How To Be Part Of The Counter Terrorism
Your Country is Important, so Protect it By Working in Counter Terrorism
Counter terrorism is a government concern made more crucial since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Since then, terrorist threats have grown, paving the way for more job growth in this field. Both homeland security and the CIA have counter terrorism units, as do many other federal agencies, creating many jobs for trained professionals. There are also many positions within this sector; from office and administrative analysts, to security agents and intelligence officers, putting the salary range starting at $30,000 to well over $150,000. It is a difficult, dangerous field to get into, but it is a vital role in the US government requiring strong, tough individuals. If you think you have what it takes, find out the steps to get there. Of all criminal justice careers, this one is probably among the hard ones.
How to Work in Counter Terrorism
Post-secondary education is essential if you want to work for any government agency, and although they do offer 2 year associate's degrees in appropriate subjects, you won't get very far with it. You should get a minimum of a 4 year bachelor's degree and then perhaps even a master's degree in criminal justice, homeland security or counter terrorism. Any criminal justice degree majors will cover causes of terrorism, being prepared for a disaster, cyber terrorism, global terrorism, bio terrorism, international terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and how to fight the war against terrorism. Obtaining a masters degree will certainly open more doors for you, but with a bachelor's degree, you can be eligible for the job and to then pursue the training offered by your agency. The CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security and many private counter terrorism agencies will all provide training once hired. Walden University Online and Strayer University are 2 of the recommended online programs to obtain these degrees.
Job Duties
Of course the main role of this job is to develop practices and tactics to prevent and fight terrorism, but there are many missions that a counter terrorism division will encounter. They must find and do away with any terrorist sleeper cells or terrorist networks in the US, determine terrorist agendas and identify risks and improve the ability to locate and dismantle any terrorist threats. They need to be ready and available to travel when needed, and it is preferred to be fluent in multiple languages. Day to day tasks vary greatly, and there are different divisions of the unit, including intelligence, financial analysis and technical information, so it is vital to determine the area of speciality you want to focus on to ensure you get the appropriate counter terrorism training. It's a tough job but crucial to the country's safety.
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