Being a body guard

[All Torhs Team 0]

Looks like a b.a. job, and probally pretty simple. Unless something actually goes down. How would you work your way up the chain to get a position like that?

[RadioGaGa 162]

A highly (HIGHLY) decorated Military or law enforcement career. Probably not 'simple'. Long hours. TOTAL secrecy...probably can't even tell immediate family what your day-to-day on duty stuff will include.

Oh yeah...then the sworn duty to be a human shield and take a bullet if needed.

[All Torhs Team 0]

Good point. I just thought it looked totally badass watching Obama in Hawaii.

Good point. I just thought it looked totally badass watching Obama in Hawaii.

[shooter27 116]

Certainly not a BS job by any means. A few years back I read an article that talked about what those guys go through from the military training to the dry runs of events. These guys are drilled in and out every single day and there are not very many of them so they travel wherever the President goes, which means extremely long hours and a great deal of time away from friends and family.

[dcdot377 0]

i know that the secrete service offers protection to anyone runnning for president and that is probably where the new-er guys start before acutually protecting the president. if you do well you move up the list of important people

[fatwabbit 93]

Trust me, all the secrecy thing is really a crappy life. I worked in a company that built military tanks. I was the project lead for a government classified project (a few years back so now its public knowledge), and the stuff you did had to be kept behind closed doors. 3 security checkpoints to get to your desk, and you couldnt tell anybody what you were doing. They would run security background checks on all your family, and friends ....

Put a strain on your personal life.

[Rustpot 1]

Watch "Guarding Tess", that's where I gleaned all of my super cool SS know-how from. Nicholas Cage is a BAMF in that.

Secret Service are recruited from all branches of the military and law enforcement, they get picked and start in junior roles and must work their entire careers to have the honor of guarding the president. And having something like "Never Land Island" associated with you, even jokingly on the internet, can seriously screw up your chances during one of the many, extensive background checks that are run on those guys.

[jrhky36 1]

i had the displeasure of being at a location hte president frequents. the job is very difucult. if you enjoy wearing nice close everyday. the president i met i could not stand. be was a lying bastard, but then arent they all.

as far as requirements go i can only speak of the military. the branch that has this task in he marine corp.

the background check is very long and hard. some requirements are, over 6 foot tall, american born.

i was not a part of the detail but was there providing additional security. i wa able to talk with a couple of secret service agents though. they said so intresting things. like if your assigned to as president you will stay with that president until both (president/first lady) die and then you most likily retire. very few agents have ever been assigned to 2 presidents. the movie: In The Line Of Fire has some realistic aspect to it.

the secret service also deals with the treasury.

some agent join to gaurd the president but never get the chance because they only take the top 1% of all agents get eh chance to be screened for the job.

[donkey87 0]

To start with you will need to join the Secret Service. To do that you need to be at least 21 with a 4 year college degree or 3 years or criminal investigation experience. If you are selected you'll have to attend training at FLETC in Georgia followed by additional training in Washington D.C. If you make it through that you will become an investigator. All Secret Service agents start as investigators, no one goes straight from training to protection details. After doing your time as an investigator you can apply to become part of a protection detail. It is very competative and some agents serve their entire careers without ever guarding the president. It's a job that requires a huge amount of planning and remain alert long periods of time.

The Secret Service also has a uniformed division. They are responsible for protecting the White House. The job requirements are similar to that of a special agent except that a college degree is not required. In addition both the Marines and Air Force provide security personnel at certain times and locations.

[Monty22 833]

A buddy of mine does these details. He was in the Border Patrol out of college before applying to the Treasury Dept. He's home about 6 days a year. Some interesting stories, but not the job if you are planning on a family.

[JR Boucicaut 3803]

My ex-gf's husband is in the USAF and guards Air Force 2. She's currently on vacation in Jackson Hole because Cheney's out there and she just stays at a different hotel than her husband and sees him when he's not working. Her friend's husband is in the SS.

[Monty22 833]

The problem I'd have with this job is I can't think of a single politician worth taking a bullet for.

[juiced 0]

does anybody know how much this job makes? like how much would you make guarding the president versus just being a normal ss agent.

[jrhky36 1]

does anybody know how much this job makes? like how much would you make guarding the president versus just being a normal ss agent.

the agents who do this don't do it for the money.

the marines are always around the president. they also provide the helo that he flies (marine 1) squdron is vmx 1.

donkey are you talking about the unis at the gate for the white house? if so those people are fedral police who are responsible for ferdal buildings.

[donkey87 0]

All Secret Service agents are paid a salary based on a GS scale. They are also eligible for LEAP(law enforcement availibility pay) which is equal to 25% of their base salary.

jrhky36, The FPS is responsible for many federal building in Washington D.C. and all over the country, however the Secret Service Uniformed Division is responsible for security for the White House. The Uniformed Division includes the countersniper, K-9, and ERT units.

[juiced 0]

the agents who do this don't do it for the money.

i know, but i'm just curious as to how much they DO make. is it more than a hundred? less? WAY more?

[RadioGaGa 162]

The 'salary' of the Pres is only $250,000 (isn't it?). It would be interesting to know what his security detail makes.

[EDIT]; VP is around 200,000....Pres is more like $400,000. It might have been Bush 1 when I heard that stat originally.

[Caustic Mick 0]

One of my best friends is a SS agent- the things he tells me about preparation for a POTUS visit is insane. Absolutely amazing. From our conversations, he makes near six figures.

[TBLfan 25]

The 'salary' of the Pres is only $250,000 (isn't it?). It would be interesting to know what his security detail makes.

[EDIT]; VP is around 200,000....Pres is more like $400,000. It might have been Bush 1 when I heard that stat originally.

I don't recall the SS salary but I think it's around 85k-95k(starting). If I recall correctly, Postal Inspector is the highest paid position in law enforcement(starting salary of 110k-120k).

But it's been a while since that subject has come up, so it's all off of memory.

Edit - Recalling numbers.