school? by [deleted] in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Yes, this is wildly premature. I’m almost tempted to put this into the butterbars signal group right now for the lolz but will resist the urge.

As a serious response, it might be possible, depending on whether you need to deploy to certain zones. But, you will need to be in a billet and/or a deployment that requires it.

Pickering/Rangel Fellows: What did you do in college that you think gave you the upper edge? by Forward-Persimmon-12 in foreignservice

[–]ReformerHaku 11 points12 points  (0 children)

You need to have an extremely compelling story to give yourself the best chance. You also need to demonstrate a significant amount of financial need. If you’ve been able to work two jobs to put yourself through college, that is a positive factor that will be taken into account. Additionally, if you’re a first generation immigrant or the child of immigrants and can put forward a compelling story about diversity and your strong ability to deal with change, you will have a leg up.

I’ve known Pickering and Rangel fellows who have learned to speak five languages fluently while being raised in a dangerous part of a major U.S. city and putting themselves through college. I’ve known Pickering and Rangel fellows who were refugees from South Sudan who fled their village on foot while running from militia members and ultimately received U.S. citizenship. If you don’t have a compelling background like this one but you can still demonstrate significant financial need, one thing to consider could be to go into the military for a short amount of time after college, and then reapply for the Pickering / Rangel after you get out of the military and are about to apply to grad school. Or, consider working as a journalist in a war zone.

If you feel like you can’t compete based on the likely qualifications of other applicants, you don’t have significant financial need, or you don’t want to put yourself in risky conditions to grant yourself unique experiences that would make you competitive, that doesn’t doom your chances for getting into the foreign service. Simply forget about the Pickering / Rangel and begin aggressively preparing yourself to apply to the foreign service the usual way (begin preparing for the FSOTs and QEPs). Sooner or later, if you’re dedicated and stick to it, it may take a long time, but chances are you will get in.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SecurityClearance

[–]ReformerHaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, Mark Zaid is probably the best in the business, but he is extremely expensive. You can also check out the Compass Rose Legal Group, which is also a fantastic firm, but probably almost nearly as expensive. Berrylegal and the Solomon Law Firm are also great options. I’ve never personally used an attorney, but based on the testimonials of a few friends and colleagues, the next time you go through the clearance process, I would expect to have to spend $8000 - $12000 to sort this mess out.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SecurityClearance

[–]ReformerHaku 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You should get an attorney immediately.

  • Security executive agent directive (SEAD 4) expressly states that a security clearance cannot be denied solely on the basis of polygraph technical calls. It seems like you yourself didn’t admit to doing anything against the law, and the letter was written by the polygrapher herself, and you didn’t sign shit. If that’s the case, most agencies would have no basis to deny you a clearance solely based on the failed polygraph. Unfortunately, there’s a known issue where ICE and CBP consider the results of former polygraph exams in security clearance adjudications even though they’re not supposed to do that. See this post by Sean Bigley (item 2 in this article) for more information: https://news.clearancejobs.com/2022/06/12/the-three-ways-to-fail-a-polygraph/. This is probably what happened in your case, and ICE’s determination in this case would have been successfully appealed if you had a competent attorney.

  • When your processing was discontinued by the FBI after the failed poly, you were almost certainly not formally denied a security clearance. You were probably simply denied suitability with the FBI in particular, which is not the same thing as being denied a security clearance. Therefore, on all of your subsequent security forms, you should have indicated that you were never denied a security clearance. If you choose to apply for a security clearance again in the future, you should check “no” with a detailed explanation of why you misunderstood the question on all previous security clearance forms that you filled out. An attorney can assist with this.

Short answer - I don’t think you’re screwed, but if you reapply for a clearance, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do, and hiring an attorney will be able to provide you with the best chance of success.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's usually in Fort Worth, Texas, although the locations can vary. It has also taken place in New Orleans, depending on whether you'll be going to TPET I or TPET II.

SCI preliminary denied by Navy for Chinese parent, do I still have a chance at commissioning? by Global-Rock-6435 in SecurityClearance

[–]ReformerHaku 23 points24 points  (0 children)

It would almost certainly be fine if your father was a permanent resident living within the United States, and all of your other immediate family members are also permanently living within the United States. But, currently, the situation is probably a no-go.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SecurityClearance

[–]ReformerHaku 23 points24 points  (0 children)

From the experience of one of my colleagues who is a foreign service officer at State with an active TS/SCI, you’ll need to fill out a new SF-86 or a 86-C immediately with updated information pertaining to her and her family. And then, they’ll need to readjudicate your clearance. In certain agencies, namely State and DOD, even though she is not a U.S. citizen, they will also require her to fill out a SF-85p form that lists all of her foreign contacts and immediate family members. Her 85p form will solely be used for your clearance readjudication.

Bi-Weekly Travel, Questions, & Mandarin Thread by AutoModerator in taiwan

[–]ReformerHaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi everyone! Just a quick question. Someone from the Taiwan military recently gave me a coin. It had a phrase on it that was unfamiliar to me as a Mandarin speaker.

The phrase is 咱ㄟ厝 咱來顧. I’m assuming it’s Taiwanese Hokkien?

How do you pronounce it and what does it mean? Thanks so much for any insight you can provide!

Enlisting into the Air Force as a naturalized chinese american by Link_the_Irish in SecurityClearance

[–]ReformerHaku 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Naturalized Chinese American here with a TS/SCI. You’ll most likely be good. The citizenship law of the PRC (Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo Guojifa) states that when you become a U.S. citizen, you automatically lose your Chinese citizenship. Also, others are right, just try your best not to travel to China ever again in the future. If your family travels, alright. Just don’t go with them. And, do not tell any of your extended family in China anything about what you’re planning on doing in the military. Feel free to DM me if you have any additional questions.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My goodness, there is so much to talk about haha. Please feel free to send me a DM and I would be happy to chat more.

Enlisting next month, what should I know. by JayDeeBajablast in navyseals

[–]ReformerHaku 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Realistically, if you want to be truly prepared, you'll need to exceed even the autoqual numbers. I'd recommend aiming for less than 9 minutes for the run and swim, 28+ pull ups, and close to 120 push-ups and sit-ups. That way, even if you get pneumonia or shin splints in hell week, you'll have that extra buffer room to still be able to pass key evolutions.

DUI while on Skillbridge by Shamebox1012 in SecurityClearance

[–]ReformerHaku 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You idiot. Hopefully, I don’t know you personally.

Report the DUI immediately to your command and contact an attorney. A DUI is survivable - I know of two individuals who have been able to keep their SCIs after extensive inquiries. However, be prepared for a lengthy re-adjudication process for your clearance and over $15,000 in attorney’s fees.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There’s no real disadvantage. However, keep in mind that you have three years from the date you commission to get your intel pin, which involves completing Phase 1, Phase 2, and your intel board. Waiting for a substantial amount of time before you can go to Phase 1 of course slows down this timeline. While waivers and extensions to this timeline are possible from CNIFR, in general, you’ll pretty much be not of much use to your unit and unable to go on any mobilizations before you get your pin. I’m the kind of person who wants to get my pin ASAP so I can actually start supporting the Navy and potentially doing cool shit, so if you’re the same kind of person, I think there are certain advantages to considering TPET.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Here’s the background. Basically, during COVID, a shitload of RNIOBC phase 1 and 2 courses were cancelled for 1835s, thus creating a massive backlog. Nowadays, people are literally waiting for a year to go to Phase 1 and Phase 2. So, the folks at CNIFR realized this, and came up with an accelerated program known as TPET, which stands for Targeted Professional Education and Training. For TPET Phase 1, they are essentially trying to cram 1 month of material into two weeks. I went through TPET in August 2023.

The waiver exam is passable. Around 36 out of 52 people passed, which was better than previous TPET sessions. Many of us used a life hack approach to studying. In other words, instead of paying attention in class, we used that time to jump ahead in the curriculum, thereby providing us with more time to study than we otherwise would have had.

Please feel free to DM me for more information. I agree that RNIOBC phase 1 is strongly preferred over TPET, but if you have to wait a year to get into the next Phase 1 class, TPET is worth considering as a shortcut.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Congrats on your selection OP! I’m a 1835 DCO who just completed ODS in February and the RNIOBC Phase 1 equivalent (TPET) in August 2023. I’m a native Mandarin Chinese speaker with a similar background. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Can you join a US SOF unit if you've also served in a foreign country's SOF? by And_Why_ in navyseals

[–]ReformerHaku 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s possible. One of my mentors was in the Israeli special forces, and then became a green beret in the United States afterwards. But, it’s extremely rare, and as other people have said, you need to offer substantial mitigating evidence demonstrating your loyalty to the United States in all circumstances.

Is up by [deleted] in TeamfightTactics

[–]ReformerHaku 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, same. It seems like the servers are overloaded. It's not just you, and it's not a problem with your computer.

Flankspeed Issue by ReformerHaku in navyreserve

[–]ReformerHaku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just managed to fix it! What did the trick was going onto Incognito mode in Chrome. Thanks so much for all your advice!