VETERANS, WE HIRE HEROES
Roughly a third of CBP’s workforce has served in the military. If you are a veteran joining CBP, you will find many others that share your military background and principles. When it comes to principles, veterans personify CBP’s core values: vigilance, integrity, and service to country. Furthermore, veterans fit in well with CBP’s culture of teamwork, integrity, and innovation
- VIGILANCE is how we ensure the safety of all Americans. Alert to detect and prevent threats to our nation, we demonstrate courage and valor in the nation’s defense.
- SERVICE to country is embodied in the work we do. Dedicated to defending and upholding the Constitution of the United States, the American people have entrusted us to protect the homeland and defend liberty.
- INTEGRITY is our cornerstone. Guided by the highest ethical principles, our actions bring honor to ourselves and our agency.
As a part of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) serves as a leading law enforcement agency in securing our borders from unlawful activity while providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring traveler safety, and protecting the lives of millions of Americans across the country. Our law enforcement team is made up of three components:
U.S. Border Patrol (green uniforms)
Air and Marine Operations (tan uniforms)
CBP Field Operations (blue uniforms)
All three components work with Mission Operations – a dedicated team of professional staff providing backend support, expertise, and guidance in a broad variety of roles.
For those who prefer terrain less traveled, a new career starts here. U.S. Border Patrol Agents serve on the frontline, protecting our land borders and coastal waters from unlawful activity while also providing aid to those in need. With specialized training and a unified mission, Agents proudly protect over 8,000 miles of our borders and every American in between.
To join our team as an Agent, you must submit an application, participate in an interview, and pass a series of tests, including an entrance exam, fitness test, and drug test. From application to hire, the process may take up to 12 months; veterans may qualify for expediting opportunities. Start your application and secure your future as a Border Patrol Agent.
Pay and Benefits
Border Patrol Agents receive competitive compensation and excellent benefits, including premium health insurance, paid training opportunities, and overtime pay.
**Recruitment Incentive** Newly appointed Border Patrol Agents (as defined in 5 CFR 575.102) who enter on duty after January 8, 2024, will be offered a $20,000 recruitment incentive upon successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy and three years of service. Another $10,000 will be paid if the Agent accepts assignment to a remote duty location (for a total of up to $30,000).
AIR AND MARINE OPERATIONS – MARINERS
Marine Interdiction Agents are an elite team of mariners and watermen who conduct maritime patrols and high-speed vessel pursuits to prevent terrorist attacks, thwart cross-border smuggling, and provide life-saving humanitarian support. As steadfast as the waves they navigate, Marine Interdiction Agents are among the first to respond.
Our team is made up of experienced mariners serving as Marine Interdiction Agents and Marine Enforcement Officers. To apply for these positions, you must meet position-specific requirements, submit an application, participate in an interview, and pass a series of tests, including a fitness test, polygraph exam, and drug test. The process may take up to 12 months from application to hire—veterans may qualify for expediting opportunities.
Starting salaries for Marine Interdiction Agents run as high as $100,000. CBP employment provides opportunities for marine transitioning veterans to serve close to home and offers comprehensive insurance coverage and retirement.
AIR AND MARINE OPERATIONS – PILOTS
Serving and protecting America from the skies, Air Interdiction Agents are an elite team of pilots who operate a fleet of planes, helicopters, specialized aircraft, and unmanned aerial surveillance platforms. Whether responding to a security threat or providing life-saving humanitarian support, our agents are among the first to respond.
To apply for a position as an Air Interdiction Agent or Aviation Enforcement Agent, in addition to meeting position-specific requirements, you must submit an application, participate in an interview, and pass a series of tests, including a fitness test, polygraph exam, and drug test. The process may take up to 12 months from application to hire—veterans may qualify for expediting opportunities.
Starting salaries for Air Interdiction Agents run as high as $100,101 to $120,121. A career with CBP provides opportunities for pilots and transitioning veterans to serve close to home with comprehensive insurance coverage and retirement.
SKILLBRIDGE INTERNSHIPS
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), America’s largest law enforcement organization, offers transitioning service members an exceptional opportunity to work with like-minded professionals who know camaraderie, pride, and purpose are all hallmarks of the daily mission to serve and protect America. CBP proudly partners with the Department of Defense (DoD) through the Skillbridge Internship Program to provide valuable industry-specific civilian work experience in non-law enforcement occupations.
Our operational and mission support team members use their expertise and wide-ranging skills to thrive in challenging and complex roles in mission support, intelligence, facility operations, human resources, finance, logistics, information technology, cybersecurity, international affairs, and much more. We need you to join our team.
SkillBridge provides CBP hiring managers access to one of the world’s most highly trained and motivated workforces—America’s military. CBP intern and apprenticeship opportunities include communications specialist, management analyst, fire range safety specialist, auto mechanic, mission support specialist (HR, logistics, etc.), intelligence research specialist, and more. The internships take place during the participants’ last 180 days of military service, and are strictly considered “volunteers” while they intern. Participants continue to receive their military compensation and benefits while in the program and are not paid by CBP.
CBP Veterans Employment Program (VEP) Manager Jeff Jack recommends contacting CBP as early as 18 months prior to separation to learn more about CBP opportunities, discuss career goals, and identify potential internships. Official SkillBridge Program eligibility starts 10 months prior to separation allowing time for service members to interview with CBP hiring managers and for CBP to conduct a full agency background investigation before starting the six-month experience.
CBP SkillBridge internships afford participants the opportunity to clearly demonstrate their proficiency for the positions for which they intern to hiring managers inside the federal space for possible non-competitive hire outside the typical USAJOBS.gov competitive process, ensuring a seamless transition to the CBP career that best fits them. To get started, service members should: