At that moment I remembered that my friend, Courtney, mentioned her 25-year-old brother was applying to become a Border Patrol agent. I was so interested that I sent her a text to get more information. She explained that the application process was, and still is lengthy- her brother is yet to hear a final world from the government agency. She also said he's required the support of family and friends along the way.
Due to short notice, I was unable to get in direct contact with Courtney's brother- I'll call him Mike for the sake of his privacy. But, Courtney was more than willing to share her side of the story.
The 22-year-old Tucson native recently applied to the University of Arizona College of Nursing. If accepted, she will begin nursing classes in the fall, keeping her close to home. Just as Courtney is looking to obtain a job in the field of service, so is her brother.
"Mike does not have a college degree. He has been interested in Border Patrol for several years because friends and family have told him about their experiences with the department. Not only does he want to protect our borders, but he is also interested in a salary, insurance, retirement plans, etc.," she said.
But the application process is more than Courtney said she would Mike has been very dependent upon our family during this long process. He continues to need emotional support when he is frustrated with the process that seems to be never ending.
"Becoming a Border Patrol agent is not an easy task," she explained. "First, he had to fill out an application. This application was several pages long. He had to provide references for each school he attended, job he maintained and residence he lived in. He also had to pass a physical test, a lie detector test, had an interview and had to pass a very extensive background check."
But the investigation and backgrounding did not stop there.
"He also met with a private investigator to question him about anything and everything regarding his past and present. That private investigator has shown up at my grandma's work to question her, my uncle's house, Mike's girlfriend's house, etc.," Courtney said.
With all the work that's gone into the process, one can only imagine amount of time it's taken. Mike first applied for the job in August 2012. Although the determined male is yet to hear back, his sisters says his family and friends will continue to give their support.
"My family is excited for him. Although there is a possibility we would not get to see him as often as we do now, we know this is something he is very interested in," she said. "He could be mandated to live in a couple different locations. As a family, we're obviously rooting for somewhere close to Tucson. Mike, on the other hand, would really like to be living in San Diego, Calif. Although he can ask to work in a specific location, they don't make any guarantees."
Courtney could not help but express how proud she is of her older brother.
"Not everyone would be willing to work in 100-degree weather, chasing illegal immigrants and pursuing drug smugglers, but Mike is excited to do it. He wants to protect our borders, which as a Tucsonan is super important to me and my safety," she said. "I am amazed daily that he still wants to become a Border Patrol Agent even though he has been waiting almost two years. Most people would have already given up out of frustration."
Pictured above is Courtney and her two older brothers, Leland and Mike. She is the youngest child and extremely proud of her brother, Mike [pictured on the right], who is is currently applying to be a Border Patrol agent. I have permission to use this photograph which was taken by Lexi Moody.
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