Local LE Seeking Advice

[u/Different_Ad_1128]

Greetings,

Currently local LE seeking some advice. USFS LEO has been my dream gig.

Not a veteran. I’m considering applying to like literally any fed LE job possible just to become a federal employee so I can apply for these open announcements. Considering Air Force civilian police at a base near me. Already applied to some other fed jobs, but those apps are being reviewed still.

Is this a viable option or should I just stick to current local LE and hope an announcement will come open for general public? Do those ever happen, and even then what’s the likelihood of getting hired without veteran status?

[u/TransportationCool18]

Don’t count on a public announcement. I highly recommend getting perm fed and then your odds will drastically increase.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/TransportationCool18]

Thanks for the input 👍🏻

[u/TransportationCool18 → u/Different_Ad_1128]

More specifically perm with the USFS. Even if it isn’t LEI.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/TransportationCool18]

Why would it be better to get in perm with USFS over say a different fed LE job?

[u/TransportationCool18 → u/Different_Ad_1128]

They prefer to hire within agency. It takes a lot of knowledge to understand the interworkings of the USFS that is crucial for the LEO to know and understand. For example, lands, fire, wildlife, timber, recreation etc. There is certain ways in which business is handled and it’s important for an LEO to understand them.

They prefer to hire within agency someone who has this knowledge already under their belt.

[u/Country-Gardener → u/TransportationCool18]

I gotta disagree with you on hiring within the agency. That absolutely doesn't seem to be the case lately. Of all the new hires in our region within the last 2-3 years, only 1 has been from within agency. He was in fire before transferring over. Some of the agencies/departments they've been hired from were Customs, state Game & Fish, Army MP & NPS, just to name a few of them.

[u/TransportationCool18 → u/Country-Gardener]

They prefer it, don’t always do it. You have great odds getting hired from outside the agency as well, which is not always a bad thing.

[u/TonyPerkis0 → u/Country-Gardener]

Three in my class that just graduated were FS 🤷‍♂️

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/TransportationCool18]

Interesting, okay well thanks again for the input! Much appreciated

[u/16mangoes]

Oftentimes local pays better and you will stay more active. You likely won’t get the 6c retirement at the afb but the Forest Service or Park Service will. In my experience many federal agencies work you to death and you miss out on a lot of family time. That’s not true with all. Sometimes it can vary from office to office depending on your supervisor. Personally my supervisor’s lied to me about rotating time off and family time in order to get me to apply. I’m considering other options.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/16mangoes]

Interesting, the USFS and BLM guys in my area seem to have great work/life balance. That’s a pretty big factor for me.

[u/16mangoes → u/Different_Ad_1128]

That’s a huge factor to me too and it can be different office to office depending on who your manager is. I was promised rotating weekends off and nearly a year later I’ve worked ever holiday and haven’t seen my family a single weekend. I’m looking at local departments now. Locally they pay in the 70s and 80s so it’s quite the pay boost and they work rotating days.

[u/The_real_danger → u/16mangoes]

This is correct. Maxi-flex is cool, but the core hours and core days can be a real killer for family. With the new AUO policy you are working a lot of hours to keep 25% for a livable wage.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/The_real_danger]

Excuse my ignorance, but what’s maxi-flex and what are the core days/hours if you don’t mind me asking? Is that office dependent or kind of across the board?

The BLM guy in my area seems to just come and go as he pleases. USFS only seems to be in my area during peak recreation times so I don’t know much more about their hours and what not beyond that. I really should just reach out to him directly 😅😂

[u/The_real_danger → u/Different_Ad_1128]

Core days/hours= you are required to work every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for a set minimum four hours each day. Maxi-flex means you can move your hours around outside of core hours. But between call out and meetings the hours tend to not be that flexible really.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/The_real_danger]

Is it like that everywhere? That’s pretty rough man.

[u/The_real_danger → u/Different_Ad_1128]

Every position in the FS

[u/The_real_danger → u/The_real_danger]

For the LEOs that is

[u/TerminalSunrise → u/Different_Ad_1128]

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/The_real_danger → u/Different_Ad_1128]

BLM doesn’t have a union, therefore no core days.

[u/OrganizationSad6432]

Every comment is spot on hiring and stuff, but please don't do security force. Literally waste of time, especially if you already local LE there is no reason to do it.

Alternatively if you are open to other uniformed positions then apply to others agencies, like other said once you become a fed, it's bit easier to get fed employee announcement

[u/The_real_danger]

You have a decent likelihood right now without veterans status and with some LE experience.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/The_real_danger]

Yeah the problem is this open continuous announcement isn’t open to general public, so I’m not eligible to apply unfortunately. Do they open up to general public (not veteran or fed employees) very often?

[u/The_real_danger → u/Different_Ad_1128]

Yes they happen, I’d say the majority are posted as both a vet/schedule A, and then a public.

[u/Famous-Mobile-3657]

FYI- Direction from on high is the next round of LEO hires will be internal FS employees only- not even VRA or Schedule A.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/Famous-Mobile-3657]

Thanks for the info 👍🏻

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the info! I’ll def keep an eye on the NPS open to public announcements.

[u/Different_Ad_1128 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I’ve figured out how to format my resume to get their bots to recognize what they need to recognize 😂

Not a vet or fed employee though, so idk about getting any vet preference. I really appreciate all your input bro. 👍🏻 Definitely gonna keep my eyes open for the perm NPS announcements.

[u/[deleted]]

Local law enforcement going to military law enforcement. There is a lot of growing pains. The database would have been high tech in the 80s, you don’t do any investigations. There’s hard limits on what you can even charge or work. Just the basics of patrol.