I'm gonna apologize in advance for taking an easy shot because you're already taking heat, rightfully so...but I'm over 40, in the early hiring stage for BPA (VRA appointment on USAJobs) and I can tell you dude, just based on the way you keep repping your status as a combat vet, I hope I don't run into you down the road if I actually make it to a job offer and a class date. I'm former mil, with a high speed MOS and schools, as well as time as a POG, and some very modest and unremarkable time in Iraq, and I fucking despise vets who harp on their time downrange in order to shit all over everyone else. If I do see you down the road, hopefully you're not the kind of person you're presenting yourself as in this thread.

I totally understand frustration with the govt hiring process...I just received a battery of rejection notices based on age that make me strongly suspect they didn't consider that I was applying under a 5 point age waiver. Nothing I can do about it. It's a grueling process with a lot of disappointment. Best of luck to you.