FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY KIDS

1. What is it like to be a Secret Service agent?
2. What do I have to do to become a Secret Service agent?
3. What types of cases does the Secret Service work?
4. Why do agents agree to "take a bullet" for the President?
5. Who are the people in uniform at the White House gates?
6. Has anyone ever been shot while guarding the President?
7. How many employees have been killed?
8. Did you have to take a survival test before joining the Secret Service?
9. Why do agents always wear sunglasses, and can you send me a pair?
10. What is that wire for that agents have in their ears?
11. Can you send me a sample bullet?
12. What kind of training do agents get?
13. What types of weapons do agents carry?
14. Do you have to be good in math to be an agent?
15. What do agents wear as protective gear while on assignments?
16. Is the Secret Service like the CIA and do your agents use neat weapons like James Bond?
17. Why do you use dogs to help protect people?
18. I saw men on the roof of the White House. What do they do?

1. What is it like to be a Secret Service agent?
   
   The Secret Service is unique among federal law enforcement agencies because not only do we work criminal investigations, we also provide protection for the President and Vice President of the United States and their families, former Presidents, Presidential candidates, and visiting heads of state and heads of government to the United States. Therefore, throughout their careers agents will perform a variety of assignments--both protective and investigative.
   
   Secret Service special agents will begin their careers with 6 to 8 years in a field office. After the field office assignments, agents are usually transferred to a protective detail where they will stay for 3 to 5 years. At the conclusion of their protective detail assignment, they will spend an additional 2 to 4 years working in a headquarters office, before returning to the field. However, promotions will affect the typical career path.
   
   
   
2. What do I have to do to become a Secret Service agent?
   
   The basic requirements to become a Secret Service agent are that the applicant must have either a four-year college degree or a combination of education and criminal investigative experience, be in good physical condition, and have not gotten into too much trouble as a child or young adult. Lots of people apply to become Secret Service agents, so the process is very competitive. We always tell people that may be interested in becoming an agent that they should study very hard in school, don' t do drugs of any kind, and be the best person that they can be.
   
   
   
3. What types of cases does the Secret Service work?
   
   The types of criminal cases we work are mainly concerned with safeguarding the nation's financial security. The Secret Service was originally founded in 1865 to suppress counterfeit money. We still spend a lot of time investigating counterfeit money both in the United States and overseas. Additionally, we currently investigate credit card fraud, computer fraud and financial institution fraud. Even though we now rely on computers to help us, we still go out and ask questions of victims, witnesses, and suspects. Talking with people is one of the best ways to tell whether people are telling the truth. We also investigate people who make threats against the President, Vice President, or any of our protectees. These are probably our most serious cases because we have to determine if someone really wants to hurt one of these people or if they perhaps have some problems of their own for which they need help.
   
   
   
4. Why do agents agree to "take a bullet" for the President?
   
   The reason we agree to "take a bullet" for the President is based on preserving the ideals on which this country was founded, such as democracy.
   
   
   
5. Who are the people in uniform at the White House gates?
   
   Those individuals are members of the Secret Service Uniformed Division. They wear uniforms because their jobs require them to be recognized as police officers. Many of these officers are posted at different areas around the White House, at the Vice President's residence and at embassies. These officers protect these buildings as well as the people in them.
   
   
   
6. Has anyone ever been shot while guarding the President?
   
   Fortunately, very few of our personnel have been shot while guarding the President or other protectees, but the risks are always there.
   
   Examples of employees who have been shot are Officer Leslie Coffelt and Special Agent Tim McCarthy. Officer Coffelt was shot and killed in 1950 when two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to assassinate President Harry Truman. Officer Coffelt died of his injury. Special Agent McCarthy was shot by John Hinkley, Jr. when he tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Special Agent McCarthy recovered from his injury. In both of those incidents other law enforcement personnel also were wounded.
   
   We also had an agent wounded in the attempted assassination of Presidential candidate Governor George Wallace. Special Agent Nick Zarvos was shot in the throat, but survived, as did Governor Wallace.
   
   Our personnel spend a lot of time training, and we also make a lot of advance preparations before one of our protectees visits somewhere to try and minimize the chances of someone with a gun getting close to any of our protectees.
   
   
   
7. How many employees have been killed?
   
   As of 2003, we have lost 34 employees as a result of on-duty incidents.
   
   
   
8. Did you have to take a survival test before joining the Secret Service?
   
   No, agents do not have to pass a survival test. However, during their training, and even while they are working, we like our agents to be in very good physical condition. We encourage everyone to get lots of exercise by running or lifting weights so that they stay healthy. We also encourage our personnel to eat a healthy diet.
   
   
   
9. Why do agents always wear sunglasses, and can you send me a pair?
   
   The reason Secret Service agents wear sunglasses is to keep the sun out of their eyes--so they can increase their ability to see what people in the crowd are doing. We are sorry but we cannot send you a pair of sunglasses--agents buy their own sunglasses.
   
   
   
10. What is that wire for that agents have in their ears?
    
    The swirled wire that you have seen around an agent's ear is attached to a special radio that allows agents to talk with other Secret Service agents without allowing anyone who is not an agent to hear their conversation. Agents have a piece of equipment called a surveillance kit that is part of their radio. The surveillance kit contains a microphone and an earpiece that are connected to a radio. Having a microphone allows them to place their radios on their belts so that they can keep their hands free while they are working, which is very important when you are providing protection for someone.
    
    
    
11. Can you send me a sample bullet?
    
    No, we are sorry that we cannot send you a sample bullet. The Secret Service feels very strongly about gun safety, and that includes being accountable for all of our ammunition. In addition, we encourage kids who might come across a gun to follow these rules:
    1. Stop and do not touch the gun
    2. Leave the area
    3. Tell an adult what you have found
    
    
    
12. What kind of training do agents get?
    
    All new agents spend 9 weeks in Glynco,Georgia, at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center where they are taught basic police skills.
    
    These basic skills include law, firearms training, defensive tactics, and report writing. After completing the first school, all Secret Service agents come to Washington, DC, where they undergo 12 additional weeks of training.
    
    The second school is only attended by Secret Service agents and officers. In that school, they learn things very specific to the Secret Service including how to detect counterfeit money and credit card fraud, how to protect people and how to drive in special ways to help keep our protectees safe. Even after agent's or officers have completed both schools, they continue to receive training throughout their careers.
    
    
    
13. What types of weapons do agents carry?
    
    Secret Service agents and officers carry the Sig Sauer P229, 357 caliber pistol. They also are trained on the Remington Model 870 shotgun, the Uzi submachine gun, and the MP5 automatic weapon.
    
    
    
14. Do you have to be good in math to be an agent?
    
    Arithmetic is used frequently by agents. In addition to protecting the President and Vice President of the United States and their families, we also investigate financial crimes such as counterfeiting and credit card fraud. Agents must be proficient in math to accomplish these types of assignments. For example, when counterfeit currency is seized it has to be counted. Statistics are kept on these types of crimes, so agents need to have a working knowledge of fractions, percentages, etc. Fulfilling basic math requirements in high school and college is sufficient to prepare a person for possible employment as an agent with the Secret Service.
    
    
    
15. What do agents wear as protective gear while on assignments?
    
    For protective and investigative assignments agents use their standard issue weapon, handcuffs, and radio to maintain contact with one another. They also are issued bullet-resistant vests.
    
    
    
16. Is the Secret Service like the CIA, and do your agents use neat weapons like James Bond?
    
    We are a federal law enforcement agency, but we do not gather intelligence like the CIA does. Our agents do work undercover during their criminal investigations, which includes investigating counterfeit money, credit card fraud, and financial institution fraud among other things. Additionally, we do have a lot of technical equipment to help our personnel perform their duties.
    
    
    
17. Why do you use dogs to help protect people?
    
    In 1975 the Secret Service began its canine program because the canine and its handler were found to be the most effective way of detecting explosives. The Secret Service uses canines from Holland called the Belgian Malanois. This breed is small and he has short hair so it is easy for it to work in the heat, it is faster, has a strong bite, and is very sociable. Each canine and his handler must complete 20 weeks of training before they are ready to begin working. During basic training the canines are taught basic obedience training, scent scouting, tracking (ground scent), article search, explosive odors detection, and patrolling (criminal apprehension). After graduating from basic training, each canine retrains 8 hours every week for the rest of its career.
    
    Secret Service canines remain with the Uniformed Division handlers 24 hours a day. They become members of the family. The average retirement age for a canine varies depending on its physical condition, but for most dogs it is about 10 years of age. When a canine is ready to retire, it is retired to the handler.
    
    
    
18. I saw men on the roof of the White House. What do they do?
    
    Those individuals are members of the Secret Service Countersniper Team. The Team is composed of specially trained Uniformed Division officers. Their mission is to neutralize any long-range threat to a protectee. They are trained with specially built rifles and other sophisticated equipment.