DEA 2019 applicants

[Deboytown]

BA2019-2 Applicant.

• Written assessment and panel interview-7/17/2019;10/23/2019
• Conditional Offer- 11/26/2019
• Physical task assessment- 11/22/2019
• Polygraph examination-02/20/2020
• Psychological assessment- 06/23/2020
• Full-field background investigation- called DOD nothing
• Final hiring decision-waiting

Anything we can do proactively other than hurry up and wait? I’m struggling with all this waiting.

[Watex]

How long did it take for you to hear anything after your poly? It’s been silent since I took mine 4 months ago.

[BDwo]

That’s very close to my timeline. I’m also still waiting for the final decision. My recruiter told me to keep checking in with him but there is nothing I can do other than that.

[StephLova]

What do you mean when you say -full background investigation- called DOD nothing?

[jaf46]

What’s the wait time for an e-QIP to be established after submitting your Post-COL paperwork?

[Levithane]

Some people have gotten theirs a month later. Some people have gotten theirs 5 months later. I got a COL, submitted all my forms the same day, haven't gotten a link to anything. Im totally ok with them taking their time since I can't take vacation days until 6 months in with my current agency.

[NYC1175]

For those who took the PTT, where is the hand placement for the sit-ups? Behind the head or across the chest?

[Levithane]

Behind the head.

[nonotnow]

And if at any point your hands come undone from behind the head, no rep. They are very strict on this and emphasize it when they demonstrate the technique.

[ZH97]

I am about to take my written exam (applied 9/11/2020, passed PTT 10/22/2020). Any tips on this? I know you have to sign a NDA and that everything you need to know is in the packet, but any advice that anyone feels they can share would be extremely helpful. Thanks, and best of luck to everyone in their own applications.

[StephLova]

Timeline

December 2019: Passed written, interview, and PTT test
January 2020: COL
May 2020: Submitted eqip
July 2020: Passed Poly
August 2020: Passed PTT recert
August 2020: Completed Medical exam
August 2020: Completed Written Psych
September 2020: Completed Psych Interview
October 2020: Completed Background interview
November 2020- Advised by local background agent that file was forwarded on -and waiting for review and adjudication
November 2020- WAITING

[Squall]

Nice, that is a pretty decent timeline and good sign for the recruiting process all things considered. Here is mine:

OCT19 - Written
NOV19 - Panel Interview
DEC19 - PTT
JAN20 - COL
JUN20 - EQIP
JUL20 - POLY
SEP20 - Background started and forwarded

Medical and psych scheduled for later this month.

[StephLova]

Yea. Waiting to hear to see if you passed or didn't pass the background is the worse part. Tick tock, tick tock. Hopefully all goes well.

[StephLova]

Yea. I don't have anything like that. I guess its the waiting part.

[nonotnow]

Its definitely not automatic. There have been guys in the past who have failed and even a member on this forum who didn't pass the BI portion. Obviously we have no idea what they're not telling us but still you never know.

[StephLova]

I think what jorgemal1030 is saying is that as long as you have nothing major you should be fine. If anything would disqualify you it probably would of been found out way before the background investigation. Some people slip through the cracks, but most don't get to the finish line to be stopped.

[jorgemal1030]

That's correct. That's what I meant

[porkchop23]

Does anyone know if where the PFT is typically conducted? Is it at a high school/college track (usually nice, soft rubberized track at many schools), or potentially on dirt/asphalt trails, as well?

[BDwo]

I’m not sure if it’s the same for everyone but mine was on a typical rubber track at a park.

[Levithane]

If there is a public track or school track nearby they'll do it on that. Fair warning if they use a public track (like mine) there will be civilians also using the track. Be prepared to dodge around people if that is the case at your PT.

[WannabeAgent]

Question that I believe may have been covered before but cant find it. Who does the BI's? My 5 year recert is still in process with my current agency so I know another agency who has DCSA handle their BI's can't conduct another one while another agency is still in process. My question is, does DEA use DCSA or do they do their own in house, or?

[WannabeAgent]

jorgemal1030 not sure what you're referring to with the 10 year BI. I have to recertify my TS/SCI every 5 years. When I called DCSA they are the ones that said they thought DEA did their own according to who I talked to. If StephLova said his BI investigator said he was from DCSA then that could be too, who knows. Anyways, not a big deal I guess. Just adds to the confusion but anyways, I still have a few steps do take care of this month (Poly/Med).

[StephLova]

Yea. The only reason I say that is because the investigator who did my background interview was the same investigator who did my Task Force interview two years ago. I just assumed he worked for DEA (my ignorance). It wasn't until I started the background portion of the process that I saw that DCSA conducts the background portion. I gathered that info from other post. I also called the number someone posted in a previous post ( DCSA) and they confirmed that they had my file and it was pending background.

Then when I finally did my background interview the agent remembered me and we had some causal conversation and I asked him who did he work for again and he said DCSA. Dont know if that information will help any.

[jorgemal1030]

WannabeAgent. I have been a federal agent for over 10 years. The agency that I work for requires that they do a BI on every agent every 5 years. That's what I'm talking about sir. I did my 10 year background investigation back in 2019.

[WannabeAgent]

jorgemal1030 oh ok copy I gotcha now. Same boat. My current agency is doing my 5 year reinvestigation now.

[retired199]

I’ve been following this forum since back in March. Are any of you guys on the east coast, like Georgia, Tennessee, or Kentucky??

[NYC1175]

East coast here, but not the south. (NY)

[JakeVE]

I'm out of Tennessee.

[jkufen]

Im in SC but going through Atlanta office

[BigT99]

Applied: 11/18

Written: 07/19

Panel: 07/19

PT: 08/19

COL: 08/19

Medical: 08/19

Drug Test: 09/19

Written Psych: 10/19

Psych Interview: 12/19

eQIP: 04/20

Poly: 06/20


Haven’t heard a thing since my poly in June. I can’t seem to get any answers from anyone about the status of my background or anything. I just keep being told to stay in shape and I’ll be hearing something in a few months. I’ve seen people in here talking about some number they called to check the status of their background but I have no idea where I could find that. If someone could DM me that number?

[jkufen]

I go for the interview portion of my psychological tomorrow. I have completed every other part of the process so I'll just be sitting around waiting for a job. Might get lucky and get the Jan class but i am hoping I am at least in the March class. I started Jan 2019. The waiting between phases was bad but i think this will by far be the worst.

[WannabeAgent]

jkufen thats odd, my psych interview came earlier in the process, after I submitted eQip and before medical, poly, BI. I'm a 2020 applicant though so I guess they switched some things up.

[jkufen]

Yeah my process has been different that’s for sure. I did the last PTT with 2020 applicants and y’all’s process is way different than mine. The group after me had to take PTT before they did written and interview. I did the written test, interview and then PTT. So I don’t think there’s a real order to this process I think it’s just what comes available first.

[StephLova]

So I just received a message from someone in DEA HR and the lady was really nice. She said my packet is put together and waiting on another hiring panel for approval. She advised that getting another hiring panel is a job in its self, but she is hopeful they will have one soon. She told me to standby.

So if your done or close to being done you may get a call soon.

[BDwo]

Did she say that means you could be in the January class?

[NYC1175]

Two hiring panels?

[nonotnow]

Prb the same lady I talked to. I was told that around July and I found in sept I passed hiring panel

[jkufen]

this is good info. I just finished the process and wasn't sure what the next step would be but now i know ill be waiting from a call from HR. I am hoping the Jan or Mar class is in my future as well.

[StephLova]

BDwo - no she did not say that. She just said my file is together and waiting to go to the hiring panel. She said she is not sure when the next panel would be put together, but she was hoping it would be soon. She said standby.

@nonotnow-hopefully it will be quick. Not sure though.

[nonotnow]

Depends on when the hiring panel meets. Took me a couple to pass hiring panel then a couple months to get your location sorted. Jan or March is def a realistic scenario. Still crickets on my end though which is making me nervous.

[StephLova]

nonotnow- Well I will go out on a limb and say if you got a location preference email you are probably good to go for January. I don't see why they would give you that just to say...oh no you can't come into the next class. I think your pretty much good to go...from the outside looking in.

[nonotnow]

True, thanks man. Guess sometimes you need an outside perspective as my judgment is probably cloudy at this stage of the game.. I would just like some notice before the academy as we're under 2 months now.

[StephLova]

Yea that's true, but my recruiter has said you could get as little as two weeks. Just got to stay ready I guess.

[HSIApplicant]

BDwo - no she did not say that. She just said my file is together and waiting to go to the hiring panel. She said she is not sure when the next panel would be put together, but she was hoping it would be soon. She said standby.

@nonotnow-hopefully it will be quick. Not sure though.

Congrats man- that’s a huge step.

[StephLova]

Appreciate it sir. Still waiting though.

[NYC1175]

Is there a study guide somewhere for the written assessment? I've searched high and low to no avail.

[jkufen]

no far as i know there isnt a study guide. the only info i can tell you is dont sweat the test. its not really something you can prepare for. they will provide you with all the info you need. my biggest advice is take as many notes as you can. no detail is too small. stay focused and you will do fine.

[Levithane]

Just look at whatever guide they sent you in the emails. All we can tell you to do is pay attention, and listen to whatever instructions they give you.

[NYC1175]

Thanks fellas