After three years of applying, waiting, interviewing, waiting, taking a polygraph, waiting, joining a local police department and then waiting a little longer, my now husband finally got the letter in the mail telling him he was officially accepted as a criminal investigator (agent) for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was such an exciting time for both of us. We didn't exactly know what this meant for our future, but we knew we had both spent many years in a state of limbo, hoping and waiting for this moment. Several weeks passed before we heard from the agency again. Once we did, we learned that my husband's first assignment would be six hours away, in a neighboring state, and he had two weeks until he was expected to arrive.YIKES! We just got engaged several weeks prior to this news, and I was already knee-deep in wedding preparations. We had already picked a date and a venue for the following spring and had put down a deposit. Now, my fiancé was moving to a neighboring state, and would spend six of the next 12 months in Glenco, Ga. at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), better known as the ATF academy. Talk about an emotional roller coaster; one minute I was getting engaged (high moment), the next minute my husband got his agent job (higher moment), then he was being transferred out of town (low moment) and he was going to be gone for the next 12 months until we got married and I could move to be with him (crash and burn).
For better or worse, my story is not unique. Almost every agent’s wife I've spoken with can share a very similar story. Some have me beat, too. A lot of new agents have children, with more on the way. Regardless, the first assignment and FLETC training academy are a microcosm for the unique lifestyle which federal law enforcement families experience.
I'm so glad I found your blog! My fiancé is taking his polygraph test in a couple of weeks, and we are getting married a few weeks after that. He (we) has been going through this process for over a year. I'm excited but nervous as we start this new life together. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
ReplyDeleteEven though this was written years ago, this blog is so helpful for me. This is literally what I am going through now.
ReplyDeleteJe m'appelle Mme Celia Dave. Je vis au Royaume-Uni
ReplyDeleteet je suis une femme heureuse aujourd'hui? et moi
me dit que tout prêteur qui sauve mon
famille de notre mauvaise situation, je referai
toute personne qui lui demande un prêt,
il a donné du bonheur à moi et à ma famille, je
avait besoin d'un prêt de 250 000 $ à
recommencer ma vie comme je suis célibataire
mère avec 3 enfants, j'ai rencontré cet honnête et DIEU
craignant l'homme prêteur de prêt qui m'aide avec un
prêt de 250000,00 $ US Dollar, il est un DIEU
craignant l'homme, si vous avez besoin d'un prêt et
vous rembourserez le prêt veuillez contacter
lui dire que c'est Mme Celia Dave que
vous référer à lui. Son nom est M. Benjamin Lee
Son Email (247officedept@gmail.com) Ou conversation WhatsApp: + 1-989-394-3740.
Thank you for your blog. I am in a similar situation and have been feeling afraid and so alone. I have no one to talk to about it without risking, jeopardizing, or destroying something or other.
ReplyDelete