Coming to the FBI National Academy?

Things to know:

• The internet service here is HORRIBLE! I was told prior to coming here that Verizon had the best service. That is true…sort of. Verizon has decent cell signal here but almost everyone brings a Verizon phone or MyFi card. You then have hundreds of people accessing the same few Verizon towers.  The Verizon towers can only process so much bandwidth at a time and ‘BOOM!’ you have incredibly slow internet. Actually, my personal Sprint phone when used as a hotspot, was WAY faster than anything else I had tried. A wifi service called Boingo is offered here in the dorms. It is hit and miss. For the fastest speed it will cost you around $40 a month. However, once several hundred people in the dorms start using it at the same time, you start running into the same problem as the Verizon tower. Too many people for the available bandwidth.

• There is an area here known as the “patio.” The patio is just outside the atrium. You will pass the atrium many, many times during your stay. Alcohol and smoking is allowed at the patio. We were not told about this until a week or so in. Alcohol and tobacco IS NOT allowed in the dorms. Do not push them on that rule! Anyway, I spent a great amount of time smoking cigars and completing school assignments out at the patio (weather permitting). You will find that the patio is one of the most educational areas at the FBINA. Your classmates will open up and start talking about their agencies and how they do things. One last thing about the patio; Keep it clean! Other students at the FBI Academy (NOT FBINA) came through and threw cigarette butts on the ground and generally made a mess of things. Several of us (FBINA) got together and swept the patio several times. Keep it clean!

• There is also an area across the street from the Jefferson building known as “the grove.” It is a covered area with picnic tables, lights, etc. The switch to the lights is on a corner column on the side facing the indoor shooting range. It uses a timer so be prepared for the lights to go out.   You can smoke and consume alcohol here as well.

•  It was stressed to us that NO intimate relations are allowed on federal property. None of us had an issue with that but apparently; they will send you home on the first offense.

• The cafeteria food here is okay. I thought the coffee was pretty good. The food does get old eventually. There are many food options off post in Garrisonville.

• Speaking of Garrisonville; To get there; Go back out of the FBI Academy gate, turn left. Go to the intersection where the fire department is located. Turn right. Stay on that road. You will eventually exit through a small Marine Corps’ gate. Stay on that road. You will come to an intersection with a CVS pharmacy on your right. From this position:  Most of the restaurants will be to the left. Mrs. Kim’s barbershop is about one block down to the right. The VABC store (where you buy liquor) is next to the gas station on your left in a small strip mall.  Wal-Mart, Target, etc., is to your left. There is a decent cigar store a few blocks down to your left. It is next to a Burger King. 

•  Laundry. I never had any issues getting my laundry done. You have to get to know when the best times to go are. Early mornings are generally ok.

• You will be issued two towels to use in your room for showers, etc. You will be issued linen for your bed. I brought my own linen. The linen exchange is under the cafeteria. It is open from 7:30am to 4pm. That happens to be the same hours as your daily classroom/PT time. I found the best time to exchange my towels was during lunch. I drop off my dirty towels on my way to the cafeteria, eat, and pick up clean towels on the way down. Drop them off at my room and I’m done.

• There is a post office under the cafeteria as well. It is on the opposite side from the linen exchange. Use your access card to gain entry. There are also an ATM and vending machines in that area.

• Restroom Locations:  On the right as you enter the Jefferson building, inside the Atrium, in the gym, in the classroom area, in the officer’s memorial area (you’ll pass this daily on your way to and from class), and there are restrooms on the first floor of the Madison building (where you will stay) near the elevators.

• Speaking of elevators… One of the two elevators was out of order for most of our stay here. When one was repaired, the other would go down and so on. It is a pain in the….well, you know.

•  Most people used backpacks to haul their school stuff around. You can bring one or buy one of the really fancy ones down in the FBINA store. The FBINA products are pricy.

• Speaking of money. I brought $2000. If you plan to buy lots of souvenirs AND going on trips (New York, Philly, etc.) you will need AT LEAST $3000. The New York trip along was $628 for my class. It was worth every penny!!!!

• Speaking of the New York trip…. GO!! It was the trip of a lifetime.

• About academics…Is this the hardest school I have ever attended? No. My crash reconstruction schools were infinitely much harder. However, I have learned a great deal here that I wouldn’t have been able to learn anywhere else. You will be training, eating, living, and socializing with executive law enforcement officers from all over the world. Small agencies. Huge agencies (NYPD) and everything in between. City, county, state, federal. Every kind of law enforcement agency you can think of. You will learn in the classroom and out. I learned a great deal just sitting on the patio and listening to fellow students talk. You will be amazed at how similar policing is around the world. A cop is a cop no matter where they are from. 

• Try to get your papers turned in as soon as possible. You will have instructors that will throw new stuff at you though that you didn’t expect.

• Make a list, spreadsheet, sticky notes, whatever works for you and list out all of the dates of when your papers and projects are due. Just helps plan everything out.

• Don’t forget your access cards in your room. You will be locked out. At least until your roommate can let you in.  UPDATE:  If you do get locked out and your roommate is back home during a long weekend, you can go by the front desk in the Jefferson Building and get a master key to let you in your room.  Don't ask me how I know.  :-)

• Get to know your international students. They are some of the most interesting people you will ever meet. I have to know a gentleman from South Korea. Where he lives and works is close to where I was stationed in Korea.  

• Things to do close to the FBINA
• The U.S. Marine Corps National Museum is just up the road.  15 min drive.
• Mount Vernon - George Washington's home - around an hour or less away.
• George Washington National Masonic Memorial - around an hour or less away.
• Washington D.C. Around an hour, or little over an hour away depending on traffic.
• The Globe and Laurel restaurant.  Basically a military/law enforcement memorial in of itself.  Maybe 10 minutes away. 

That's all for now....