Training
World-Class Training. Cutting-Edge Curricula.
Our special agents receive world-class training from seasoned professionals dedicated to mission success and personal development.
U.S. Secret Service training utilizes cutting-edge curricula designed to enhance recruits’ existing skills and develop new ones critical to the Agency’s “Zero-Fail Mission”. Special agent trainees train alongside individuals that are equally committed and driven.
During the first year of employment, special agent trainees receive several months of formal classroom, fitness, firearms and simulation training.
The Secret Service offers career growth and opportunities to make your future as dynamic and rewarding as it can be. Because our highly-trained people are our greatest assets, we empower each individual to realize their full potential and more. We support the varied members of our team with progressive practices that help provide opportunities to further develop skills, follow their interests down new career paths, as well as provide an essential work/life balance.
New special agent trainees undergo months of intensive training through established programs at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia.
For agents, upon successful completion of Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at FLETC, this is followed by a 18-week Special Agent Training Course at the Secret Service's training academy outside of Washington, D.C. This course focuses on specific Secret Service policies and procedures associated with the dual responsibilities of investigations and protection. Trainees are provided with basic knowledge and advanced application training in combating counterfeiting, access device fraud and other financial criminal activity, protective intelligence investigations, physical protection techniques, protective advances and emergency medicine. The core curriculum is augmented with extensive training in marksmanship, control tactics, water survival skills and physical fitness.
Secret Service agents receive continuous advanced training throughout their careers. In part, this training consists of regular firearms requalification and emergency medicine refresher courses. Agents assigned to protective assignments also participate in unique crisis training simulations that present agents with a variety of "real world" emergency situations. Agents assigned to offices in the field have the opportunity to acquire advanced training in the area of criminal investigations and are also encouraged to attend training sessions sponsored by other law enforcement agencies.
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority or credibility is presented.
For the Secret Service, accreditation means that its training facility and programs have clearly defined and appropriate objectives and maintains conditions where these objectives can reasonably be achieved. It also encourages improvement through continuous review. Accreditation ensures that all Secret Service training programs provided at the training facility maintain the highest level of learning.
The real value of accreditation lies in the consultative and educational process that precedes the awarding of the certificate. It is this on-going process of self-evaluation, peer review and consultation that helps an organization improve its mission and services through its various programs, training and other human capital resources.
What Courses and Programs are accredited?
- The James J. Rowley Training Center Academy
- Essentials of Instruction (EOI)
- Basic Investigation of Computers and Electronic Crimes Program (BICEP)
- Special Agent Training Course (SATC)
- Uniformed Division Training Course (UDTC)
- Firearms Instructor Training Course (FITC)
- ERT Tactical Canine Course
- Explosive Detection Canine Training Course
Physical Fitness Evaluation
The below training fitness standards are different from the Applicant Physical Abilities Test (APAT) fitness standards.
This hand-out has been designed to educate the reader on the United States Secret Service Physical Fitness standards and the proper protocols necessary to accomplish those standards. Recruits who will be attending training at the James J. Rowley Training Center (JJRTC) are expected to arrive in good physical condition, ready to begin a functional fitness program.
The fitness evaluation measures strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity in four core elements. The core elements are: push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and the 1.5 mile run. The fitness evaluation will be administered at the beginning, during, and end of training. Secret Service weapon carrying employees are additionally required to participate in the Secret Service Physical Fitness Evaluation quarterly.
The following point system will be applied to the fitness category level achieved by the student in accordance with their age and gender. The point system will be applied to the four (4) core elements of the U.S. Secret Service Individual Fitness Profile Evaluation.
Start in the UP position. Back and legs should be straight. Body should be pushed up with the arms fully extended with the elbows locked. Hands are shoulder width apart. Feet should be side by side with the toes tucked in. Lower your body to the floor until the chest contacts (a fist of the partner or a rolled up towel). Back should be kept straight and in line with the buttocks. Raise the body until the elbows are in a fully locked position. Repeat this sequence as many times as possible for ONE MINUTE.
NORM FOR MALES
Push Ups - 1 Minute
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 55 | 50 | 42 | 39 |
| Good | 3 | 50-54 | 41-49 | 35-41 | 29-38 |
| Fair | 2 | 46-49 | 36-40 | 28-34 | 21-28 |
| Poor | 1 | 38-45 | 30-35 | 22-27 | 16-20 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 37 | 29 | 21 | 15 |
NORM FOR FEMALES
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 40 | 30 | 23 | 23 |
| Good | 3 | 30-39 | 25-29 | 19-22 | 19-22 |
| Fair | 2 | 26-29 | 20-24 | 12-18 | 12-18 |
| Poor | 1 | 20-25 | 13-19 | 8-11 | 8-11 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 7 |
Lie down on your back. Bend your knees and hips so your feet are flat on the ground. Your feet should also be anchored to the ground. Utilize a partner or a heavy object. Place your arms across your chest with the palms resting on opposite shoulders. Back should be in contact with the floor up to the bottom of the shoulder blades. This is the STARTING position. Curl upward until the elbows touch the thighs two to three inches from the knee. Return to the STARTING position until the entire shoulder blade touches the floor. Repeat this sequence as many times as possible in ONE MINUTE.
NORM FOR MALES
Sit-Ups - 1 Minute
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 47 | 43 | 39 | 35 |
| Good | 3 | 42-46 | 39-42 | 34-38 | 28-34 |
| Fair | 2 | 38-41 | 35-38 | 29-33 | 24-27 |
| Poor | 1 | 33-37 | 30-34 | 24-28 | 19-23 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 32 | 29 | 23 | 18 |
NORM FOR FEMALES
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 44 | 35 | 29 | 24 |
| Good | 3 | 38-43 | 29-34 | 24-28 | 20-23 |
| Fair | 2 | 32-37 | 25-28 | 20-23 | 14-19 |
| Poor | 1 | 27-31 | 20-24 | 14-19 | 13-10 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 26 | 19 | 13 | 9 |
Grab the chin-up bar with a shoulder-width, under hand grip. Keeping your arms completely straight, hang at arms’ length. You may cross your ankles behind you. This is the STARTING POSITION. You should return to this position each time you lower your body back down. Squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your upper arms down forcefully, pull your chest to the bar. ONE REPETITION is counted each time the chin rises above the bar. One cycle is completed when the body returns to the starting position with the arms fully extended. There is NO TIME LIMIT for this exercise.
NORM FOR MALES
Chin-Ups
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Good | 3 | 9-10 | 8-9 | 6-7 | 3-4 |
| Fair | 2 | 7-8 | 6-7 | 4-5 | 2 |
| Poor | 1 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 2-3 | 1 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
NORM FOR FEMALES
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Good | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Fair | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Poor | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
You will cover a 1.5 mile course running at near maximum effort. This run will require a nearly exhaustive effort to attain your best score. You should refrain from eating two hours prior to the test, but drink plenty of water before and after the run. The run should not be done on a tread-mill. To simulate testing conditions during training, the run may be completed on asphalt and over a course that has varying levels of elevation.
NORM FOR MALES
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 10:16 | 10:47 | 11:44 | 12:51 |
| Good | 3 | 10:17-11:41 | 10:48-12:20 | 11:45-13:14 | 12:52-14:24 |
| Fair | 2 | 11:42-12:51 | 12:21-13:36 | 13:15-14:29 | 14:25-15:26 |
| Poor | 1 | 12:52-14:13 | 13:37-14:52 | 14:30-15:41 | 15:27-16:43 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 14:14 | 14:53 | 15:42 | 16:44 |
NORM FOR FEMALES
| Fitness Category | Point Value | Age Category | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | |
| Excellent | 4 | 12:50 | 13:42 | 14:30 | 15:56 |
| Good | 3 | 12:51-14:24 | 13:43-15:08 | 14:31-15:57 | 15:57-16:58 |
| Fair | 2 | 14:25-15:26 | 15:09-15:57 | 15:58-16:58 | 16:59-17:54 |
| Poor | 1 | 15:27-16:33 | 15:58-17:14 | 16:59-18:00 | 17:55-18:49 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 16:34 | 17:15 | 18:01 | 18:50 |