How To Become A Federal Air Marshal
|
|
Fight Terrorism in the Skies as a Federal Air Marshal
Plane travel has been under extreme surveillance, modification and overhaul since the terrorist attacks of 2001, and it is the job of a federal air marshal to ensure safe passage on all air travel and ensure national security by monitoring all forms of transportation. They are part of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) which is now part of the Department of Homeland Security, and so there are not only strict requirements to make you eligible to spend your days in an aircraft, but there are strong educational demands as well. If you are a 37 year old American citizen, see how to translate your love of flying to a career in the air in this agency.
Training Demands
A bachelor's criminal justice degree is the bare minimum to be considered for this position, since more advanced degrees like masters and doctorates are favored. Federal positions are always highly competitive, so obtaining advanced education is an easy way to set yourself above the rest and give yourself more of a shot. Luckily, Capella University and Colorado Technical University Online are just 2 examples of online schools that can help you achieve a degree in as little as 15 months. Additionally, you will need to have collected at least 3 years of professional experience in the fields of accounting, administration or information technology, and an additional year of experience in a law enforcement situation, like implementing aviation procedures or enforcing laws, conducting investigations or performing assessments on security risks or threats in aviation. Your acceptance will be met with immediate enrollment in 2 7 week courses held at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center training site.
Job Description
Protecting civilians on local and international flight is the primary mandate of an air marshal, so they spend their careers in the air, with an estimated 5 hours each day for about 181 days a year of flying time. They are also the most advanced marksmen of any federal agency since they must be qualified to the highest level of handling firearms. They also work together with other agencies like the FBI's counterterrorism task force and the National Counterterrorism Center to ensure national security and protect the country from terrorism. All of these responsibilities result in the potential for quite a high salary, starting at about $36,000 and ranging up to almost $90,000, but getting a job as a federal air marshal is tough without many new positions opening up compared to other careers in criminal justice. You need to dedicate your education and career to this one goal to find a way that sets you apart from the rest, otherwise being accepted with a basic bachelor's degree and the minimum amount of experience is unlikely.
Criminal Justice Degree |
|
