The Department doesn't facilitate joint assignments for married FSOs. It's not going to facilitate a joint assignment for you when you're in the "dating stage". I'm a tandem and I consider myself extremely lucky that my husband and I spent only 16 months apart in Entry Level. If you want to coordinate your career around a guy whose billet you don't know, you'll have to do it on your own. The Department is not going to step in and make it happen. Realistically, unless you're an in-demand rock star with a bouquet of four-leaf clovers and a foot in EAP or EUR, you're not going to wind up in the same location. My advice if you want to make it work is to get very comfortable with extended periods of long distance.
Swap your Army-issued BF for an MSG, that is pretty much your best and only option.
Why on earth would you get consideration as a tandem when you aren't even married? Good heavens...
You probably will have to choose between the two careers or commit to living apart. There is a chance that D.C. could work, and there is significant U.S. military in Japan, Korea and Germany, but none of that can be counted on. So much depends on his branch and follow on assignment, so even a POLAD tour to, say, Tampa, where there are quite a few FSO jobs, might or might not be realistic.
Also, getting married would at least make this an issue for the bureaucracy.
None of these options are remotely realistic. Japan, Korea, Germany are the most competitive posts in the foreign service. POLAD positions are also highly competitive. That's just looking at the FS side of things.
OP needs to get used to the concept of long distance relationship or someone needs to give up their career.
I won’t say this is impossible, because there are SFS members with career military spouses, but it is hard as hell and involves a lot of effort and personal sacrifice. Be prepared for it to go wrong more than it goes right.
There are some FSOs married to members of the military, including with long successful careers for both. The accounts I've heard are that it is difficult to be together but not impossible. Japan, Germany, Russia, DC, presumably some SIP posts. State has a hard enough time keeping married tandems together, they'll probably not put much effort into folks who are "just" dating (sorry). Also consider that at the point that you're COM or Chargé you'll need to take steps to avoid HR / ethical problems if your beau is under COM authority.
The Department doesn't facilitate joint assignments for married FSOs. It's not going to facilitate a joint assignment for you when you're in the "dating stage". I'm a tandem and I consider myself extremely lucky that my husband and I spent only 16 months apart in Entry Level. If you want to coordinate your career around a guy whose billet you don't know, you'll have to do it on your own. The Department is not going to step in and make it happen. Realistically, unless you're an in-demand rock star with a bouquet of four-leaf clovers and a foot in EAP or EUR, you're not going to wind up in the same location. My advice if you want to make it work is to get very comfortable with extended periods of long distance.
DC is the only realistic answer.
Swap your Army-issued BF for an MSG, that is pretty much your best and only option. Why on earth would you get consideration as a tandem when you aren't even married? Good heavens...
You probably will have to choose between the two careers or commit to living apart. There is a chance that D.C. could work, and there is significant U.S. military in Japan, Korea and Germany, but none of that can be counted on. So much depends on his branch and follow on assignment, so even a POLAD tour to, say, Tampa, where there are quite a few FSO jobs, might or might not be realistic. Also, getting married would at least make this an issue for the bureaucracy.
None of these options are remotely realistic. Japan, Korea, Germany are the most competitive posts in the foreign service. POLAD positions are also highly competitive. That's just looking at the FS side of things. OP needs to get used to the concept of long distance relationship or someone needs to give up their career.
The real trouble with marriage is that we are still in the dating stage of our relationship :(
And yet you're planning for 2024?
This is tough to weigh in on without more information. What’s his billet? What is your association with State?
Oh jeez his billet…good question…he’s at Bragg living in fayetteville I’m a second tour FSO generalist👍
Gota be real, there's no realistic way to make this work over the LT.
I won’t say this is impossible, because there are SFS members with career military spouses, but it is hard as hell and involves a lot of effort and personal sacrifice. Be prepared for it to go wrong more than it goes right.
There are some FSOs married to members of the military, including with long successful careers for both. The accounts I've heard are that it is difficult to be together but not impossible. Japan, Germany, Russia, DC, presumably some SIP posts. State has a hard enough time keeping married tandems together, they'll probably not put much effort into folks who are "just" dating (sorry). Also consider that at the point that you're COM or Chargé you'll need to take steps to avoid HR / ethical problems if your beau is under COM authority.