U.S. Secret Service

Not Exactly Your Typical Job
The U.S. Secret Service was created on July 5, 1865, as a federal bureau under the Department of Treasury. At that time, its main function and purpose was to suppress the counterfeiting of U. S. Currency. In 1901, the functions of the U.S. Secret Service were expanded to include the important responsibility of protecting the President of the United States.

This responsibility has since been extended to:

• Presidential immediate family.
• Vice President and immediate family.
• Former Presidents and spouses for life and their children until age 16.
• Visiting heads of foreign States and Governments and spouses traveling with them.
• Major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and spouses.

SPECIAL AGENTS
Special Agent positions are very competitive. The U.S. Secret Service is interested in all qualified applicants; however, availability of positions is limited because of high competition and a low attrition rate.

All applicants must pass the Treasury Enforcement Agent written examination. Other parts of the hiring process include:

• In-depth interviews
• Credit record checks
• Drug testing
• Polygraph examination
• Full-field background investigation
• Physical/medical examination

Newly appointed Special Agents may be assigned to duty stations anywhere in the United States and the position requires frequent travel.

Special agents are required to maintain high levels of physical fitness throughout their careers.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
The minimum requirements include:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Must be between the ages of 21 and 37 at time of appointment.
• Vision no worse than 20/60 (uncorrected) in each eye and must be correctable to 20/20.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (OR) a minimum of three years experience of which two years must be in criminal investigations.

Applicants with a minimum of one to five years work experience generally are considered to be highly qualified. Applicants with bachelor's degrees may qualify with work experience unrelated to criminal investigations, but the experience should demonstrate responsible full-time employment status.

PAY AND BENEFITS
Salaries for special agents are based on the federal government's special rates for law enforcement officers at the GS-5 through the GS-9 grade levels and the general schedule for the GS-11 and above grade levels. Applicable locality pay adjustments may apply depending on the duty location. Beginning salaries are determined by a combination of education and experience.

U.S. Secret Service special agents are also eligible to receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) after the successful completion of training and certification. Under the LEAP program, agents receive an additional twenty-five percent of their base pay due to their availability and frequent requirements to work irregular and unscheduled hours beyond the normal forty hour work week.

Other benefits include vacation and sick leave, retirement plan, and participation in health and life insurance plans.

TRAINING
Special agents are provided extensive training in federal law enforcement and state-of-the-art investigative procedures. All agents receive twelve weeks of general investigative training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia and twelve weeks of specialized instruction at the U.S. Secret Service training facilities in the Washington, DC area. Classroom study is supplemented by on-the-job training. Special agents participate in advanced in-service training programs. Training includes, but is not limited to:

• Criminal, Constitutional and Civil law
• Rules of evidence
• Courtroom etiquette
• Report writing
• Comprehensive courses in protection
• Criminal investigation procedures
• Surveillance techniques
• Undercover operations
• Use of scientific devices
• Emergency medicine
• Firearms
• Self-defensive measures, arrest techniques and control tactics
• Extensive physical fitness and conditioning
• Protective and defensive driving measures

HOW TO APPLY
Interested applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements for special agent positions should apply through their local U.S. Secret Service field office. Potential applicants may also call our toll free number at 1-800-897-8613 or access the U.S. Secret Service web site at http://www.treas.gov/usss

WHAT TO SUBMIT
Applicants are required to submit the following initial paperwork when applying for positions:

A completed Application for Federal Employment (SF-171);
or
An Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612) and a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306);
or
A Resume and a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306).

AS OF: 09-01-1998

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