How to Become a Secret Service Agent

It might seem like a bit of a shock to realize that the main job of a Secret Service security agent is not to protect the President, but is actually much more diverse than that. Hollywood has conditioned us to believe that every agent must be prepared to risk his or her life for the President, Vice-President, and their families, but this is simply not the case. In actuality, the main job of these individuals is to maintain legitimacy in the country's currency, which means protecting the country from counterfeiters. In fact, every member of this elite group is a member of the U.S Treasury Department and the majority of these workers deal entirely with these currency issues. If you are interested in becoming a security secret agent, you must know that this is one of the most competitive fields that you could possibly have interest in and that only a few of the best candidates will ever get the chance to do this as a career.

If this competitive atmosphere does not scare you off, you should also be aware that you must be under the age of 37, be an American citizen, and be in perfect health to be considered. This health includes things like your vision, which must be correctable to 20/20 in order for you to be considered. It makes sense that there is this type of screening process, as the organization does not want just anyone protecting the country in the manner that these agents do.

If you meet the requirements, you should also know that you will need at least a bachelor's degree. Although this degree can be in nearly any field, it will definitely pay off if you have taken courses in criminology, law enforcement, police science, psychology, and criminal justice. Once again, since this field is so competitive, any advantage that you can give yourself can work wonders for your career in the end.



You can get your application form through the Secret Service website and you should be prepared to have your entire life invaded if you decide to apply. They will look at every aspect of your history in order to make sure that you are not a potential threat to the country's security and they will probably be able to dig up things that you did not think anyone else knew about. You will also have to pass an exam and submit a drug test. Once this has been completed, you will also have to go through a polygraph test, so they can make sure that everything that you have told them is the truth.

If you are accepted after all of this has been completed, you will be able to enter the training course, which is about nine weeks long. You will have to pass more tests along the way, since they obviously are not going to hand a security secret job over to just anyone. You will also receive firearms training over this time, so you will be fully equipped to handle anything that comes your way. If all of this goes the right way, you will be given an assignment, although you will still be considered a trainee. This training will go on for a year and you will be put into dangerous situations through this on the job training. If you are able to make it through an entire year, the Secret Service will look at retaining you in a permanent position.

This job is definitely not for everyone and you will be forced to deal with some of the most dangerous people in American society. Since there is a great deal of money involved, you will also have to deal with desperate people who are trying to hold onto what they have. If you are an agent that is selected to protect the President, the danger gets even higher, as you will be placed in high pressure situations on a daily basis. This is an extremely rewarding career, but it definitely is not for everyone, so make sure that this is the career that you truly wish to pursue before you take these necessary steps because the invasion of privacy that you will experience during the application process is definitely not for everyone.