Switching Jobs in the Federal System

[stealthses]

Hey! Quick question for anyone who might know. I am in the process of becoming a US Customs Officer. I took the test for the heck of it, and have followed it along. I work on a USC Compound, and the officers I know have been very supported. One thing that lingers on my mind. My heart is in patrol work, and lets face it, USC doesn't do patrol. We have a FPS Officer that patrols the compound, and I was talking to him and from what he has heard from his boss, they are supposed to open 2-3 positions on the compound that I work at presently. If I am a US Customs officer and have been for a year or two, and they end up opening the positions, how hard would it be for me to go from USC to FPS. No one seems to know at work. and searching around the web has gotten me pretty much zilch. so I was wondering if anyone knew if it was harder or easier to switch jobs within the Federal system, it seems to me it would be easier because you already work for the US Govt, and it is all homeland security. Also, are there any other types of doors that will open for me (if) once I am a CBP Officer?

Thanks
Justin

[boyce]

Get the Customs Officer job first. Then take a hard look around. Trust me, patrol work can get real dull in FPS within the first 6 months of 12-8 in a deserted office complex. Any LEO jo is about people and you will meet lots of people in Customs. Customs used to do patrol and used to have a position (highly coveted) called Customs Patrol Officer. Similar to Border Patrol, but with an emphasis on the docks. Phased our I believe. You could learn Spanish and join Border Patrol.

[FPS207]

If you have an option of whether to take the Customs job or FPS job first, I would have to say take the FPS job. Here in Atlanta, they have one of the best gigs going. Decent salary, take home rides, they work only two shifts. 6am to 2pm and 10am to 6pm. They patrol throughout the city of Atlanta and the surrounding Counties covering the Federal Buildings that are scattered throughout the Metro-Atlanta area. They are in attendance of large gatherings of people, such as the NASCAR race at the Atlanta MotorSpeedway, and currently they are going to be dispatched to the G-8 Conference in Savannah, GA. So I don't know much about patrolling a compound, but here in Georgia, the FPS look very good as a prospective employer. Thats provided you can snag one of their spots.