Advice?

[limeade]

Hello, currently I’m 21, and I’m definitely going for my BBA “which is a double business major” But I’m 95% sure I will also be going for my MBA. I am also currently thinking about learning how to speak Arabic, but I would be doing that on my own, or through side classes, and it would not be a major. I have always planned on going into law enforcement, but as of a couple months ago, I have decided to shoot for an eventual Federal job, whether that be ASAP, or after a few years of LEO work for a my home city Houston.

Any advice? I hear a lot of bad stuff about the FBI, especially on this forum. But I am also interested in the DEA and ATF. My main thing is, I want to help fight Terrorism on some level, whatever it may be. Sorry if that sounds naïve, I don’t want to come off young and stupid. But I do want to be honest, now let me emphatically express that this is just a 10nth of why I want to become a Federal Officer, I have my other reasons, with the biggest being I want to make a difference, I want to be a Citizen not a subject, I want to help, I want to know that somehow on a small level I may have saved a life, or made one better. Now no more sappy stuff, what do you all have to say?

Some things you should know, I am married, and no matter what, here is the order of things in my life. God, my Wife, Family…. But I do know sacrifices will need to be made.

Anything you guys can add will be great, I have lots of respect for you guys, and love how you are all stright shooters. Thanks in advance for takeing a minute out of your day for me.

[Ironhead]

I think your heart is in the right place and you plan sounds reasonable. No need to seek the MBA to get into law enforement (unless you just want it first)

21 is still pretty young and there will be plenty of crime available for you to fight, no matter when you enter the field.

Best advice I can offer is to 'be there' 100% for whoever you work for. Don't take a job at a local PD with your eye on the door looking only to use it for experience. It will lead you put out an air of being too good for them - and no one like that

Good luck and keep on the path

[Piggy]

Out of the three, FBI, ATF, DEA....I would say ATF would give you the best chance at a normal family life, but this is just my opinion.

You can have the best of both worlds too and work a federal job in Houston.

FBI works the most terrorism cases, but I'm sure all three would drop everything if anything terror related came up.

Either way, you'll be getting the bad guy.

[Nole795]

IMO, languages like Farsi is a waste of time since the fed govt. wants you to be proficient. Knowing how to say "Where is the bathroom," in farsi is not fluent. Unless you plan on leaving your family and totally submerging yourself in the arab culture to get all the dialects down and totally being proficient at it, I wouldn't plan on learning the language.

If your in Houston, learn spanish, you can become proficient with that due to the cultures that in the city.

Married at 21!!! Your a brave man. Get your degrees and apply, apply, apply. I have posted this before, but there are thousands of applicants that compete for one federal position. You really need to spice up your resume, and keep yourself clean from any improprieties.

Good luck to you.

[limeade]

IMO, languages like Farsi is a waste of time since the fed govt. wants you to be proficient. Knowing how to say "Where is the bathroom," in farsi is not fluent. Unless you plan on leaving your family and totally submerging yourself in the arab culture to get all the dialects down and totally being proficient at it, I wouldn't plan on learning the language.

If your in Houston, learn spanish, you can become proficient with that due to the cultures that in the city.

Married at 21!!! Your a brave man. Get your degrees and apply, apply, apply. I have posted this before, but there are thousands of applicants that compete for one federal position. You really need to spice up your resume, and keep yourself clean from any improprieties.

Good luck to you.

Thanks Guys, what I'm trying to do is keep myself well rounded and attrative to whatever field I decide to go with.

I will look into spanish, I just thought that everyone would know spanish, and that it would get lost with all the other spanish speakers. But you are right, I live in Houston, aka little Mexico, so I'm sure I could pick it up in the next 3 years.

[Dalice]

I agree with the above posts. Don't go local just because you think that is what the Federal Government wants. You still have plenty of time to get in and criminals aren't going anywhere.

Also, don't forget about ICE, you know we are part of the Dept. of Homeland Security :D

[limeade]

IN brief what is ICE?

[Bearcat06]

IN brief what is ICE?

I-Immigration
C-Customs
E-Enforcement

http://www.ice.gov/graphics/

[limeade]

Thanks man, I'm really sorry for all these dumb questions, I know I must be 1 of 10,000 that come through here and ask the SAME freaken questions over and over.

So I must say that I really appreciate any answers I get, thanks again guys.

[Bearcat06]

Thanks man, I'm really sorry for all these dumb questions, I know I must be 1 of 10,000 that come through here and ask the SAME freaken questions over and over.

So I must say that I really appreciate any answers I get, thanks again guys.

WOW! I person that actually says thank you.....what a switch!

Rep for you......

[BP348]

I agree with what the other guys have said but I also think that since you’re married you need to have a very serious talk with your wife about your decision it enter law enforcement. Is she OK with it? And is she willing to move?

You may get lucky and get a job offer in Houston but most people just starting in a federal LEO spot have to be willing to move to where the job offer is. Personally, I had to move from Chicago to south Texas in order to accept my position and just recently I unfortunately had to turn down the job I really wanted because it was in Los Angles, CA. This was a decision I made because it was best for my family. If I was single I would be a sunny California right now. I also know several other guys who turned down good jobs because when the time came their wife didn't want to leave her home/family. Mine was willing to go we just couldn't afford the pay cut.

Once you find out more on the application process you'll understand what guys go through just to get a job offer. Just to turn it down because they didn't have this conversation with their wife while they were going through or better yet started the process is kind of stupid IMHO.

All the verified guys here are in Law enforcement because we want to be but I think most would tell you this life is very hard on the better half. Missed birthdays & holidays, working midnights, Your days off are Monday and Tuesday and the rest of your friends have the weekend off, you come home beat to crap with two black eyes, ETC...

21 is still young, I'm glad your interested in the Law Enforcement way of life but make sure you and your wife talk about this and make informed decisions together.

Good luck on your quest!!

[limeade]

Thanks, You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Fortunately for me, my wife has known that Law enforcement has always been my primary choice. This is my biggest fear as my wife is literally my best friend, but I have stressed to her that she has the ability to hit the abort button at anytime, but that I’d rather he make that decision before hand.

When I told her we would have to move she was kind of like “Hell, let do it” but as of late I have really been beating it into her head that it will A. Most likely be a really expensive part of the country to live in B. All of her family will be in Houston and C. The “coolness” of me being a SA for whatever Bureau I go for will eventually subside.

But my wife in truly amazing, I know a lot people say that, but we are far from the typical young couple, we married each other because we were best friends that fell in love, unfortunately most young couples get together out of stupidity, pregnancy’s and other not so good reasons that should be the last reason a couple decides to join in union. I’m not knocking anyone that married that way, I’m just saying my wife isn’t flaky, and I’m really confident that she is willing to do anything for me.

I find myself talking to her at least 2 times a week discussing the what ifs, but I think she is really starting to see that I must do something I like, and that there is no other option, since I would quit any job I hated. She basically said it to me like this “The selection process is so hard, that if you did get picked, I would feel it was supposed to happen, and I would be comforted by that” So I guess we will see.

Thanks again guys for the input, it's really helping me and my wife a lot, as we both read them.

[Valor55]

You thought about intel work with the CIA? They have a lot of "hands on" opportunities over seas for people with proficiency in languages like Arabic.

[limeade]

I've thought about it, but I doubt I could pull that off and a marriage at the same time. But then again, I know next to nothing about the job, or how to get it. Does anyone have any more info on this? I searched on this site, but got little back, and on the internet I'm bombarded by Cnn Fox News reports.

[Nole795]

The chances of you getting hired at your age for a FLEO 1811 is very, very, very slim. You need to work on establishing a work history, keeping clean, and apply when the vacancies appear.

You need to also tell your wife that you will move to a big city, or a small border city depending on the agency if you do get picked up. What she hears, and what she experiences are two different things. I'm friends with a DS agent who tells me stories of agents and their families moving to Africa on a 2 year detail, and the wives are leaving the country (and marriage) within 2 months.

Federal life can be exciting, but there is a price to pay that comes with that gold badge.

Good luck to you.