So you Wanna Be a Special Agent?

So you wanna join one of the most sophisticated and respected law enforcement agencies in the world? Here are a few interesting points you may find useful. Ranging from mandatory requirements and training at Quantico to health and insurance benefits recieved as a Special Agent.

The Bureau of Investigation (the FBI's original title) was founded in 1908. It is the primary investigative arm of the federal government and is responsible for enforcing over 260 federal statutes as well as conducting sensitive and national security investigations.

Areas in which the FBI has jurisdiction include the following:

organised crime
white-collar crime
public corruption
financial crime
fraud against the government
bribery
copyright issues
civil rights violations
bank robbery
extortion
kidnapping
air piracy
terrorism
foreign counterintelligence
interstate criminal activity
fugitives
drug trafficking matters
federal statute violations

they also train law enforcement officers at other federal, state and local levels within the FBI Academy.

The FBI is headquartered in Washington, D.C. but maintains field offices and satellite offices throughout the United States and its territories. and maintains liaison offices in a number of foreign countries.

Special Agents within the Bureau are responsible for enforcing the federal statutes. The Forensic Laboratory, Engineering Research Facility and the Criminal Justice Information Services Division are composed of hundreds of scientists, computer specialists and other specialty personnel. Each of these individuals, are in turn supported by a number of other professinal employees which makes a network of thousands working together to meet the goals of the FBI.


Special Agent Entry Requirements

The FBI requires individuals who can fill a variety of positions. For this reason Speical Agents come from a broad range of educational disciplines and professions.

Primary qualifications which must be met:

Candidates must be a United States citizen or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Candidates must be at least 23 years old and have not reached their 37th birthday on appointment.

All candidates must be completely available for assignment and relocatin anywhere in the FBI's jurisdiction.

Candidates must have uncorrected vision not worse than 20/200 and corrected 20/20 in one eye and not worse than 20/40 in the other eye.

All candidates must pass a color vision test.

Special Agents must meet hearing standards by audiometer test. No applicant will be considered who exceeds the following:

average hearing loss of 25 decibels (ANSI) at 1000,2000, and 3000 Hertz

single reading of 35 decibels at 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hertz

single reading of 35 decibels at 500 Hertz; and

single reading of 45 decibels at 4000 Hertz

Candidates must possess a valid driver's license.

All candidates must also be in excellent physical condition with no defects which could interfere in firearm use, raids or defensive tactics.

Applicants must possess a four year degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional or national institutional associations recognized by the United States Secretary of Education.

The four entry programs are Law, Accounting, Language, and Diversified.

Law To qualify under the Law Program, you must have a JD degree from a resident law school.
Accounting To qualify under the Accounting Program, you must have a BS degree with a major in accounting or a related discipline, and be eligible to take teh CPA examination. Candidates who have not passed the CPA exam will also be required to pass the FBI's Accounting test.
Language To qualify under the Language Program, you must have a BS or BA degree in any discipline and be proficient in a language that meets the needs of the FBI. Candidates will be expected to pass a Language Proficiency Test.
DiversifiedTo qualify under the Diversified Program, you must have a BS or BA degree in ANYdiscipline, plus three years of full-time work experience or an advanced degree accompanied by two years of full time work experience.

Application Process

The first step in becoming a Special Agent is to complete the below listed forms which are downloadable from the FBI's website or obtained from any FBI field office.

Application Checklist for the Special Agent Position
Preliminary Special Agent Application
Applicant Background Survey
Special Agent Qualifications Questionnaire
Worldwide Mobility Agreement

If you meet entry level criteria and are competitive with other candidates applying for the position, you will be considered for further processing, including applicant testing. You may be competitive for testing purposes if you possess a special skill needed by the FBI, an advanced degree, professional certifications or licenses, supervisory experience and/or complex work experience.

All completed applications should be mailed to the Applicant Coordinator in the field offcie closest to your residence. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

(After the above listed forms are completed and sent in for a review, those who competitive applications will be asked to fill out another series of documents. These documents can be found on the FBI's website or retrieved from field offices. Unsolicited application documents at this point will not be accepted.)

Competitive candidates will be required to complete a battery of written tests and, in some cases, specialized testing in their field of expertise. If you pass these tests, you may be eligible for an interview based upon your overall qualifications, your competitiveness with other candidates and the needs of the FBI.

Successful completion of the written test and an interview will be followed by a thorough background investigation that will include: credit and arrest checks; interviews of associates; contacts with personal and business references, past employers and neighbors, and verification of educational achievements.

Certain factors will disqualify a candidate from selection as a Special Agent. These factors include: conviction of a felony or major misdemeanor, use of illegal drugs or failure to pass a drug screening test. All candidates will be given a polygraph examination to determine the veracity of the information provided in their application for employment, to include the extent of any illegal drug usage and issues surrounding security concerns.

A medical examination must be passed to determine physical suitability for the Special Agent position. You are expected to be physically fit to participate in the demanding physical training conducted at the FBI Academy, and upon graduation, to execute the duties of a law enforcement officer.

All candidates must meet a standardized weight to height ration and/or body fat requirement to be qualified for appointment.

The FBI Academy, Quantico Virginia

Each new Agent serves a two-year probationary period upon entering on duty with the FBI. However, preference eligible veterans serve a one year probationary period. At the FBI Academy, you will join a class of Special Agent trainees for 16 weeks of intensive training at one of the world's finest law enforcement training facilities.

Your classroom hours will be spent studying a wide variety of academic and investigative subjects. The FBI Academy curriculum also includes intensive training in physical fitness, defensive tactics, practical application exercises, and the use of firearms. Several tests will be administered in all of these areas to monitor your progress.

Upon successful completion of the Academy training, you will graduate and receive the credentials of an FBI Special Agent.

Career

As a newly appointed Special Agent, you will be assigned to one of the FBI's field offices based on the current staffing and/or critical speciality needs. New Agents are pted to make known their preference for assignment and consideration is given to your desires; however, assignment will be based upon the staffing needs of the FBI.

An Agent can generally expect to remian in his/her first office of assignment for a minimum of four years. Your first months will be guided by a veteran Special Agent who will help you apply the lessons learned at the FBI Academy.

Throughout your career with the FBI you can qualify for additional trianing and promotion to a variety of administrative and supervisory positions.

Special Agents enter service as GS 10 employees on the government pay scale and can advance to the GS 13 grade level in field non-supervisory assignments. Promotions to supervisory, management, and executive positions are available in grades GS 14 and GS 15 as well as in the Senior Executive Services. All Special Agents qualify for availability pay, which is an additional premium compensation for unscheduled duty equaling 25% of the Agent's base salary.

As an FBI employee you will be entitled to a variety of benefits including group health and life insurance programs, vacation and sick pay and a full retirement plan.

Annual leave is granted for vacations, rest, and other personal reasons. Sick leave is available for use when an employee or employee's family member is ill or need to visit a doctor, dentist, or other health care provider for examination or treatment. Leave is also permitted for military and voting purposes as well as for jury service and witness duty under certain conditions.

Annual leave accumulates to an employee's credit on a graduated basis according to the length of his or her federal government service (civilian or military).

Full-time employees earn sick leave at the rate of 4 hours every two weeks or 13 days a year.

The federal government recognizes ten holidays each year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

An employee is entitled to a total of 12 administrative work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12- month period, without penalty to grade, position, benefits, or status, for (1) the birth of, and care for, a child; (2) the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care; (3) the care of a spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee if such spouse, son, daughter, or parent has a serious health condition; and, (4) a serious health condition of the employee which makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her position. An employee must have a total of one year of service with the federal government to be eligible for this benefit.

A leave of absence is granted for maternity reasons to those employees who plan to return to their positions. Absence from duty generally does not exceed six months. While the employee is physically incapacitated from duty, she is charged with sick leave. Once released by a doctor, she is charged with annual leave or a combination of annual leave and leave without pay.

An absence to assist or care for a male employee's newborn or minor child(ren) while the mother is incapacitated for maternity reasons may be charged to sick leave. A male employee may take up to 5 days of sick leave for this purpose, with up to an additional 8 days allowed in certain circumstances.

An employee may initially use up to 40 hours (5 days) of sick leave in a leave year to care for a family member or to arrange or attend an immediate family member's funeral. In addition to the 40 hours of sick leave allowed, an employee may use an additional 64 hours under certain circumstances.

Additional leave benefits such as Adoption Leave, Leave for Bone Marrow or Organ Donations, Military Leave, Leave for Voting, Court Leave-Jury and Witness Duty are available to all FBI employees.


At FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Health Care Programs Unit (HCPU) is staffed with experienced health professionals and specialty support staff who provide many services for all employees. The FBI's occupational health staff provides assessment and treatment of work- related injuries and illnesses, health counseling as needed, referral service to physicians or hospitals, and emergency response in the clinic and throughout the building. The HCPU also offers travel immunizations to employees, immunization injections to at-risk personnel, and health screenings for cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes. Additionally, since prevention of illness is important, educational classes are provided on health and safety issues such as basic cardiac support and first aid, weight reduction, smoking cessation, back care, safety in the work place, health issues concerning men and women, proper nutrition, and other areas of concern.

The FBI addresses the need for child care through maintenance of listings or resources throughout the country. Employees assigned to FBIHQ have access to "Just Us Kids," a child development center sponsored by the Department of Justice. This center is located approximately two blocks from the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building. In addition, employees assigned to the Criminal Justice Information Services Division in West Virginia have access to the child development center operating on the FBI Complex, "Lasting Impressions." Availability at each of these centers is limited.

The FBI offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) because we recognize that our people are our most valuable resource. Simply based upon the nature of our work, employment with the FBI can, at times, be very stressful and make the demands of balancing work and family especially challenging. The EAP is a voluntary program which offers assessment, referral, and short-term counseling services to FBI employees and their immediate family members who could benefit from assistance in dealing with a personal issue. The EAP can assist with problems that include, but are not limited to, stress, marital/family problems, mental and/or emotional issues, alcoholism, drug abuse, and financial concerns.

The EAP is a confidential program that is protected by federal confidentiality regulations. EAP records are separate from and do not become part of any employee security or personnel record.

There are no fees for EAP services but sometimes individuals are referred to resources outside the EAP.

One of the major benefits of federal employment is the opportunity to enroll in the federal health and life insurance benefits programs. Not only do employees contribute to these programs, but as the employer, the federal government also pays a significant share.

The FEHBP gives all permanent FBI employees the opportunity to enroll in an approved group health benefits plan, regardless of age or medical condition. The government pays part of the cost and the employee's portion is paid through payroll deduction. Employees may choose from three types of plans; the Government-wide Service Benefit Plan (Blue Cross/Blue Shield); Comprehensive Plans (or health maintenance organizations); or Employee Organization Plans (fee-for-service plans). In addition, the Special Agents Mutual Benefit Association (SAMBA) sponsors an Employee Organization Plan for all FBI employees. Employees have the opportunity to cover themselves, their spouses and their unmarried dependent children under age 22.

All FBI employees are covered under FEGLI Basic Life Insurance, unless waived. The amount of coverage under the Basic Life Insurance is equal to an employee's annual basic pay (rounded to the next $1,000) plus $2,000. The government pays approximately 1/3 of the premium for the Basic Life Insurance and the remaining 2/3 is withheld from the employee by payroll deduction. The Basic Life Insurance includes Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits. Employees under age 45 are given an extra benefit without cost under the Basic Life Insurance. The extra benefit doubles the amount of life insurance under the Basic Life Insurance for employees aged 35 or younger. The extra bonus does not include Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits coverage. Beginning on an employee's 36th birthday, the extra benefit decreases 10 percent each year until, at age 45, the extra benefit ends.

Optional coverages under FEGLI and additional life insurance programs are available. FEGLI can also cover an employee's spouse and children, while both SAMBA and the Special Agents Trust for Insurance (SATI) offers life insurance for an employee and his or her dependents, Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance, disability insurance, and professional liability insurance.

All FBI employees may join the Employee Benevolent Fund, which would pay their survivors $15,000 if they die while employed by the FBI. Special Agents may also join the Special Agents Insurance Fund which would pay a similar $30,000 benefit. Other automatic insurance coverages exist in the event a Special Agent dies in the line of duty.

All employees hired into the executive branch service after 1983 are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a three-tiered plan consisting of a basic annuity benefit, the Thrift Savings Plan, and Social Security.

Once an employee has worked for the federal government for five years, he or she becomes eligible for retirement benefits (an annuity to be paid monthly upon eligibility). To retire the employee must have worked for a certain number of years (service requirement) and have reached a certain age (age requirement). Service and age requirements vary. Upon completion of five years of civilian service, any prior military service can be counted towards the service requirements (a deposit into the retirement system may be owed, however, in order to receive the maximum benefit).

Newly hired Special Agents are eligible to retire when they reach 50 years of age and have 20 years of federal civilian law enforcement officer service or at any age with 25 years of federal civilian law enforcement officer service. Agents must retire no later than the end of the month in which they become age 57, provided they have at least 20 years of law enforcement service. (The Director of the FBI has the authority to grant exceptions to mandatory retirement.)

A basic annuity benefit is payable when an employee retires from the government and is based strictly on the length of the employee's federal service and the salaries earned. Generally, an employee needs at least five years of federal civilian employment to qualify for a future basic annuity benefit. If an employee reaches the minimum retirement age (between 55 and 57, depending upon when the employee was born) and has at least 20 years of creditable service, the employee may retire and begin receiving the basic annuity benefit immediately. This benefit is reduced if the employee retires under the age of 62 unless he or she retires (1) with 20 years of service at age 60, (2) with 30 years of service at the minimum retirement age, or (3) following an involuntary separation through no fault of the employees after completing 25 years of service (or 20 years if at least 50). An employee is also entitled to a basic annuity benefit at any age if approved for disability retirement (some restrictions apply).

All new employees are automatically covered by the Social Security System. An employee may apply for regular Social Security benefits as early as age 62. Disability Social Security benefits are conditionally available at any age.

TSP is a tax-deferred retirement savings and investment plan similar to many 401(k) plans offered in the private sector. Unlike regular retirement and Social Security withholdings, income taxes are not paid on TSP contributions when they are made; instead TSP benefits after retirement are fully taxable.

All employees covered by FERS are able to contribute up to 10 percent of their salary into the TSP (IRS deposit maximums apply). The FBI automatically contributes an amount equal to one percent of an employee's salary to the TSP, even if the employee chooses to contribute nothing. In addition, the FBI matches each employee contribution dollar for dollar on the first 3 percent contributed and 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2 percent.

All contributions to an employee's TSP account earn interest and may be divided amongst three funds (a bond-based fund, a stock-based fund, and a government securities fund). Employees also have the opportunity to borrow against their TSP contributions.

Should an employee leave the government prior to qualifying for immediate retirement, he or she may either (a) ask for a refund of his or her contributions (early distribution rules apply), or (b) leave the contributions in his or her account and allow the account to earn interest.



This inormation was obtained through a variety of publications and articles published by the FBI

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