Airforce, FBI, and Secret Service.

[Ezekiel285]

I'm sure that title will get at least a little attention.

Anyways I am a computer science major in college right now. I plan on doing some sort of law enforcement, probably federal. And if that doesn't happen I have been looking at the air force and I am very interested in that now too. So does anybody have any experience with any of these or know people that do and would be willing to share anything with me? (I know some positions can't really share much info) Really any information would help, pros/cons of whichever one you worked for or if you have a friend that you know about it from. I'm not really expecting a big reply on this (if i get a reply at all), just figured I would give it a shot.

Also please nobody tell me to go work for the CIA/NSA as i do not want to be stuck behind a desk the rest of my life. And please if you don't actually know anything don't post about stuff you have seen on TV or in Movies.

[Skittles1101]

I know especially for government companies, military experience is sometimes a requirement or will usually bump you to the front of the list of candidates. I do suggest the air force, from what I've heard through family members in the service they have one of the top computer technology departments out of the branches. My cousin works with computers for the air force, and my brother is about to leave for boot camp for the same.

[mainbutter]

I got turned off of the idea of joining the FBI long ago. I was originally dead-set on a career path that would get me there, however.. The computer guys at the FBI don't get the glamorous duties there.

I don't want a career trying to catch child molesters/pornographers online.

[python_addict]

I know this amazing man who worked for the FBI I never really asked him much about it or what he did but I may see him tomorrow and if I can get him to write notes down or something I will be glad to share them with you

[Gomojoe]

Air Force can definitely be the way to go. It is the path I took and has lead to a civilian career working for the department of defense doing some pretty cool and fun stuff. I don't do the computer stuff myself but have worked with some guys that do and seen the pretty cool stuff that they do. If you go air force you'll definitely want to go down the information operations IO path. That's were a lot of the fun stuff goes down. I'd be careful not to go for any career with administrator in the title as you end up as a help desk type guy. If it says IO and requires a TS-SCI clearance it will be some neat stuff. Once you have a TS-SCI clearance that will be your ticket for a whole bunch of cool jobs. With that said, you don't want to have anything like criminal convictions, or mental health issues on your belt.


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[Ezekiel285]

First off thank you all for the responses! I definitely wasn't expecting this much feedback

I know especially for government companies, military experience is sometimes a requirement or will usually bump you to the front of the list of candidates. I do suggest the air force, from what I've heard through family members in the service they have one of the top computer technology departments out of the branches. My cousin works with computers for the air force, and my brother is about to leave for boot camp for the same.

Yes, i definitely agree.. I think that's what's got me looking at the air force recently. I honestly don't know if I want to work with computers for a living though and may just use the degree to start out as an officer in the AF. Of course the AF can put me where ever they want and i wouldn't be terribly upset if I was stuck doing computer stuff but I would rather be a pilot or combat systems officer or something. But yes they do have the top of the line tech compared to other branches, that is a great plus
Do you know exactly what your cousin does by chance?

I got turned off of the idea of joining the FBI long ago. I was originally dead-set on a career path that would get me there, however.. The computer guys at the FBI don't get the glamorous duties there.

I don't want a career trying to catch child molesters/pornographers online.

See the difference between CIA and FBI is that if i went CIA i would be behind a desk forever. However with FBI the "computer guys" are field officers too and conduct raids and plenty of other fun stuff. I don't know if i would want to be in the courtroom as much as FBI agents have to be though. What "glamorous duties" do the computer guys not get to be involved in?

I know this amazing man who worked for the FBI I never really asked him much about it or what he did but I may see him tomorrow and if I can get him to write notes down or something I will be glad to share them with you

That would be great, Thanks!

Air Force can definitely be the way to go. It is the path I took and has lead to a civilian career working for the department of defense doing some pretty cool and fun stuff. I don't do the computer stuff myself but have worked with some guys that do and seen the pretty cool stuff that they do. If you go air force you'll definitely want to go down the information operations IO path. That's were a lot of the fun stuff goes down. I'd be careful not to go for any career with administrator in the title as you end up as a help desk type guy. If it says IO and requires a TS-SCI clearance it will be some neat stuff. Once you have a TS-SCI clearance that will be your ticket for a whole bunch of cool jobs. With that said, you don't want to have anything like criminal convictions, or mental health issues on your belt.

That's awesome! That is kinda what i'm thinking of doing, however like i mentioned above, I don't know if i actually want to do computer stuff within the air force, i may just use the degree to become an officer. I was looking through all of their officer positions and many of them sounded very interesting to me. And yes, I saw some of those "administrative" type jobs you were talking about. Definitely not my thing, haha.
As far as criminal convictions and mental health go i'm not too worried. I work for my campus's police station so they tend to keep me pretty straight.

Thanks again for all the responses!

[RichsBallPythons]

One job i looked into and you might like is border patrol.

Since im right by a military base and Canada, theres a lot of problems. I got as far as filling out papers and dates on where i would be sent to Georgia for 4 months of training. But after then you can end up stationed anywhere in the US where needed.

The Pay is good from talking to local BP here. This job will keep you in the field, armed protecting the country from illegals. No desk job unless thats what you want.

[TessadasExotics]

Def start by way of the AF. Prior military gives you a foot in the door. Not to mention you can try to get positions working with the other agencies while you are in the AF. When I was in the Army I had a few friends that got white house jobs. You have to apply for the positions and then obtain a TS clearance. If you have 4 years of college you can go into service as a commissioned officer. Also don't forget, you can get stuck behind a desk in any of the agencies including any military branch.

Oh and every Officer has to spend time behind a desk.

[Ezekiel285]

One job i looked into and you might like is border patrol.

Since im right by a military base and Canada, theres a lot of problems. I got as far as filling out papers and dates on where i would be sent to Georgia for 4 months of training. But after then you can end up stationed anywhere in the US where needed.

The Pay is good from talking to local BP here. This job will keep you in the field, armed protecting the country from illegals. No desk job unless thats what you want.

BCP is another one i have looked at. It's crazy on the mexican border though, very warzone like, but almost worse because most of the time you are alone. Cartels are setting up mexican snipers on their side and there's not much we can do about it (well we can do some thing about it, i guess its more of nothing we "will do"). But that is definitely something I've looked at. My only question would be about my chances of getting in with only a computer science degree. That's why I'm thinking AF first would be better and then move to something like that.

I live in Georgia, i had no idea they did their training here.

Def start by way of the AF. Prior military gives you a foot in the door. Not to mention you can try to get positions working with the other agencies while you are in the AF. When I was in the Army I had a few friends that got white house jobs. You have to apply for the positions and then obtain a TS clearance. If you have 4 years of college you can go into service as a commissioned officer. Also don't forget, you can get stuck behind a desk in any of the agencies including any military branch.

Oh and every Officer has to spend time behind a desk.

Interesting.. I didn't know you could work for other agencies while you were in the AF. I will definitely be completing my 4 year degree first (almost halfway there) and plan on being an officer if i go that route. And I know i have a good chance of being stuck behind a desk being a CS major and all. But being in the AF would give me better chances of getting out from behind that desk as opposed to being a regular programmer for microsoft of something like that. And yes i know officers still have paperwork and stuff but these days that's hard to get away from for just about any job. I just need something more exciting than being part of the big corporate world I think, and if I can do something that helps my country and other people, then all the more reason to go that direction.

[JLC]

I have to agree with those encouraging the AF. My husband is 21 years in and still going strong. His degree was in Computer Science Engineering. The first half of his career had little to do with computers (in the traditional sense). This second half has everything to do with computers, but he's not sitting at a desk actually programming or anything himself. Don't discount computers as a viable career path, you'd be amazed at the options out there.

I concur with the one who said to look at a career path in Information Operations. That's where my hubby is now. And it's pretty exciting stuff.

I'm gonna brag on my hubby for just a bit here...since we're sort of on the subject. He was just selected to be the Vice Wing Commander of the 688th IO Wing out of Lackland AFB. They are involved in what is essentially the bleeding edge technology of cyber warfare.

Whatever direction you decide to go, you just about can't go wrong with starting out Air Force. Even if you decide after a few years that it's not for you, those few years will be invaluable to your future. You'll have doors opened to you that would not be otherwise. And you KNOW of opportunities and possible paths you might take that you never hear about in our day to day humdrum lives where "computers" means little more than sitting at a desk writing code or linking networks and answering tech support calls.