10-15-2008, 02:11 PM
I was an SA for the USSS for ten years, and worked in a major field office as well as completed my protection phase. Soon after 9/11, I reluctantly transferred from the USSS to another federal agency as an 1811 for family reasons (too much travel was creating major issues with my wife and kids), and am currently on one of the Presidential Cabinet Secretary details.
When I left, my supervisor completed my "Re-Employment Recommendation" form (SSF 3229), and I was rated "high" and "exceptional" in every category, and he recommended that be re-employed if I ever applied for re-instatement. I have two years of local law enforcement experience, and now seventeen years experience as a federal agent. I was an intern for the USSS while in college, became one of the ECSAP computer forensic specialist agents while an agent (the USSS spent a lot of money training me for this), and was one of the few Special Agent/Paramedics in the Service. I was the recipient of numerous awards and commendations, to include the USSS Lifesaving Award and a letter of heroism. In short, I loved the job and it was a huge part of my life, but I had to leave if I wanted to remain married.
As soon as I left, I knew I hade made a professional mistake but it was the best choice for my family. I have always thought about applying to be re-instated once I got my family life settled down, knowing that as an older agent who is in Phase 3 the travel would be at least a little less. Two and a half years ago, I made the decision in consultation with my wife to re-apply. This was against the advice of every single agent I knew, but it was what I truly wanted. Even though agents were leaving in droves, I wanted to come back and do what I knew how to do best. I actually travel more in my current position than I did in the Service, and my family has adjusted to it.
I had heard of a few of my former colleagues who had left the Service and then applied to come back, but were turned down. That made no sense to me but I assumed that they had left on bad terms, which I did not. Some left for the lure of big money in the corporate world but wanted to come back when they saw that there is nothing like the Service, but they were turned down. I never thought that would happen to me though as I thought I was one of the "well thought of" agents and had good connections.
As I said, I applied two and half years ago, and had to go through the entire hiring process again. I passed the initial interview, the panel, and then took the medical. My cholesterol level was higher than normal, but nothing else was changed from when I was an active USSS agent. I never got any notice that I did not pass the medical, and never was given the chance to re-test my blood values if I had failed it.
Since I have maintained my TS/SCI clearance since I left the Service, they said they were not sure if I had to take the poly again, but that someone would let me know. However, it never got to that. I got the dreaded thin envelope the other day, which simply said that I was not qualified to be a USSS agent. No explanation, nothing. It did say, however, that I should consider myself proud to have been considered for the position. Lovely.
While some of the agents there say this is a blessing in disguise, I don't see it that way. I somewhat expected when I re-applied to be scooped up right away and put back to work. I never expected to get turned down. Why an agency that has people beating down the door to leave would turn down an already trained, experienced senior agent I may never know. I am certainly happy where I am now, but I really wanted to serve my country again in the USSS, and it just doesn't make any sense to me why I can't.
Any thoughts or ideas? Some have said to call my Senator and to make an issue of it, but that is not a good way to get on an agency's good side, and others have said perhaps it is an age discrimination thing, but I doubt that. I remain very proud of my time with the Service, and take comfort in knowing that things happen for a reason. I would just like to know what that reason is.
When I left, my supervisor completed my "Re-Employment Recommendation" form (SSF 3229), and I was rated "high" and "exceptional" in every category, and he recommended that be re-employed if I ever applied for re-instatement. I have two years of local law enforcement experience, and now seventeen years experience as a federal agent. I was an intern for the USSS while in college, became one of the ECSAP computer forensic specialist agents while an agent (the USSS spent a lot of money training me for this), and was one of the few Special Agent/Paramedics in the Service. I was the recipient of numerous awards and commendations, to include the USSS Lifesaving Award and a letter of heroism. In short, I loved the job and it was a huge part of my life, but I had to leave if I wanted to remain married.
As soon as I left, I knew I hade made a professional mistake but it was the best choice for my family. I have always thought about applying to be re-instated once I got my family life settled down, knowing that as an older agent who is in Phase 3 the travel would be at least a little less. Two and a half years ago, I made the decision in consultation with my wife to re-apply. This was against the advice of every single agent I knew, but it was what I truly wanted. Even though agents were leaving in droves, I wanted to come back and do what I knew how to do best. I actually travel more in my current position than I did in the Service, and my family has adjusted to it.
I had heard of a few of my former colleagues who had left the Service and then applied to come back, but were turned down. That made no sense to me but I assumed that they had left on bad terms, which I did not. Some left for the lure of big money in the corporate world but wanted to come back when they saw that there is nothing like the Service, but they were turned down. I never thought that would happen to me though as I thought I was one of the "well thought of" agents and had good connections.
As I said, I applied two and half years ago, and had to go through the entire hiring process again. I passed the initial interview, the panel, and then took the medical. My cholesterol level was higher than normal, but nothing else was changed from when I was an active USSS agent. I never got any notice that I did not pass the medical, and never was given the chance to re-test my blood values if I had failed it.
Since I have maintained my TS/SCI clearance since I left the Service, they said they were not sure if I had to take the poly again, but that someone would let me know. However, it never got to that. I got the dreaded thin envelope the other day, which simply said that I was not qualified to be a USSS agent. No explanation, nothing. It did say, however, that I should consider myself proud to have been considered for the position. Lovely.
While some of the agents there say this is a blessing in disguise, I don't see it that way. I somewhat expected when I re-applied to be scooped up right away and put back to work. I never expected to get turned down. Why an agency that has people beating down the door to leave would turn down an already trained, experienced senior agent I may never know. I am certainly happy where I am now, but I really wanted to serve my country again in the USSS, and it just doesn't make any sense to me why I can't.
Any thoughts or ideas? Some have said to call my Senator and to make an issue of it, but that is not a good way to get on an agency's good side, and others have said perhaps it is an age discrimination thing, but I doubt that. I remain very proud of my time with the Service, and take comfort in knowing that things happen for a reason. I would just like to know what that reason is.