Question with a twist

[Khalifah88]

Ever since i was in the 7th grade i wanted to join the military, I was not sure which branch though until my cousin enisted in the Marines, and was assigned embassy duty. Clearly defining the BEST branch in the different services :flag: ;)

I was planning to enlist as soon as I graduated high school, however a month before graduation i tore my ACL and had to go to surgury a week before graduation. Sure enough, the therapy takes time so now im in college getting my basics done for a criminal justice degree. In the end Im striving to get into the FBI, more precisely their tactical branch in the CIRG.

I still want to join its just that now i have some college under my belt and that makes me eligable for OCS right?

Furthuremore my Devil Dog cousin is telling me that there is big difference between officer and enlisted expiriences in the Corps.

So my question is what will best help me get into the FBIs tactical units
enlisted or Officer?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I appreciate all the feedback i can get.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Criminal justice isn't necessarily the best route if you want to be an FBI agent.

To be an agent, you'll have to have a degree. As for what will help you be a high speed, low drag federal agent- it is the same as trying to be a SWAT cop or anything else. You're going to have to prove yourself before they even consider you. Unless you're Mr. Seal Team 6 or something your time in the FBI will do more to get you into a special unit than your time in the military would.

For what it is worth, you can go to OCS between your junior and senior years in college. Since you're 19, I don't believe you are eligible for OCS unless you started college very young.

[Zulu 36]

E4B is very correct about the FBI HRT. While Marine Corps experience at any level would be a plus, the FBI will judge you primarily on what kind of agent you've been for them and what kind of agent they think you'll be in the future.

Going to the FBI and saying "I want to be on the HRT" is knid of like going to a Marine recruiter and saying, "I want to be special ops." They'll either say, "Go away until you grow up" or they'll just laugh.

Best college degrees for the FBI these days: Accounting (CPA a plus), computer sciences (with emphasis on programming and/or systems security), Arabic language, or a law degree. Of course, graduate degrees in any of these would be even better.

The FBI will accept any degree from a recognized college/university, but those majors above are high on their list, and all other things being equal, would probably grab them first.

[Khalifah88]

thanks for the info, however i have been reading around and asking questions to people in Border Patrol, FBI, ect. and they all say that they will test their voluneers up to their standards, but to have some sort of tactical expirience,(whether it be police SWAT or military) evens the odds in your favor.

[Zulu 36]

thanks for the info, however i have been reading around and asking questions to people in Border Patrol, FBI, ect. and they all say that they will test their voluneers up to their standards, but to have some sort of tactical expirience,(whether it be police SWAT or military) evens the odds in your favor.

Well, every major FBI field office maintains its own SWAT team. They are "part time" teams and the members still do normal FBI agent work as a primary duty. HRT is the full-time group out of Quantico. Most, if not all, HRT members got there via the field office SWAT teams. Consider them the minor-league feeder teams for the big time.

Some military tactical experience is always good for SWAT-type membership, but not essential most cases. As E4B said, if you come onto the FBI with experience as an operator in Delta Force or the unit formerly known as SEAL Team Six, you might see HRT a little faster than the average agent. Those guys have a little bit more than "some" tactical experience.

[Khalifah88]

So then you are telling me wether you are a trained intellegence analist, chopper pilot or an MP SRT member, its nice to have a Marine background, BUT the agency will train you again in their image?
Im not just talking tactical now i'm just saying any specialty?

[Zulu 36]

So then you are telling me wether you are a trained intellegence analist, chopper pilot or an MP SRT member, its nice to have a Marine background, BUT the agency will train you again in their image?
Im not just talking tactical now i'm just saying any specialty?
That is correct. They will train you to do things the FBI way. Remember too, the military and a civilian law enforcement agency operate differently and under different laws in most respects.

For instance, you can't do intel work as an FBI agent (or on any other American police force) the way you would as a Marine intel type. Sure, some basics are the same, but the devil is in the details. Hence the need to retrain in many, many areas.

[Khalifah88]

Thanks Z36, so then what would be the best way to go? officer or enlisted,
my understanding is that an officer is obviously a leadership role, and BASICALLY a manager to the men under him.
and I have never heard of a civilian enlisting who is a sophmore in college.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

When I enlisted I had 73 college credits with a 3.8 GPA- so now you know of someone that did, and I had options. The military is full of people that were college students that didn't have the grades to stick around.

Honestly, if your main objective is to make it to one of the super duper federal law enforcement gigs then you're doing good to be a Marine with any specialty. While there are jobs that do things similar to what HRT, or even SWAT, does- the tactics and missions of the groups are different. You will receive just as much training whether you were an MP or a cook. And, the key is proving that you belong there once you get the job with the FBI to begin with.

[Khalifah88]

Honestly E4B I was leaning twards enlisting to begin with.but i didnt think that it was so common. I just cant wait till i get cleared for my knee. Just to clarify were you talking about the officers role as well?

[Khalifah88]

By the way if you are learning to speak arabic yourself does that help in any way signing up in the Marines?

[Zulu 36]

By the way if you are learning to speak arabic yourself does that help in any way signing up in the Marines?
You still have to be otherwise qualified. Knowing Arabic is just a bonus (for the Corps).

With the FBI, being an officer is probably a plus-factor, but being enlisted won't hurt either. A lot of FBI agents were never military officers (or enlisted, for that matter). Military experience primarily brings an applicant who is self-disciplined, possesses initiative, and tends toward willing obedience of lawful orders and regulations.

As far as enlisted people having college degrees, I knew Senior NCOs (Air National Guard) with masters and doctorate degrees. They either didn't want to be officers, or got their education while in the service (or both).

I went to boot camp (in 1971) with a recruit who had a bachelors degree. He didn't want to be an officer. This was uncommon back then.

Having Staff NCOs with bachelor and masters degrees is not unusual at all anymore. I know an active duty Navy Petty Officer 1st Class (E-6) with a doctorate. He plans to finish his Navy career, retire, and go into consulting and college-level teaching.

So, on the academic scale of things, you'll probably be outranked by many other enlisted people.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

I was talking about officer level as well. In all honesty, being an officer may make it easier to get the job with the FBI in the first place. After that, it isn't going to make a huge difference one way or the other.

Zulu is dead on about education in the Marine Corps. A friend of mine got out as a 6 year LCPL. He had a BS when he enlisted and got an MBA while he was in. When he left the Marine Corps he got a great job with an investment firm in New York. The average enlisted Marine doesn't have a degree- or even a great deal of college. But, you would be far from alone with your education level at this point.

[Khalifah88]

Well guys i can't thank you all enough for the feedback, the last time I was able to speak to anyone in the Corps, was this recruiter who frankly dissapeared after my Knee accident. I dont blame him for leaving because its a long recovery period. However as time went by i have been naturally getting better. To date my routine is every other day 2-3 miles with an sh*t load of crunches and pushups. When i am not running, I am in the local gym working out mainly abs,back,and chest. Do you Marines have any suggestions on what i should focus my workout routine on before i sign up?

[Zulu 36]

Well guys i can't thank you all enough for the feedback, the last time I was able to speak to anyone in the Corps, was this recruiter who frankly dissapeared after my Knee accident. I dont blame him for leaving because its a long recovery period. However as time went by i have been naturally getting better. To date my routine is every other day 2-3 miles with an sh*t load of crunches and pushups. When i am not running, I am in the local gym working out mainly abs,back,and chest. Do you Marines have any suggestions on what i should focus my workout routine on before i sign up?

I would add pullups. Lots of pullups. If your knee is doing OK, I'd go a minimum of three-miles on every run and work up to five or more. Check with your orthopod if you have any doubt.

You can research the minimums and maximums for the PFT and the IST on this site. If you can make a solid 1st Class score on the PFT, taking the IST will be just a light workout. The better shape you are in going to boot camp, the easier things will be. Easy is relative, however. But you will be able to concentrate your attention on learning the other things and not sweat the PT aspects so much.

When I went through, the knowledge was the easy part for me. I had to work hard on the PT, but I managed.

[Khalifah88]

OooRHaa to PT Marine, its always my favorite time of the day when i am not at work or college. Just curious (because i get a lot of heat from this), but are there any hight restrictions in the varios MOS...

I am about 5'3"

[ggyoung]

One thing that will help in any field in FBI and USMC is to learn a foriern language like chineesse or russion( bad spelling) I do know the FBI and CIA is always looking for Mormon return missionaries(sp) that know different language.

[thewookie]

What's about 5'3",, is that with shower shoes on or barefoot, heels or sneakers? In sand or on a hard surface,,, about what?:cry:

[Khalifah88]

It is barefoot by the way, but in any case i guess you already answered the question THEWOOKIE.

[SpartanMullet]

I have never heard of a civilian enlisting who is a sophmore in college.

a lot of people enlist who were in college. college isn't for some people. on a different note, you can go to OCS for two 6 week periods during summer breakes while in college, after freshman and sophomore year, or a 10 week period after your junior year. i'm working on getting into this summers 10 week PLC. although it sounds like you might be injured so that might not be an option.:flag:

[Khalifah88]

The injury i have Spartan, is going to be cleared no later than Febuary of next year, furthurmore the damage to the knee is not going to effect me in the long run (literally). Although i have been thinking about the PLC, just have not got around to speaking to any recruiters.