re: #233 HappyWarrior

I’m sure the State Department has a lot of successful diplomats who did not pass the Foreign Service Office Exam on their first attempt either.

The FS exam is a killer. I’ve taken it. Six hours, with an hour for lunch. You cannot leave the test area, so you have to bring your own, or if you’re lucky, there’s a cafeteria on site.

I took it when Reagan was prexy. I passed the written test, but balked when the pre-interview information indicated I would have to swear (or affirm) that I would represent and defend the foreign policy of the USA no matter who was in office.

Years passed, and I got to work overseas after all, —- just not in the foreign service.