Angie's Story
August 2002
I have to start off by saying that the
Border Patrol was something that we found out about second
hand, and just got lucky. But what luck!
In April of 1996, I was working for the
Texas Dept of Criminal Justice and JC Penny's. Clint was
working as a junior purchasing agent for Louisiana Pacific
in New Waverly, Texas. My closest friend told me that
her fiance, who also worked for TDCJ and was a prison
guard, was going to take the test for the Border Patrol
and wouldn't it be cool if Clint could take it also?
So, off they go to take the test…when
the results came in, it was actually quite a shock. Clint
passed it and her fiance did not!
Little did we know what was to come?
The physical and the oral interview went
smoothly, other than getting stuck in a line at the INS
building in Houston and not being able to get in for the
interview! Better late than never. The background however
was a different story. The investigator met with Clint
twice and also came to my work twice. With all kinds of
questions! Our sister in law is a citizen of England and
Clint was in the service and served in Germany and served
in Desert Storm.
When Clint got out of the Army, they claimed
they overpaid him a WHOLE month and we said they did not.
So that had to be resolved before we could go any further.
Very grudgingly I wrote out the check to the Department
of the Army.
In April of 1997, Clint got a call from
El Centro, Ca., and was asked if he wanted to go to California?
He said " May I talk it over with my wife and call
you tomorrow?" Of course they said yes, but then
they did not leave a number! A week later Yuma Arizona
called. Clint told Yuma that El Centro called last week.
"El Centro called you?!!!!!" (Came the reply)
Needless to say, Yuma was the decision. That meant that
we had to start trying to figure out a way to get him
to Arizona on May 5th 1997.
The academy was a challenge in the law and
the physical part. Spanish was no problem, being bilingual
due to growing up around farms with migrant workers. But
graduation soon came (October '97) and on to Yuma Clint
went. I joined Clint in January 1998.
The rest is history, Clint can't believe
that they pay him to drive around in a 4-wheel drive all
day and play in the dirt. He has now been an agent for
5 years and it was the best thing to ever happen to us.
We have met some wonderful people in the patrol and thank
God for our friends.
I hope if you are trying to decide if the
patrol is a life for you, that you take the chance and
go for it. You will never regret it.
God Bless you and Good Luck.
Angie
Legal
