The Federal Bureau of Investigation has five main divisions for Special Agents including:
intelligence, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, criminal investigation, and a cyber division.
The purpose of this paper is to explore the subculture of the intelligence and counterintelligence
division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The responsibilities of the intelligence division
include: Aiming core investigative work proactively against threats to U.S. interests, Building
and sustaining enterprise-wide intelligence policies and, capabilities, and Providing useful,
appropriate, and timely information and analysis to national security, homeland security and law
enforcement community.
Once hired, special agents are required to attend the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
The academy includes 21 weeks of intensive training. During this time, individuals are required
to spend the majority of the time in on-campus living arrangements. The training involves
academic, investigative subjects, physical training, defensive tactics, and the use of firearms.
Following a successful completion of the academy, agents are assigned to a certain division,
possibly counterintelligence. This determination is based off of what the Federal Bureau of
Investigation requires at that specific time. Also, at this time it is determined what located the
assigned to, which is also based off of necessity.
The starting pay for a counterintelligence agent is based off of the GS-10, Step 1 (on the
Law Enforcement Officer’s salary table.) The salary includes the VA locality adjustment. The
approximate salary including this adjustment is $51,043.00, while in the academy. Following
the academy, the salary is dependent on which of the 56 locations the agent is assigned. Newly
assigned Special Agents still earn the GS-10, Step 1, but their salary also includes locality pay
and availability pay. Locality pay can range from 12% to 28%, depending on the location. If the
Special Agent is assigned to an area considered to be of high-cost, they can receive a one-time
relocation adjustment of $22,000.00. These areas include, San Francisco, New York,
Washington DC, Los Angeles, Boston, San Diego, and Newark. These agents must show that
they are moving to these cities from an area of lower costs. Obviously, the FBI offers a great
deal of opportunities for promotion and advancements. These promotions offer pay raises to the
scale of GS-14 and GS- 15.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation offers a variety of benefits to Special Agents
working in the counterintelligence division. This lost includes: health and life insurance,
retirement, time off, education and training, and worklife benefits. The annual leave and sick
leave policies provide 13 days off annually apiece for agents with less than three years
experience. These amounts of leave will increase the more amount of experience agents obtain.
These agents are also provided with 10 paid federal holidays.
The duties of a Special Agent, not necessarily those of a Counterintelligence Agent,
within the FBI are provided on USAjobs.gov. These duties include: protect the United States
from terrorist attacks, protect the United States against foreign counterintelligence and
espionage, protect the United States against cybercrimes and other high technology crimes,
combat public corruption, protect civil liberties, combat transnational and national criminal
organizations and enterprises, combat major white-collar crimes, combat highly violent crimes,
support state and local entities, and upgrade technology to successfully accomplish the FBI’s
mission. Although, these duties are not specific to the counterintelligence division, many of
these duties are the responsibilities of the counterintelligence agents.
USAjobs.gov also provides the key requirements of a FBI Special Agent. These
requirements include being a U.S. Citizen, background and/or security investigations required,
age requirements, must possess a Driver’s License, and be able to pass a pre-employment
examination. The websites continues to state that a 4 year degree is needed in one of the
following fields: Accounting, Computer Science, Engineering, Foreign Languages, Intelligence,
Law experience, Law Enforcement, and Physical Science. The list shows the diversity that the
FBI is trying to achieve.
http://www.fbijobs.gov/113.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO
http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4224
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13tKDpUX51I&feature=related
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79726926&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+09%3A30%3A3
2&Logo=0&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&customapplicant=15513,15514,15515,15669,15523,15512,
15516,45575&q=fbi+counterintelligence