Secret service agent salaries: Page Not Found | Glassdoor

Опубликовано: March 23, 2022 в 10:12 am

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Secret Service Salary | Requirements for Federal Law Enforcement Jobs

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The United States Secret Service, organized under the Department of Homeland Security since 2003, is a federal investigative law enforcement agency that is mandated by Congress to protect national and visiting foreign leaders and engage in criminal investigations involving financial crimes. Since 2003, the Secret Service has made more than 30,000 criminal arrests for a wide array of financial crimes involving cyber investigations and counterfeiting and it seized more than $295 million in counterfeit currency.

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The men and women of the Secret Service include Secret Service agents, Uniformed Division officers, and support personnel:

Secret Service Agent Salaries

Secret Service agents serve in both the agency’s protection and investigation missions, with new agents generally working in investigations for a number of years before transferring to a protective detail or a position at the Secret Service headquarters in Washington D. C.

New special agents are usually hired at the GL-7 or GL-9 federal pay grade, although education and experience typically dictate the salaries of Secret Service agents. As of 2012, the pay grade for the GL-7 pay grade range was between $38,511 and $48,708, while the GL-9 pay grade range was between $42,948 and $55,413. However, locality pay often changes the salary for a Secret Service agent.

For example, the salary of a Secret Service agent working in Atlanta, Georgia, includes a locality pay of 19.29 percent; therefore, agents at the GL-7 pay grade may earn between $45,940 and $56,752 and at the GL-9 earn between $51,233 and $64,450.

Salaries for Secret Service agents working in Chicago, Illinois, include a locality pay of 25.1 percent; therefore, agents at the GL-7 pay grade earn between $48,177 and $59,516 and at the GL-9 level earn between $53,728 and $67,589.

Salaries for agents in other parts of the country at the GL-7, as of 2012, were as follows:

  • Los Angeles: $48,972 to $60,496
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale: $46,517 to $57,466
  • New York City: $49,571 to $56,410
  • Philadelphia: $46,903 to $57,942
  • Phoenix: $44,965 to $55,549

The full performance level for Secret Service agents is GL-13, which, as of 2012, was between $84,000 and $106,000.

Qualifications for Pay Levels

Secret Service agents may qualify at the GL-7 level if they possess one of the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a history of superior academic achievement
  • At least one year of graduate-level study beyond an undergraduate degree
  • At least three years of general experience, with one year being specialized experience at the GL-5 level

Secret Service agents in the investigative division may qualify at the GL-8 level if they have one year of specialized experience at the GL-7 level performing such duties as:

  • Dealing with accidents and suspicious packages
  • Detaining suspicious individuals
  • Gathering information in investigations
  • Maintaining security posts
  • Monitoring and operating communications equipment
  • Patrolling and guarding
  • Possessing arrest authority
  • Protecting secured property and facilities

Secret Service agents in the investigative division may qualify at the GL-9 level if they have one year of specialized experience at the GL-8 level performing such duties as:

  • Assisting in investigations
  • Conducting security inspections
  • Guarding visitor access
  • Inspecting equipment
  • Issuing and maintaining identification items
  • Maintaining security posts
  • Monitoring and operating communications devices
  • Possessing arrest authority
  • Serving as part of an emergency response team

 

Additional Pay Opportunities

Secret Service agents may also receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) of 25 percent, which is added to their locality pay. LEAP is designed to account for additional hours worked by agents during certain assignments.  LEAP hours typically account for an additional 2 hours for every work day.

Secret Service agents with foreign language proficiency may also receive a one-time recruitment bonus that is equal to 25 percent of their basic annual pay. Individuals must be able to test at the S-3 level before they can be identified as having a foreign language skill. Requirements include being able to speak the language well enough as to engage in most formal and informal conversations. Agents receive the recruitment bonus upon the successful completion of all required training.

Uniformed Division Officer Salaries

Uniformed Division officers are responsible for providing security at the White House, the vice president’s residence, the Department of Treasury, and in foreign diplomatic missions throughout the Washington D.C. area. These Secret Service professionals may work in a number of specialized units:

  • Countersniper Support Unit
  • Canine Explosives Detection Unit
  • Emergency Response Team
  • Magnetometer (metal detector) Support Unit

Secret Service salaries for new Uniformed Division officers, as of 2012, begin at the LE-1 federal pay grade. Unlike Secret Service agents, Uniformed Division officers are paid hourly and therefore do not qualify for locality pay or LEAP. As of 2010, Uniformed Division officers at the LE-1 level received a starting salary of $52,018.

Secret Service Salary Benefit Information

Secret Service agents and Uniformed Division officer are eligible for a number of benefits, beyond their base salaries, as federal employees. These include:

  • Health benefits
  • Group life insurance
  • Long-term care insurance
  • Thrift savings plan
  • Comprehensive retirement benefits
  • Benevolent fund
  • Paid federal holidays
  • Annual leave (at the rate of 13 to 26 days per year)
  • Sick leave (at the rate of 13 days per year without limit)
  • Federal flexible spending account

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Salaries of Secret Service Agents | Work

By Catie Watson Updated March 05, 2019

Secret Service Agents are employees of the U. S. Secret Service, a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security. The agency is responsible for protecting national leaders and for safeguarding infrastructures. With threats against national security coming from an increasing number of sources, the life of a Secret Service agent may include investigative missions involving technology-based threats, as well as more traditional protective missions.

Special Agent Job Responsibilities

The U.S. Secret Service was established in 1865 to combat counterfeiting money, but today its agents carry out a variety of protective and investigative operations. On the protection front, the agency is authorized to provide personal protection for the president, vice-president and both of their families as well as presidential candidates, past presidents and past vice-presidents. Agents also protect visiting heads of state and important U. S. officials visiting other countries.

Investigative agents look into financial crimes, including counterfeiting, forgery and theft of U.S. currency and securities. Credit card fraud, telecommunications fraud and other types of computer fraud that affect national security may also fall within the jurisdiction of Secret Service agents. As of 2019, there were 3,200 special agents working for the U.S. Secret Service.

Secret Service Uniformed Division

Besides special agents, the U.S. Secret Service also employs officers for the Uniformed Division. This group’s mission is to protect facilities and venues that are critical to national security. Uniformed Division officers safeguard the White House, the residence of the Vice President, foreign embassies and important government buildings like the Treasury headquarters. Officers in this branch of the Secret Service may work with canine units, as members of counter-sniper teams and as motorcade support personnel. There were about 1,300 Uniformed Division officers in the U.S. Secret Service in 2019.

Secret Service Agent Salary

As employees of the federal government, employees of the Secret Service are paid according to the General Schedule (GS) pay rates as defined by the Office of Personnel Management. Special rates are provided for law enforcement officers and designated with a ‘GL’ prefix. Depending on education and on other qualifications, special agents start out at either the GL-07 grade, which for 2019, ranged from $40,634 to $51,389, or the GL-09 grade, ranging from $45,319 to $58,477

Over the course of their career, special agents can work to the GS-13 level. This grade is part of the General Schedule and paid between $75,628 and $98,317 in 2019. The Secret Service reports that promotion for positions above level GS-13 is based on performance and is competitive. In addition to this base pay, agents also may receive additional payments based on their locality.

Secret Service Uniformed Division Salary

Employees of the Uniformed Division are paid according to their rank. In 2019, the base salary for the lowest rank, officer, ranged from $60,425 to $103,936. The highest rank, inspector, paid between $125,702 and $164,200. Member of the Uniformed Division may also receive additional locality payments. In Washington, D.C., where many uniformed officers are assigned, locality pay adds an additional 28 percent to the base pay rate.

Secret Service Benefits

Special agents are eligible for low-cost health insurance and life insurance. They receive guaranteed paid holidays, sick leave and vacation leave that increases with the length of employment. Agents may also be able to collect LEAP (Law Enforcement Availability Pay), a program that provides additional pay for overtime that may equal up to 25 percent of their annual base salary.

Uniformed Division officers receive the same benefits. In addition, officers are provided with work uniforms and receive time and one-half pay for overtime. They are not eligible for LEAP since they are paid for all hours worked. Both special agents and uniformed officers receive comprehensive retirement benefits at the end of their careers.

Average U.S. Secret Service Salary By Location, Job Title, and Department

Updated August 22, 2022

$56,431yearly

To create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC) Show More

$27.13 hourly


Entry level Salary

$30,000

yearly

$30,000

10 %

$56,431

Median

$104,000

90 %

Highest Paying Jobs At U.

S. Secret Service

The average employee at U.S. Secret Service earns a yearly salary of $56,431 per year, but different jobs can earn drastically different salaries. The higher paying positions at U.S. Secret Service include branch chief, program manager, information technology specialist, and secret service agent. A typical branch chief salary at U.S. Secret Service is $101,755. Other roles at U.S. Secret Service include office clerk and internship. A office clerk at U.S. Secret Service earns an average yearly salary of $33,107.

Highest Paying Jobs At U.S. Secret Service

Rank   Job Title   Average U.S. Secret Service Salary   Hourly Rate  
1 Branch Chief $101,755 $48.92
2 Program Manager $94,142 $45.26
3 Information Technology Specialist $91,953 $44.21
4 Secret Service Agent $91,516 $44. 00
5 Attorney $91,178 $43.84
6 Statistician $88,916 $42.75
7 Electronics Engineer $88,581 $42.59
8 Human Resource Specialist $87,251 $41.95
9 Team Leader $86,287 $41.48
10 Investigators Assistant $85,270 $41.00
11 Program Management Analyst $83,881 $40.33
12 Generation Engineer $82,046 $39.45
13 Officer $80,445 $38.68
14 Firearms Instructor $72,158 $34.69
15 Operation Supervisor $70,701 $33.99
16 Office Manager $58,239 $28.00
17 Criminal Investigator $52,875 $25.42
18 Agent Assistant $45,100 $21. 68
19 Intelligence Analyst $43,920 $21.12
20 Inspector $40,675 $19.56

Highest Paying U.S. Secret Service Competitor Salaries

Competitors of U.S. Secret Service include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Department of Justice. The wages at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement average higher than the other similar companies, where the median salary is $62,012 per year. Employees at Federal Bureau of Investigation earn an average of $61,790 per year, and the employees at United States Department of Justice earn an average salary of $59,882 per year.

Salaries By U.S. Secret Service Competitors

Rank   Company Name   Zippia Score   Average Salary  
1 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 4.5 $62,012
2 Federal Bureau of Investigation 4. 3 $61,790
3 United States Department of Justice 4.6 $59,882
4 Drug Enforcement Administration 4.4 $50,301
5 USPS OIG 4.2 $45,118
6 Homeland Security 3.8 $44,172
7 ATF 4.5 $41,905

How Much Does U.S. Secret Service Pay By Location?

Cost of living can vary dramatically depending on the part of the country you’re in. Looking at our data, we can see that employees at U.S. Secret Service earn more in some areas than others. The city that stands out for having the highest pay is Washington, DC, where U.S. Secret Service pays its workers an average salary of $75,786. This can be compared to New York, NY, where U.S. Secret Service employees earn an average salary of $68,473.

Salaries By Location At U.S. Secret Service

Rank   Location   Average U. S. Secret Service Salary   Hourly Rate  
1 Washington, DC $75,786 $36.44
2 New York, NY $68,473 $32.92
3 Bridgeport, CT $66,479 $31.96
4 Baltimore, MD $66,102 $31.78
5 Newark, NJ $65,912 $31.69
6 Boston, MA $65,755 $31.61
7 Providence, RI $63,815 $30.68
8 Virginia Beach, VA $62,947 $30.26
9 Wilmington, DE $60,950 $29.30
10 Manchester, NH $60,026 $28.86
11 Burlington, VT $59,184 $28.45
12 Los Angeles, CA $58,880 $28.31
13 Philadelphia, PA $58,573 $28. 16
14 Chicago, IL $58,373 $28.06
15 Portland, ME $58,137 $27.95
16 Fargo, ND $57,558 $27.67
17 Cleveland, OH $56,985 $27.40
18 Detroit, MI $56,494 $27.16
19 Milwaukee, WI $56,082 $26.96
20 Denver, CO $55,671 $26.76

U.S. Secret Service Salaries By Department

Our data shows that different departments at U.S. Secret Service pay different salaries. Our data shows that employees in finance roles earn the highest wages at U.S. Secret Service, with an average yearly salary of $83,925. Employees in the engineering department receive relatively high salaries as well, where wages average $77,153 per year. The lowest paying organizational functions at U.S. Secret Service are administrative and facilities, where employees earn $37,170 and $58,932, respectively.

Salaries By Department At U.S. Secret Service

Rank   Department   Average U.S. Secret Service Salary   Hourly Rate  
1 Finance $83,925 $40.35
2 Engineering $77,153 $37.09
3 Research & Development $76,951 $37.00
4 IT $72,346 $34.78
5 Retail $67,850 $32.62
6 Human Resources $65,896 $31.68
7 Education $63,892 $30.72
8 Customer Service $62,580 $30.09
9 Non Profit/Government $60,833 $29.25
10 Facilities $58,933 $28.33
11 Administrative $37,170 $17.87

How Much Does U.

S. Secret Service Pay by Department?

Best Paying U.S. Secret Service Non Profit/Government Position Salaries

Rank   Position   Average U.S. Secret Service Salary   Hourly Rate  
1 Program Manager $94,142 $45.26
2 Secret Service Agent $91,516 $44.00
3 Federal Agent $89,057 $42.82
4 Polygraph Examiner $87,750 $42.19
5 Investigators Assistant $85,270 $41.00
6 Programming Specialist $83,592 $40.19
7 Sergeant $76,579 $36.82
8 Crime Scene Investigator $69,076 $33.21
9 Operations Lieutenant $64,857 $31.18
10 Program Coordinator $63,638 $30. 60
11 Police Officer $58,472 $28.11
12 Criminal Investigator $52,875 $25.42
13 Intelligence Analyst $43,920 $21.12
14 Law Enforcement Officer $42,749 $20.55
15 Student Volunteer $28,870 $13.88

Best Paying U.S. Secret Service Administrative Position Salaries

Rank   Position   Average U.S. Secret Service Salary   Hourly Rate  
1 Staff Services Manager $73,016 $35.10
2 Administrative Officer $67,984 $32.68
3 Team Coordinator $67,892 $32.64
4 Office Manager $58,239 $28.00
5 Secretary $52,637 $25. 31
6 Recording Technician $43,175 $20.76
7 Administrative Assistant $38,920 $18.71
8 Document Analyst $37,213 $17.89
9 Student Internship $33,524 $16.12
10 Office Clerk $33,108 $15.92
11 Receptionist $32,208 $15.48
12 Student Assistant $30,247 $14.54
13 Clerk Typist $28,888 $13.89

Best Paying U.S. Secret Service IT Position Salaries

Rank   Position   Average U.S. Secret Service Salary   Hourly Rate  
1 Information Technology Specialist $91,953 $44.21
2 Database Manager $86,406 $41.54
3 Computer Operations Supervisor $80,390 $38. 65
4 Physical Security Specialist $80,211 $38.56
5 Computer Network Engineer $77,858 $37.43
6 Service Unit Operator $77,486 $37.25
7 Information Technology Manager $69,359 $33.35
8 Network Technician $64,879 $31.19
9 Recruit Officer $63,440 $30.50
10 Lead Help Desk Technician $56,032 $26.94
11 Personnel Security Assistant $50,123 $24.10
12 Technical Support Coordinator $48,188 $23.17
13 Technical Internship $36,918 $17.75

Frequently Asked Questions About U.S. Secret Service Salaries

Is the pay good at U.S. Secret Service?

Yes, the pay is good at U. S. Secret Service. Compared to the industry average of $52,169 per year, the average annual salary at U.S. Secret Service is $56,431, which is 8.17% higher.

What is the starting pay at U.S. Secret Service?

The starting pay at U.S. Secret Service is $30,000 per year, or $14.42 per hour.

How much does U.S. Secret Service pay compared to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement?

U.S. Secret Service pays $56,431 per year on average compared to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement which pays $62,012. That works out to $27.13 per hour at U.S. Secret Service, compared to $29.81 per hour at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

How much does U.S. Secret Service pay an hour?

U.S. Secret Service pays $27.13 an hour, on average.

What benefits does the U.S. Secret Service offer?

The U.S. Secret Service offers benefits to full-time employees including:

  • LEAP: Law enforcement availability pay

  • Low-cost life insurance

  • Federal health benefit plans

  • Annual leave

  • Sick leave

  • Paid federal holidays

  • Comprehensive retirement benefits

  • Paid parental leave

  • Flex spending accounts

  • Child care subsidy benefits

  • Student loan repayment

  • Tuition assistance

  • Public transportation incentives

  • Recruitment bonuses

Have more questions? See all answers to common company questions.

Search For Jobs

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of U.S. Secret Service, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about U.S. Secret Service. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at U.S. Secret Service. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, h2B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by U.S. Secret Service. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of U.S. Secret Service and its employees or that of Zippia.

U.S. Secret Service may also be known as or be related to U.S. Secret Service, U.s. Secret Service and United States Secret Service.

Secret Service Agent: Career Guide

The oldest federal law enforcement agency in the United States, the Secret Service protects important government figures and systems. Protected individuals usually include former, current, and elect presidents, vice presidents, and their families. The Secret Service also safeguards top presidential candidates and visiting dignitaries from other nations.

Moreover, the Secret Service prevents and investigates financial crimes against the government. Established in 1865 to address currency counterfeiting during the Civil War, the Secret Service addresses counterfeiting, money laundering, and financial fraud. Additional crimes prevented and investigated by the Secret Service include security attacks, such as hacking attempts, perpetrated against government information, communication, and banking systems.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide an occupational outlook page with salary data for secret service agent careers, but the general page for police and detectives indicates a median annual salary of $63,380 as of 2018. The BLS projects a 5% average job growth for police and detectives from 2018-2028.

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Career Description, Duties, and Common Tasks

Secret Service Agent

Secret Service agents may perform a variety of investigation and protection duties and tasks. Agents usually begin their careers in field offices, which may be anywhere in the U.S., before transferring to their first 3-5-year protective assignments. Upon completing their first assignments, special agents often pursue additional field assignments or begin working in training or headquarters offices in Washington, D.C.

Protection assignments include providing personal security to top former, current, and prospective political and government figures and their families. Secret Service agents also protect government buildings and Department of Homeland Security-designated National Special Security Events. These professionals design and carry out safety plans and protocols, which may include bodyguarding important persons.

Fraud investigation assignments cover credit card and fee fraud, bank fraud and access device fraud, and money laundering. The Secret Service also investigates computer and telecommunications fraud, identity fraud, forgery, and asset forfeiture. Secret Service agents may investigate counterfeiting crimes involving Department of Agriculture food coupons, U.S. Treasury checks and postage stamps, and U.S. or foreign currencies. Specialized professionals sometimes design and implement new systems security strategies, tools, and protocols.

Secret Service agent jobs may provide frequent, exciting travel opportunities. Agents can work at various duty stations across the U.S., and some receive liaison assignments in other countries. Working in international field offices typically requires foreign language training.

Steps to Become a Secret Service Agent

Secret Service candidates must hold current driver’s licenses and U.S. citizenship. They should also demonstrate excellent health and fitness and 20/100 or better binocular vision, correctable by surgery to 20/20 in each eye. Upon receiving conditional employment offers, aspiring Secret Service agents must be 21-37 years old (or 21-40, if veterans). Eligible candidates have no criminal records or markings (such as tattoos) visible from the neck up or on hands below the wrist bone.

Secret Service agents must complete the education and experience required for GL-07 or GL-09 status. Minimum GL-07 qualifications include superior academic performance, a bachelor’s degree, one year or more of graduate education, and/or one year or more of GL-05-level equivalent experience. The Secret Service prefers candidates with pre-law or criminal justice-related educational backgrounds.

Candidates who meet the above prerequisites must go through the following steps:

  • APPLY FOR A SECRET SERVICE POSITION THROUGH THE USAJOBS WEBSITE
  • PASS A WRITTEN EXAM, SUCH AS THE SPECIAL AGENT ENTRANCE EXAM
  • PASS PHYSICAL ABILITIES TEST
  • PASS AN INITIAL INTERVIEW
  • RECEIVE A CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER
  • PASS A SECURITY INTERVIEW AND CREDIT CHECK

  • PASS POLYGRAPH, MEDICAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS
  • PASS A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION
  • UNDERGO A FINAL INTERVIEW
  • ACCEPT A JOB AND BEGIN TRAINING
  • Secret Service Agent Job Training

    Secret Service professionals receive considerable on-the-job training, both when hired and throughout their careers. Newly hired Secret Service agents undergo 10-week and 18-week trainings, and they must pass both programs on the first try.

    Provided at Glynco, Georgia’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the 10-week criminal investigator training program teaches students foundational criminal law and investigation techniques.

    The more specialized, 18-week training takes place at the Secret Service Training Academy in Washington, D.C. This specialized training familiarizes new agents with Secret Service policies and procedures, covering diverse investigation and protection areas and activities. Agents learn to prevent and investigate intelligence and financial crimes, such as cyberattacks, access device fraud, counterfeiting, and money laundering.

    Agents also undergo training in control tactics, physical fitness, marksmanship, and water survival. Additionally, the 18-week training includes emergency medicine, protective advances, and techniques training.

    New Secret Service officers receive 14 weeks of specialized training in Washington, D. C. This training features an interdisciplinary curriculum, which provides thorough legal and physical police training in police procedures, laws of arrest, search and seizure, and police-community relations. Officers-in-training also learn about criminal law, diplomatic immunity, and international treaties and protocol.

    Agents and officers must stay up-to-date on firearms and emergency medicine qualifications throughout their careers. These professionals also undergo continued training using crisis simulations. Some Secret Service professionals seek additional training to qualify for criminal investigations roles. The Secret Service also offers general courses on interpersonal awareness, leadership, ethics, and diversity.

    Other Helpful Skills and Experience

    Prior military or law enforcement experience translates well to Secret Service work. Former military or law enforcement professionals often demonstrate background knowledge of government systems, plus prior physical fitness, rescue, and weapons training. These areas of expertise prove useful when completing Secret Service agent requirements, training, and duties. Agents also benefit from a passion for protecting others.

    Foreign language fluency often improves hiring prospects for Secret Service agents. Foreign language skills can translate to hiring bonuses and special positions or assignments. The government may ask agents to move to new locations and/or to leave home for weeks or months at a time. Therefore, agents also benefit from travel knowledge, enjoyment, and skills.

    Secret Service agents must communicate clearly and effectively, so strong oral and written communication skills can enhance job performance. Quick memorization helps prospective and current agents absorb the information necessary for diverse protection and investigation tasks.

    Salary and Career Outlook

    Police and detectives in the United States earned a median annual salary of $63,380 as of 2018, according to the BLS. Secret Service agents’ salaries largely depend on their performance. New agents usually qualify for either the GL-07 or GL-09 federal pay grades, with annual starting salaries of $36,356 and $44,471, respectively, according to 2019 pay grade data. Foreign language proficiency can qualify new agents for a one-time bonus.

    Career Average Annual Salary
    ENTRY-LEVEL SECRET SERVICE AGENT
    (GL-07)
    $36,356
    ENTRY-LEVEL SECRET SERVICE AGENT
    (GL-09)
    $44,471

    Factors influencing income include credentials and federal employment experience. Secret Service agents may move up the salary scale, which goes as high as GL-15, by accruing work experience, earning new certifications, or working on high-level investigations. GL-14 and GL-15 positions prove extremely competitive, so many secret agents top out at the GL-13 performance level, which pays $76,687-$99,691, depending on qualifications.

    As government employees, Secret Service agents enjoy generous benefits packages, including paid holidays, sick leave, affordable health and life insurance, and retirement benefits. Qualifying criminal investigator-level agents also receive an additional 25% of their annual base pay through Law Enforcement Availability Pay.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    • Do secret service agents make good money?

      Typical starting salaries for Secret Service agents at the GL-07 and GL-09 levels range from $36,356-$47,264, depending on credentials, prior experience, and federal performance level pay grade. By accumulating work experience and credentials, secret agents can move up the salary scale. Professionals at the GL-13 level, where many secret agents top out, start at $76,687 annually, according to 2019 data.

    • How long is secret service training?

      Secret Service training usually takes several months. Agents complete the 10-week criminal investigator training program, followed by an 18-week special agent training course. Agents also undergo continuing education and training throughout their careers.

    • Where do secret service agents work?

      Secret Service agents may work anywhere in the country and transfer periodically, so agents benefit from flexible, mobile lifestyles and arrangements. Many agents work at Secret Service centers in the Washington, D.C. area. Agents boasting foreign language skills and adequate training may receive assignments in foreign countries.

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    Secret Service Agent Salary Sydney, Australia


    Average Base Salary


    Average Hourly Rate

    $44.84 (AUD)/hr


    Average Bonus

    $2,071 (AUD)/yr

    Compensation Data Based on Experience

    The average secret service agent gross salary in Sydney, Australia is $93,275 or an equivalent hourly rate of $45. This is 6% higher (+$5,656) than the average secret service agent salary in Australia. In addition, they earn an average bonus of $2,071. Salary estimates based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in Sydney, Australia. An entry level secret service agent (1-3 years of experience) earns an average salary of $67,481. On the other end, a senior level secret service agent (8+ years of experience) earns an average salary of $115,004.


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    Estimated Salary in 2027:

    $105,018 (AUD)



    5 Year Change:

    13 %

    Based on our compensation data, the estimated salary potential for Secret Service Agent will increase 13 % over 5 years.


    This chart displays the highest level of education for:
    Secret Service Agent, the majority at 56% with high schools.

    See how education can impact your salary

    • Atlanta



      3. 8 %

    • Los Angeles



      16.1 %

    • Minneapolis



      8.8 %

    • Alabama



      2. 2 %

    • Pennsylvania



      4.8 %

    • Texas



      2.2 %

    • Japan



      47. 8 %

    • New Zealand



      30.7 %

    • Peru



      433.8 %

    • Croatia



      225. 8 %

    Sydney, Australia

    The cost of living in Sydney, Australia is 34% more than the average cost of living in Australia. Cost of living is calculated based on accumulating the cost of food, transportation, health services, rent, utilities, taxes, and miscellaneous.

    View Cost of Living Page


    Sydney ( (listen) SID-nee) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia’s east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 70 km (43.5 mi) towards the Blue Mountains to the west, Hawkesbury to the north, the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west. Sydney is made up of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are known as “Sydneysiders…

    Sourced from Wikipedia


    Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of Federal, State, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes. Excludes “Private Detectives and Investigators” (33-9021).
    Read More

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    • Atlanta



      3. 8 %

    • Los Angeles



      16.1 %

    • Minneapolis



      8.8 %

    • Alabama



      2. 2 %

    • Pennsylvania



      4.8 %

    • Texas



      2.2 %

    • Japan



      47. 8 %

    • New Zealand



      30.7 %

    • Peru



      433.8 %

    • Croatia



      225. 8 %

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    SA Lifestyle & Benefits

    Lifestyle & Benefits

    Special Agent Lifestyle & Benefits

    Although the pay, benefits, and retirement system is mostly uniform through the “1811” agencies, the day-to-day job description and career path can vary greatly between agencies. 

    Special Agent Initial Duty Location

    Your initial quality of life will depend on your agency mission and office location.  Each agency handles the assignment of the first duty location differently.   Some agencies such as HSI or the Secret Service will give you a choice of locations during your initial job offer. 

    For example, let’s say you just successfully completed the hiring process with the Secret Service. The Human Resources Point of Contact will likely offer you a choice of four to five locations (i.e., New York, NY; Houston, TX, Portland OR; Detroit, MI).  At this point, you can accept any one of these offices as your initial duty location.  Be prepared to spend a number of years (3-5 years) at that office until you are eligible to transfer, which varies depending on the agency rules and the budget situation (Generally speaking, it is easier to transfer to high cost of living locations).  If you decide that living at one of those locations is not workable, then you can decline the choice of assignment locations.  This is the functional equivalent of turning down the final job offer and you will likely never be called again for that specific announcement (If you chose to re-apply, the entire process must be completed again).   I would encourage aspiring applicants to never decline a special agent job offer; you will always regret the decision.

    Some agencies will not tell you your initial duty location until you are a couple of months into the training academy
    (i.e. FBI). This is obviously a huge disadvantage to the applicant but again, a new special agent should be willing to go anywhere in the country to begin their career.

    Special Agent

    General Duties

    The duties, responsibilities, work environment, and investigative authority
     vary vastly from agency to agency. For example, an ATF special agent primarily investigates federal violations involving Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Conversely, a special agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) often deals with general crime scenes, counterintelligence, and can expect to deploy in combat zones.  In contrast, most Secret Service special agents spend a majority of their careers working protective service details and have a very limited investigative mission.

    Generally speaking, a special agent can be trained to perform a number of duties. Special Agents execute warrants, make arrests, and must be willing to carry firearms. Special Agents will be trained in many skills, which include firearms training, defensive tactics training, how to physically restrain a suspect, processing crime scenes, interviewing suspects, protective service details, and specialized driving techniques. Staying in good shape and maintaining
    functional fitness plays a large role in many of these tasks and should not be forgotten. Depending on the agency & your qualifications, special agents can conduct undercover operations, warrants, surveillance, wiretaps, deploy on an aircraft carrier, work with special forces, be assigned to an embassy, execute search warrants & arrests, fly a plane, become in-house counsel, and even join a SWAT team.

    A Special Agent routinely works under hazardous circumstances and there is no such thing as a typical day. Everyday is different! One day you could be testifying in federal court, the next you could be executing a search warrant and gathering evidence, the next you could be meeting with a source to gather intelligence on illegal activities, the next you could be making an arrest, and the next you could be back in the office meeting with your investigative unit and catching up on paperwork. Also expect advanced and reoccurring training to be a routine part of your life.

    In general, good writing skills, critical thinking and excellent organizational skills are key to a successful career as a special agent!

    Instructional Videos  1811 Special Agent

    These instructional videos, developed by an employment consulting group, aredirect Youtube linksand provide  accurate information about theTypical Day,
    Exact Role and
    Qualifications for the special agent position.

    1811 Career Advancement

    Most new special agents start off between GS 7 – 10 range & can expect to work cases and perform the usual investigations within the respective agency portfolio.   Once a special agent finishes his/her probationary period and becomes a permanent employee, new opportunities for special duty assignments usually become available (i.e., undercover, SWAT, forensics).  A field level special agent can usually obtain the rank of GS-13, which is the full performance range for a criminal investigator.  Many special agents choose to stay as a GS-13 and work cases the remainder of their careers, others may decide to specialize as computer crime investigators, polygraph specialists, forensic advisers, technical surveillance agents, and even full time undercover agents.  The possibilities are truly endless and often depend on an individual’s skill set. Some special agents decide to pick up collateral duties such as firearms & tactics instructor or evidence custodian.

    If a special agent decides to advance, he/she can apply to become a GS-14, which is usually a supervisor; or go overseas as an attache’.  Further progression as a GS-15 often involves running an entire office.   Additional career options are also available in the Senior Executive Service.  Most positions at GS-14 and above involve purely management functions.

    Many agencies also offer advanced educational opportunities. Depending on the agency, Special Agents can be selected to attend Naval Postgraduate School, Air Command and Staff College, Foreign Service Institute, National Defense University, and John Hopkins for a masters degrees or advanced foreign language training. 

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    FBI Profiler Myth

    Hint:  No such thing.

    There is no such position as a profiler, even though Hollywood has continued to perpetuate this crazy myth.  There are limited positions within the FBI at the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime but they are based on research, not  psychic flashes; and often staffed by one or two very senior PHD level federal employees. Below is a great article helping clear up this fantasy.

    APA Profiler Article

    What’s it like?

    True Story

    Read about the real life experiences of a retired FBI Special Agent.  From airplane hijackings, terrorist bombings and militia standoffs to overseas kidnapping cases in dangerous countries; this special agent has seen it all. 

    Business Insider Article

    What it like in DEA?

    Inside Story

    The true inside story of a former DEA Special Agent.  Infiltrating drug cartels is a skill that few possess. 

    Undercover Agent work is one of the most difficult and dangerous specialties within federal law enforcement.  Few special agents have the necessary skills, mental agility and discipline to be successful undercovers.

    Business Insider-DEA

    Special Agent Work Hours

    Since special agents receive an extra 25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP), throughout their careers, agents can expect to work irregular schedules that require duty on weekends and holidays (especially new agents).   This does NOT mean that every weekend or holiday is ruined, however, keep in mind that criminal activity often dictates operational work hours.   Obviously the Gang Unit will obviously get more call-outs than the White Collar Fraud unit.  Not all is doom and gloom.  For the most part, special agents work Monday through Fridays, commute to the office during normal work hours, and conduct operations that are planned in advance.  Sometimes a case does get hot and things stretch out, but you also are able to go home on time on plenty of days.  Just be prepared in case you don’t and always have your assigned government car ready for action!

    Special Agent Salary Composition

    There are a number of financial benefits that accompany the special agent/criminal investigator (1811) position.

    Let’s start with pay.  The majority (but not all) of Special Agent positions are covered by the General Services (GS) Pay Scale.  Calculating the total salary initially gets confusing because applicants are not able to understand their complete compensation package and it is not always clear in the hiring announcements.   The salary of a special agent is made up of three components: i. Basic Pay, ii. Locality Adjustment, and ii. Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP).

    i.
    Basic Pay:  The basic pay for a new special agent will vary greatly and depends an applicant’s qualifications.  Depending on the agency, new special agents can start off from GS-5 to GS-10.  For example, ATF hires as low as GS-5, however, HSI only hires at GS-7 and above.  The higher the GS scale, the higher the educational and experience requirements.

    ii.
    Locality Adjustment:  All special agent duty stations qualify for locality pay. Special agents receive an additional percentage of their base salary, depending upon their locations.  The current range of locality pay is 14.16% to 35.15%.  Generally, the rural areas have lower locality pays and the metro areas have the highest locality pays due to the high cost of living.

    iii.
    LEAP:  Because of the type of work and additional work hours often required, special agents receive 25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay.

    See 
    OPM Fact Sheet concerning LEAP.

    See
    OPM Law Enforcement Pay Chart.

    Special Agent Salary Calculation

    Example 1:  Let’s say you meet the minimum qualifications and applied to the ATF, which has an entry level pay grade at GS-5, Step 1. Let’s also assume that you are assigned to the San Francisco Office. Your pay would be calculated as follows:

    Base Pay (GS-5, Step 1): $37,141

    Locality Adjustment (San Francisco-41.44%): $15,391

    LEAP (25% of total salary): $13,133

    Total Starting Compensation:
    $65,665 

    Example 2:   Let’s say you had a masters degree, relevant work experience, and applied to HSI, which starts new agents in the GS 7-9 range. In this case, you would qualify as a GS-9, Step 10. Let’s again decide that you are assigned to the San Francisco Office. Your pay would be calculated as follows:

    Similarly, the Base Pay for a GS-9, Step 10 with San Francisco locality is:  $83,897

    LEAP (25% of salary): $20,974

    Total Starting Compensation:
    $104,871

    The full performance level for a special agent is a GS-13, which can take 2-5 years on the job depending on your initial qualifications. A GS-13 (Step 1) special agent can expect to initially be paid $139,107 in San Francisco.

    Many agencies also offer additional financial incentives for applicants with critical language skills, specialized aviation skills, or a JD degree. Some agencies will also offer a relocation stipend to pay for moving costs.

    Special Agents Benefits Package

    There are a number of excellent benefits that accompany a position with the federal government.  Federal employees are eligible for health insurance, life insurance, retirement benefits, annual leave, sick leave, and paid Federal holidays.

    The
    U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website
    provides comprehensive, up-to-date information about working for the Federal Government, including details about available benefits packages.

    Health Insurance

    Visit
    Healthcare and Insurance
    for details about health insurance (FEHB), life insurance (FEGLI), dental and vision plans (FedVIP), flexible spending accounts (FSAFeds) and long term care insurance (FLTCIP) programs.   In general, the federal govt. offers some of the best health care plans available! 

    Retirement Pension

    Information about the
    Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS),
    Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Social Security benefits, retirement plan options, as well as pre-planning tools, benefits calculators and more can be
    found here.  Federal law enforcement officers receive
    1.7% for each year of service, a social security stipend and TSP matching contributions from the government (equivalent to a 401K). 
    This retirement pension is extremely valuable over your lifetime.     

    The below websites are an excellent resource to help understand the federal retirement program.  Keep in mind the Law Enforcement FERS is different than regular FERS and the sites do not always make that clear: 

     Federal Retirement Planning

    FERS Guide

    Plan Your Federal Retirement

    Leave and Holidays

    Click on
    OPM’s Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Federal Holidays
    pages for details.   In general, federal employees receive both
    Annual Leave (which increases with seniority) AND
    Sick
    Leave.  Additionally, employees also receive all paid federal holidays (11-12 per year)!   

    I
    highly recommend that all current and future 1811 Special Agents check out my
    1811 Resources Section to learn more about the Retirement Benefits.  Failing to plan for retirement is a common mistake you can easily avoid. 

    FERS Retirement

    Federal Law Enforcement Retirement

    The law enforcement Federal Retirement System is
    the
    most valuable benefit that a Special Agent will receive.  It can also be a bit confusing to understand.  Read this quick federal law enforcement Retirement Benefits Overview authored by the Congressional Research Service to learn more. 

    FERS Overview

    Special Agent Online Blogs & Forums

    There are three major online blogs in which users share information & advice about the law enforcement hiring process.   Like anything in life, use your judgment in accepting this information. Unfortunately, there truly are a number of
    unstable personalities that regularly post junk information and endlessly quibble over stupid details.  Oftentimes it is applicants or rejected candidates sharing “rumor intelligence.” 
    Additionally, I have noticed that
    most posters aren’t even special agents and their advice is usually not credible. 

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    My Financial Experience

    Because of my Master’s Degree & relevant experience, I started off as a GS-9.  I am currently a mid-career 1811 (GS 13) with 18+ years of service.  I live in a high cost of living area & consequently receive a large locality adjustment.  My annual salary (including language pay & small bonus) usually hovers around $160K.  Additionally, I aggressively make pre-tax deductions into our TSP Retirement program (which is matched) and expect to have $1-2 Million when I punch out.   The take-home car saves a ton of gas money (in addition to being critical equipment) and the health insurance package is among the best.  By making good financial decisions early in my career I now live a solid middle class lifestyle & will be eligible to comfortably retire at age 50 with my pension, social security & TSP.     

    US CIA career: vacancies, requirements, salary

    Continuation of the story from

    Media news2

    Archive rb.ru

    September 23, 2014

    Archive rb.ru

    September 23, 2014

    As children, we all played special agents and dreamed of fighting evil.

    Few of us imagined that today, to become a member of the special services, to enlist, you just need to fill out a questionnaire via the Internet and send it by clicking on the “Apply now” button on the website of the Central Intelligence Agency.

    The “Careers and Internships” section states that there’s no other career like a CIA career, and that from now on every day will be different from the previous one (No day will be the same. Ever.). The site provides a detailed list of vacancies. Among the proposals there are quite ordinary positions. For example, an internal auditor, a librarian, an employee of the HR department. However, after reviewing the full interview procedure, it becomes clear that there are no “simple” positions in the CIA. All prospective employees must pass a full medical examination, a psychological test, a polygraph interview, fill out personality assessment questionnaires, pass an internal security check that analyzes every stage of their life before the CIA. It is typical for the United States that those wishing to get into administration must not be convicted of using drugs in the last 12 months. There is a warning on the site that the tests, in which case, will definitely reveal illegal drugs and it is better for applicants not to joke with the CIA.

    Also needed by the Intelligence Agency: cartographers, geographer, publications specialist, information specialist, psychiatrist, ethics consultant.

    Surprisingly, the site even has the position of “security agent”. Very interesting duties can be seen in the job description: “Typical duties of a security agent include deploying activities around the world and performing special operations at the request of the protector (CIA). Security agents are constantly called to participate in training and preparation for operational assignments. It is expected that that they will work overtime, the period of intensive work will last from 45 to 60 days.The number of annual business trips is large, employees will stick to the schedule.”

    Looking in the open section “Secret Service” (Cladestine Service), we can find vacancies “paramilitary operations officer”, “employee with special skills”. The tasks of such a person are to participate in intelligence operations and help American politicians in dangerous harsh conditions abroad. Upon successful completion of the interview, the employee is trained under a special secret program (Clandestine Service Trainee (CST) Program). Agents will develop their skills to support the CIA in the media, as well as use their technical, military, aviation, naval experience.

    Applicants must demonstrate strong critical thinking, excellent oral and written communication skills, and maintain a positive attitude. Last but not least, applicants must be US citizens.

    Career Center allows you to apply for one or more vacancies (up to four). Almost all positions require a move to Washington, and the average annual salary ranges from $50,000 to $200,000.

    The CIA advises not to go too far among family members, friends and other employers about their entry into the intelligence service and promises to give further explanations on this topic later. Many choose this job because of its prestige. The work of analysts in various regions and countries of the world involves the preparation of reports directly for the President of the United States.
    Employee Frederic says he is very encouraged by the fact that decisions are made based on your own observations and the analysis you share in reports. Lisa, Middle East Region Manager, is happy that she was able to learn three foreign languages ​​during her time in the office. Pamela, Purchasing Contracts Coordinator, says she enjoys the feeling of being part of a very important team.

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    A young female CIA agent: what she can and cannot do

    Subscribe to our newsletter “Context”: it will help you understand the events.

    At 21, Amarylles Fox became a CIA agent and infiltrated a network of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons dealers. She became one of the youngest undercover CIA employees.

    Scouts drew attention to her a few years earlier, when Amarylles managed to travel to Burma and interview Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest.

    These days, Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Burma, is defending the country in the international court of the United Nations from accusations of genocide. And at that time she was the leader of the democratic opposition and received the Nobel Peace Prize.

    In an interview with the BBC, Amarylles spoke about her first experience of working illegally.

    Thailand

    Amarylles was 18 years old in 1999 and had just received a place at Oxford University. However, she took a sabbatical for a year and went to Thailand to help refugees from Burma, at that time under the control of the military.

    “I took the money my mother gave me for my prom dress, went to a travel agency and bought a ticket to Thailand,” says Amarylles.

    Upon arrival, she went to the Thai-Burmese border and began working in refugee camps.

    Image copyright, Getty Images

    Photo caption,

    In 1988, mass protests in Burma were violently suppressed by the military regime that came to power in a coup

    Amarylles met several refugee supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi. They told her that mass protests not seen since 1988 years old.

    Of course, Burma’s military regime also knew about the impending protests.

    “They stopped issuing tourist and student visas, and the only way to get into the country was with a business visa: Burma’s economy was in such a terrible state that the military was not willing to sacrifice foreign investment even in the name of cracking down on dissent,” recalls Amarylles.

    The 18-year-old student hardly resembled a businesswoman ready to invest in the Burmese economy.

    When her acquaintances became aware of the impending protests and that the government intended to suppress them, following the example of the events of 1988, there was talk that this should be filmed. Without hesitation, Amarylles volunteered to travel to Burma and film the protests.

    Easy to say.

    Sneak into Burma

    A little later, Amarylles was in London at a conference of the Free Burma movement, where she met a charming man named Darrell. He was in his late 40s, knew how to use a video camera, and worked for an investment bank that did some business with Burma.

    Darrell didn’t like the ethical side of this investment. Apparently, therefore, he agreed to Amarylles’ unexpected proposal: to arrange a fictitious marriage and, pretending to be on a honeymoon, take her to Burma on his business visa.

    Darrell flew to Thailand. They got hold of a fake marriage certificate and bought a set of large pots in which they hoped to hide the films. Darrell and Amarylles even had a small family scene at the Burmese embassy, ​​to add credibility, got a visa and flew to Burma.

    Image copyright, Getty Images

    Image caption,

    Aung San Suu Kyi spent many years under house arrest in this house

    The couple failed to film the protests: anticipating a harsh reaction from the regime, the opposition decided to cancel them. However, they managed to record an interview with Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the democratic opposition in Burma, who was under house arrest.

    From time to time, Aung San Suu Kyi went out to the gate of her house and addressed the people who constantly gathered there. But outside of Rangoon, her voice had not been heard for a long time.

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    In the early hours of September 15, 1999, Amarilles and Darrell met with Aung San Suu Kyi and recorded interviews with her and her address to their supporters. Now it was necessary to take him out of the country.

    Aung San Suu Kyi turned out to be an experienced conspirator: she advised Amarylles to hide other tapes with some innocent recordings in the pans. During the search, they will find them and will be sure that you are not hiding anything else, she said. And for the film you really want to take out, there’s a better place.

    “She rolled the tape into a tube about the size of a woman’s tampon and showed me where the bathroom was,” says Amarylles.

    Everything turned out just as Aung San Suu Kyi predicted. When leaving the country, the border guards found a fake film, but there was nothing criminal on it. No one began to inspect the intimate places of Amarylles.

    Amarylles delivered the recording safely to the BBC bureau in Bangkok, from where it was broadcast to Burma on shortwave.

    Image copyright, Getty Images

    Image caption,

    During those years, Aung San Suu Kyi enjoyed international recognition. Today, she defends her country from accusations of genocide.

    In 1999, Aung San Suu Kyi was an unquestioned moral authority with worldwide recognition. Meeting her had a huge impact on the young student.

    “In front of me stood a very small but very strong woman whose inner strength and tenacity eventually brought the military regime to its knees,” recalls Amarylles. all these barriers put up by the government to share this truth with the world seemed very exciting to me.”

    Amarylles returned to Oxford. There, representatives of first British and then American intelligence came to her. So she began working for the secret services, and eventually managed to infiltrate an illegal network of weapons of mass destruction dealers who were plotting terrorist acts.

    “Would you like to work for us?”

    Amarylles had a chance to get acquainted with acts of terror very early – when she was only eight years old.

    “My best friend Laura, along with her sister and parents, ended up on the same plane over Lockerbie. I remember my mother said that it was for the best that the whole family flew together: there would be no one to mourn,” recalls Amarylles. said that if I did not understand what forces had taken my friend from me, I would not be able to cope with this loss, and gave me newspapers. Thus, a new important tool appeared in my life. ”

    “I think when we refuse to understand the true human motives behind people doing terrible things, simply because they are easier to ignore, we are really depriving ourselves of the ability to prevent them.”

    Image copyright, Getty Images

    Image caption,

    The English pub is a versatile place. Here they drink beer and recruit into the secret services

    While working undercover, Amarylles regularly tried to understand the motives of people whose actions she was trying to prevent.

    However, she was not going to work as an embedded agent at first.

    At Oxford, Amarylles studied theology and international law and aspired to become a journalist. Therefore, she reacted without any interest to an unexpected proposal to communicate from people who were probably connected with the British special services.

    The people Amarylles met in a pub in the center of Oxford knew about her adventures in Burma and offered her to work for them. To whom specifically, they did not say.

    “I said that I think light is the best cure for infection, and therefore I want to become a journalist and tell these stories to the widest possible audience,” recalls Amarylles. “But I don’t believe in the knights of the cloak and dagger.”

    Probably, this episode would have ended the meeting between Amarylles and the world of scouts, but then September 11, 2001 happened.

    By that time she graduated from Oxford and returned to the American University of Georgetown to continue her studies. Here Amarylles ran into representatives of the already American intelligence.

    Tipping point

    “The CIA resident at Georgetown University – I didn’t know what it was – turned out to be a wonderful person,” says Amarylles. “I would never have guessed what he was doing: he had a beard like Santa Claus, he spoke three languages ​​of endangered North American Indians. He sailed to work on the Potomac River in an Indian canoe. It is hardly possible today. He was an academic man, completely different from scouts, as we are usually present.”

    Image copyright Getty Images

    The turning point, however, came with 9/11. They reminded Amarylles of Laura and forced them to try to understand what forces are forcing a person to send a plane into a skyscraper.

    In Georgetown, Amarylles was working on an algorithm to help predict which places would be safe havens for terrorists.

    “I think it was like reading the papers after Laura’s death, only in a more mature way,” explains Amarylles. “It was an attempt to understand terrorism.”

    Amarylles collected hundreds of years of data on terrorist attacks and tried to find non-obvious correlations in them.

    For example, a change in the ratio of the number of hookah bars and madrasahs in specific places as an indicator of social change, or the ratio of the salary of border guards who transport people across the border to the minimum – as a function of the level of corruption.

    At first, the algorithm was rather primitive, but processing a large amount of data gave Amarylles the ability to calculate a kind of coefficients that indicate how unfavorable a particular region of the world is in terms of the growth of the terrorist threat.

    “My calculations turned out to be correct, but I don’t think it’s possible to account for all the data in principle. This environment is evolving too quickly,” she admits.

    Marital status

    The work of Amarylles interested the CIA. The resident at the university invited her to a meeting and asked if she considered her work finished.

    “I said that I had already used all the sources available to me in Georgetown, but I would like to talk to a man who is going to wake up tomorrow morning and go to blow up civilians to understand why he is doing this,” says Amarylles.

    The CIA would also like to understand this. Amarylles believed them and began working for intelligence.

    At the same time, the lie began. I still had to pretend to be a student, you couldn’t tell your parents and friends about work.

    “It was very lonely,” she recalls.

    • Solo swimming. The Story of a Survivor of the Worst Sailing Disaster

    A young Amarylles named Anthony presented a separate problem. They met at Oxford and continued a relationship that, especially with a foreigner, Amarylles had to avoid.

    Another option is to marry him. For further work, admission was required, which Anthony could only receive as a legal spouse.

    It is also impossible for a CIA agent to get married just like that – one has to go through a long process of consideration and approval of the candidacy of the chosen one.

    “In those days, the CIA was an old-fashioned organization. Get married or get lost,” says Amarilles. I could explain to him why such a hurry.

    Photo copyright, Fotos International

    Photo caption,

    Scouts have far fewer restrictions in movies than in real life: “Either get married or change jobs”

    Anthony flew to Washington DC and was taken straight from the airport to a building without a sign , put in a room where, instead of Amarylles, two CIA officers explained to him that his chosen one was an intelligence agent, and he would have a polygraph test.

    Everything ended well. Amarylles and Anthony got married and she returned to work.

    At that time, the job was to watch videos of hostages, including their executions.

    The screen was broken up into squares, and Amarylles and his colleagues were carefully examining them one at a time in an attempt to find any indication of where this was happening. Each video thus had to be viewed many times, sometimes more than a hundred.

    “In those days I didn’t think about a peaceful solution, I was sure that these people should be wiped off the face of the earth,” recalls Amarylles.

    The work was exhausting, and Amarylles could not share her problems with her husband. Then she was sent to courses for six months, and the marriage could not stand it.

    No cover

    After the course Amarylles started working without official cover. In other words, she was not entitled to the help of diplomats, and in case of failure, the CIA did not recognize her as their employee.

    Her task was to make contacts in an underground network of dealers in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

    According to legend, Amarylles was an art dealer and at the same time was interested in weapons. This complex psychological game was not easy for her.

    “But, as you know, a centipede does not stumble until it thinks about how many legs it has,” says Amarylles. how absurd these roles look.”

    • “I was raped on my wedding day”: a story of coming back to life

    Of course, before the assignment, Amarylles was taught, among other things, acting skills. She recalls an episode when, as part of her training, she was assigned the pseudonym “Gloria”, under which she lived for several days.

    The teachers then began questioning her, asking increasingly tricky questions, including asking her to sing the popular song of the same name.

    Amarylles did not know the words. “A woman whose name is Gloria cannot but know the words of the song to herself,” the teacher told her then.

    Amarylles learned the lesson, and this technique of fully immersing herself in the role later proved to be very useful in learning to understand her opponents and empathize with them.

    Empathy

    Empathy is an important thing. Usually in conflict situations, we consider ourselves good, and our opponents – bad. Amarylles believes that it is not so simple.

    “We almost never consider ourselves bad,” she says. “Obviously, this is a fiction. Not all parties to the conflict can be good. Nevertheless, we hold on to this fiction with both hands.”

    Amarylles was inspired by her conversation with one of the prisoners.

    He said to her: “You Americans take seats at night to be the first to watch Star Wars or The Hunger Games, but you forget that these films are about a small group of rebels opposing a powerful war machine, and To us, you are the Empire, and we are Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.

    At first, this thought did not seem right to Amarylles, but over time it came to her mind more and more often. How can a person who is about to blow up a market or send a plane into a building, knowing for sure that innocent people will die in the process, consider himself good?

    The same question can be asked to the other side: when we bomb the fortifications of the Islamist rebels and at the same time we understand that there will be casualties among the civilian population, why do we consider this an acceptable price?

    Image copyright, Getty Images

    Image caption,

    Is civilian casualties an acceptable price in the fight against terror?

    Amarylles contacted a Hungarian arms dealer named Jakab. She hoped to eventually turn him into a double agent. But first she had to make him believe that she really was an arms dealer.

    Amarylles believes that people have an internal lie detector and sense when they are being lied to. Therefore, telling Yakab the legend about the reasons that prompted her to go into this business, she, in general, was telling the truth: there is a huge imbalance of power and authority in the world. This leads to constant conflicts and will continue to do so until this imbalance is corrected.

    Yakab understood this in his own way: to provide powerful weapons to non-state actors, in a simple way – terrorist groups.

    A new marriage and a new informer

    In the meantime, Amarylles went to China, where she began to trade in art objects, according to legend. Her new husband, Dean, also went with her.

    The CIA still believed that the only person in a hostile environment could only be a legal spouse.

    At that moment Amarylles was already pregnant. The Chinese authorities may not have considered her a CIA agent, but they still showed an increased interest in her.

    Her house was under constant surveillance, hidden cameras were hidden around, and even inside it was impossible to freely talk without fear of wiretapping.

    “The first recipe for a successful marriage is to constantly communicate with each other,” says Amarylles. even comparatively simple family conflicts.

    It was not easy at work either. But it seemed to Amarylles that she saw an idealistic beginning in Jacob, and she decided on the next step – an attempt to recruit.

    Image copyright, Getty Images

    Image caption,

    The Amarylles home in China was under constant surveillance

    At first, Yakab remained deaf to her arguments. But in the process, they talked about how, in today’s globalized world, a terrorist attack anywhere strengthens the position of all authoritarian regimes on the planet and leads to an attack on civil liberties on all fronts.

    After several hours of conversation, Jakab agreed with her arguments. Amarylles has an informant. Some time later, when her daughter Zoya was only a few months old, Yakab informed her of plans for a terrorist attack on the press office of foreign journalists in Karachi, which he had become aware of.

    Amarylles faced a tough choice: leave her daughter in China and go to Pakistan, or stay in China and risk missing out on a potentially catastrophic terrorist attack in Karachi.

    The Art of Negotiation

    She traveled to Pakistan, where she was given a meeting with the leaders of three groups that were apparently involved in the terrorist attack. These people, however, did not like the idea that more local Muslims could die in an attack than foreigners themselves.

    The attack could have been prevented. Amarylles was also surprised by the fact that the meeting was attended by a small child – the daughter of one of the leaders. The girl appeared to be suffering from asthma, which is not surprising given the air pollution in Karachi.

    Dialogue did not stick. At some point, Amarylles turned the conversation to the girl’s health, and the atmosphere instantly changed: now it was a meeting not of two irreconcilable opponents (although this has not gone away), but of two parents concerned about the future of their children.

    They even exchanged recipes for home remedies to prevent breathing problems. Amarylles recalls that the atmosphere in the room suddenly became more human.

    They returned to talking about the attack and, according to Amarylles, made some progress. The attack was cancelled. Although she admits that there could be a million other reasons for this decision, the opportunity to talk to the organizers at the level of simple human emotions certainly played a role.

    The birth of a daughter changes the way Amarylles thinks about her place in life. “I was tired of pretending,” she says. “I wanted to be myself.”

    Image copyright, Getty Images

    Image caption,

    “I’m tired of pretending”: Amarylles no longer works for the CIA

    After completing her assignment, she quit the CIA and divorced Dean.

    Ten years later, Amarylles finally became herself and married the man she loved, without the help of the CIA.

    “You know, it’s like being in a room where a refrigerator or an air conditioner is buzzing. You don’t seem to notice it, but when it turns off, you realize that it has been noisy all this time. This is what happiness looks like.”

    The story of Amarylles Fox in two parts can be heard on Outlook (in English) here and here .

    secret worker – Translation into English – examples Russian

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    employee

    employee
    worker
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    He says that he is a secret service worker and makes me promise that I will be silent.

    He tells me he is a member of the secret service, and then he makes me promise to keep secret this whole affair.

    Other results

    Again contacted the local police and barred employees of the Secret Service .

    Once again involving local police and unauthorized members of the Secret Service.

    The life of a simple secret service worker is hard and thorny.

    The life of a simple secret service worker is hard and thorny.

    Secret Service workers took a selfie with Trump’s sleeping grandson

    Secret Service Agents Took Selfies With Trump’s Sleeping Grandson

    A psychological drama that tells the story of a soldier and a social worker in the secret government service who are trying to return to normal life as civilians.

    So on stage was presented a new series Homecoming, which tells the story of a soldier and a social worker, a secret government service who are trying to return to a normal and carefree life of a civilian.

    Maxwell Smart is a Secret Service worker who constantly creates confusion by getting himself into trouble.

    Maxwell Smart is a secret service worker who constantly creates confusion and makes problems for himself.

    The Secret Service and Reno Police seized the subject immediately. more

    Secret Service agents and Reno Police Officers immediately apprehended the subject.

    This is more than the salary of secret service worker , huh?

    It beats the hell out of a Secret Service pension.

    Firstly, employees of the secret service have to protect 42 people around the clock (11 more than it was under Barack Obama).

    Statistic du jour: The Secret Service now protects 42 people around the clock, 11 more than it did under President Barack Obama.

    Secret Service responded to reports of a man who allegedly stabbed himself with a gun at the north fence of the White House.

    Secret Service personnel are responding to reports of a person who allegedly suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound along the north fence line of White House.

    Amyx, a former FBI messenger, had a genuine interest in US history, fueled by his meetings with people who worked in the White House in a variety of positions, from housekeepers and butlers to secret service workers and caretakers .

    A former FBI messenger, Amyx had an avid interest in American history, which was fuelled by his interactions with people who had worked at the White House in various capacities, from housekeepers and butlers to Secret Service Agents and groundskeepers.

    Thus, he claimed that she was a former Secret 9 employee.0427 of the Intelligence Service, she smashed his idea based on her own experience with brainwashing people into assassins.

    So she claimed she was former MI6 , she pitched him an idea based on her own experience with brainwashing people and turning them into assassins.

    One more question: did the Hungarian authorities know about the intention of the former employees of the secret Macedonian services to come to Hungary and does the government intend to provide asylum to former leaders trying to avoid prosecution?

    Another question is if the Hungarian authorities knew about the intention of Macedonian ex-secret service people to come to Hungary and whether the government intends to give refuge to ex-leaders trying to escape prosecution?

    According to the court, on Thursday US Secret Service , Customs and Immigration, and FBI agents arrested 5 people in Las Vegas and 14 others in California, Florida, New York, Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio and West Virginia.

    Secret Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement homeland security agents arrested five people Thursday in Las Vegas and 14 more in California, Florida, New York, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and West Virginia, according to the statement.

    According to a statement from the federal prosecutor’s office, 44-year-old German citizen Werner G. for money passed information to “ employee of the Russian secret service ” between May 2004 and December 2006, AP reports.

    The 44-year-old man, identified only as Werner G., handed over the information to “ an employee of a Russian secret service” between May 2004 and December 2006, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

    The most mysterious airline in the world is looking for a pilot who will transport US government employees to a secret military base known as “Area 51”.

    The world’s most mysterious airline is advertising for a pilot to fly US government workers to the secretive Area 51 military base.

    It may also be stipulated in the employment contract that employee cannot disclose secret information even after dismissal.

    Employment contracts may also provide that employees may not disclose confidential information even after their dismissal.

    Informal cover – a definition used in special vocabulary for agents or operational workers who perform secret roles in organizations with no connection to the government they work for.

    Non-official cover (NOC) is a term used in espionage, particularly by national intelligence services, for agents or operatives who assume covert roles in organizations without ties to the government for which they work.

    The plot tells about the young worker 9Embassy 0427 and US secret agent whose fates intersect while working on a risky operation in Paris.

    The Story: A young embassy worker and an American secret agent cross paths during a high-risk mission in Paris.

    In addition, employees of Zvezda secretly filmed Ukrainian army checkpoints, after which the relevant data got to Moscow and to armed separatists.

    Moreover, the “Zvezda” journalists were covertly filming checkpoints of the Ukrainian Army and passing this data to Moscow and to the armed separatists.

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    Either kill or die.

    ” Poisons, bombs, intrigues. How does the legendary Mossad intelligence service eliminate the enemies of the Jewish state for 70 years?: Politics: World: Lenta.ru

    The Israeli Mossad is perhaps the most closed intelligence community in the world. Its past and present are shrouded in a halo of secrecy, and the persistence and composure with which the agents of this special service dealt with the enemies of Israel is still amazing. At the same time, one can only guess about the true scale of the Mossad’s activities. But since the founding of the intelligence service, April 1, 1951, much has changed, and Israeli intelligence meets its 70th anniversary in very difficult circumstances. The intelligence service is reproached for the fact that instead of protecting state interests, it is increasingly concerned about the interests of individual politicians. And modern technologies every year more and more complicate the life of secret agents, destroying their image of being invisible. How the Mossad became one of the most effective intelligence services in the world, why targeted liquidations are its calling card, and what enemies Israeli intelligence is fighting today – Lenta. ru figured out.

    Jewish Avengers

    The Mossad takes its origins in the early 20th century in the underground Zionist military organization Haganah, which operated during the British mandate in Palestine. At first, the role of its fighters was reduced to reprisals against the Arabs, who were not happy with the influx of Jews from Europe. Settlers were often attacked in the streets, pogroms were staged in Jewish quarters, and synagogues were desecrated. The Arab police turned a blind eye to what was happening, so the Jews had to take care of their own safety. The Haganah also persecuted those who prevented the creation of an independent Jewish state, whether they were Jews who, for example, believed that only a new messiah could return their people to their ancestral lands.

    After the anti-Jewish riots of 1929, when 133 people were killed and more than three hundred more were injured in one week, the Haganah quickly transformed from a group of avengers into a full-fledged militia. At one point, almost the entire adult Jewish population of Palestine was in its ranks. One of the divisions of the organization, Shai, essentially became the prototype of modern Israeli intelligence: its members were engaged in collecting data, as well as recruiting informants and agents.

    Haganah members at 1948

    Photo: AP

    With the founding of the independent Jewish state of Israel in 1948, former members of the Zionist paramilitaries assumed key positions in the young country’s security services. It was they who formed the main principles of the work of the future special service, taking as a basis guerrilla methods of struggle and the technique of targeted elimination.

    Mossad itself did not appear immediately, its forerunner was the research department of the political department of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, established in 1948. And only April 1, 1951 years – after a series of transformations – the organization was transformed into “ha-Mosad le-modiin u-le-tafkidim meyuhadim” (“Intelligence and Special Tasks Department”), or Mossad (“department”) for short. The secret service reported directly to the prime minister.

    Israel’s Punishing Hand

    Poisoned toothpaste and poisonous chocolate, exploding mobile phones and booby-trapped tires, replacing parts of a nuclear reactor with defective ones, and recruiting mistresses of terrorists – the details of Israeli special operations, leaked to the media or told in the memoirs of former intelligence officers, often amaze the imagination. In this sense, the old Mossad slogan, taken from the Book of Proverbs of Solomon – “Wage your war with cunning and deceit” – perfectly describes the modus operandi of the Israeli intelligence service.

    The very structure of the Mossad is unique – it is strikingly different from other intelligence agencies in the world. As is often the case, information about the exact number of its employees is classified.

    According to various estimates, the number of full-time employees of the Mossad ranges from 1200 to 7 thousand people. This is significantly less than is believed to work in the CIA USA

    At the same time, there are only 30-35 intelligence operatives ( katsa , an analogue of case officer CIA), says former intelligence officer Viktor Ostrovsky in his book “Mossad: by deceit. ” They run a vast spy network of tens of thousands around the world, from doctors in Syrian hospitals to diplomats in Egypt. Mossad operations are often assisted by volunteers from the Jewish diaspora in target countries (the so-called Saiyans ). Their task can be reduced to something quite elementary – for example, to give a mobile phone to a spy or rent an apartment for him. As a rule, they do not know any other details of the operation.

    Spying inside the enemy’s country is carried out by “illegals” – residents with an ideal “legend”. Some of them managed to penetrate so deeply into the camp of the enemy that their exposure became an international sensation. This was the case with Eli Cohen, who at 19The 60s managed to ingratiate himself with the confidence of the highest officials of the Syrian government. He even became third on the list of candidates for the presidency of Syria shortly before he was revealed. After the exposure of the Jewish intelligence officer, they were executed, and the operation actually failed. However, Cohen managed to get secret information that helped Israel win a decisive victory in the Six Day War and conquer the Golan Heights.

    Eli Cohen

    Photo: Public Domain / Wikimedia

    For one of the main areas of work of the Mossad – the physical destruction of the enemies of the Jewish state – the special unit “Kidon” (“spear”) is responsible. According to Ostrovsky, this unit consists of only three detachments of a dozen professional assassins, selected from among the soldiers of the army’s elite units. As a precaution, they are not only not told anything about other Mossad structures, but also each other’s names.

    License to kill

    For decades, Mossad agents have methodically hunted down the enemies of the Jewish state. Their track record includes Nazi war criminals, including Adolf Eichmann, who was responsible for the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question”, the killers of the members of the Israeli team at the Munich Olympics, the leaders of Palestinian terrorist organizations and Iranian nuclear scientists.

    Related materials:

    “Mossad” prefers targeted liquidations – without unnecessary casualties and as eloquently as possible. Previously, the preparation of such operations often took months or even years. Hundreds of agents around the world could be involved in planning and collecting the necessary information, and only a few operatives knew the details of the operation. The goal was thoroughly studied: the daily routine, the immediate environment, the equipment of the car, habits and whims – in a word, everything that could affect the success of the operation.

    Technological progress has greatly accelerated the preparation process. Now the Jewish state can plan and carry out such operations many times faster: not only when circumstances require it or when there is information about an imminent threat to the country, but simply when a convenient opportunity presents itself to cross one more name off the list of “Israel’s enemies”. Ami Ayalon, who headed the Shabak internal intelligence service from 1996-2000, described this approach by contemporary Israeli intelligence services as “the banality of evil.

    You get used to killing. Human life becomes something simple, easily utilized. You spend 15-20 minutes choosing who to kill. Two or three days to decide how. You’re dealing with tactics, not consequences

    Ami Ayalon Former Shabak leader

    Ami Ayalon

    Photo: Public Domain / Wikimedia

    Mossad intelligence officers are trained to think in terms of ethics and morality at the very beginning of their service. In his book, Ostrovsky says that kats are trained to draw a pistol in any danger and not care about what might happen to bystanders of a firefight – selfishness in intelligence is perceived rather as a good quality.

    The spectator will witness death – yours or your opponent’s. If you die, does it matter if the viewer is hurt or not? It’s about survival. your survival. We need to forget about honesty. In such a situation, you can either kill or die. Your duty is to protect and protect the property of the Mossad. And this property is you

    Viktor Ostrovskywriter, former Mossad spy

    However, many representatives of the Israeli intelligence community justify such cold-bloodedness and ruthlessness by saying that the security of the homeland is at stake. “I don’t think there can be any moral dilemma when you do what you believe in and what will save the lives of the citizens you are tasked with protecting,” said Ram Ben-Barak, a former deputy head of the Mossad and an MP Knesset.

    Moreover, the Mossad believes that targeted killings, in addition to their obvious practical purpose, also have an important psychological effect. Throughout its history, Israel, whose population is comparable to Moscow, has been surrounded by two dozen Muslim countries, hostile to the Jewish state, to put it mildly. What can 10 million people do against 500 million? Cunning and ruthlessness. The enemy must be convinced that Mossad spies are everywhere and that it is impossible to hide from the Israeli spear.

    According to journalist Ronen Bergman, this attitude stems from the trauma of the Holocaust: the Israeli leadership and citizens feel that the country is in danger of total annihilation, and that, as in the case of the Holocaust, no one will come to their aid.

    And yet, the Mossad usually prefers to remain in the background: for any special service, success, as a rule, remains a mystery. Failures become public knowledge – and they, too, have been in the 70-year history of the organization.

    In 1973, during an operation in Norway, Mossad agents mistakenly killed an Arab waiter instead of one of the leaders of the Black September Palestinian terrorist organization that organized the terrorist attack at the Munich Olympics.

    In 1997, Israeli foreign intelligence agents made an unsuccessful attempt on the head of the Palestinian Hamas movement, Khaled Mashaal, in Amman, by injecting poison into his ear. Two spies were detained right on the spot, and two more managed to hide in the Israeli embassy in Jordan. To rescue their unfortunate scouts, Israel had to give Mashaal an antidote and release Hamas religious leader Ahmed Yassin.

    In 2004, two Israelis believed to be working for the Mossad were detained while trying to illegally obtain New Zealand passports.

    In 2010, a group of 27 agents killed one of the leaders of the military wing of Hamas, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in a Dubai hotel. At the same time, she “lit up” in full force on CCTV cameras and left a lot of fingerprints.

    Detention of alleged Mossad agent Uri Brodsky in Poland

    Photo: Czarek Sokolowski / AP

    The Israeli prime minister’s faithful dog

    At the turn of the 2000s, Mossad began to move away from political espionage towards targeted actions against Israel’s two main opponents in the region, Iran and Palestine. Meir Dagan, head of foreign intelligence from 2002-2011, explained the change in priorities quite bluntly: “We are not the United States, and if we continue to naively believe that we can do everything at once, then in the end we will do absolutely nothing.” The targets of Israeli attacks are not only militants and military leaders, but also nuclear scientists: it is the Mossad that is credited with the recent high-profile murder of Iranian scientist Muhsin Fakhrizadeh, “the father of the Iranian nuclear bomb.

    However, not by Iran and Palestine alone. At the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mossad threw all its efforts into finding the equipment, reagents and production technologies needed to fight the new scourge. According to a senior intelligence official, the Israeli intelligence service even managed to get hold of the devices already ordered by other countries. In Israel, in general, it was rightly judged that in a war – even with a virus – all means are good.

    Nevertheless, the former glory of once one of the most prestigious intelligence agencies in the world is steadily fading away every year

    In February 2021, the Israeli establishment was shocked by the sudden resignation of the deputy head of the Mossad, known as Aleph. The intelligence officer was behind many high-profile and successful operations against Iran, and his departure against the background of the growing threat from Tehran seemed illogical and strange to many.

    The intrigue did not last long – a month later Alef gave an interview in which he personally criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to the intelligence officer, it is “bad leadership” that is to blame for the failures in the confrontation with Iran.

    Just look at how much uranium Iran has accumulated, how its regional influence is growing, it’s terrible. But the operations that we have carried out during this time? Stunning

    Alef former deputy head of the Mossad

    The intelligence officer also warned that the independence of the secret service was under threat. His fears were not in vain.

    In mid-March, it became known that the current head of intelligence, Yossi Cohen, swore personal loyalty to the Netanyahu couple in order to receive the coveted position. Both Cohen and Netanyahu’s wife Sara denied this information, of course. However, Israel fears that under his leadership, the Mossad really runs the risk of becoming the Israeli prime minister’s faithful dog: it will unconditionally carry out any of his orders, even if it is contrary to national interests.

    The number of Israeli weightlifter Moshe Romano, who was killed in a terrorist attack at the Olympic Games in Munich

    Photo: AP

    Challenges of the new time

    Cohen himself considers the main threat to his agency not “bad management”, but high-tech. Although modern technologies speed up planning, they allow revealing the identity of an agent by fingerprint, retina and facial contours – and this has to be reckoned with. “This is a problem of a completely different order,” he complained.

    Related materials:

    The rapid development of technology creates another problem: employee turnover. In pursuit of “fresh blood”, Israeli intelligence even turned to a completely non-standard means – serials. On streaming platforms, more and more pictures appear, inspired by and, perhaps, too romanticizing the most high-profile operations of the Israeli intelligence service.

    So, Sacha Baron Cohen, better known for his role as Borat, played the legendary intelligence officer and his namesake Eli Cohen in the series for Netflix. Tehran is a television series on Apple TV that tells the story of a spy-hacker who tries to counter Iran’s nuclear program by hiding in its capital. And the famous Israeli top model Bar Refaeli starred in the film “Kidon”, dedicated to the assassination of one of the leaders of the Palestinian movement Hamas Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai.

    In the Mossad, which has historically sought to maintain an aura of mystery, they do not object to such increased attention to themselves, but rather indulge it in every possible way, if only to convince the youth that working for us is cool and exciting

    And inspired youth, in their turn, can go to the Mossad website and fill out a special application form. However, how often these resumes are viewed and how great are the chances to replenish the ranks of Israeli intelligence after that, for obvious reasons, is unknown.

    However, even such popularization of the Mossad may not be enough to keep intelligence in the leading position in the world. Tamir Liebel, a researcher at the University of Bamberg, notes that the intelligence service did not have time to adapt to the geopolitical shifts that took place in the world after the end of the Cold War. According to the scientist, in the pursuit of successful pinpoint operations, Israeli intelligence missed the opportunity for important structural changes that would help it stay afloat longer.

    Whether the Mossad will cope with new challenges or finally turn into a puppet of Israeli politicians, trading in one-off actions against Iranians and Palestinians, time will tell. Only one thing is obvious: the charm of “the most secret intelligence” will not pass soon. And the more Mossad employees, when they retire, sit down to write memoirs, the more often stories about Israeli “James Bonds” will pop up in the recommendations of a conditional Netflix or HBO channel, calmly, cynically and beautifully eliminating enemies, saving all progressive humanity in passing.

    They do without expensive cars. 5 popular myths about spies

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    1. Spies live chic

    Expensive sports cars, luxurious restaurants, designer clothes and model girlfriends — this is how adventure films depict the life of an agent. But in reality, it does not look like this idyllic picture at all.

    Most often, intelligence officers are in contact with the military, scientists and embassy employees. Against this background, you can not stand out. On the contrary, you need to be able to blend in with the crowd. Therefore, the spy is more likely T. Green. What’s fact and fiction about working as a British spy? / BBC News will travel by subway, bus or regular car rather than an expensive boat.

    The desire for a luxurious life that does not correspond to the status occupied by a person can reveal a spy. So, the British officer Harry Houghton, who passed secret information to the Polish and Soviet intelligence, at first did not fall into the hands of the British intelligence services only because they did not believe his wife.

    she drew O. Ivshina. “It’s just jealousy”: how MI5 missed a Soviet spy, not believing his wife But they considered that the woman was simply jealous of her husband for his mistress. Only later, from the testimony of another captured spy, did it become clear that Houghton really was a “mole.” And that’s when he was arrested.

    2.

    Any scout always has a few clever gadgets with him

    Bugs, multifunctional watches and shooting pens – this seems to be almost the simplest arsenal of an agent. Alas, for the most part, these are just the fantasies of the authors of books and films.

    The spies themselves are unlikely to be hung J. Miller. 14 Ways Spy Movies Are Nothing Like Real Life / Vanity Fair complex and expensive equipment that, if arrested, could compromise them. In those extraordinary situations when such devices are still needed, the coordinator will issue equipment to the agent.

    In fact, the most advanced spy technologies are not used by scouts “in the field”, but by those who work in think tanks and coordinating centers. For example, facial recognition software appeared in the arsenal of specialists long before this technology was shown in movies. But in general, the intelligence services do not have any fabulous devices.

    3. Spies are always masters of shooting and hand-to-hand combat, and fights and chases are commonplace

    In the movie, an agent is a universal soldier who can neutralize the enemy with everything that comes to hand, and easily go for the kill if would need. But the reality is much more prosaic.

    The main task of the scout is to collect M. D. Cavelty, V. Mauer. Postmodern Intelligence: Strategic Warning in an Age of Reflexive Intelligence / Security Dialogue information. In fact, this is a person who keeps the bosses informed about what is happening abroad, if possible, obtains secret data and warns of dangers. Therefore, the ability to think, adapt, resist panic and stress, look for reliable and informed people, and be able to manipulate them comes to the fore. And certainly not to shoot or cut down with one blow.

    Chairman of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the USSR V.E. Semichastny (1st from left) receives Soviet intelligence officers R. Abel (2nd from left) and K. Molodoy (2nd from right). Russia Moscow. Photo: RIA Novosti / Wikimedia Commons

    Therefore, Y. Drozdov is not included in the training of future illegal immigrants. Invention excluded. Notes of the head of illegal intelligence courses on sabotage, terror and murder. Where shooting starts, reconnaissance ends.

    The tasks of real spies usually do not include infiltrating secret objects, “disabling” the guards and killing the bad guys. Such actions put F. P. Hitz. The Great Game: The Myths and Reality of Espionage would jeopardize the entire mission, preparation for which could take months or even years. This would mean the collapse of a work designed for a multi-year cycle, the end of a carefully crafted legend.

    In addition, such actions would lead to the unmasking of other agents and a major diplomatic scandal. Therefore, even in the face of the threat of disclosure, the spy is unlikely to go Yu. Drozdov. Invention excluded. Notes of the head of illegal intelligence on murder or resistance to arrest.

    4. Defectors always betray their country for money

    Film defectors are most often vile and cowardly, incompetent people who are hungry for money. This opinion is sometimes held by L. Wright. The Spymaster / The New Yorker and the scouts themselves. Although the financial issue is usually the main reason for cooperation with the opposite side, there are other motives.

    Many people help foreign intelligence services for ideological reasons. For example, this is what American scientists did 1. The Atomic Spy Hunt / TIME
    2. J. P. Jenkins. Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Rosenberg / Britannica
    3. A. Cowell. Theodore Hall, Prodigy and Atomic Spy, Dies at 74 / The New York Times Clarence Hiskey, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Theodore Hall and others. They passed on the secrets of creating American atomic weapons to the USSR, as they believed that it was very dangerous and upset the balance of power in the world.

    Julius and Ethel Rosenberg after their conviction, 1951. Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

    For similar reasons, N. Poroskov became an agent of Soviet intelligence. He handed over thousands of nuclear targets to Russia / Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, American sailor Glenn Souter. He considered US policy unfair and applied to the Soviet embassy for citizenship, where he was recruited.

    It is also possible to persuade a person to reveal state secrets by blackmail. For example, this was P. Earley. Spy Fiasco Marine Sgt. Clayton Lonetree Wanted to be Loved in the Worst Way. So He Betrayed His Country. And Then His Country Betrayed Him / The Washington Post with US Embassy Moscow security guard Clayton Lonetry.

    After the end of the Cold War, as follows from the analysis of K. L. Herbig. The Expanding Spectrum of Espionage by Americans, 1947 – 2015 / Defense Personnel and Security Research Center Office of People Analytics of the Center for Defense and Security Personnel Research at the US Department of Defense, people with access to classified information began to cross to the opposite side for money by about one and a half times less often. Only in 28% of cases the reason was financial. Therefore, it is impossible to say that all defectors are just greedy traitors.

    5. Only an agent can obtain valuable information

    Intelligence does not depend only on information obtained by agents. One of the most important, if not the most important, areas of modern espionage activity is analytics, which has flourished thanks to the spread of social networks and the Internet.

    As practice shows, today an experienced specialist, sitting at a computer, can get much more than S. C. Mercado. Sailing the Sea of ​​OSINT in the Information Age / Studies in Intelligence information from open sources than an agent “in the field”. To do this, the analyst studies the media, content on social networks, materials from conferences, research, photos and maps from public databases, and satellite images.

    Also, as evidenced by Edward Snowden’s revelations, the intelligence services can S. Martin. Spying in a transparent world: Ethics and intelligence in the 21st century / Geneva Center for Security Policy to look for the data they need even in closed sources. For example, get access to email, mobile device cameras, the location of their owners, conversation records, personal correspondence, social media data, and so on. And they don’t even need to do anything for this, because, according to Snowden, large companies themselves transmit this information. Finally, hacks and cyberattacks also remain B. Buchanan. The Legend of Sophistication in Cyber ​​Operations / The Cyber ​​Security Project Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Harvard Kennedy School is an important way to extract valuable data.

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    The 7 greatest double agents in history

    StoriesBoring! Don’t click!

    Wherever there is rivalry, there are double agents – be it corporations, drug cartels or countries. Whether they are heroes or traitors, those who write their history decide. However, we have tried to approach these unprincipled people impartially.

    The profession of a double agent is doubly dangerous and difficult, which means that it is paid quite high. Similar vacancies on the Headhunter website are not stale. However, according to independent sources, agents are not always motivated by money (ha, we believed it!). These people take risks out of love for their country. Or someone else’s, depending on the situation.

    Like tea, chess, and Abidas sneakers, the double agent culture originated in ancient China, but reached its peak during World War II and then the Cold War. Now double agents are used by the CIA to fight terrorism (by issuing them passports in the name of Foma Aschf).

    1. Dushan Popov

    Dushan Popov, nicknamed “Tricycle”, is considered the prototype of 007 James Bond. A tall, charismatic and self-confident Yugoslav lawyer worked successfully for MI6 during World War II. Dusan spoke fluent German and collaborated with the German secret services, while hating Hitler.

    British intelligence did not immediately believe Dushan, and in order to win their favor, he betrayed a double agent – German officer Johann Jebsen. Dushan communicated with MI6 using invisible ink and codes he personally developed.

    The confidence of the German side was so high that even when the Jebsen informant was discovered, the Germans did not stop cooperating with Dushan. In 1941, Dushan traveled to the United States on an assignment from Germany to obtain information about missile systems. There, he immediately contacted CIA director Edgar Hoover and became a double agent working for the United States.

    Popov’s career didn’t work out because Americans didn’t like the playboy life he led. Dushan was shown the door, and his information about the impending raid on Pearl Harbor was completely ignored. Popov died in the United States at the age of 69, leaving behind three children and a 30-year-old wife, a beautiful Swedish woman who could star in any James Bond film.

    2. Oleg Penkovsky

    Oleg Penkovsky, nicknamed “Hero”, Colonel of the GRU of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR, was one of the most important spies of the West during the Cold War. In fact, he prevented the outbreak of a nuclear war by transferring to MI6 5,500 documents about the nuclear forces of the USSR, including in Cuba, and Khrushchev’s plans. The United States received full information about what type of missile and how many nuclear warheads the USSR had, which greatly influenced President Kennedy’s policy.

    Penkovsky came under suspicion in 1961, arrested in October 1962 and, according to official figures, shot in 1963. However, according to other sources, he was burned alive in a crematorium oven, and the record of the execution was shown to scouts to intimidate (and raise morale).

    There is, however, a version that Penkovsky acted in the interests of his homeland, passing on information beneficial to the government of the USSR. This opinion was shared by the scientist Peter Wright, who worked for MI5. In this case, Oleg’s story ends with a happy ending: he was not shot or burned, but moved to the West under a false name.

    3. Humam Al-Balawi

    Humam Al-Balawi fully justified his pseudonym “Zigzag”, as he was not even a double, but a triple agent. The CIA contacted him while he was studying medicine in Istanbul. Khalil did not hide his adherence to extremist views, and this made him an ideal candidate for the role of a double agent.

    Al-Balawi was sent to Afghanistan, where he successfully cooperated with Al-Qaeda, passing information to the CIA. Fully enlisting the confidence of the American side and promising to provide information about the second most important leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman Zawahiri, Al-Balawi infiltrated the Chapman base, more precisely, freely entered the CIA meeting, where he blew himself up, killing seven CIA employees and two military officers.

    4. Arthur Owens

    The first double agent during the Second World War, who changed several callsigns. The Germans called him “Johnny” and “Beerman” (Beerman), due to the fact that in German he could only say “Ein Bier”, and the British – “Snow”. Arthur, who was of Welsh origin, was anti-British and had begun cooperation with Germany before the war.

    For a modest fee, he supplied the Germans with information about British armaments, plans for airfields, and the location of military bases and depots. By the beginning of the war, he managed to make a good fortune, taking the amount of data transmitted. Arthur collected information under the guise of his work as an electrical equipment salesman and freely traveled around the country.

    After the outbreak of the war, Arthur contacted MI6 and willingly (for a corresponding fee) made contact. With his help, British intelligence managed to uncover a network of more than 120 German spies and successfully sold false information to Germany for several years. Since Arthur was driven mainly by materialistic considerations, he was very cautious. After the end of the war, he peacefully retired with an appropriate reward for non-disclosure of information and lived the rest of his life in clover.

    5. Aldrich Ames

    Aldrich Ames, head of the CIA’s counterintelligence division and head of the Soviet department of the CIA’s foreign counterintelligence department, successfully collaborated with Soviet intelligence for nine years and was one of the most prominent spies. He cost the government of the USSR a pretty penny, his fees amounted to millions of dollars and were the largest in the history of Soviet intelligence.

    Ames was driven by banal greed to betray the ideals of his homeland. At the time of the beginning of cooperation with the KGB at 19In 84, he was divorcing his wife, and he also had huge debts from his mistress. Thanks to the information he provided, according to various sources, from 12 to 25 agents in the highest echelons of power in the USSR were uncovered.

    Among others, Ames wrote a denunciation even against his friend, the state security agent Sergei Fedorenko. Ten people were then sentenced to death, and Ames himself became the owner of a fortune of $ 4 million.

    However, he did not have time to use his earnings to the full, although he bought a house in the vicinity of Washington for $540,000 in cash, bought a farm and two apartments in his wife’s name, acquired a Jaguar car and luxury goods worth $455,000, and also Bought shares worth $165,000 on the stock exchange. At 1994 Ames was sentenced to life in prison with confiscation of property and is serving time in a Pennsylvania prison. The Ames episode led to a cooling of relations between Russia and the United States, despite the fact that Boris Yeltsin said he knew nothing about his activities.

    6. Kim Philby

    Naturally, he could not miss our list. Kim Philby, a Soviet MI6 spy for decades, served as chief of counterintelligence and was even awarded the Order of the British Crown. Philby was a member of the famous (we advise you to google it) “Cambridge Five”, which consisted of five spies, graduates of Cambridge, who worked in the British secret services. By the way, only four participants are known today, the name of the fifth has not yet been disclosed. Philby was their leader. During the war alone, he handed over to Moscow 914 documents with valuable information.

    In fact, for the USSR, Kim Philby was the same as Owen Ames in the USA, but unlike the latter, Kim worked for the idea, since from his youth he adhered to communist views. Because of his secret activities, he was abandoned by his first wife, the Austrian Communist Party activist Litzi Friedman, who believed that he betrayed the ideals of Marx and Lenin and sold himself to the capitalists.

    However, later Philby married a second time – to an employee of the Soviet research institute Rufina Pukhova, with whom he lived in Moscow, where he was secretly taken out by the government of the USSR after the exposure of two agents from the “Cambridge Five”. Philby spent the rest of his life in Moscow, in a luxurious apartment near the Kyiv metro station, and was buried at the Novokuntsevo cemetery.

    7. Juan Garcia Pujol

    Juan García Pujol, a brilliant double agent in the service of British and German intelligence, was awarded both the MBE and the Iron Cross. Too bad he couldn’t put them on at the same time.

    Born in Barcelona, ​​Juan did not achieve much in his studies and worked as a shop assistant when the Spanish Civil War broke out. He tried to establish cooperation with British and American intelligence, but the information that the modest seller had did not seem interesting to them. Then Pujol offered his services to German intelligence and was ordered to create a network of agents in the UK.

    Not knowing English, he went to Lisbon instead of London and handed over to his superiors a lot of reports supposedly from England, the data for which he took partly from open sources (guides, newspapers, advertisements and public transport timetables), and partly invented himself. To protect himself, Pujol created a whole network of fictitious informants, on whom, in case of failure, he could shift all the blame.

    After the German forces spent considerable money to declassify Pujol’s fictitious friends, British intelligence became interested in him. The talented hoaxer continued his activities, and by the end of the war, his network consisted of 27 non-existent characters who regularly supplied him with information. Thus, among others, a British censor in the Ministry of Information, an office clerk, an American soldier in Britain, a Dutch stewardess and a Welshman who sympathized with fascism allegedly worked for him. The next time you hear voices in your head, think about it: maybe you should also try your hand at intelligence?

    Oddly enough, Pujol’s lies were taken at face value. Despite the fact that his reports were either a little late or contained already known data, the Germans respected the great work that this selfless Spaniard and his agents were doing in the heart of England. Pujol succeeded in misinforming the German command and playing a decisive role in Operations Neptune and Fortutude.