Why do all of these high level officials question the events of 9/11?

Joey-- Good question. Frankly, it's a toss-up in a lot of ways. You're right that as a CIA analyst you'll likely be based in northern Virginia.

You'll travel, but not as much as if you were an FSO. You will be helping to protect the United States, which is important, even noble. A military career and a language will help you in getting hired by the CIA, but figures less in joining the Foreign Service.

You'll have Foreign Service Exam to contend with, like everyone else! (By the way, in 2012, 22,000 applicants took the FSOT(s) and fewer than 500 were offered jobs.) On the FSO side, well, I'd argue that you're helping your fellow American just as a much as an analyst does in Langley. If you're a consular officer, you're helping American citizens everyday in securing good medical care, lawyer's counsel, new passport, etc. Political and Economic officers help American businesspeople with the latest political risk analysis and making appointments with key industry and government officials, identifying potential local partners, even breaking through bureaucratic obstacles None of these jobs is perhaps as sexy as a military analyst, but you're on America's front line, defending the wire.

You can also take your family to most U.S. missions around the world. During a tour to Mali -- perhaps one of the hottest, least healthy spots on earth, my wife and I took our oldest son when he was three-months-old. We got sick, but he remained healthy throughout... Go figure.

It sounds like you've got some time before you have to make a decision so reach out to some folks who've worked in both places. Check Career.State.Gov for the nearest Diplomat in Residence. S/he will be happy to answer your questions.

Check out the CIA website for a similar sort of outreach program. Remember too that the average age for an officer entering the Foreign Service is 31, so even if you try out other jobs, you can always fall back on the Foreign Service. Why not military analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency, for instance.

There's a lot of time; in fact, there is a sizable contingent who after retiring from the military become FSOs. It's great you're thinking about this stuff now; it'll give you a leg up. But there's a lot of choice and don't narrow down your career choices so soon.

Congratulations on the high GPA. Keep it up. It's your ticket to ensure the widest set of options and opportunities.

I'm biased, of course, having served in the Foreign Service and not the CIA! Good luck Bill Fitzgerald www.ForeignServiceExam.org.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.