Border Patrol the SpecOps of LE?

[tunlrat]

As I sit here at my office cublicle staring off into space (as usual), I realized something. Doesn't anyone think that what the Border Patrol does is similar to the Special Forces in Afghanistan? Think about it: god forsaken terrain, extended periods of surveillance, illegal border crossings, drug smuggling, etc. etc. The only difference is that BP can't call in airstrikes, which is a good or bad thing depending on who you ask. :eek:

My point, if there is one, is that I think if you ever wanted to do SpecOps stuff but not necessarily wanted to enlist, work for BP.

ps
I am not a recruiter by any means, just someone w/ too much time on his hands at work!

[Smitty]

lol who knows? Sounds like a good speculation though.

I'd actually like to know, I've always thought of applying.
Any BP Agents care to shed some light?

[Group9]

Well, there is one group of U.S. law enforcement who actually are working in Afghanistan. There has been a DEA contigent there since shortly after 9/11. One of my friends just got back from a year long deployment there.

I guess that would be kind of like working in Afghanistan.

[Switchback]

Group, we have SOG guys in Iraq.

[Group9]

Yeah, when I read my post, I did make it sound like we were the only ones over there. And, from what my buddy says, it ain't nothing like working the US - Mexican border.

[bob95321]

At our station in south Texas:

We have a highway traffic checkpoint that operates when there is no rain or fog. It is generally considered the worst place to be.
We have stands to look down on the freight trains as they go by. Though we rarely stop them unless we see someone riding on the outside of one of the cars (the train crews get mad if they're stopped too often.
We patrol the highways looking for vehicle loads and give-ups. Though if a vehicle load runs from us, we cannot pursue them unless we are in a "pursuit vehicle" (read crown vic). Those are usually parked at the checkpoint or are used for agents travelling to other stations.
Finally, we patrol in the ranches. Of course if the ranch is beyond 25 miles from the border, you have to have the owner's permission. Which means some ranches you cannot get into. And if it rains, the ground gets muddy. And if the ground is muddy, the trucks leave ruts in the dirt roads. And then NOBODY lets you in their ranches.

The aggravating parts: working your tail off to catch as many as possible, and then turning loose all the adult non-mexicans; traveling away from the border and seeing how many illegal aliens are walking around in the open, because there is no one to bother them in the interior.

Of course, where I am isn't anything like Arizona. That's a whole different world.

[tunlrat]

What's it like in AZ?

[EMS1]

ya,what's it like in AZ?????

[cecilVA]

I think a lot depends on the station. Certain stations have more "X's" which is when you sit at a spot for 10 hours as a visual deterrent. Other stations have much more pro active kind of operations. Now USBP's BORTAC on the other hand is pretty high speed. Those guys go to foreign countries to train other border security agencies and do some pretty cool stuff here in the states.

As far as airstrikes, the USBP does have an air fleet, but I don't think the helos have Hellfires mounted. Although that would be cool!!

[EMS1]

i have a deep feeling im gonna get called in for AZ sector.......

IM READY!!!!!!!!

[Pillar]

It all depends on what station you are at. For example, the Tucson station does just about everything. Lots of tracking, lots of narcotics, lots of illegals. It is a warzone there.

[jmhunter83]

sounds like ur involved in some spec-ops... speculation operations