Security forces

Without trying to derail this thread too much, if your long term goal is to become a special agent it may be in your best interest to consider what value your military job will have when competing for one of a limited number of special agent (SA) positions.

For Fiscal Year 2016, the FBI advertised they're looking applicants with the following backgrounds and expertise for SA positions (copied from Current FBI Needs | FBI JOBS):
  • Certified Public Accountants (CPAs)
  • Attorneys (Prosecutor, Defense)
  • IT Network Administrators, Intrusions
  • Engineers
  • Detectives
  • Military (specifically Special Forces, Explosives, WMD, and Intelligence experts)
  • Scientists (Lab Experience)
  • Foreign Language(s) speakers (particularly Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Urdu, Pashtu, Punjabi, Russian and Farsi)
  • Pilots (Helicopter, Fixed-Wing)
  • *Diversified (all other backgrounds or skills not specified above)
You can gain experience in nearly all of these fields in the military. Military service is great, but military service with relevant experience coupled with the degree that Tuition Assistance/your GI Bill will help you obtain will make you a more attractive SA candidate later on. There's no reason your time in the military can't be an opportunity to set yourself up for future success. Best of luck.
Well I was thinking more secret service but I get the point
 
Great post, I remember talking with a few CID agents about what they looked for and what they wanted when recruiting. As we all thought you had to be an MP for x many years, top performers, etc. They very few MP's make it into CID, and that they were looking for accounting and IT specialists. The expression was something of we can train the LE part to just about anyone, the specialist skills is harder, takes longer and in most demand. CID is one of the few Army units that professionalism was 100%.
Okay now I'm at a lost part of the reason I'm looking at security forces was in was under the impression that in addition to force protection they did law enforcement and that there was a possibility of going into Osi in addition to the opportunites for specialized training they seem to have so was I wrong ?
 
Okay now I'm at a lost part of the reason I'm looking at security forces was in was under the impression that in addition to force protection they did law enforcement and that there was a possibility of going into Osi in addition to the opportunites for specialized training they seem to have so was I wrong ?

As per the AFOSI Enlisted FAQ, they recruit from all career fields and doesn't list Security Forces as prerequisite.

Air Force OSI - Enlisted FAQ
 
Here's the thing:

SP's are just military police. Military police in a service that only has one place to put the washouts of everything else that is mentally or physically harder......

Yes, they do law enforcement. You have to look at things from a vast majority standpoint: What does AFSF do.... they drive a truck around an airport, sometimes at a government section of a private airport, scare off people trying to drive on, check ID's with a ill founded sense of superiority, and do base law enforcement.

All the johnny highspeed stuff isn't really that high speed, and even when they are johnny highspeed, they're really not, still. Everyone laughs and points.

I have to point back at the original thing I just said.... In the USAF, IF YOU FAIL OTHER MOS TRAINING, you get sent to security forces.

At least in the Army, everyone who's an MP actually wanted to be an MP.
 
I see so is it just one of those fields where it varies wildly?

I really wouldn't know. I think if you're looking for LE experience, security forces is probably not where you will find it. They are more like a mix of security guards and traffic patrol, I'm sure they have some senior enlisted who conduct investigations of low level crime's, but very few.

Another thing to think about, is most LEA's don't really view military police as real law enforcement experience. They are normally giving you preferences b/c of military discipline and leadership skills. In other words you probably have the same preferences with the secret service as a aircraft mechanic as you would security forces. As a matter of fact, as far as federal hiring preference points, its even Steven for anyone who served 90 days active duty and has a honorable discharge.
 
Here's the thing:

SP's are just military police. Military police in a service that only has one place to put the washouts of everything else that is mentally or physically harder......

Yes, they do law enforcement. You have to look at things from a vast majority standpoint: What does AFSF do.... they drive a truck around an airport, sometimes at a government section of a private airport, scare off people trying to drive on, check ID's with a ill founded sense of superiority, and do base law enforcement.

All the johnny highspeed stuff isn't really that high speed, and even when they are johnny highspeed, they're really not, still. Everyone laughs and points.

I have to point back at the original thing I just said.... In the USAF, IF YOU FAIL OTHER MOS TRAINING, you get sent to security forces.

At least in the Army, everyone who's an MP actually wanted to be an MP.
Okay
 
Well I was thinking more secret service but I get the point
Replace FBI with any other agency that hires SAs and my advice still more or less holds true. You can apply for an SA position with an Honorable Discharge, tangible experience in an agency focus area (accounting, network engineering, languages, prostitutes), and a relevant degree and still not be invited to progress through the application process if the candidate pool is strong.

If you want to be Security Forces there's absolutely nothing wrong with that and I wish you the best of luck in pursuing that endeavor. Everyone's service is valuable - even if not in a position others find sexy. Just don't fool yourself into believing that specific AFSC is somehow going to make you a shoe-in (or even competitive) for an SA position down the road. You'll be disappointed. The AF has a ton of other career fields that would strengthen your resume more.
 
Great post, I remember talking with a few CID agents about what they looked for and what they wanted when recruiting. As we all thought you had to be an MP for x many years, top performers, etc. They very few MP's make it into CID, and that they were looking for accounting and IT specialists. The expression was something of we can train the LE part to just about anyone, the specialist skills is harder, takes longer and in most demand. CID is one of the few Army units that professionalism was 100%.
CID is good, but they have their 10% too.
 
Replace FBI with any other agency that hires SAs and my advice still more or less holds true. You can apply for an SA position with an Honorable Discharge, tangible experience in an agency focus area (accounting, network engineering, languages, prostitutes), and a relevant degree and still not be invited to progress through the application process if the candidate pool is strong.

If you want to be Security Forces there's absolutely nothing wrong with that and I wish you the best of luck in pursuing that endeavor. Everyone's service is valuable - even if not in a position others find sexy. Just don't fool yourself into believing that specific AFSC is somehow going to make you a shoe-in (or even competitive) for an SA position down the road. You'll be disappointed. The AF has a ton of other career fields that would strengthen your resume more.
The main agency I'm looking at is the diplomatic security service which doestrogen force protection partly but so part of the reason I'm looking at the security forces but I understand and no I don't think that would make a shoe-in but I understand.
 
The main agency I'm looking at is the diplomatic security service which doestrogen force protection partly but so part of the reason I'm looking at the security forces but I understand and no I don't think that would make a shoe-in but I understand.

You don't know what you want and you're not doing your own research.
 
The main agency I'm looking at is the diplomatic security service which doestrogen force protection partly but so part of the reason I'm looking at the security forces but I understand and no I don't think that would make a shoe-in but I understand.
Having worked side by side with diplomatic security specialists and RSOs in Yemen (immediately before the country fell), I can tell you being AFSF isn't going to help you. Go look at their job postings on USAJobs.gov. I was looking at that position because I figured it would be an easy transition for me. All they care about is you have a "4 year degree in any discipline," they wouldn't hire me for that same position even though I had on the ground experience but will happily take an art history major for the job.
 
With regard to job utility outside of the service..... some agencies actually may give you credit for having served, but will use red pen due to having been an MP/SP/etc, because of the bad habits learned compared to "real" law enforcement.

Think about it: You're in an environment where everyone is basically respectful, knows that they're held by UCMJ. They know if they give law enforcement on base a hard time, that they don't only have to answer to repurcussions within UCMJ and the MP's, but also within their chain of command... so it's a double wammy. Generally speaking, you take your licks with regards to dealing with MP's. Backtalk, resisting, etc, while something MP's train to deal with, it's not something they GET to deal with and therefore really exercise verbal judo on de-escalation, bla de blah.

Due to this generally safe environment, complacency is bred... this complacency allows Ranger squads to come within arms reach of sleeping MP Specialists inside of their patrol cars, and scare the everliving shit out of them... Who said morning PT is always boring...

-----Edited to add some clarification-----

To further explain the "double whammy" concept, since you and others possibly reading don't understand law enforcement as it relates to those in the military... and mind you, this is pretty much second hand information as I kept my nose clean* and my minions of mass destruction feared what I am about to describe MORE than law enforcement's actions themselves... @Teufel @Marauder06 feel free to chime in to correct anything.

When you are in the military, You're assigned to a unit. Regardless if you're the 153rd Field Sanitation Division or the 1st Black Ops Brigade, You have a commanding officer of some sort or another that owns your ass, figuratively. They have a "MP/SP/etc Blotter" they get from the post MP's. Anything any shitheads do, that they own, that results in any actual "Action" from on-post law enforcement....from getting a speeding ticket, driving without insurance, cracking a skull at the E-club, you name it on post, they are informed about. If you fuck up bad enough to actually get locked up, you aren't RELEASED until your chain of command comes and takes you.

So, what this means, is that your Chain of Command KNOWS if you fucked up. Fuck up bad enough, and you may have restrictions put in place upon your person. This whole ball of shit also rolls downhill and gains speed. Too many tickets? You may have your driving privileges revoked by your command. Too many issues while drinking? Direct lawful order to abstain from imbibing. Don't do as you're told there? Article 15's on top of your post-level shit you have to deal with. That means extra duty as assigned, reduction of rank, and forfeiture of a portion of your pay. Nevermind anything your NCO's may cook up if you're being a constant turd burglar.

This misbehavior also shows up when it comes to promotions, order of merit list stuff for schools, who's going to go on shit details, etc etc etc. Most people end up (rightfully) being more afraid of chain of command repercussions than anything that an MP could/would do to them.

* or just was smart enough to not get caught in the first fucking place, or knew the MP's, etc etc...
 
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I see so is it just one of those fields where it varies wildly?

As said before, OSI recruits from all career fields. Being Security Forces would have no impact at all. If that is a goal of yours then you better come in and start building an impressive package. (You should do your best regardless). I believe you can apply once you're a Staff so you would have some time in whatever career field you end up in.
 
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