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CAREER RESEARCH

DEA Special Agent

Jaylyn Johnson

Delaware Technical Community College

CRJ217-651: Ethics Prof & Communication in Public Safety

Dr. Claude Thomas

April 28, 2020

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Requirement

           With my current homeland security major and future criminal justice major I will be

pursuing to become a DEA Special Agent. As a DEA special agent, I will be investigating major

drug crimes in the United States and other countries. My tasks may include collecting and

preparing evidence, conducting surveillance, writing investigation reports, interviewing

witnesses, arresting suspects, and seizing assets of drug traffickers. DEA Special Agents also

work with local, state, federal, and foreign agencies on drug intelligence programs. The hiring

process of becoming a DEA Agent takes 12 months or longer. The basic requirements are must

be a US citizen, in great physical shape, have excellent hearing and vision, and be between the

ages of 21 and 36. I must have a bachelor's degree or specific law enforcement experience to be

eligible to become a DEA Special Agent. I will continue to work on my physical health by

dedicating 5 days out of the week toward cardio and going to the gym. I will also continue my

educational journey towards my bachelor's degree.

Training

           Once I am hired will go through an 18-week training at the DEA Training Academy at

Quantico, Virginia. During training, I will learn about writing reports, federal and international

law, how to recognize drugs, weapons use and safety, ethics, leadership, and decision-making in

critical situations that require the use of deadly force. I must also undergo an 84-hour physical

training course and 122 hours of firearm training.

Salary

Students enrolled in the 18-week training program may receive between $37,309 and

$41,612 during their training. Following basic training, new agents are assigned to one of 223

offices throughout the country. Once posted, the agent may receive a salary rating from GS-7 up
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to GS-9, which translates into initial salaries ranging from $49,746 to $55,483. These salaries are

also augmented by a 25 percent differential for availability based on shift rotation and schedule,

as well as a Cost of Living Adjustment. Within four years, agents may advance to the GS-13 pay

level, which offers a salary as high as $92,592. Benefits for DEA Agents include health

insurance plans (with dental/vision, long-term care insurance, and flex spending plans included),

life insurance, a retirement program, and liberal time-off benefits (sick leave, annual leave, and

federal holidays). Supervisory positions, especially those that require the agent to relocate, pay

higher salaries (Writers,2020).

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Reference

DEA Agent Salary. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.drugenforcementedu.org/salaries/

What it takes to be a DEA Special Agent. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dea.gov/what-it-takes-be-

dea-special-agent

Writers, S. (2020, March 25). How to Be a DEA Agent - Career and Salary Information. Retrieved from

https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-justice-careers/dea-agent/