# Getting hired as a UN Weapons Inspector **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998 "2003-02-01T00:25:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/1 "2003-02-01T00:25:37Z")
[How do you become a United Nations weapons inspector?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030131.html) > **[The Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News and Analysis](https://www.washingtonpost.com/?language=printer)** > > Breaking news and analysis on politics, business, world national news, entertainment more. In-depth DC, Virginia, Maryland news coverage including traffic, weather, crime, education, restaurant reviews and more. > [@](#): > > Jiang defended the lack of background checks for applicants to UNMOVIC. Other U.N. spokesmen had said that such checks were not possible for the international organization. > > “These inspectors are either recommended by member states or they themselves just put in their résumé,” Jiang said. “And as far as their expertise is concerned, I think that there is a check on that, but other than that, [on] their personal lives, since there are so many inspectors coming from so many different countries, I don’t think UNMOVIC is available to do that.” So, presumably, if you could persuade some other nation to submit your application, you might have a better chance? Since they’re standing in line in LaPorte to get hired on? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/2 "2003-02-01T02:31:06Z")
No background checks? Hmm… Wonder if I could BS my way through the interview? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/3 "2003-02-01T05:29:25Z")
I took a look at the open positions at [http://www.un.org/Depts/unmovic/](http://www.un.org/Depts/unmovic/) Leave it to the United Nations to say “Indicative minimum gross annual remuneration (including post adjustment).” Silly me, I would have said “base salary.” ---
**Author:** ![\_the\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/779978/32.png) [@\_the\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_the_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/4 "2003-02-03T03:01:26Z")
With regards to the controversial hiring of Harvey John “Jack” McGeorge. His resume is a little more extensive then Mr Adams states. According to the following artical [http://www.thestranger.com/2002-12-19/control.html](http://www.thestranger.com/2002-12-19/control.html) Jack McGeorge is a former Marine and Secret Service specialist who runs his own company offering bioterrorism research and training. ---
**Author:** ![clegge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@clegge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clegge)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/5 "2003-02-03T14:46:29Z")
Dear Cecil, I read your column regularly, and appreciate all of the time and research that goes into bringing your subscribers “The Straight Dope”. Your recent piece dealing with UN weapons inspector qualifications caught my eye, particularly with regard to your comments regarding Jack McGeorge. “As it is, it’s not like UNMOVIC is hiring Wernher von Braun. Controversy erupted recently when it came to light that one UN weapons analyst, Harvey John “Jack” McGeorge of Woodbridge, Virginia, had founded a “pansexual” S&M club called Black Rose, taught courses on sex slaves and bondage techniques involving ropes and choking devices, and served as an officer in the Leather Leadership Conference. His resumé lists no specialized engineering degree, just an associate’s degree in security management from a community college. Nonetheless, Blix declined McGeorge’s offer to resign, perhaps feeling that leadership is leadership, and that UNMOVIC could use a take-charge kind of guy. Surely if there’s a place at the UN for this character, there’s a place for you.” The man you refer to as “this character” is a fine individual who is well qualified to serve in the capacity of UN weapons inspector. I find it irresponsible that you attempted to discredit McGeorge (and the judgment of Dr. Blix) by instead focusing on his sexuality, at the expense of his professional achievements. McGeorge is a former U.S. Marine and Secret Service agent, an explosives expert, and is the president of Public Safety Group, a Virginia security firm. He has made numerous television appearances throughout the years, providing an in depth analysis of the USS Cole, Oklahoma City, and Africa embassy bombings. While McGeorge may not possess an advanced degree, he is well respected among his peers as a munitions analyst, and as an expert in the field of bioterrorism research. Dr. Blix declined McGeorge’s offer to resign because he is considered a valuable asset to the UN team on many levels. Jack McGeorge’s sexuality is a personal issue and should have no bearing on his qualifications for any job. Your attempt to confuse the two (and trivialize McGeorge’s qualifications) is the sort of sensationalism usually found in tabloid journals… certainly not what I have come to expect from “The Straight Dope”. Sincerely, Charmaine J. Legge San Jose, California ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/6 "2003-02-03T20:21:07Z")
**Clegge:** I don’t mean to be a jerk, but if you’re going to rip Almighty Cecil a new one, it would be cool if you gave a few links supporting your position. References. Otherwise, you’re just making unsubstantiated claims that The Lord Our Cecil is incompetent, which would be no better than the conduct you accuse The All-Knowing One of. ---
**Author:** ![clegge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@clegge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clegge)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/7 "2003-02-03T23:25:46Z")
Mr. Excellent, May I suggest a web search? All of the sources and references you seek related to Mr. McGeorge’s qualifications are easily available on the internet. You might also want to contact Mr. McGeorge’s Virginia-based security firm, which I referred to in my previous reply. The Media Department of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, headquartered in Washington, DC, might also be able to help you find what you seek. As I said in my previous post, I find it very sad that Mr. Adams chose to depart from his usual “just the facts” approach to instead resort to sensationalism regarding McGeorge’s personal resume. Had Mr. Adams devoted the same degree of time to researching Jack McGeorge’s professional accomplishments that he devoted to his sexual proclivities, this entire exchange would not have been necessary. Sincerely, Charmaine J. Legge San Jose, California ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/8 "2003-02-05T04:24:42Z")
> [@](#): > > that Mr. Adams chose to depart from his usual “just the facts” approach to instead resort to sensationalism Hanh? You must not have been reading his columns for very long then. He’s a world-class smartass, always has been, always will be. 😉 As an example, I give you…the classic column that’s on today’s Home Page. [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_158a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_158a.html) > [@](#): > > Reminds me of the old joke about why the University of Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Indiana, not too far from La Porte. Seems the founders camped out in South Bend one night on their way to points west. Said their leader: “We’ll just stay till the weather clears.” Tsk tsk. He departed from his usual “just the facts” approach to get in a gratuitous cheap shot at Notre Dame. How unlike him. Not. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/9 "2003-02-05T19:08:52Z")
Where’s the end of the line? I need a new job. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/10 "2003-02-06T12:27:01Z")
I just wanted to point out that Cecil failed to address the most important aspect of this question (at least, to my mind). Specifically: > [@](#): > > Do you get jumpsuits with your name on them like the Ghostbusters had? Well? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-hired-as-a-un-weapons-inspector/151998/11 "2003-02-06T16:41:38Z")
> [@](#): > > If the goal was not to find anything, why not appoint a bunch of high school students and save some bucks? I’m waiting until they pull the rubber mask off Hans Blix and reveal it’s actually been Saddam Hussein all along. “I’d have gotten away with it … it it hadn’t been for those meddling kids … and that blasted dog.”