Army Criminal Investigations Special Agents (MOS 31D)

Army Criminal Investigations Special Agents (MOS 31D)Army Criminal Investigations Special Agents (MOS 31D)Criminal investigations special agents (CIDs) are sort of like the gumshoe detectives of the U.S. Army. CID special agents are responsible for investigating or supervising investigations of felony-level criminal allegations or offenses against Army personnel or property. Think of the Tom Cruise and Demi Moore characters in the movie A Few Good Men (although note that they were Marines, not Army). The Military Occupational Specialty number for this job is MOS 31D. CID special agents can expect to investigate such criminal activity as espionage, treason, and terrorism. Like a police detective, theyll interview witnesses, question suspects and collect and analyze both forensic evidence and criminal intelligence. Theyre also responsible for maintaining Army criminal records. Training and Skills Job training for a CID special agent requires 20 weeks of a resident course, where rec ruits will learn about civil and military laws, investigation procedures and techniques, how to process a crime scene, and how to present testimonial evidence. Prior to being accepted into CID special agent training, recruits should have an interest in law enforcement. Recruits who want to become a CID special agent should be able to make quick decisions and remain calm under heavy duress. Qualifications To qualify for the CID special agent training, recruits need a 102 in the Skilled Technical (ST) area of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). They should be eligible for secret security clearance. While theres no specific strength requirement for MOS 31D, recruits must have modell color vision and be able to speak and write clearly. They should expect to be able to conduct interviews, ask questions to get information from unwilling sources and be confident presenting information when testifying.Upon application, a potential CID will need at least two years but not more than 10 years of service in the Army. Other requirements for this job include six months experience in either the military police or a civilian police force or completion of an apprentice special agents course. Applicants must complete the 31B military police one station unit training (OSUT) and the CID special agent course (CIDSAC). Since the nature of the work they do is highly sensitive and has legal implications, the Army is strict about the qualificationsand is unlikely to offer waivers to any of these conditions. Before enrolling, CID candidates must be U.S. citizens, and be at least 21 years old, and have two years of college. They have a maximum rank of sergeant. Pilot Training Program The 31D criminal investigations special agent pilot program is open to applicants for the MOS 31D. To qualify for the pilot program for MOS 31D, candidates need a bachelors degree in criminal justice, forensic science, computer science, or pre-law. Theyll need a grade point avera ge of 3.0 or higher. Those who are ineligible for this position include anyone with a record of psychological or pathological personality disorders, anyone with an unsatisfactory credit record, and anyone with civil court or court-martial convictions. Candidates will be subject to a single scope background investigation (SSBI) which will examine character traits such as integrity, sobriety, discretion, and stability. Similar Civilian Occupations First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Police and DetectivesPrivate Detectives and InvestigatorsDetectives and Criminal Investigators

Start Working Before Youre Hired

Start Working Before Youre HiredStart Working Before Youre HiredPresent yourself as an expert by building a business plan for the company and present yourself as the one to execute it.Alex Madeja got the job he wanted as the press and media manager at Education Dynamic, a leading education industry marketing and technology firm, because he was prepared.Prepared for Madeja didnt mean a resume and a strong review of the company before the interview.Before he applied, Madeja performed an extensive review of the enterprise, compiled a business plan to achieve key objectives he identified for the company and presented himself as the individual who could execute that plan.Madeja had worked in public relations earlier in his career before doing similar work in the automotive industry and taking time to get his MBA. He had the basic skills the company was looking for, but he had to make the case that he was the one who could do something amazing at the company.Madeja suggests learning as muc h as you can about a job before the application process.Get a good handle on the industry, he said. Tell them how you can help them succeed.When presenting yourself as someone who can take a company to new heights, Madeja said its important to quantify your success because the employers will be thinking in terms of their bottom line. You have to have some numbers to back it up.As part of Madejas pursuit of Education Dynamic, in Boca Raton, Fla., he was proactive and put together a communications plan for the hiring managers to review.They didnt ask me for one I just did one, he said, describing the plan as a basic outline of steps showing where the company will be after following those steps.I plugged in their information and drafted message points that they were trying to accomplish or put out there as a product, Madeja recalled.The plan proved that Madeja could not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk, which is what the hiring manager needed.If youre applying for something t hat you have the skills for, that should speak for itself, he said. But show them how youd do the job.

5 Tips for Building a Learning Culture in the Workplace

5 Tips for Building a Learning Culture in the Workplace5 Tips for Building a Learning Culture in the WorkplaceIn May 2015, the workforce in the U.S. quietly passed a huge milestone. Millennials- adults ages 18-34- surpassed Generation X as the dominant force in workplace demographics, according to a Pew Research report. At mora than 53 million strong, Millennials are the largest demographic group ever, edging out the previous record-setter Baby Boomers. What does this mean for you as a manager or HR professional if youre trying to build a learning culture? That depends on how you react to change. For Millennials, learning opportunities arent just a nice to have perk- they are an expectation. Bright and Creative Employees This generation is also more mobile than previous generational groups, so you have the challenge of retaining the best and brightest. And youll have to find a way to satisfy Millennials drive for career development while also managing learning opportunities for o ther groups in todays multigenerational workforce. Fortunately, the cultural shift youll need to make to accommodate the newcomers expectations and also keep more seasoned employees satisfied will be good for all demographic groups in your workforce- and great for your company. This is a win-win for all generations at work. By making a serious investment in your employees future with the creation and availability of learning opportunities, which in turn can lead to internal career development opportunities, youll set the stage for the companys long-range success. Establish Clear Links Between Learning and Performance Employees need to understand that an ongoing desire to learn is highly valued and that a capacity to engage in learning long-term is an essential part of their continued improved performance at work. Integrating learning into daily operations is the key- this enkoranverss that learning isnt just a one-off event but rather a core part of the culture. Make Sure Tha t What Employees Learn Is Applied Once links between learning, performance,and outcomes are established, managers can support the learning being applied on the job by following up regularly on what the employee is applying, doing differently, etc. To make sure new knowledge results in behavioral changes and better employee results, managers will require coaching tools to help them work with employees to achieve desired outcomes. You can reinforce this learning through praise, positive appraisals, and frequent reinforcement. Make Learning a Strategic Initiative To function as a tool that heightens employee engagement and increases productivity, learning has to take its rightful place as a core strategic initiative. Communicate what learning and skills are required to support the companys strategy, and tie all learning opportunities to those goals. Create a robust, ongoing performance management process that fosters collaboration between employees and managers and makes learning from feedback part of everyday life. Give employees the tools to identify skills gaps and strengths and map the findings to learning opportunities - and monitor progress along the way. Identify Subject-Matter Experts Another way to deliver learning opportunities to employees is to harness the skills and knowledge of subject matter experts and implement knowledge-sharing programs across the organization. With this approach, you can easily link learning activities with core competencies and measure program impact. Make Employees Accountable for Their Own Learning Employees today see their relationship with employers in less paternalistic terms than previous generations. They expect access to learning opportunities as a partner in the relationship, but a partnership is a two-way street. So its perfectly fair for companies to hold employees accountable. Be clear about who owns what and give them responsibility for their own development- and the tools they need to advance. Resear ch shows that employee learning and development programs can improve engagement, preserve institutional knowledge and increase productivity. Bersin by Deloitte research found that companies with a strong learning culture outperformed peers by a significant margin. But its important to build a strategy deliberately CEB Global estimates that ineffective training costs businesses $145 billion each year. Conclusion A major workforce demographic shift presents an excellent opportunity to refocus your learning and development strategy and build a strong culture of learning. By following these five tips, you can make knowledge transfer and skills acquisition a daily part of the job- and set your company up for long-term success. - Dominique Jones is known for her straightforward approach, driving excellence in execution, and building exceptional teams.