RFI: Border Patrol Stations in NM/West TX

[Arbninftry]

I lived in El Paso, my now wife was in Sierra Vista Az, Lordsburg is in between. I trained troops from Bliss, one of the places we trained "certain folks" was a place called Playas, NM. I can tell you that the area around Lordsburg, there is nothing. It is one of the most desolate places in North America. You are at least an hour from Wilcox, AZ and an hour from Deming, NM. Lordsburg has a pop. Of maybe 200. Deming and Wilcox a little more.

If you like being alone, it's a great place. If you like something more, avoid Lordsburg.

But one of the most beautiful places I have ever been is a place Called Sunsites, AZ. A UH-60 at night flying the Dragoon Mtns.

[TGS]

Well, don’t need to go that extreme... just found out that she isn’t going to any of the nine places (ME, either). I knew it, but really for the best.

In regards to the position, I have it narrowed down to three; Lordsburg, Eagle Pass, and Carrizo Springs. Kind of leaning towards dropping Carrizo Springs from the list. Sad to say, but Eagle Pass won out over a Super Walmart (Carrizo Springs has a regular one). [emoji23]

But I still want to look around Lordsburg a little more. If I drop that, the other two are within an hour from each other.

The terrain in Western NM is much prettier, IMO. In a couple hours to the east of Lordsburg you have Cloudcroft up in the mountains...it's absolutely beautiful green space at a nice cool temperature to give you a break from the desert. A lot of the instructors at FLETC Artesia actually live around Cloudcroft up in the mountains. There are some less significant mountains/green space to the north of Lordsburg as well. Go west a few hours and you're in the red desert of Arizona.

Overall, I think there's a lot more to do within a couple hours drive in each direction that I personally would find interesting compared to your Texas options.

YMMV.

Truth be told, both of those stations hemmorhage agents....

[TCB]

The guys I know outta Lordsberg Station absolutely love the work there. Off duty...well it’s in the middle of nowhere. Las Cruces is a cool little college town to hang in 1 1/2 hours away and El Paso is only 30 min more Tucson is a couple hours the other way. Sierra Blanca is going to be the Station closest to a real city but I think it’s mainly a Checkpoint Station (some guys the them, I’m am not one of those guys). Chorizo Springs and Eagle Pass are both pretty closeish to San Antonio (great city) but S. TX culture is very different than anywhere else on the southern border (I spent nearly 4 years in the RGV). Pick somewhere you think you’d like and plan on doing 3-5 years there, then try to get somewhere you’d rather be (Tucson Sector is awsome BTW). Don’t sweat the GF, wherever small border town you end up in you’ll be an “exotic”, it will be a target rich environment, have fun, but...you’ll be a prize for a local girl looking for a paycheck (if your FTO doesn’t give you this brief in the 1st week there lame (or already married a local and is stuck)). We are a huge Agency and there are a ton of career paths, we’re also a big jumping off point for other Fed Agencies, 2 close friends went to Secret Service and DEA in the last year or so. Also, Artesia sucks (go bulldogs!)...don’t let the Academy get you down. The good thing is wherever you go from there will seem like a big step up (that was by design). Feel free to PM if you have any questions.

[Clark Jackson]

The guys I know outta Lordsberg Station absolutely love the work there. Off duty...well it’s in the middle of nowhere. Las Cruces is a cool little college town to hang in 1 1/2 hours away and El Paso is only 30 min more Tucson is a couple hours the other way. Sierra Blanca is going to be the Station closest to a real city but I think it’s mainly a Checkpoint Station (some guys the them, I’m am not one of those guys). Chorizo Springs and Eagle Pass are both pretty closeish to San Antonio (great city) but S. TX culture is very different than anywhere else on the southern border (I spent nearly 4 years in the RGV). Pick somewhere you think you’d like and plan on doing 3-5 years there, then try to get somewhere you’d rather be (Tucson Sector is awsome BTW). Don’t sweat the GF, wherever small border town you end up in you’ll be an “exotic”, it will be a target rich environment, have fun, but...you’ll be a prize for a local girl looking for a paycheck (if your FTO doesn’t give you this brief in the 1st week there lame (or already married a local and is stuck)). We are a huge Agency and there are a ton of career paths, we’re also a big jumping off point for other Fed Agencies, 2 close friends went to Secret Service and DEA in the last year or so. Also, Artesia sucks (go bulldogs!)...don’t let the Academy get you down. The good thing is wherever you go from there will seem like a big step up (that was by design). Feel free to PM if you have any questions.

+1 on the RGV being completely different than the rest of Texas (and the rest of the universe).

Your friends who went Secret Service will be back soon, or they've already taken the car door option mentioned earlier. Talk about a job that hemorrhages employees.

[HCM]

+1 on the RGV being completely different than the rest of Texas (and the rest of the universe).

Your friends who went Secret Service will be back soon, or they've already taken the car door option mentioned earlier. Talk about a job that hemorrhages employees.

Yes, the USSS is well known for their “Apache” style of management.

[UNM1136]

If you like to hunt and fish, NM is great, if you can stomach the licensing system. Lotta public land. The Gila has world class elk, mule deer, turkeys, and trout streams. I used to do some joint stuff with BP in Las Cruces....couple of those guys ended up in BORTAC, but that was decades ago. Free ammo at the time was a kick in the pants, and most of those guys made use of it and it showed. One of my beat partners a few years back did the BP thing for about three years before becoming a city cop, and he is getting to close to retiring pretty high up in my old agency.

pat

[Screwball]

Sorry about not replying sooner... made the decision, was worried for the entire day because I didn’t hear back, and then work/life gave me a fun week.

I took the CBP position in Maine. Like you guys mentioned, the south is very different from NJ (Maine is, as well). Something I took for granted is healthcare. If I wasn’t a diabetic, I’d have gone south.

I was talking to a few people about it, and we got on the subject about stores like Super Walmart. Somehow, my endocrinologist (handles my diabetes) came up... which had me look for a new one. I did a 200 mile radius search... and some stations didn’t have one. Lordsburg’s nearest ones were in El Paso... which a doctor visit would be about five hours round trip.

Eagle Pass/Carrizo Springs had a few in San Antonio... which was less of a ride. But the issue was the ratings. The highest rating in San Antonio was three stars (out of five)... but was also out of Houston. While I think we all have had crappy doctors, an endocrinologist is someone I just prefer to have as good of one as possible.

I do want to thank to all of you guys for giving me the background of those places, because if I just did internet searches, I’d be s*** out of luck when I got out there. I go to a few different doctors for preventative care, but just took for granted that specialists would be somewhere nearby.

I looked at Houlton... it isn’t a bad area, but about an hour from Bangor. There were a couple endocrinologists there, with multiple who have five stars. Issues are going to be the cold with the pump... but something I’ll overcome.

The dates were pushed back by two days. I also qualified for a 25% bonus if I agree to stay three years. If I take it and leave beforehand, then have to pay it back. I was not given that when I talked to the women from BP hiring, but just might not have got that far.

Again, thanks to everyone for your input. [emoji106]

[HCM]

Sorry about not replying sooner... made the decision, was worried for the entire day because I didn’t hear back, and then work/life gave me a fun week.

I took the CBP position in Maine. Like you guys mentioned, the south is very different from NJ (Maine is, as well). Something I took for granted is healthcare. If I wasn’t a diabetic, I’d have gone south.

I was talking to a few people about it, and we got on the subject about stores like Super Walmart. Somehow, my endocrinologist (handles my diabetes) came up... which had me look for a new one. I did a 200 mile radius search... and some stations didn’t have one. Lordsburg’s nearest ones were in El Paso... which a doctor visit would be about five hours round trip.

Eagle Pass/Carrizo Springs had a few in San Antonio... which was less of a ride. But the issue was the ratings. The highest rating in San Antonio was three stars (out of five)... but was also out of Houston. While I think we all have had crappy doctors, an endocrinologist is someone I just prefer to have as good of one as possible.

I do want to thank to all of you guys for giving me the background of those places, because if I just did internet searches, I’d be s*** out of luck when I got out there. I go to a few different doctors for preventative care, but just took for granted that specialists would be somewhere nearby.

I looked at Houlton... it isn’t a bad area, but about an hour from Bangor. There were a couple endocrinologists there, with multiple who have five stars. Issues are going to be the cold with the pump... but something I’ll overcome.

The dates were pushed back by two days. I also qualified for a 25% bonus if I agree to stay three years. If I take it and leave beforehand, then have to pay it back. I was not given that when I talked to the women from BP hiring, but just might not have got that far.

Again, thanks to everyone for your input. [emoji106]

I think you will be happier in ME and CBPO on the Northern Border will be less stressful with medical issues.

That said, San Antonio is a city of over a million people with a very well known and respected medical center area with several hospitals including a University of Texas teaching hospital. It is also home to Ft Sam Houston / Brook Army Medical Center (BAMC) the Army’s primary medical command an Wilford Hall the primary stateside USAF hospital. There is also a high prevalence of Diabetes in SATX for demographic and cultural reasons.

What ever the downsides of San Antonio, I am certain one could find a good endocrinologist (or any other type of Dr.) here.

[Drang]

Does anyone else only hear "Lordsberg" in Andy Devine's voice?

/digression.

[TGS]

I think you will be happier in ME and CBPO on the Northern Border

This, totally.

I think after you have some time on you're going to realize what a good decision you just made.