Originally Posted by
vcdgrips
"On a side note, there are many OIG jobs listed but most of those are filled by 1811s from busier agencies like USSS, HSI etc looking for a slower pace or more stability at home. There is literally a former USSS mafia within the OIGs and your odds of getting one of those jobs off the street is low if they can hire someone who is already FLETC CITP certified."
From the very close outside looking in, I would concur that their is a USSS " mafia" in many OIGs for the reasons stated. Having said that, I think the highlighted statement is a bit off the mark, both generally and specifically to the OP. I have seen more than a few OIG agents being hired with NO prior LEO at all. Indeed, many OIGs have long standing Intern and Co-Op programs such that they hire a fair number of 1811 SAs with no real job experience at all right out of college.
The OP is an academy grad, combat veteran etc. I would be extremely surprised if he did not catch on as an 1811 if that what he wants to do. I would venture to say that the most likely scenario is a job offer with one agency, only to have another pop their offer at a later date. I know of more than one DEA/FBI agent who was in one academy at Quantico only to ultimately go over the other side so to speak. The same has happened at FLETC as well between other agencies.
The real question is compatibility with the wife's medical career.
Most agencies are not making people move from their first office assignment so long as the agency's needs are met and the agent understands that not moving is likely to consign them to being line agents for their career. That has certainly been the case for dozens of FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI and OIG agents I have worked with. Indeed, almost to an agent, they moved only when they wanted to because they wanted to become a supervisor or they stubbed their toe and got "voluntold." This has been particularly true since the downturn of 2008-2009 when real estate was wonky and good people found themselves upside down in their houses.
That is not to say that agents do not have to go places on TDY or sometime get volunteered to go somewhere for a period of time i.e. acting as a adjunct instructor for an academy class for 12-16 weeks etc.
But, from the outside looking in, the days of the FBI model where you made three moves before your office of preference in the twilight of your career are over. It was simply costing too much money and too many good agents to make people move for the sake of making people move.
From my POV, the wife will ultimately have more flexibility in placement the the OP. Her residency placement is likely to resolve well before the OP is hired, graduated and posted from a federal LEO. academy. I suspect that she can get a job as a Dr. after her residency where the OP is going to be a 1st office agent far easier than he can control his first office placement. In the interim, there may be some time spent apart. Thankfully, there are not kids in the picture nor planned for which would make such temporary separation that much more difficult.
As others have stated, please feel free to PM as needed. Be safe and well.