Are you a veteran who speaks a bit of French? This is your chance to see the world – peaceful places, for a change.
The American Battle Monuments Commission is looking for a few good vets to serve as assistant superintendents for the 24 military cemeteries it maintains abroad, mostly in Western Europe.
The commission, according to its Web site, was established by Congress in 1923 to commemorate the service, sacrifice and achievements of U.S. armed forces where they have served overseas since 1917.
The burial grounds provide a resting place for nearly 125,000 U.S. war dead, almost half of whom died in World War II. Among the two dozen cemeteries are those in Normandy, Brittany and Aisne-Marne in France; Flanders Field and Ardennes in Belgium; and Sicily-Rome and Florence in Italy.
The sites, as the commission points out in a video on its Web site, www.abmc.gov, are not only stirring memorials to American dead and missing soldiers but also showcases of landscaping and U.S. military history that attract millions of visitors a year.
Immediate openings are in cemeteries in Brittany, Luxembourg and Tunisia, said Theodore Gloukhoff, the commission’s director of personnel. The job involves supervising a work force of six to 27 people, depending on which cemetery, who maintain the landscape and statuary, so the job requires a working knowledge of spoken French.
Beyond that, Gloukhoff said, “you have to be somewhat of a diplomat,” working with local authorities and, especially, meeting the needs of visitors and the families of the dead.
The assistant superintendent lives on the cemetery grounds. Housing is paid for, including all utilities except telephone. Assistant superintendents go through a one-year training period, during which they are paid at the GS-7 level, beginning at $31,209. After a year, they can be bumped up to GS-9, starting at $38,175.
Cover letters and resumes (or a form OF612) should be sent to Raymond Wollman, human resources officer, at wollmanr@abmc.gov. Even when the three positions are filled, the agency will keep applications on file for future openings.
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