We’ll have additional post on this later. But here is a quick snapshot from the just released GAO report:
Extracted from GAO: Foreign Service Midlevel Staffing Gaps Persist Despite Significant Increases in Hiring (June 2012)
According to the GAO: In 2008, approximately 7,000 of about 8,100 total Foreign Service positions were filled. Comparatively, in 2011, nearly 7,800 Foreign Service positions were filled—or 11 percent more positions than in 2008—but the total number of positions increased to over 9,000, resulting in the same vacancy rate.
Interesting. Looking forward to your further analysis.
Two things that strike me: First that positions in AIP are more likely to be filled at grade (if filled at all) than positions elsewhere. My impression was that there were more stretches – either it’s changed or I was wrong.
Second: I’ve never before seen statistics on CS conversions to FS. Those numbers are indeed grim (from the perspective of a former civil servant – I suppose that there are some/many in the Foreign Service who consider such conversions a bad thing). I do know people that have been recommended for conversion and then failed the written test so I’m not surprised by that. It’s also possible to go through all the steps described and then not be recommended for tenure by the CTB.
JC-reading through it right now. It looks like some positions were downgraded and filled at the lower grade. So they are filled at grade. Also just noted the CS conversion to FS, doesn’t look good.