USSS Work/Life Question.....

[Gadfly]

Like other have mentioned above... back in the pre 9/11 days, INS special agents got a version of CITP that was one week shorter than everyone else, just make jumping ship a pain in the ass for them. Knowing you have to do 12weeks of CITP over again, PLUS the new agency basic, makes jumping ship a "no go" for many.

Pre 9/11, I had put in to go to US Customs, and was told under the table I was going to get an offer, but 9/11 ended that. After the merger, I was promoted from Agent to Special agent... but that meant a trip back to Fletc for CITP. They ran out of money, and I was sent home with no badge or gun for almost one year, until funding came back, and I was sent to the new ICE basic academy. All so I could go back to the same cubicle, in the same building, doing the exact same job I was doing before the merger. During the time I did not have a badge and gun, I was still signing court documents, arresting folks, issuing NTAs, and filling out affidavits... it was a very "gray area' for me.

A few years backs, when I was teaching at FLETC, HSI management was talking seriously about breaking out of FLETC CITP, and creating their own program. They even talked of leaving GLYNCO all together, and moving shop to Ft Benning to build their own facility. Allegedly, the could get the land they need at Benning for free, the issue would be building the structures, and staffing things like a chow hall and motor pool. I doubt it will ever leave Glynco, but breaking away from the traditional CITP model is a strong possibility. The say it will shorten the total time at the academy by 4 weeks if the skip the redundant stuff they had to repeat between the two programs.... the bonus would be to keep agents from leaving for greener pastures. We don't get a ton leaving, but we have lost a few to Dept of Commerce and various OIGs, where they always have nights and weekends off, and no midnight call outs.

[HCM]

Like other have mentioned above... back in the pre 9/11 days, INS special agents got a version of CITP that was one week shorter than everyone else, just make jumping ship a pain in the ass for them. Knowing you have to do 12weeks of CITP over again, PLUS the new agency basic, makes jumping ship a "no go" for many.

Pre 9/11, I had put in to go to US Customs, and was told under the table I was going to get an offer, but 9/11 ended that. After the merger, I was promoted from Agent to Special agent... but that meant a trip back to Fletc for CITP. They ran out of money, and I was sent home with no badge or gun for almost one year, until funding came back, and I was sent to the new ICE basic academy. All so I could go back to the same cubicle, in the same building, doing the exact same job I was doing before the merger. During the time I did not have a badge and gun, I was still signing court documents, arresting folks, issuing NTAs, and filling out affidavits... it was a very "gray area' for me.

A few years backs, when I was teaching at FLETC, HSI management was talking seriously about breaking out of FLETC CITP, and creating their own program. They even talked of leaving GLYNCO all together, and moving shop to Ft Benning to build their own facility. Allegedly, the could get the land they need at Benning for free, the issue would be building the structures, and staffing things like a chow hall and motor pool. I doubt it will ever leave Glynco, but breaking away from the traditional CITP model is a strong possibility. The say it will shorten the total time at the academy by 4 weeks if the skip the redundant stuff they had to repeat between the two programs.... the bonus would be to keep agents from leaving for greener pastures. We don't get a ton leaving, but we have lost a few to Dept of Commerce and various OIGs, where they always have nights and weekends off, and no midnight call outs.

One of the things that keeps agencies at FLETC is the total cost. Including lodging and per diem. FT Benning could work if they built housing on base and paid to have students eat in the Army DFAC. That still doesn’t account for student transport to snd from specific training areas like ranges and driving tracks.

[TGS]

One of the things that keeps agencies at FLETC is the total cost. Including lodging and per diem. FT Benning could work if they built housing on base and paid to have students eat in the Army DFAC. That still doesn’t account for student transport to snd from specific training areas like ranges and driving tracks.

When we built our new training center we were approved X dollars and that included a chow hall and on campus lodging. It took a lot of fighting because some Georgia congresscritters wanted all the money to go to their constituents down at FLETC, even though Glynco was entirely unable to support what we needed in any way.

So fast forward to the middle of building and congress all the sudden says, "Whoa! This is way too expensive, we can't believe we approved this. We're cutting your budget in half". So, we dropped the chow hall and lodging. A year later, congress goes, "Whoa! This is costing so much money! Why is it costing you so much to operate this place, and how can we lower the costs!?"

Well, you could let us build lodging and a chow hall like originally planned instead of making us bus people in from an hour away, all staying at hotels on full per diem. Gee, idk, maybe that would be an idea to consider.....

Congress is an absolute clown show.

[HCM]

When we built our new training center we were approved X dollars and that included a chow hall and on campus lodging. It took a lot of fighting because some Georgia congresscritters wanted all the money to go to their constituents down at FLETC, even though Glynco was entirely unable to support what we needed in any way.

So fast forward to the middle of building and congress all the sudden says, "Whoa! This is way too expensive, we can't believe we approved this. We're cutting your budget in half". So, we dropped the chow hall and lodging. A year later, congress goes, "Whoa! This is costing so much money! Why is it costing you so much to operate this place, and how can we lower the costs!?"

Well, you could let us build lodging and a chow hall like originally planned instead of making us bus people in from an hour away, all staying at hotels on full per diem. Gee, idk, maybe that would be an idea to consider.....

Congress is an absolute clown show.

Georgia Congress critters have constituents at “Flea-Tec” but would not recognize FLETC if pronounced properly…