Border Patrol Agent

[ontherunn]

Sorry I’m advance for the long post and if this has been answered already

Do you have to meet every single one of the requirements listed in order to be accepted under GL9? I have 3 years of law enforcement experience with full arrest powers but did not carry a firearm in my official duties. I was found tentatively eligible for GL9 so that must be a good sign, I just don’t want that one thing to bite me in the *** later.

also, do certain process steps transfer over? I’m in the running for CBP officer and already took a medical and physical and filled out An eqip. The day after BPA sent me the conditional offer they immediately scheduled me for an SI next week, yet I’m at 0% on the app

[Talonderiel]

ontherunn, If you were referred for a tentative offer, then you are golden. The HR specialist found you to be warranted of the GL9 position.

As for things carrying over, they will. Medical, EQIP, and Background all are common. PFT, Written Test and SI are all different and will need to be done with each agency. So you'll do two PFTs, Written Tests and SIs.

[battlewagon]

Sorry I’m advance for the long post and if this has been answered already

Do you have to meet every single one of the requirements listed in order to be accepted under GL9? I have 3 years of law enforcement experience with full arrest powers but did not carry a firearm in my official duties. I was found tentatively eligible for GL9 so that must be a good sign, I just don’t want that one thing to bite me in the *** later.

also, do certain process steps transfer over? I’m in the running for CBP officer and already took a medical and physical and filled out An eqip. The day after BPA sent me the conditional offer they immediately scheduled me for an SI next week, yet I’m at 0% on the app

The app is hardly accurate. Don't worry about it. Yes, many things carry over like medical suitability, background, etc. If you've already been found tentatively eligible for a 9, that's it. There's no further review of your app and grade rating. Bringing it up to people would only likey the chance of it being looked at again.

[DMC1988]

Hello guys!

I’ve joined this forum a while ago, and I’m thankful for all of the great info here.

I finished the hiring process last week, and received an offer from Customs and I accepted it. Later on the week BP called me ready to offer, however I asked them to call back on Monday cause I was extremely busy at this fairly new job that I got. So they will call me back tomorrow.

I initially accepted customs right away because it seemed reasonable (being able to choose location VRA) since BP would only offer me borders towns down south.

My my question is, having a family, which location would you guys (current agents) recommend (Border Patrol locations down south) in which my commute wouldn’t be too long, yet still live somewhere in which I could raise a family? Thanks guys!

[SingleRonin]

like battlewagon said, post the options for locations on here. Keep in mind everyone is going to have a differing option on what is acceptable for their family. OFO is nice because I believe it is easier to transfer to another location and there are a higher number of better locations to choose from. Plus they get paid more than us. . . .

[DMC1988]

Thanks SingleRonin!

[DiverB72]

Sound like you made a good decision, happy wife-happy life. I was in one of the most sought after Border Patrol Stations for 10yrs (Detroit) and left the patrol for Air Marine to be a pilot. Honestly it was selfish of me because I wanted to be the cool dude in the air instead of a Tahoe. We moved back to the southern border and my wife and daughter hated it, they lasted a year and went back to Michigan. I'm now stuck in Arizona and only seeing my family every few months. I'm trying to get back to the Patrol (unlikey to return to Detroit Sector) and now I'm even considering OFO just to get back to Michigan and finish my last 4 years.

Moral of the story, make sure you and your spouse are 100% onboard with the location you choose, weather its CBPO/BPA. If you can afford it, i would highly recomend a small trip to the location you are considering prior to accepting the job

[DMC1988]

DiverB72 thanks for sharing. I agree 100%.

[battlewagon]

My my question is, having a family, which location would you guys (current agents) recommend in which my commute wouldn’t be too long, yet still live somewhere in which I could raise a family? Thanks guys!

You're going to have to be more specific on where you were offered or what you accepted since there too many to just guess where you're talking about. For example, most south Texas stations you can live 5-30 minutes from your station in a decent area. There a few where it will be an hour plus to live in a 'normal' area. Then west Texas for example, it is going to be a lot more of the long commute stations.

Help us help you.

[Exbpa340]

I’ve worked in 4 of the stations you have listed (but it’s been many years) and can speak with some knowledge about a few others.

IMB - Imperial Beach covers (or used to cover) from the Pacific Ocean to the San Ysidro POE. This will be almost exclusively X work (static positions).

BRF - Brown Field (I was stationed there for 7 years) covers/used to cover from Otay Mesa POE to East of Otay Mountain and was responsible for the HWY 94 checkpoint. We had a few Xs and a decent amount of mountain work plus a checkpoint.

Campo and Boulevard will be mainly mountain work with Campo having the I-8 checkpoint (or at least they used to have it).

San Diego is a beautiful city but is crazy expensive and has horrendous traffic. If you were to choose BRF or IMB I imagine that you would be very junior (seniority) for many many years.

Calexico - Between El Centro and Calexico I did 9 or 10 details. Extremely hot and less than spectacular place with one exception. There is an abundance of attractive Latin women in the Calexico/El Centro/Mexicali area and is the only redeeming quality. About 1.5 hours to San Diego. The work was somewhat enjoyable. Horrible education and medical care. Would not even contemplate raising a family here.

Yuma - I did three details there back in the day. It’s ok I guess but it’s crazy hot (one of the hottest places I’ve ever been) and not really a place to raise a family. Both San Diego and Phoenix are about 2.5 hours away.

Douglas - I did one detail there many moons ago and it was the worst place I worked as a PA. Douglas proper is a rather unpleasant place but most PAs live in or near Sierra Vista (about an hour drive).

Nogales - I have not logged anytime in Nogales but have heard decent things. One advantage is that you can live near Tucson and have access to quite a few amenities. Cost of living is very reasonable.

I can’t speak with any knowledge about the Texas stations other than a classmate of mine stationed in Kingsville telling me to stay away from the Rio Grande area. He actually recommended AZ stations as a better place to work (he was at BRF with me and went on many of the same details to AZ stations).

Top choice for me would be Nogales. It has a strong reputation. A commute of 40 minutes would have you living in a decent neighborhood just outside of Tucson and the houses go for 175 - 250k. Above 250k you can get a really nice house. Temperature around Tucson/Nogales is hot but significantly cooler than Yuma or Calexico.

San Diego choices 1 - BRF (fewer static positions than IMB). 2 - Campo. 3 - IMB and lastly Boulevard.

I would not consider Calexico unless I was single. I would not accept Douglas or Yuma.

Just my 2 cents

[DMC1988]

Gentlemen, you don’t know how helpful you all have been.

Thank you very much.

After careful consideration, research, and speaking to the wife, i decided to take the CBPO route. We won’t have to relocate, and financially we would be better off. I’m starting as a GS9 (thankful for that) and that puts up in a better position up here in the northeast.

Once again, thanks guy! Expo, Shu, Battlewagon, Singleronin, and Merlin (from CBP) my goal is to be as knowledgeable as you guys in the coming years. Thanks!

[Radio Raheem]

DMC1988 I think you made the best decision for your family. Sometimes that's what it comes down to but people take the selfish route. Congrats on your new opportunity!

[DMC1988]

Thank you Radio Raheem

Also for all your input. Stay safe!

[SingleRonin]

Hey guys, I'm sure this has already been said numerous times before, but location is very important within Border Patrol. Make sure you take a location that you can live with, for both you and your family, if you have one. Things to do, medical, schools, etc. Even for you single guys and gals, depending upon the location, the dating scene might be full of a ton of people with baggage that you really don't want to deal with, or you might have to drive a very long way to have a nightlife.

Due to attrition and a mass amount of retirements, we are really hurting for people and its only going to get worse in the near future, so the ball is in your court. HR is offering better and far more options than what I got 13 years ago, I'm sure that can be said for many of the other BPA's on this site as well. I only got one option, take it or leave it.

Make a good choice, because there's a very good chance you will be unable to transfer for 8 - 10 years, if not longer.

There's a good amount of current and former PA's on here that are happy to answer any questions you have, and we're not going to sugarcoat it for you, we'll tell it to you straight.

[TsFost]

Passed my PFT two days ago just waiting on the update on CASS. It'll push me to 50% on BPA and OFO (already 50% on that). Now the waiting game on the Poly and BI to finish. I'm really unsure which of the two I'll end up picking since both will give an offer when done. I love the idea of having actual patrol work with BP, but OFO seems like it would be a more stable long term since every port of entry uses them country wide (and internationally). I'm going to be researching heavily

[NoSoup4you]

Does anyone have insight on using a GI bill for the time at the academy? I've heard other guys have done it. (Specifically post 9/11)

[battlewagon]

It definitely can be done and many do. I can't help on the how, but it's pretty common. The academy is in Artesia, NM, not Brunswick FLETC

[Talonderiel]

NoSoup4you, it has been covered on the CBPO threat. (https://forum.officer.com/forum/empl...82#post6809582)

From Krash777,

For veterans that want to use there GI Bill whole at academy.

CBP employees wishing to use this program must, as the "student", directly connect with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) via the following link and submitting the required On-the-Job (OJT) training forms for Post 9/11 G.I. Bill purposes:

https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/d..._Factsheet.pdf

https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/o...enticeship.asp
The CBP employee then works with their supervisor to provide VA with all required paperwork for the G.I. Bill payment.

[NoSoup4you]

Talonderiel looked around but I guess not hard enough. Appreciate it!!

[Talonderiel]

NoSoup4you, no worries... that's why I'm still hanging around these forums! I'm sure some of the CBPOs, BPAs, and MIAs hang around too. The forum search functioning is not the easiest to use on sometimes.

If any AEAs are hanging around, that's the secret group. :P

[MadameAshley]

When is the next academy date?

[battlewagon]

When is the next academy date?

Academy classes start the academy pretty much every other week at a minimum. When they are really cranking them out, I've seen a new class EOD every week. But I believe every other week is the norm right now last time I spoke to a good friend teaching there now.

[Cgrizz]

Hey guys I have just passed my polygraph and finished everything else for the applicant process. Does anyone know what is next step or if i will be given a academy start date anytime soon? also is it common to start the academy while the background investigation is still going on?

[battlewagon]

Hey guys I have just passed my polygraph and finished everything else for the applicant process. Does anyone know what is next step or if i will be given a academy start date anytime soon? also is it common to start the academy while the background investigation is still going on?

I'd you haven't already done it, you will have the drug test. There should have been a form when you started your background that you could opt in or out of going to the academy on a provisional clearance. A provisional clearance is where they do a very preliminary background and if everything looks like it'll probably turn out all right, they send you to the academy while it finishes. Of course if anything turns negative then you will be pulled from training and terminated, if you can't justify their findings or explain them. It's not a big deal if you don't opt-in for this, it just means you have to wait until the background fully clears before receiving an EOD date.

[Cgrizz]

thanks for the information!

[WannabeCBP]

Hi, I took PFT1 today for BPA, passed step test and push ups, may have failed sit ups. If I am given another chance, do I just have to do the sit ups or everything else again? Thanks!

[battlewagon]

How did they not give you a defined yes or no answer at the conclusion of the test? It isn't something that should be open to interpretation of in a 'pending' status while the determine if you passed or failed the situp requirement. What did they say?

[WannabeCBP]

The lady who administer the test said she had confidentiality and couldn’t tell me, and that I would get notification from the agency. I just want to know if anybody failed one of them and was given another chance to retest just the one that didnt go well.

[Cgrizz]

Can anyone explain to me how advancement works for BPA. does your paygrade automatically advance every year until you reach gs 12? and is it easy to reach the 6 figure pay range since there is no overtime?

[DiverB72]

Can anyone explain to me how advancement works for BPA. does your paygrade automatically advance every year until you reach gs 12? and is it easy to reach the 6 figure pay range since there is no overtime?

Basically you got it correct. Lets say you hire in as a GS-5 on January 2. The following Jan 2 you automatically get GS-7, the next Jan GS-9 then GS-11 then GS12. Upon reaching GS-12, every year you will get a STEP increase. Its usually like $900-$1100 more per year, and that continues until STEP 5. After STEP 5 then the increases occur every two years. At the GS-11 pay level, with holiday pay and some night shifts, you can make $100,000 a year.

[WannabeCBP]

Nice path!

[Exbpa340]

****Two years between steps for step 4 to 5, 5 to 6 and 6 to 7. Three years between steps for 7 to 8, 8 to 9 and 9 to 10.***

[DiverB72]

Ahhh got it. It was so long that I was a lower step, I totally forgot. Gosh with 3 years in between steps, guess I wont see anymore past this next one

[Buck_Macdonald]

Hey lads quick question, I have Asthma, it's controlled but the paper work i got says I need a thing from my doc clearing me for duty.

Anybody with experience know if I can just use a copy of my doctors sign-off on the CBP Medical Review forms?
I'd go back to my doctor and have him write a short note signing off on this but i'm uninsured and the doc I had is a pretty cheap individual... for reference I asked him for a copy of my medical documents and he wanted to charge me for each page that was in a PDF on a flash drive, so essentially over $300 to copy and paste a PDF into my usb stick....

[NoSoup4you]

Chances are theyll ask for a methacoline challenge and/or a pulmonary function test. Itll be on the pricey side without insurance. Also very exhausting. Once those tests are complete, then a letter from the doc confirming the findings.

They might proceed without it but those 2 tests are probably and should be what they ask for.