Border Patrol Agent

[tpf5023]

I was reading through past posts in this thread and it looks like a lot of people were moving quickly through the phases of testing and BI things. That was back in like 2009, but does anyone know about how quickly or slowly this process will move? I have no idea what to expect, only applied to one federal agency and I've seen a lot of different speeds with local and state departments. Seems like it moves faster than CBPO?

Also I know it will depend on initial test scores, some people already having some BI done from other applications, etc. Just wondering if anyone has been through this same process or knows someone and has any input?

[Firefox]

Im taking the Exam March 22. Having the CBP background done should help get through the process quickly, as well as being a vet, but were all still going to have to wait for hiring to actually happen. I hope to go fed, but Ill likely have just started local pd post academy when thatll happen.

I wonder if they plan on using VRA since it was a specific question on the announcement.

[payniel]

I wonder if they plan on using VRA since it was a specific question on the announcement.

Thats a good question, I answered yes on that question so hopefully they do.

[CriticalOperator]

I applied in August, 2010. My BI was forwarded to IA in July 2011. A couple of days ago i received a call from an adjudicator. Havent heard anything since. All you new dudes be prepared for a long wait.

[Firefox]

I applied in August, 2010. My BI was forwarded to IA in July 2011. A couple of days ago i received a call from an adjudicator. Havent heard anything since. All you new dudes be prepared for a long wait.

I would imagine there will be a long wait but many of us on this forum are also applicants for CBPO with our medical and background investigation and poly are already done, this should speed up the process.

[CriticalOperator]

Are you sure everything transfers?

[Firefox]

Are you sure everything transfers?

Positive

[irishlad2nv]

I wonder if they plan on using VRA since it was a specific question on the announcement.

Almost every Job announcement with the goverment asks this. They use it based off of your test score, or that's the way the annoucement reads.

[CriticalOperator]

GTG good luck

[SHU]

Those of you seriously considering a job with the Patrol need to read this. Especially how the Patrol is taking 87% of the hit while customs and air and marine barely get touched. You will have to go through a great deal of misery to become a Patrol Agent. After all of that this is what you will have to deal with on a regular basis.

http://www.nbpc1613.net/2013/02/bord...an+Diego%29%29



Border Patrol Agents Singled-Out Again for Huge Reductions in Pay


On February 19, 2013, the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) received official notice from Customs and Border Protection (Agency) regarding the Agency’s proposed sequestration plan. The Agency intends to implement these plans if Congress does not do what is necessary to avoid sequestration. Included with this message is a copy of the notice that details the proposed cuts for the Office of Border Patrol (OBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Office of Air and Marine (OAM). Some of the cuts outlined in the notice include: decertification of administratively uncontrollable overtime (AUO), furloughs, a reduction of travel expenses, and assigning two agents to a vehicle.

While it is great to finally receive a notice from the Agency that actually contains some information, the NBPC would like to address a false statement that appears in the beginning of the notice. The statement leads one to believe that the NBPC failed to respond to the invitation to engage in discussions regarding fiscal uncertainty. This statement is a blatant lie, and NBPC representatives are in possession of email correspondence that proves it. Fortunately, when confronted about their lie, the Agency agreed to retract this erroneous statement.



From the onset of the possibility of sequestration, the NBPC actively and consistently attempted to elicit information from the Agency in order to properly inform and educate our members. In fact, as of 3:00 p.m. on February 19, 2013, the Agency was still unable or intentionally refused to release any information to the NBPC about the Agency’s plan for sequestration.



On February 20, 2013, NBPC executive committee members met with Agency officials and received the fiscal uncertainty briefing. The Agency highlighted the plan but acknowledged how it may change and is subject to Secretary Napolitano’s approval. As is illustrated below, the discrepancy in pay cuts is shocking and offensive:



1. The Agency budget for Salary and Expenses is $8,169,959,000. The Agency needs to cut $558,257,000 from this figure. Of this amount, approximately $5,915,000,000 is actual salary and related benefits that are paid to all Agency employees (72.4% of the total Salary and Expenses budget.)



2. The Agency’s proposed overtime cuts in each component are:



a. OAM: 2 million

b. OFO: 35 million

c. OBP: 248 million



3. Administrative furloughs will be mandatory for all Agency employees. Administrative furlough days will be up to fourteen (14) non-consecutive workdays throughout FY 2013.



4. There are several other categories where cuts will be made, some of those are:



a. Buildings and maintenance

b. Fleet management

c. Travel

d. Relocation



One thing that should leap off of the page is the enormous disparity of overtime cuts between the three components. The manpower figures for OAM are unknown, fairly inconsequential to this argument, and therefore will not be addressed. OFO and OBP have almost the same number of employees, with OFO having a few hundred more. The Agency is mandated by law to cut 6.4% from the aggregate Salaries and Expenses budget, from which the Border Patrol appears to be picking up the lion’s share of the tab (87% of the proposed cuts).



Naturally the NBPC inquired about the disparity and nobody can or will tell us the real reason. However, Bianca Warner, the Executive Director of Mission Support, was nice enough to point out how she believes Border Patrol agents are simply overpaid and confirmed how the Agency has been targeting AUO to pay Agency bills for several years, regardless of sequestration. This is rather unsettling considering Bianca Warner’s salary for 2011 was $170,512.00.



The Agency has consistently attacked Border Patrol agents for several years with pay reform proposals that have singled-out Border Patrol agents for huge pay reductions. The intended purpose of the proposals is to redistribute Border Patrol agent salaries to fund OFO management salaries. The complete disdain for Border Patrol agents needs to be addressed by the Agency and not encouraged as it has been in the past.



For now, the drastic, proposed cuts are only necessary if Congress does not act. In circumstances like this, the NBPC may negotiate the impact and implementation of select topics that are related to conditions of employment. In other words, not every topic is considered negotiable. The NBPC cannot just say that we do not agree with implementing furloughs, decertifying AUO, reducing the vehicle fleet, rationing gas, reducing training, or assigning two agents to vehicles. Instead, the NBPC can only try to mitigate the way these measures are implemented through impact and implementation bargaining and hopefully ensure they are implemented in a fair manner.



The NBPC met with AFGE to request assistance on pressuring the Agency to reconsider the decision to take such drastic and lopsided cuts from the Border Patrol, which in turn makes the border less secure. We are in the process of drawing up a form letter for members to use to communicate with Congressional representatives. We will need all agents to utilize this letter to contact their elected officials. Please keep an eye on the NBPC website for further updates, when available.

HONOR OFO FIRST?




Don't drink the Kool-aid!

[Waterpistola]

so I signed up as well...they said they would use my 2006 BPA test score and I won't have to test! Looking at the looming cuts, I don't see why they put out an announcement.

[MrPoliceOfficer]

I got a call earlier in the day, from a young lady in HR who said she was reviewing my file and getting it ready to send it to the Training and Scheduling Unit. I asked her how long it would take before I get an EOD and she said it depends how fast a spot opens up in the sectors I put in for. Apparently when I applied back in 2011, I put in for San Diego, Calexico and El Centro. I inquired about Texas and she said I would not be sent there because I didn’t put in for TX. I thought they could send you where ever they want or where ever they need you? I know they give you three BP stations to choose from. Now with these budget cuts and mandatory furloughs, I would hate to go to the San Diego border because the cost of living is extremely high out there. Hopefully they offer me stations in Texas, NM or AZ. How long does it normally take to get an EOD after passing the polygraph?

Any ideas, comments, questions…. anyone?

[ccia84]

IF you have a choice I would strongly recommend picking Az. I will not get into too much details, but Az is the place to be for multiple reasons...living and work...etc. With all that SHU is talking about...I would not be surprised if the hiring is non-existent for quite a while. We have a few people in FLETC right now that might be going home in a few weeks. There is no hiding that it is not a good time to be a Border Patrol agent or applicant.

[Firefox]

Those of you seriously considering a job with the Patrol need to read this. Especially how the Patrol is taking 87% of the hit while customs and air and marine barely get touched. You will have to go through a great deal of misery to become a Patrol Agent. After all of that this is what you will have to deal with on a regular basis.

http://www.nbpc1613.net/2013/02/bord...an+Diego%29%29



Border Patrol Agents Singled-Out Again for Huge Reductions in Pay


On February 19, 2013, the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) received official notice from Customs and Border Protection (Agency) regarding the Agency’s proposed sequestration plan. The Agency intends to implement these plans if Congress does not do what is necessary to avoid sequestration. Included with this message is a copy of the notice that details the proposed cuts for the Office of Border Patrol (OBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Office of Air and Marine (OAM). Some of the cuts outlined in the notice include: decertification of administratively uncontrollable overtime (AUO), furloughs, a reduction of travel expenses, and assigning two agents to a vehicle.

While it is great to finally receive a notice from the Agency that actually contains some information, the NBPC would like to address a false statement that appears in the beginning of the notice. The statement leads one to believe that the NBPC failed to respond to the invitation to engage in discussions regarding fiscal uncertainty. This statement is a blatant lie, and NBPC representatives are in possession of email correspondence that proves it. Fortunately, when confronted about their lie, the Agency agreed to retract this erroneous statement.



From the onset of the possibility of sequestration, the NBPC actively and consistently attempted to elicit information from the Agency in order to properly inform and educate our members. In fact, as of 3:00 p.m. on February 19, 2013, the Agency was still unable or intentionally refused to release any information to the NBPC about the Agency’s plan for sequestration.



On February 20, 2013, NBPC executive committee members met with Agency officials and received the fiscal uncertainty briefing. The Agency highlighted the plan but acknowledged how it may change and is subject to Secretary Napolitano’s approval. As is illustrated below, the discrepancy in pay cuts is shocking and offensive:



1. The Agency budget for Salary and Expenses is $8,169,959,000. The Agency needs to cut $558,257,000 from this figure. Of this amount, approximately $5,915,000,000 is actual salary and related benefits that are paid to all Agency employees (72.4% of the total Salary and Expenses budget.)



2. The Agency’s proposed overtime cuts in each component are:



a. OAM: 2 million

b. OFO: 35 million

c. OBP: 248 million



3. Administrative furloughs will be mandatory for all Agency employees. Administrative furlough days will be up to fourteen (14) non-consecutive workdays throughout FY 2013.



4. There are several other categories where cuts will be made, some of those are:



a. Buildings and maintenance

b. Fleet management

c. Travel

d. Relocation



One thing that should leap off of the page is the enormous disparity of overtime cuts between the three components. The manpower figures for OAM are unknown, fairly inconsequential to this argument, and therefore will not be addressed. OFO and OBP have almost the same number of employees, with OFO having a few hundred more. The Agency is mandated by law to cut 6.4% from the aggregate Salaries and Expenses budget, from which the Border Patrol appears to be picking up the lion’s share of the tab (87% of the proposed cuts).



Naturally the NBPC inquired about the disparity and nobody can or will tell us the real reason. However, Bianca Warner, the Executive Director of Mission Support, was nice enough to point out how she believes Border Patrol agents are simply overpaid and confirmed how the Agency has been targeting AUO to pay Agency bills for several years, regardless of sequestration. This is rather unsettling considering Bianca Warner’s salary for 2011 was $170,512.00.



The Agency has consistently attacked Border Patrol agents for several years with pay reform proposals that have singled-out Border Patrol agents for huge pay reductions. The intended purpose of the proposals is to redistribute Border Patrol agent salaries to fund OFO management salaries. The complete disdain for Border Patrol agents needs to be addressed by the Agency and not encouraged as it has been in the past.



For now, the drastic, proposed cuts are only necessary if Congress does not act. In circumstances like this, the NBPC may negotiate the impact and implementation of select topics that are related to conditions of employment. In other words, not every topic is considered negotiable. The NBPC cannot just say that we do not agree with implementing furloughs, decertifying AUO, reducing the vehicle fleet, rationing gas, reducing training, or assigning two agents to vehicles. Instead, the NBPC can only try to mitigate the way these measures are implemented through impact and implementation bargaining and hopefully ensure they are implemented in a fair manner.



The NBPC met with AFGE to request assistance on pressuring the Agency to reconsider the decision to take such drastic and lopsided cuts from the Border Patrol, which in turn makes the border less secure. We are in the process of drawing up a form letter for members to use to communicate with Congressional representatives. We will need all agents to utilize this letter to contact their elected officials. Please keep an eye on the NBPC website for further updates, when available.

HONOR OFO FIRST?




Don't drink the Kool-aid!

I am going to step out on a limb and say that the numbers look like the way they due because it is equating the loss of AUO, which covers just about that entire number. I stinks that they might take it away because the pay is a huge draw for folks who are willing to go to a less than desirable location. They might not have to worry about laying people off because many might leave when and if AUO is pulled.

[Albert Wesker]

I got a call earlier in the day, from a young lady in HR who said she was reviewing my file and getting it ready to send it to the Training and Scheduling Unit. I asked her how long it would take before I get an EOD and she said it depends how fast a spot opens up in the sectors I put in for. Apparently when I applied back in 2011, I put in for San Diego, Calexico and El Centro. I inquired about Texas and she said I would not be sent there because I didn’t put in for TX.

You could not have applied for any specific locations. If you applied for Border Patrol, you can only have selected a preference from four locations. Specifically the options given are California, Arizona, West Texas/New Mexico, and South Texas.

Are you sure you did not apply for the CBP Officer position?

If you applied for the Border Patrol, it pretty much does not matter what your preference is (mine was California, and I was offered Arizona when they called)

I thought they could send you where ever they want or where ever they need you?

They can and they will, believe me, that is what happened with me.

I know they give you three BP stations to choose from.

That is not true, I was called and offered only a single location, as were the majority of agents. Only recently has BP offered more than one location, but all of the locations offered are in the same sector. Believe me, if all of the good locations are taken, you will only be offered whatever is left over, and that may be just one station.

Now with these budget cuts and mandatory furloughs, I would hate to go to the San Diego border because the cost of living is extremely high out there. Hopefully they offer me stations in Texas, NM or AZ. How long does it normally take to get an EOD after passing the polygraph?

Any ideas, comments, questions…. anyone?

It is extremely unlikely that you will be going to the California border. The grand majority of new agents in the last couple of years have gone to Arizona and South Texas. Very few have been sent to California because their apprehensions are way down, and they already have too many agents.