ducman Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 I'll tell you, if I have to move one more time I think I'm going to scream. I'm in federal law enforcement and I've been searching for my "nich" for what feels like forever. For the sake of brevity I'll just include the recent stuff. I was a Federal Air Marshal. It's one of those jobs that sounds a lot better than it really is. I really enjoyed the people I worked with-good bunch of guys. After a year and a half I was bored of the job and ready to move on. The pay was good though, for a Fed job, I gotta giv'em that. I moved out to Arizona (crappy Yuma) a year ago to take a job as a Ranger for the Bureau of Land Management. I took a 23 thousand dollar pay decrease to have the privilage of working outside among the fuzzy creatures (actual job is in California-long commute). It's turning out to be more boring than the Air Marshal job. My sector just doesn't get very many people coming through it. Another issue is that I'm a federal firearms instructor but my chief does all the instruction and won't let me do anything to revamp the firearms program, even though I am bringing updated tactics and drills to the table. He is very closed minded and won't let anyone "threaten" his position as the big bad firearms instructor. All this when he told me during my interview that someone with my experience would do the program some good. I don't get it. It's part of the reason they hired me. So, I'm thinking of doing something that I never thought I would do-leave the federal system after six years and go to work for a local PD like Cheyenne, WY. Only prob is I'd have to take yet another pay cut, about 8k. I'd be happier possibly, but I'll be making litterally half what I was making with Homeland Security. I'd also have to go through another academy. It would be my third academy not counting the Air Marshal training and all the other little schools. I'm tired of academies! Long story short-I want to be useful (who doesn't right). Yes, protecting the public from some unknown threat on airplanes and making sure no one shoots bambi out of season are both gratifying in their own ways. My point is it would be nice to come home at the end of the day and be able to say I did this, and this, and this and feel good about it. Actual things, not -" I sat there and made sure nothing happened." Am I asking too much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 How many times you're willing to "start over" in life (and to what degree) may depend upon your age and your personal set of responsibilities. Believe me, one CAN get tired of repeatedly "starting over" eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Well everybody knows you're never going to make any money being in LE You can learn to find a dept that pays decent, shut up put your time in and retire or you can keep jumping around trying to change the world while you bang your head off a wall. After 15 years I laugh at all the new guys. You aint going to save the world, there are very few true victims mostly damn fools that put themselves in a bad situation as willing participants, and every dept out there is F'ed up. As a FI I just said the hell with it because the brass aint going to change anything unless they get sued. Quals are a joke and the equipment is always 10 years behind the curve. Go to work arrest as many of the scums as you can and go home alive after 8. Get up and do it again. Only thing you can do is try to keep them out of your area. Retire and find a mountain top cabin in WY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zak Smith Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Is KBR, Halliburton, or Blackwater hiring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Is KBR, Halliburton, or Blackwater hiring? Sort of. A FI here got offered a job from KBR going to Iraq for $1K/day, but he's been stateside 'on hold' (and not being paid) since this spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducman Posted August 9, 2004 Author Share Posted August 9, 2004 Zak- yes they are hiring. I have around ten friends that are over ther right now. Already talked that one over the fiance. You can guess what she said. Women, what are you gonna do? It's just as well I guess. I've talked with two buddies that have lost people in their squad/team/platoon. There is a reason they are getting 800-1,200/day. Then you have the issue shred is talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shepard Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 Ducman, I feel your pain. I’m in a similar boat but the location is worse, Blythe, just up the road from you. I was a prosecutor but liked catching them more than cooking them and became a city cop. I worked for an agency that really took care of its people and I had a good time working the street. But, I made the mistake of wanting more. Rather than go back inside with an alphabet soup agency I joined the Border Patrol to work outdoors and participate in their fulltime search and rescue team. Well, they sent me to the only station that does not allow participation in the teams, the BP work suxs and to say the agency is mismanaged would be a courtesy. To add insult to injury they won’t provide a work schedule more than two weeks out so I can’t plan major matches or anything else for that matter I hate to hear BLM is not working out. I’ve been casting furtive glances in that direction in an attempt to find something outside that pays better than city law enforcement. Shepard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducman Posted August 10, 2004 Author Share Posted August 10, 2004 Chriss - I'm under no illusion that I'm going to rush out and save the world. I don't think there is a perfect agency out there either - there's not. If I wanted to make money - real money, I would have chosen another profession. Part of the point of my original post is that I'm not catching bad guys, at least not very often. Again, the area I was assigned to is just not that busy. Catching bad guys on a regular basis wouldn't be saving the world but it would be something. That's all I want. That and a place where I can afford a decent house where I can raise a family and have a little disposible income to pursue a hobbie or two. Shepard - I'm not saying that the BLM is all bad. It greatly depends on the the office you're in. Phoenix and Tucson are better managed. Part of it is also that I grew up on the east coast (Atlanta & Miami). I've lived all over, but never in the desert. I just wasn't prepaired for the nothingness I guess. The area I work isn't so bad - Julian & Mccain Valley but I can't afford to live there. Sorry about the BP situation. I guess catcing IA's is either something you like or you don't. I imagine that there isn't much variation in the routine though. I like helping you guys out though. It breaks up the monotony.At least you guys got your 11's. BLM talks about it, but it hasn't happened yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shepard Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 Ducman, Small world. I'm from Florida also. Its not the catching of IAs its the processing. You wouldn't believe the paperwork involved in giving an IA a bus ride home. Also, 99% of the IAs have no criminal history or intent so its hard to get excited about catching them(i'm not suggesting we open the border its just my take on their relative worthiness as a "badguy" Like you I miss the catching of bad guys. The search continues... Shepard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducman Posted August 11, 2004 Author Share Posted August 11, 2004 Ducman,Small world. I'm from Florida also. Its not the catching of IAs its the processing. You wouldn't believe the paperwork involved in giving an IA a bus ride home. Also, 99% of the IAs have no criminal history or intent so its hard to get excited about catching them(i'm not suggesting we open the border its just my take on their relative worthiness as a "badguy" Shepard - Yea, know what you mean. Kinda hard to get really jazzed about catching people that for the most part hold no malice toward us. They do litter a lot though. "Badguy quotient" - 2 on a 10 scale. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you though. A lot of departments would love to have a guy with a law degree. I don't have my degree, so it limits my choices somewhat. The large departments seem to be the ones that have all the overtime. We should get together and shoot / talk shop. Give me a pm, don't want to get accused of making the thread drift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 Thread drift or no, this has been a VERY interesting bit of discourse....... Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducman Posted August 11, 2004 Author Share Posted August 11, 2004 Sig lady - Thanks for the support. I get the feeling you've started over a few times yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 I've lost count. And I'm in the midst of a start-over even now... even at this late date. *Sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 It is tough to work for the Fed for a long period of time...idealism gets is the way of reality ...that is why too many leave It isn't like it was in the days of the Tx Rangers where you catch them and hang 'em...but that is too bad too... You are limited without your degree....suggest you finish your degree plan and look at returning to the Fed for the long haul.... My .02 worth.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducman Posted August 12, 2004 Author Share Posted August 12, 2004 It isn't like it was in the days of the Tx Rangers where you catch them and hang 'em...but that is too bad too...You are limited without your degree....suggest you finish your degree plan and look at returning to the Fed for the long haul.... My .02 worth.. Tightloop - I actually looked at the Texas Rangers as a possibility several years ago until I found out you have to be a TX native to become one. Guess they don't want us Georgia boys tainting the water. Researching the degree stuff now. Funny, my fiance has a masters in biology. How she ended up with me I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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