Pros and Cons of CBP

[mhoudek]

Thanks for the info on the payscale. I never really thought of all the extra pay and DOUBLE TIME overtime. That has to be nice. All of this sounds encouraging and lets just hope I get offered the job before I start worrying about the pay.

I was just worried Id be living in a box for the rest of my life. Ha Ha.

[chewy]

Thanks for the info on the payscale. I never really thought of all the extra pay and DOUBLE TIME overtime. That has to be nice. All of this sounds encouraging and lets just hope I get offered the job before I start worrying about the pay.

The reason I detailed the pay is that at first glance most people see it as a worse paying job but when you look at the larger picture of four to five years and beyond with OT and such we actually get paid very well... You can do like I did and marry a CBP Officer, together my wife and I make about $140K plus and we are just GS-11's... If we were to get promoted it would get even better. Then you can "pad" your pay by getting your GS-11 then after a year as an 11 start applying for some positions in DC or our various positions like our NTC or one of the other lettered targeting centers and you can do a couple years there in a three year 11/12/13 position, get your 12 or 13 for a year or so then either go to another port as a supervisor or bust back to an 11 getting paid as a 13... I work with a guy that did a couple years in DC. He is a GS-11 again but is basically getting GS-14 pay due to his time in Washington. That's another nice thing, if you get a promotion, maintain that promotion for the required time then leave and go back to a GS-11 you can't get a pay cut so you will still get the highest paygrade that you were at pay wise but you'll still be an 11 working in the field... If you do that early in your career you can bank some serious money!

I was just worried Id be living in a box for the rest of my life. Ha Ha.

Hmmm, well, as a CBP Officer that is one of the biggest downsides. Being stuck in one small area does get old after a while but on the good side our seizures are usually significantly larger than most beat cops and we do have special teams you can get on and go out and about doing special LE ops (well, depending on your port, Detroit doesn't really allow or AT CET guys to do very much but some other ports do a ton...)

[mhoudek]

CHEWY:

You seem to be all-knowing so I figured I would ask you this. It goes along with the pay question:

It saw it mentioned in another thread that the CBP is not C6 and therefore do not receive the coveted "Law Enforcement retirement plan" after 20-25yrs.

Do CBP have a good retirement plan? In short, what is it?

Thanks in advance.

[K-9MALY]

While Chewy is all knowing, he cannot be here all the time due to his monumental tasks in Detroit, so in his stead I shall be his second.

Your retirement plan is based on your "high three" the three highest earning years you work consecatively. They base your retirement on a matrix from that number, plus years of service, and then your Thrift Savings.

Your TSP is not considered a static part of your retirement due to you as the participant having almost all of the control during your career over it. It is sort of similiar to a 401k, but much better than most you would find out in the civilian sector. When you come in, your allowed to tax deduct up to 15% of your income each pay check into your thrift savings plan, and have an additional 5% added to it by the government for a total of 20%. This makes up for the bulk of the money you will have when you retire if your aggressive and watch the market.

[mhoudek]

Thanks K-9. So if I understand correctly, you get a pension based on your "high three" and the TSP is more like a 401K?.

I actually read a book about securing my "golden years." The one bit of advice I was able to understand was that if a person was able to put $100 a month into a mutual fund (with an estimated economic growth value) from ages 25-65 then that person would have just about $1 million after they retire. Just a fun fact.

When are you eligible for retirement and when do you have to retire?

Again, thank you in advance.

[chewy]

Ya. We have a decent retirement set up IF... big IF you put as much as possible into your Thrift Savings. A lot of people that start out don't put anything or very little into Thrift Savings because 10 or 15% seems like a lot on a GS 5 or 7 pay. It is a bit of money but if you just start out with it you get used to it not being there and the difference in what you get at retirement if you put the max in right away as compared to not putting anything in for the first four or five years is VERY significant. I always tell people to just put the max in as soon as you start, then you never see the money before it's taken out so you adjust to not seeing it. In the long run its far better.
I did the calculator thingy to check my retirement and the numbers it gave me, assuming nothing major changes until I retire was very nice. It almost comes to what I make now a month... Of course it's just a calculation and things will change over the next 15 years before I retire but assuming there isn't any apocolyptic issues I'll be doing quite well. I'm not sure how it would compare to an 1811 or other 6c covered position, you'd have to ask an agent about that.

[chewy]

While Chewy is all knowing, he cannot be here all the time due to his monumental tasks in Detroit, so in his stead I shall be his second.

Ya, I'm busy busting bad guys and catchin the dope! :D

Sorry, I was busy with my side job. Plus now that I'm training/transitioning to being a firearms instructor I get stuck working day shift a lot and can't sit at my computer for hours on end doing nothing but typing on the fourm! It's going to suck if I have to leave my boring desk job! :D

[jvale00]

CON : No 6(c) unusual since the CBP academy is only a few weeks shorter than a BP's. And the majority of jobs will probably be on the border.

PRO: Non competitive promotions 5-11!!!!!

[Big Sexy]

CON: BIG SEXY doesn't work for CBP.

PRO: Nothing BIG thought of could quite overcome the above CON. :p

[Big Sexy]

I'm not sure how it would compare to an 1811 or other 6c covered position, you'd have to ask an agent about that.

Since we're forced out at 57, ours is a three pronged retirement.
TSP, your pension and a social security supplemental, until you actually reach social security retirement age. That, to BIGs knowledge, also applies if you leave at 50, with 25 years.

[Semper Gumby]

CON : No 6(c) unusual since the CBP academy is only a few weeks shorter than a BP's. And the majority of jobs will probably be on the border.

PRO: Non competitive promotions 5-11!!!!!

There's a VERY BIG difference between the Border Patrol and CBP/OFO. The acadmey is just the beginning. You're comparing apples to oranges.

[chewy]

On top of the fact that us and BP have very little in common... and in fact most BP completely think they are Gods and Sooooo much better than us :rolleyes: Puhlease ... The issue of the length of the academy has absolutely nothing to do with the 6(c). It's more of the fact that we have no phyisical standards and there fore have a bunch of whinny useless idiots half of which are 7,000lbs overweight and unwilling to do ANY kind of enforcement training and the like... I personally think that THAT is the reason we don't have 6(c)!

[BP348]

In fact [B]most BP completely think they are Gods and Sooooo much better than us [/B

It's so nice that you have admitted our superiority, my son!!!

Biggest thing about 6C is that 6C's have a mandatory retirement at 57 (well 60 now) and CBP officers have to go to normal retirement age. What is it Chewy? 65?

Other than that it's similar they take your high 3 and average it out for your pay.

That's why going up into a higher GS level is important. I.E... 1811's journeyman 13's, USBP journeyman 11's. That’s a big difference in retirement.

By the way the difference in GS levels is probabely the biggest reason so many guys/gals leave USBP for other agencies.

[chewy]

Ya, 65. I fully expect that by time I get close they will up it to like 85. I just keep getting this dread feeling like I'm never going to leave here alive!!! :p

[jonesrp]

You may start as a GS 5 or 7 and the pay isn't real great but we are a journeyman rate of GS-11... Based on 2006 payscale, a GS-11 in Chicago (basically, your third or fourth year... depending on what you start as) will make 55958 then it goes up about a grand every year after that. That isn't including ANY other pay such as weekend/holiday pay, night/afternoon diferential or overtime. Detroit is very similar in pay and I'm making 62K a year base, then my afternoon diff is another 7k or so and overtime I can work up to 30K a year. If I max out on overtime I'll make just under 100,000. I didn't work hardly any overtime in 2006 and my pay was just under $70,000 with nine years on. The pay doesn't look so good as a GS 5 or 7 but when you consider that if you start as a 5 making $30,000 then after you have one year in you'll go to a GS-7 and make $37,000 then another year and $46,000 then hit GS-11 and get the $56,000. I think when you look at it you'll find that a lot, if not most departments you hit a plateau and max out after so many years.. with us once you get to journeyman you still get anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 increase with each step increase you do plus your yearly cost of living increase and any overtime or shift premium. The overtime is another big plus, there aren't a lot of departments that pay straight double time for overtime pay, most are time and a half at best. Whem I'm working making $35 an hour and hit overtime suddenly I'm making $70 an hour... that extra adds up in a hurry! Of course overtime depends on what port you are at but in larger ports, like Detroit for example, we get a ton of peopl and CBe that make $20K - $25K plus in overtime alone every year... Our pay is WAY better than any of the departments I've delt with.

Chewy, I am new to this site and noticed you referenced Detroit in your reply. I plan on taking the CBP exam on 1/30/07. I no I am getting ahead of myself, since I have not even passed the test, but what type of feedback can you give me about CBP and Detroit. Do you work at the Tunnel, Bridge, or Airport.? Roughly how many officers are employed at your location. How many hours do you work a week? If I receve an offer, I am hoping for a lot of overtime inially to compensate for the decrease in pay from my current job to CBP. IS there a lot of overtime available? Whats the busiest shifts/days? Whats the most difficult thing to deal with working at CBP Detroit?

Thank you in advance for your feedback.