CBP officer

[s0lid snake]

Solid,

I went through that. I took my eye exam with that machine with the circles 10 days after Lasek. I couldn't see very well yet either. I swore that I could see the breaks in the little circles but I was consistantly wrong. Anyway....They were nice enough to let me take a regular exam with a regular chart a few days later after I stressed to them how important this was to my potential employment.

I still have my forms from the Medical Unit so I looked it up for you. You will only have to wait the 3 month period for PRK. RK is the only surgery that has to wait a year.

No stress. If you are like me....you were freaking out just like I did when I thought that I might have to wait another whole year.

Hey, sorry I have another question. While you were waiting for your 3 month for lasik to clear, will they still go on with the VBT and background investigation or is your whole hiring process on hold until your medical is cleared? Thanks!

[sap123]

I sent my forms in a couple weeks ago and have since passed the fitness test. while cleaning up, i realized i only sent in the gs7 qualification and not the gs5 qualification. should i overnight this? should i call? or am i flat out screwed if the dont give me gs7? thanks a lot in advance.

Meh. I didn't send in the GS5 qual sheet because I knew I was qualified for GS-7 under the SAA clause. I wasn't trying to act like it was "all or nothing" for the higher pay grade, I was just under the assumption that if you qualify, you qualify, no if ands or buts. I guess it works differently if you're trying to grab the GS-7 based on experience. Call the hiring unit and let them know what's up.

[Mustang342]

Chiefs-would get them because Tasers are cool. It makes sense to have the supes have them, because they can more easily break away from one incident and go to another. Ideally everyone would get them, but if that is not an option for whatever reason supes only is a good alternative.

So let me get this straight. They'll trust us with a gun but not tasers...go figure!

[tigersin2009]

i appreciate the quick response. whats the number to the hiring unit?

[sap123]

i appreciate the quick response. whats the number to the hiring unit?

check your PMs

[DaBonk112]

So from what I'm gathering from previous posts about the VBT is to use "common sense" which in the area of this kind of interview is to have a "customer service" attitude. I appreciate the advice considering applicants are not allowed to disclose too much information about the VBT. Thanks.

[southwest]

Hi finally i get to post i been trying to get approved forever.
Either way i took my my test on August 20 and received my test results on a week later passed whew. and 2 week later my T.O. package returned it before the oct 8 deadline. I took my physical a week ago and passed it. Just waiting for the vbt hope it wont be to long for the call. I applied for the southwest region of el centro/ yuma.

Does anybody know if you can have your contact number preference changed? i got the physical call on my home number; i wasn't there good thing i have an answering machine, but people i live with sometime pick up and don't pass on the info I'm just kind of worried this will happen, I gave them my cell phone number when i applied. hope they will call it is case.

One more question at this stage in the application, and if i pass the VBT, my chances of getting pick are good right? I have a completely clean background. But i don't have that many references for Background investigation that I have know for seven year requirement is this that bad? I mean most friends have moved away lost contact stuff like that. I did list my friend that works for the Border patrol hope that help me out.Thanks for the help everybody.

[sap123]

Hi finally i get to post i been trying to get approved forever.
Either way i took my my test on August 20 and received my test results on a week later passed whew. and 2 week later my T.O. package returned it before the oct 8 deadline. I took my physical a week ago and passed it. Just waiting for the vbt hope it wont be to long for the call. I applied for the southwest region of el centro/ yuma.

Does anybody know if you can have your contact number preference changed? i got the physical call on my home number; i wasn't there good thing i have an answering machine, but people i live with sometime pick up and don't pass on the info I'm just kind of worried this will happen, I gave them my cell phone number when i applied. hope they will call it is case.

One more question at this stage in the application, and if i pass the VBT, my chances of getting pick are good right? I have a completely clean background. But i don't have that many references for Background investigation that I have know for seven year requirement is this that bad? I mean most friends have moved away lost contact stuff like that. I did list my friend that works for the Border patrol hope that help me out.Thanks for the help everybody.

I would just email them about the geo pref thing. It should be noted that I believe if you change your geo pref after receiving a TO, you need to be sent a new TO (someone can correct me on this). The email address is in your TO packet.

Be patient with getting in touch with these people. They deal with hundreds of applicants and their pertinent information on a weekly basis. Emailing them will usually net you a response within the week. Calling is hit or miss on getting a live body.

List as much as you can for your background. A lot of applicants have friends and references sprawled out; it's par for the course really.

[kc12]

What is the policy on facial hair? Only reason I ask I saw a video with a CBPO with a beard. I don't mind it....

No beards and mustaches must be groomed within standards (think military). I heard the union was fighting to allow us to wear facial hair, but I haven't heard anything lately.

[kc12]

So let me get this straight. They'll trust us with a gun but not tasers...go figure!

From what I've seen with this agency, trust isn't the issue. The supplier might not be able to supply enough at one time, or there could be money issues with the agency, or, my favorite, parts could be held up in customs. There are many reasons why the agency wouldn't be able to buy as many Tazers as required with their first order. Just be patient this is government work and not many people are in a big rush.

[merlin436]

So let me get this straight. They'll trust us with a gun but not tasers...go figure!

Well...I don't know if 'trust' is the right word...

You have to understand that there are 327 different ports across the US and in many if not most of them there is little to no practical need to arm officers with tasers.

[Hound77]

You guys think I could retake the vision test? I just had PRK surgery like 6 days before the medical test so my eyes were still healing and not at its best yet.

The damn depth perception machine (thats what the thing with the circles tests) just didn't work on my eyes. I have no idea why that is, but I have a REALLY hard time seeing magic eye type paintings too so that might have something to do with it. Anyways, they sent me a medical letter and I had to get retested. I was sweating bullets, and really confused since I was a pretty good outfielder back in the day and you'd figure that takes depth perception. Anyways I go see this eye doctor, he takes me in, has me look at a card and read things off it. I did fine, my depth perception isn't perfect but it was well within the normal range.

The whole thing took 20 minutes (and $120 with my crappy insurance), he signed off on the form, I sent it back in and a few weeks later they approved me. I think as long as you get a doctor to sign off they'll overrule the findings of most of the clinic tests.

[Hound77]

Meh. I didn't send in the GS5 qual sheet because I knew I was qualified for GS-7 under the SAA clause. I wasn't trying to act like it was "all or nothing" for the higher pay grade, I was just under the assumption that if you qualify, you qualify, no if ands or buts. I guess it works differently if you're trying to grab the GS-7 based on experience. Call the hiring unit and let them know what's up.

Knowing the Feds I was pretty sure that if you said you'd take GS-5 they'd never give you GS-7 no matter what your quals are. I don't have any proof of that but I wasn't taking any chances. I went GS-7 and was approved.

[Pawn922]

Thank you so much! I feel so much better now. I wish the medical place i went to was that nice. The nurse there refuses to let me retake the vision test and I don't know why. I hope the medical unit understands and let me retake my vision test after my eyes are fully healed. Thanks again!

I am not the Medical Unit so I can't say for sure, but when they sent me my forms indicating that I needed to visit my surgeon again 3 months after my Lasek, I needed an extension. I called the MU. They were really understanding and easy to talk to.

According to my original eye exam, I was not able to pass 20/20 uncorrected. So, I bought some cheap drug store glasses and passed with corrected vision. After healing for 3 months and visiting my surgeon, I am now 20/20 uncorrected. I sent in all of my forms and have been medically cleared. There seems to be enough of us getting Lasek, Lasik, PRK etc, for this job, that it is somewhat common place and the MU understands the complications. Hence, the 3 month waiting period.

Did you pass everything else medically?

[Pawn922]

Hey, sorry I have another question. While you were waiting for your 3 month for lasik to clear, will they still go on with the VBT and background investigation or is your whole hiring process on hold until your medical is cleared? Thanks!

I asked the MU that same question. According to the FAQs your background investigation doesn't start until you are medically cleared. The MU told me that my background investigation had already been started and about a week later my credit was pulled. However, I did not meet with my BI until almost 2 months later, so it may have been delayed. My VBT was scheduled normally, and I completed that before being medically cleared too.

Don't feel sorry for asking questions. That's what the forum is for. We've all had the same questions at one point or another.