CBP officer

[bigal.]

19-5

I have my drug test coming up. I initially had picked JFK and am now thinking of choosing IAD if given the option. Anyone know what the retirement details are. Need something in detail. I don’t want to give up something I currently have but I always hear the quality of life is better when switching from a local LEO to a Customs Officer. Any info is appreciated.

[scotty_appleton814]

Depends on where you are a local at?

[Exbpa340]

Base pay for DC (at FPL GS12) is $86,335 (step 1) to $112,240 (Step 10). CBPOs fall under COPRA and receives double time for any overtime worked and slightly better night differential/Sunday pay than the rest of the federal government. They can apply up to 22.5k in overtime toward their high 3 (Half of 45K OT cap). The amount of OT will vary by location.

FERS enhance retirement has three parts.
Part 1 is the defined pension. CBPOs earn 1.7 percent per year for the first 20 years (34 percent). Every year after that they 1 percent. Eligibility for retirement is 20 years covered time @ age 50 or 25 covered time years @ any age.

Part 2 is the FERS supplemental (bridge the gap from retirement until age 62 to get SS). This is based on SS calculations @ age 62. If you work 20 years FERS you would get 50 percent (SS is based off 40 years thus 20/40 = 50 percent) of what you are projected to get from SS @ age 62. If you worked 30 years you’d get 75 percent. Again this will be from retirement age to age 62.

Part 3 is the Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401K). If you contribute 5 percent the government will match this. Max contributions for 2020 is 19.5K plus matching. If you play your cards right this account could have almost a million before you retire.

Healthcare - you can continue healthcare into retirement provided you were enrolled the 5 years immediately preceding your retirement. You’d pay the same as current employees (government covers 72-75 percent of the premium).

Let’s say you have a base of 100K plus over 30K in OT (probably too optimistic) This gives you a high 3 of 122.5K.

At 20 years = 34% = $41,650
FERS Supp = $12,000 (assuming $2,000 SS benefit at 62)
TSP = depends (anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand depending on your contributions)
Total = $53,650 plus TSP

At 30 years = 44% = $53,900
FERS Supp = $18,000 (75 percent of SS @ 62)
TSP = Depends
Total = $ 71,900 plus TSP

At 62 the Supplemental goes away and you can then file for SS. This would increase the earnings at 20 years of service 12K and the earnings for 30 years 6K.

[bigal.]

Exbpa340

Thanks for the info. If I stay at my current LEO job I would leave with 62.5% after 25 years of service. With cost of living increases year. CBP on the other hand is 34% but from what I hear is at JFK quality of life is so much better.

[Eagles17]

Has anyone in the process of being interviewed heard or received any new info? I'm 20-5 and was scheduled for the structured interview March 25th. Unfortunately on the 24th it was cancelled due to the virus. Thankfully I was able to complete EQIP during that time and just last week they actually scheduled my fingerprints and PFT1. Passed that on Monday. Scheduling those has me hopeful it could be soon but the interview may be different precautions still idk...

I'm in FL fwiw as the shutdowns seem to less severe.

[tx_forever]

I’m 20-5 as well. Was able to complete the SI, PFT, Medical, Fingerprints, and EQIP before the virus shut everything down thankfully. Just had my medical and PFT clear and turn green in CASS just the other day so they are still processing. Not sure about actually holding interviews though.

[Showtime0811]

I received this email this morning:
Even before COVID-19 the process was lengthy taking many months to a year or better before it was complete. The wait time that you're experiencing, so far, is normal. The last I knew polygraph testing was suspended but I do not know how long that will last. Hopefully, things will be getting back to normal sooner rather than later. In time, the Credibility Assessment Division (CAD) will contact you when they have an open date/time in your area to administer your polygraph. Unfortunately (even when things get back to normal), there is not specific timeline in which we are able to provide. Be patient and continue to monitor your voicemail and email (including spam/junk) to prevent missing any communications. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to assist you.

[Eagles17]

Yeh i was fully expecting the year or more wait even before the virus. But it seemed much of the wait was later and specifically the poly scheduling. Looks like I missed getting the interview in by a few days which would of been nice. Passing that to me is the biggest step and having to wait for the rest is what it is.
Everything else is in process is kind of out of your control but I'd feel great about.

[PA_Ed]

I applied the first week in May of 2019 and by the second week of June I was at 50% via https://careers.cbp.dhs.gov/.

One year later, more or less and today (4/30/2020) I received a call from a Texas phone number regarding my Polygraph. I was informed that all Polygraphs are on hold due to the current pandemic and when CBP returns to polygraphing, I will receive a follow-up phone call to schedule my Polygraph. No ETA was provided, whatsoever.

[DCFED]

Can anyone who works at Houston Port give me some insight on how the job and morale down there???

[CBPO-DFW]

They offered you for POE at Huston?

[cstephensiv]

Is there anyone on this forum that is EOD to Blaine, Washington in November? I EOD on the 13th and just trying to see if I had any colleagues to connect with. I am hoping that the academy dates wont get pushed back, but due to COVID19 its very probable which means a longer initial stay in Blaine before I go to the academy...

[cstephensiv]

I kinda feel that we will be stuck at our duty location longer than expected prior to going to FLETC

[pnw360]

Blaine is a great place! Let me know if you have any general questions about the area.

[cstephensiv]

pnw360

Are you at the Blaine POE? Im actually a bit worried about trying find a place that is affordable and not 2 hours from port. I called and spoke to the FTO and he had a lot of great things to say about Blaine. Im from FL so im certain there will be some level of culture shock. Its a long move for me, but I am excited about my new career.

[pnw360]

I'm not CBP unfortunately (stupid poly lol). But I grew up in Blaine and still live in the area. Blaine is a super small town. You'll probably be better off looking for a place in Ferndale or Bellingham. Expect to pay about $1000 (1 BD), $1200 (2 BD) for a decent apartment.

[bchalmers]

Does anyone know who has to take a Spanish course after the academy?

[merlin436]

Ports bordering Mexico. Miami and a couple of smaller Florida ports in the greater Miami area.

[K-9Unit]

I am 19-3 announcement, got qualified for gs7 but I think I qualify for gs-9. Can I negotiate my pay if I get picked up? I don’t want to apply to another announcement since my location is not on these new announcements. What you guys think?

[TsFost]

No. You will only get offered what you are offered at the beginning. So if you feel you meet the GS9 requirements then you need to reapply as a GS9. If you don't then you're only going to be offered the GS7 that you originally applied for.

[V_AntCBP]

you need to reapply for higher GS grade.. if you have GS7 19-3 Regular Annou. now, you can apply GS9 20-x DH, you would have 2 apps going, when receiving the call, they would offer you all locations and all the GS you qualified. K-9Unit

[straightaim]

They won’t change your grade once they pick you up but they can change your step. For example, I applied for 7 and was offered grade 7 step 1 at the beginning. Once I negotiated at the end, I got offer changed to grade 7 step 10. Which is more than grade 9 step 1! So you could always do that if you can backup the request. You’d have to show you were making more than their initial offer at your current job, which I was.

[thelonelybum]

just thought I'd share this, it's on their Instagram page of you want to see for yourself

[corsair]

I'll wait 5 years if it takes that long for a specific location - plus i'm not concerned as EWR has been offered almost constantly. Plus my wife ruled out anywhere outside of the East Coast - Washington State is great so you should love it. Hopefully cost of living is significantly less since its much further north than Seattle.

[cstephensiv]

meh, unfortunately I think the cost of living doesn't differ too much from Seattle, but there is a locality pay. The first year probably wont be too great financially, but it should significantly be better going into my 2nd and 3rd yr.

[corsair]

My cousins in Seattle so I've been there several times - I absolutely love it! Yeah once you get a few years in it should be much easier.

[CBPO-DFW]

So... more postponements/cancellations?

[fonzi7979]

cstephensiv thanks for sharing that if you don’t ask you never will know. Unfortunately, I am still waiting to be scheduled for the polygraph exam like many others on this forum. Well over a year since I applied. It is what it is I hope the long wait and patience will pay off for everyone.

[cstephensiv]

The wait is a beast and patience is a virtue... This process is very trying, but once you pass the poly its all kinda down hill from there and the process moves kind of fast. I took the poly Nov 20th and less than a week got the pass... Dec 12 met with BI and BI cleared in Apr... This morning I checked CASS and I was at 100%

Be patient and your time will come!!!

[fonzi7979]

cstephensiv what announcement are you in and how long was your timeline?

[cstephensiv]

19-4
I applied for regular and southern boarder
applied end of 01/2019
Fitness exam 03/2019
Med 03/2019
Med cleared 10/2019
SI 04/04/2019 cleared in about a week give or take
Poly 11/10/2019 cleared in about a week give or take
BI interview 12/10/2019
2nd BI interview 01/03/2019
BI pass 04/18/2020
DT 04/22/2020
The call 04/22/2020
Offer accepted 04/23/2020

[GilE1788]

Just got my medical cleared this morning, one step closer for the long ride, but quick question for those of you who had polygraph and or background check done/cleared do they check all of your past employments or only your recent ones because I have been self employed for the last couple years and I am kind of my own boss just wondering who would they call in that case? I am hoping I get to have the SI rescheduled once the stay at home order is lifted nation wide and this pandemic is over.

[corsair]

"List all of your employment activities, including unemployment and self-employment, beginning with the present and working back 10 years. The entire period must be accounted for without breaks. If the employment activity was military duty, list separate employment activity periods to show each change of military duty station. Provide separate entries for employment activities with the same employer but having different physical addresses."

[corsair]

Has anyone ever requested from The Work Number for their prior work history? I filled out the form/sent them the requested documents this afternoon. Figured it wouldn’t hurt - I want to make sure all dates etc are accurate to the exact date.

[thelonelybum]

I think you really only need the month and year. l didn't have the exact dates in the month for mine

[Showtime0811]

DQ due to vision. That didn’t take long!!

[V_AntCBP]

fonzi7979 if your medical already cleared, don't get lasik yet, wait until you have EOD, then get it. If you get it now, you may have to redo medical instead of just certifying it ....

[fonzi7979]

V_AntCBP thanks for giving your insight on this matter.

[thelonelybum]

so you think it's ok to get lasik after you get your EOD scheduled? was thinking about getting lasik, but with the virus going on I don't think I'd be able to.

[V_AntCBP]

thelonelybum yeah get it after you got your EOD so process don't postpone longer (you might have to wait 6 months, redo medical and stuff), I was able to drive 2 days after lasik, and eyes just kept getting better and better everyday.. all recovered probably 2-3 months (eyes normal, no more eye Dr checkups, kept using the refresher eyes drops)

[rergang3]

Been a freakin minute since I posted here. Anyway 19-4 here. Switched to 20-6. (Thanks medical process -_-)

19-4 / 20-6

2019:
1-29 Applied
2-2 Test
2-4 Results
2-13 NOR
3-12 Tentative Offer
3-15 EQIP Submitted
3-19 Medical Exam
3-27 SI
3-28 SI NOR
4-1 Fitness Test PASS
8-29 EQIP submitted to OPR (Email says the BI is going on but haven't heard anything so idk what's up with that)

During this time a whole lot of medical paperwork. Med dropped to take care of it (yay heart surgery)

2020:
3-6 Reapplied (Everything except fitness transferred over. Also qualified for GS-7 this time)
3-31 Fitness test Pass
4-23 Medical PASS (FINNNNALLLLLYYYY)

Now sitting at 50%

If only the background investigation process went as fast for CBP as it did for TSA haha

Cheers

[fonzi7979]

Congrats I know the feeling. The wait is rather long. I applied for TSA at the same time. I had TSA and CBP application. Background is a little faster for TSA but may be a different level of clearance. Both applications were running head to head but now CBP application is at 50% and still waiting to be scheduled for my Polygraph Exam. I am in 19-2 announcement for JFK. Once the COVID-19 national Emergency shutdown is lifted hopefully the process will start to move along at a faster pace. Good luck.

[rergang3]

fonzi7979 Yea I definitely believe the clearance level is different. My background for TSA was "cleared" after two weeks but it clearly goes longer than that. I spoke with an investigator over the phone like 2 months after being hired. Sucks knowing that an investigator was actually calling references and people for TSA but nothing for CBP. Oh well

[Exbpa340]

The CBP background is a tier 5 and can award/grant secret or top secret clearances. The TSA background is most likely a public trust tier 4 background. You will be interviewed for the CBP one and it will likely take much longer. Don’t be surprised if you background doesn’t clear until you are well into or through the Academy.

[rergang3]

Exbpa340 I assumed the same. Just sucks that even though OPR has had my eqip, nothing has been done since August.