One of the most common questions I receive at RallyPoint is, How can I (as a US service member) get assigned to one of those "off-grid" and lesser known duty assignments?
If you ask around in your unit, the naysayers will typically tell you to go pound sand...and that this is an all-volunteer force, so you need to suck it up and deal with whatever the military gives you for orders for the rest of your military career.
To be fair, they're right that we're an all-volunteer force; that's woven into the fabric of our military, and part of what makes it so special. But they're wrong that you have no choice but to just suck it up every single time you are due to get your next assignment. Look, we all get bad assignments over time. That's life, whether you're in or out of the military. But they're probably telling you this "advice" through the lens of their own cynicism which resulted from seeing their peers get really interesting assignments...as they packed their own boxes to go to a place like Fort Polk, LA for 3 years. Yay!
If you're trying to get one of these unique duty assignments in the military, there is no better person to seek for advice than the individual currently in that position. Period. They just went through the process. They can tell you what to do and what to avoid -- and most importantly, they can help manage your expectations.
The great news for you is that as I am writing this, we have RallyPoint members currently serving at these embassies. If you are a military member and you join RallyPoint, you can securely connect with them from anywhere in the world. Click the links below (you can hover over them for more info) to connect with these individuals. You'll have to prove your military affiliation first.
If you ask around in your unit, the naysayers will typically tell you to go pound sand...and that this is an all-volunteer force, so you need to suck it up and deal with whatever the military gives you for orders for the rest of your military career.
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| You can get stationed in Rome, Italy. Don't let the naysayers tell you it's not possible. These RallyPoint members are serving in places like these RIGHT NOW. Image (c) RallyPoint.com. |
To be fair, they're right that we're an all-volunteer force; that's woven into the fabric of our military, and part of what makes it so special. But they're wrong that you have no choice but to just suck it up every single time you are due to get your next assignment. Look, we all get bad assignments over time. That's life, whether you're in or out of the military. But they're probably telling you this "advice" through the lens of their own cynicism which resulted from seeing their peers get really interesting assignments...as they packed their own boxes to go to a place like Fort Polk, LA for 3 years. Yay!
If you're trying to get one of these unique duty assignments in the military, there is no better person to seek for advice than the individual currently in that position. Period. They just went through the process. They can tell you what to do and what to avoid -- and most importantly, they can help manage your expectations.
The great news for you is that as I am writing this, we have RallyPoint members currently serving at these embassies. If you are a military member and you join RallyPoint, you can securely connect with them from anywhere in the world. Click the links below (you can hover over them for more info) to connect with these individuals. You'll have to prove your military affiliation first.
Jakarta, Indonesia
Tokyo, Japan
Yongsan Garrison, South Korea
Beijing, China
Dili, Timor-Leste
Singapore
Warsaw, Poland
Rome, Italy
Izmir, Turkey
Mexico City, Mexico
Rabat, Morocco
Algiers, Algeria
Liberia
Baghdad, Iraq
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Cairo, Egypt
Manama, Bahrain
Islamabad, Pakistan
Amman, Jordan
Kabul, Afghanistan
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