19 and in college

[maxd5741]

I need some opinions. I am looking to work in the government to recieve the training necesary for moving into the private sector with my aquired skills. If I am looking to work for a firm like DynCorp. or Halliburton what would you suggest be my best option of going about that?

[ask80]

join the military, get combat experience, try out for special forces or other elite teams. then you can be a well paid contractor overseas.

[HokieBird]

Are you in ROTC at your school?

[maxd5741]

I am not in the ROTC. I am thinking about the national guard. But my plan as of right now is to either finish school, join the police force for 3 years and apply for the secret service where i would do that until im about 30 and hopefully get into the private security sector. My logic is that what better training for protecting people than by being trained by the people who protect the president

[GrayState]

Seems like it would be a waste of a retirement plan to quit at 30... although, I don't know much about federal retirement.

[Up_On_Base]

I am not in the ROTC. I am thinking about the national guard. But my plan as of right now is to either finish school, join the police force for 3 years and apply for the secret service where i would do that until im about 30 and hopefully get into the private security sector. My logic is that what better training for protecting people than by being trained by the people who protect the president

Ok...slow down.

If you want to be an USSS-SA you will need a 4 year degree (same w/ most 1811 spots), and getting hired is very hard. Many high caliber people don't get in, most fail the poly/BI. There are plenty of other agencies to gain protection experience besides the USSS (DSS, NCIS, DOE, FAMS, USMS, FPS, USSCP) and every state agency has a protection detail for the gov.

Here are my suggestions.

1. Finish your degree and gain some language skills.
2. Stay in shape and out of trouble.
3. Once you graduate, apply for OCS and gain some military exp. Or catch on w/ a PD and learn about tactics.
4. Towards the end of your commitment appy to some contractors and federal/state/local agencies. Who knows...by then many contractor gigs might not be there like today.

Don't forget to have fun in college, drink some beer, and date many women. Ahh to be young again.

[Up_On_Base]

Seems like it would be a waste of a retirement plan to quit at 30... although, I don't know much about federal retirement.

NYSP Troops have a better schedule, pay, and retirement than most...you are living the life.

[Green_Latern21]

Why are you set on doing private security?

The money is big, but for how long? What happens when your two year contract is up? What happens if we pull troops out of Iraq and Afgan? You just going to hope for another war? What happens if you get injured and can't pass medical requirements to work a security detail? Have you ever thought of getting married? If so, instead of signing that private security contract, save some time and sign your divorce papers as well.

If you want that line of work, be my guest, but it seems like you are pretty uneducated about the field, at since you are 19, are really haven't been thrown into the real world so to speak.

This may vary from firm to firm, but most security companies don't cover your health insurance. No big deal, right? Wrong! Especially if you are working in a war zone with IED's and roadside ambushes! What if you get seriously injured and need some kind of long term medical care? That big contract isn't going to cover it in the long run, not if you are also paying for a mortgage, family, car, credit debt, student loans, ect.

So lets say you get a contract for $150,000 for two years. That's $75,000 a year. No medical (like I said, it may vary) and you are working in a very dangerous environment. Think of all the bad things that can happen, that $150,000 isn't going to last you 3 years if a few things go wrong, and if they do you will never be able to work in a combat zone again. So there goes your career.......

Plus, the private security field is booming now, but who knows what it will be like in 10 years, or 15 years. You want to plan a career on on an industry that is unproven, and rather unliked in the publics eyes (you know, the mercenary thing).

Bottom line that contract security, and executive protection work isn't really setup to be a career, not in your standard 20-25 years. Let's not forgot that these security firms don't have 401(K)/retirement plans....that shrinks that big money contract down even more. PLUS, you will have to live in a warzone for your whole career.....you think you can really do that for extended periods of time? Talk to the guys in the military that have done 1year 6 months and they will tell you how awful it is, and you think you want to make a whole career? Pretty daring from an untested 19 year old with no experience.

Now, if you want some real advice I will give you some.

Get your college degree, when you finish that enlist in the reserves (or active if that is what you want) and apply to some local/state police departments. If you want to do protection work, your local police department is a great place to start. While they might not be dressed in cool suits w/ ear pieces, they do alot of protection/protection like work. Just the other day Bill Clinton was in my town at a local elementary school for a rally. The Secret Service was there of course, but there were also about 4 local cops doing crowd control and other security related functions. Now, if you do that sort of thing for a few years and put it on your resume your chances of getting in the USS just went up. Also many county and local police departments have there own executive protection teams that do great security details and provide good training. Also, don't forget the state police does protection work for their states governor (at least in PA).

Just so you now, I am currently employed for a private security company on an Executive Protection team. Needless to say, the work sucks, the pay is smoke and mirrors, and any 19 year old that wants to go out and make a career of it should be well educated before he did anything that would committ him into a life that he may regret.

Now, if you would like some information and tips on how to get directly into Executive Protection work (not Blackwater stuff) that is more reasonable and realistic I will help you. I got into my company in a rather unique way so it is possible......

[waiguizi]

My advice, if you want it, would be to join the national guard or reserves while you're still in college. Futhermore, my advice would be go intel or combat arms, they both have their advantages depending upon what road you eventually want to go down. They've got some program set up where you can go to basic training during the summer between your freshman and sophopmore year etc, then the next summer go to your AIT school. A recruiter could better advise you on all of the latest and greatest college kid programs. Be aware that a recruiters interests are not your own, and validate everything they say, ask yourself what his motivations are.

Go enlisted if you you're looking to get applicable combat or operational experience that will help you down the road in DSS/USSS or an executive protection firm.

A deployment may stall your degree by a year, but I know a lot of people without applicable law enforcement/military experience who's degree, albeit a requirement in many cases, doesn't do them a lick of good other than checking one box when they start applying to federal agencies. I sat next to a recent Stanford graduate when I interviewed with DSS in the waiting room. Kid had a real fancy suit, fancy education, seemed nice enough too. At the end of the day though, from an operational standpoint, Stanford prepared him for law enforcement about as well as kinder-care would have. I was offered the job, he wasn't....and I went to a mediocre University of Texas school.

If you want to jockey a desk and learn how to arrange rosters of names and serial numbers on excel spreadsheets, make coffee for generals, write off hard working NCO's work as your own, etc.....go to OCS.

Green Lantern is dead on the money about contracting jobs. Blackwater and Triple Canopy are sexy names in the news, but the bottom line is there are no long term guarantees and you're essentially a gun for hire. What's their motivation? Profit. What's a federal agent's (or what should be), cop's, or soldiers motivation? Duty.

PM me if you want any specific reccomendation on what military career fields can help you get the kind of experience you're looking for...be it language, analysis, protection, CQB, etc.

[Enikad]

I was told by a recruiter granted this is for Army. Pick your MOS first, do it for a while then become an officer. If you just go straight to OCS, they'll put you where they need officers.

As for Private Military Corporations, you can actually work for an outfit like Blackwater or whatever, while you're in the military, not as an active security agent, but like in a logistics slot, may seem boring but that way you get to know the people there, the company itself. And after a little time in the military when you come time to re-up you can hop out to a PMC or go civi-LEO whatever.

My plan if I hit the military, might help you:
Boot
Airborne School
82nd Airborne (hopefully)
Green Berret's Selection
Green Berret's till its time to go, either remain a Sgt. or whatever I get to.
Go to OCS if I stay in after I'm already in my MOS.
Leave Get Sponsored by a PD, or use the GI Bill to go independent through the academy.
Work in LE, stay in the Reserves for military.
Collect CalPers Safety Retirement when they force me out the door at an old age, and a Military Pension.
Retire.
Buy A Boat.
Work as a Consultant/Instructor for a PMC like DynCorp training their guys, to keep making bank to collect wealth to pass on to my future children.

May not work as planned but its been approved of as a good Idea by almost... no actually every cop I pitched it too. Either that or when I retire I'd like to be an EVOC insturctor, love driving.