Border Patrol Agent Questions????

[cookeparker]

Hello all,
Being as the hiring for agents is closing on the 26th of June, I thought I would take the time to ask some questions. I thank you in advance for you time.

1)Typically How long will the hiring process take, and what is the current avaiablity of positions?

2)I have been able to find information on the starting salarys(GS-5, GS-7) but have been unable to dig any more information up past AUO, I was wondering how the shift differential, sunday pay and holiday pay worked(or basically what a new hire could expect to make being on the SW border in his first year)

3)I have about 1 and 1/2 years as a sworn deputy and about 2 years before that in a Detention Facility. Currently I am being promoted into investigations in which I will primiarly focus on drug work and in the coming year will hopefully be restarting our drug task force. Also one of the Sheriff's canidates has asked me to be their undersheriff if they are elected. I was wondering what expericence would be better as far as getting selected as a border patrol agent? The Supervisory/administrative expericence or the experience with investigations/drugs/drug task forces/and drug interdiction as this is one of CPB's main areas along the borders?

4)I've seen the map of the border patrols sectors. I'm specifically looking at areas that are relativley near schools so my wife can finish her education. Where are the stations near the SW border in the Yuma Sector, the Tuscon Sector, the El Paso Sector, and the Marfa Sector. If there are to many please just list the main ones so I can get a basic idea.

5) last but not least, is the BP academy still located at Artesia NM, and how long is it.

Again Thank you very much for your time and help,

Cookeparker

[Gov06]

Everything you asked can be answered here...
http://www.honorfirst.com

It has help me a lot, good luck!

[cookeparker]

Thanks for referring me to this website, it covers all of my questions except #2. Can anyone refer to my first post and fill me in on this?

[GR217]

I am not a Border Patrol agent, but a friend of mine is a former border patrol agent. He worked on the Arizona border for about 2-3 years. He was hired right out of college a a G5. He told me that his first year after OT, shift differential etc... He made 70-80K a year. This was also back in 1999-2001. So with inflation the average yearly gross may be higher. On the flip side, he said that he was working 12-16 hour days 5 days a week, and his days off were frequently cancelled. Just some things to consider if you have a wife and kids at home. Hope this helps.

[PistolP69]

Try here!

United States Border Patrol (http://forums.delphiforums.com/borderpatrol/start)

[1895bombdog]

If selected try and go see where you would be working at. A lot of locations are in some isolated or areas with poor housing and schools systems. If you are not familar with or from a border location you may not be happy. It can cause problems with some families or marriages. Some people forget that you may have to live / work there for 20 yrs or more and over time it can cause many problems. Good luck.

[Foo Man]

If selected try and go see where you would be working at. A lot of locations are in some isolated or areas with poor housing and schools systems. If you are not familar with or from a border location you may not be happy. It can cause problems with some families or marriages. Some people forget that you may have to live / work there for 20 yrs or more and over time it can cause many problems. Good luck.

I agree with scoping out the location first, but why would you be stuck for 20 years at the same location? BP has a ton of stations around the country and you can transfer within just a few years if you choose to do so.

[Guero44]

I agree with scoping out the location first, but why would you be stuck for 20 years at the same location? BP has a ton of stations around the country and you can transfer within just a few years if you choose to do so.


I am a current BP agent and have been so for the last 8 years. Transfers are not automatic and are on a competitive basis. Expext to spend several years in your first duty station until you obtain enough experience and seniority to promote and move on. Remember...the needs of the service come first.

[SoCalFed]

As an upside, I have had the opportunity to work with several 'former' Border Patrol agents that became Special Agents. ALL of them were squared away folks and their experience in the patrol was looked upon quite favorably when applying for 1811 positions...

[1895bombdog]

I agree with scoping out the location first, but why would you be stuck for 20 years at the same location? BP has a ton of stations around the country and you can transfer within just a few years if you choose to do so.
It's not that you are stuck at the same location for twenty years. It's that you will be living at the border for 20 yrs. And the United States has a lot better places to live at and raise a family at than most border locations. Because of that many employees want to transfer to those locations which makes getting there that much more difficult. Not impossible but definitely not easy.