Can you be an investigator and SRT at the same time?

Aleena Dadayan — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 08:55:39 -0400

I am about to get my bachelor degree and I wany to become a detective and swat operator. I plan to enlist as either 31B or 31D after I graduate this December. Can you become an investigator and SRT at the same time? Where is the best base to go to and what can I do now to achieve this?

Response by Aleena Dadayan made Jun 7 at 2020 8:56 AM

Aleena Dadayan — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 08:56:07 -0400

want*

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2020 2:49 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 14:49:26 -0400

Short answer, not usually. They are separate parts of a detachment and to my knowlege very really do they cross over. Usually Military Police Invesitgators (V5) who are qualified will be pulled into the MPI slots. I will say in my experience 31D are a whole other world than the Army all together. They have extra commitments (or if you get sent to CIDSAC you have a 36 month commitment to CID), that trump wanting to be SRT. In term of being a 31B and SRT that’s a lot easier but you may have to “do your time” in a line unit first. Each base has different rules about how to qualify for SRT, for example: no profiles, had to have been at the duty station for 6 months, no PT failures, shoot expert in both M4/M17, PFC (with a waiver) SPC-SGT, if you’re and NCO you have to have team leader time first etc. There’s no special base to do either of those things, you go where the Army says you go.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2020 7:26 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 19:26:40 -0400

At least here in Hawaii, you have to do SRT tryouts first and join the team. At the same time you can request from your SRT leadership that you wish to get MPI school. They’re unlikely going to give it to you but it’s been done. However once you complete your MPI school you will most likely be assigned as a detective not both. It’s very hard and kind of impractical to be an on-call SRT operator and a full time felony investigator. You never know though. If you impress and get to know people well enough, they can make things happen. Good luck!

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jun 7 at 2020 8:14 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 20:14:41 -0400

You can do each but I highly doubt you will be able to hold both billets at the same time

Response by SFC Ocie Conner made Jun 7 at 2020 9:59 PM

SFC Ocie Conner — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 21:59:32 -0400

As a former SRT OIC and current 31B SRNCO. If you are going to be a 31D then the probability of you being on SRT is very low. Having said that the bigger bang for your buck is being an agent. Agents can do work with SRT for training especially hostage negotiations. If you enter as a 31B there is no guarantee that you will be able to bring on SRT. It all depends on the unit strength and if they can afford. As far as the best base, we’ll you will receive a lot of different answers. Different strokes for different folks. Each installation presents is pros and cons. It’s is up to you to make it the best. I’d recommend that if you are looking for a certain base then try to get it, but normally after training it will be where the Army needs you. I have had the privilege to be on SRT at a couple installations and have been the OIC and NCOIC a couple. Just know that in my 23+ years, I’ve never seen anyone enter the Army straight into the 31D MOS. I could be wrong but I’ve never heard or seen it.

Response by SGT Tim. Wilson made Jun 8 at 2020 11:49 AM

SGT Tim. Wilson — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 11:49:36 -0400

I really can't comment on the way things are currently done but back in my day you couldn't enlist for CID unless you were an going in as an officer and even then it depended on your education (degrees) and civilian experience.
You could enlist to be an MP with three choices for duty assignments but your assignment was still up to the needs of the Army.
As for applying for MPI school, you could apply for it as an E-3 if you knew you were going to be promoted to E-4 within 60 days otherwise you had to be an E-4. Most applicants were accepted for the school during a PCS, so they would go to school then go to a new duty station.
As for SRT, each platoon had at least a five person team that was on call and did extra training as such. If 1st platoon was on the road then 2nd platoon SRT was on call, 2nd platoon on road #rd platoon SRT on call, etc.
How much that equates to today is really unknown to me.
Good luck and I hope you achieve your goals!

Response by MSG Mike OHandley made Aug 12 at 2020 12:22 AM

MSG Mike OHandley — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 00:22:10 -0400

You could back in the day but I don't know about now. I was NCOIC of an SRT team, as well as NCOIC of the MPI Section on Ft. Devens back in the 80's. In those days, SRT was so new to the Army that they sent us to get trained in SRT techniques by the Air Force. Several investigators from my MPI office, as well as a few road MPs, were on the team.