I agree to the logic that I potentially could be OK with a move. However, how does that discussion come about. If I get called for an interview do they bring it up then, or if I'm onsite and they said, hey we noticed you're able to move to HKG... What happens then? I don't want to get in a square corner or play the you fibbed game. Do they only care when they offer you an assignment. If so, could that be denied and you just stay in the pool till MEM or something conus comes up? I guess I don't understand the event flow of getting an assignment.

That's ok. Management doesn't either.

This is a great job, but there are other great jobs out there. Apply everywhere and take the first gig you get. If you say you will take an FDA assignment I would take an FDA assignment. The assignment process is simple. The FDA people are hired into a class and know their assignment when they walk in the door. Everyone else finds out after they show up. But you are sweating the small stuff, getting hired is the hard part were you spend your 1st couple of years always seems to work out after that.

With all the hiring going on, I doubt there is any reason to say "yes" if you do not intend to go. It could also buy you a problem.

If you check "yes", you might get a call from HR asking "we are interviewing for an FDA class. Are you interested?" When you say "well...no...thanks...things have changed" you might just go back into the standard stack. Then again, you might go into a "said he would but then backed out--do not call" stack. I think if you say "no" on that box you'll still get a call eventually, and likely will be hired. If they call you and you "change your mind" on the phone, I am not sure they will call you back.

We had an issue in 2011 with guys who applied saying they had an FE written but did not--they were going to get them in the next month. When HR saw the dates didn't line up, some were not offered the job. I think you can make a case "things changed..." That said, if HR perceives you were trying to manipulate them its really easy to just overlook you from then on. I don't think you need to take that risk.

Management will do what management will do. I suggest you do not make ethical decisions based on what others here tell you about management's ethics. People in management will change, leadership changes, and situations may change... Make the choice you feel is right, and let the chips fall. I suspect you will be successful and not have any drama if you take that course.

Standard disclaimer--I may be wrong...