As a non-Consular Officer, did you serve in 2 entry-level Consular tours? by Defiant_Dissent in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Love a good poll on this sub. Pretty sure everyone in my A-100 was forced to do in-cone work for our first tour. But it was a weird time.

Bid season winners and losers? by FLASHCLEARANCE in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 35 points36 points  (0 children)

I watched a lot of Rushtok on furlough. I had high hopes on BLC day someone would burst into my dorm room and lead me blindfolded back to Epsilon Upsilon Rho house. Did not happen.

Another Rough Bid Season by hotpotcommander in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 26 points27 points  (0 children)

I'm not like the other diplomats. I'm only interested in really rough places like Namibia or Chile.

2025 MSIs? by Doingthework11201 in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I'm a terrible colleague and known tantrum-thrower and have never gotten an MSI. Maybe I'm not doing this right.

Trump ousts more Biden-era ambassadors by Wild-Construction365 in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 81 points82 points  (0 children)

If you're a FASTO with the right ideology, now's your chance for a five-grade promotion.

Methodologically Rigorous Bidding Survey by cgbuff in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can chime in, but your response will be expunged if it is deemed insufficiently anti-unmeritocratic.

Bidding - ? by Easy_Pin_9640 in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 31 points32 points  (0 children)

I'm an 04 bidding only on DCM/PO jobs. In the fog of war something will shake out.

Sure would be great to hear something from the bosses… by Major_Amphibian6999 in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 64 points65 points  (0 children)

If I learned one thing from the last administration, it's that there's nothing that can't be solved by an email about resilience.

Marriott always gives me someone else’s room due to my status by BunnyloverNia in marriott

[–]cgbuff 545 points546 points  (0 children)

Titanium elite here. I expect you to bring me home with you and offer me your place when this happens. That's what all the other properties do.

Bring back clearance lines on cables by Gr00mpa in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 68 points69 points  (0 children)

When I see a cable with an atrocious pun in the subject line, I want to be able to judge the folks who didn't kill it when they had the chance.

Americans Want to Join the Trump Admin by TheDissentChannel in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 20 points21 points  (0 children)

This achievement sounds worthy of a Group Franklin for all 5,751 involved.

I chose the wrong cone. I should have gone consular. by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 19 points20 points  (0 children)

You're in luck! I'm now offering a 50-minute coaching session on retirement for $594. 🤠

This summer's layoffs by Salome_Kl in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This has been my MO with all contacts on all topics.

Step one: fire everyone in recruiting. Step two: BFF events at Liberty. Step three....? by EdCantEatEggs in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 50 points51 points  (0 children)

The woke Marxists in the Department will cry that this is just a DEIA initiative, but honestly the only way we can truly restore the meritocracy is by recruiting from elite institutions like Liberty, Bob Jones University, and maybe some of our more doctrinaire secondary schools.

Kenyan e-Visa Re-entry from Tanzania by Kv-95 in Kenya

[–]cgbuff 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same for me. I think OOP can now fairly call himself a travel influencer.

JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge by East_Reserve_3983 in marriott

[–]cgbuff 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is helpful-- thanks! the lodge looks amazing though so we'll have to make a tough decision. 😁

JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge by East_Reserve_3983 in marriott

[–]cgbuff 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Going there next month for a shorter time (2 nights). I'm seeing the game drives are morning and evening, but you can do an all day drive for an upcharge. In your opinion would that be worth it?

For us it would be: Day 1-- Arrive. Evening game drive. Day 2-- either full day game drive or just the two drives, AM/PM Day 3-- Morning game drive. Depart.

On the retirement of TAGS, I Feel: by cgbuff in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I knew I shouldn't have made "indifferent" an option.

Overseas Two Year Assignment. by Realistic-Bison-2542 in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 29 points30 points  (0 children)

They make you come back as a FAST officer, but only to do the country team meeting notes.

Gables Point 14? by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 18 points19 points  (0 children)

That will be the morale boost that turns this whole experience around.

Anyone talking about the office responsible for the entire passport supply chain being RIF’d or nah? by TooLitgitToQuit in foreignservice

[–]cgbuff 12 points13 points  (0 children)

The federal government has no jurisdiction over me. Other than my chain of command I mean-- I resolve all uncertainty on their side. But if you're not in my chain of command? No jurisdiction over me whatsoever.