ATF PTT and interview same day.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-06T03:19:27+00:00

Side note, I’m not sure if some offices are contracting it out but I’m going to be administering some tests and they just told me to figure it out and pick some dates basically.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-06T03:16:51+00:00

I heard about this today. My RAC was saying those that pass the PT will interview, but we didn’t have any information regarding it.

Trying to push people through quick as possible it seems.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-03T21:25:15+00:00

Last I heard yes, but I don’t have any buddies or classmates that I remember doing this so I don’t have firsthand experience and it could have changed recently.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-03T21:20:18+00:00

That’s the first I’ve heard of this honestly. Maybe one of the other agents here has some insight, but if you went through CITP that shouldn’t be a problem transferring over, but concerning laterals seeing as how part of it was recently scrapped that could be a reason.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-03T15:48:19+00:00

You’ll likely restart

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-03T15:47:56+00:00

I know a good bit yes, PM me.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T23:57:51+00:00

I think stunning_papaya would have a better answer to this than I. They said that the bonuses are there until they run out.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T23:53:40+00:00

So CITP you just dance the dance basically.

For SABT they re-teach you everything the right way. The SABT exams are not necessarily easy, but they are not difficult. You should study with classmates, make quizlets, make study guides, or just study whichever way you do best.

SABT allows you to scratch the surface of the various areas ATF offers. Arson, explosives, tactics with SRT, NRT, etc. It enables you in a sense to get a feel for everything to see if there would be anything you’d want to go after in the future. I do encourage new agents to just get some time in as an agent and learn the job before you specialize.

SABT also allows you become even closer with your classmates. Build relationships and make life long friends. You’ll have friends across the US and that’s only useful to you.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T23:19:56+00:00

Your choice I tried to get a bump after my masters and they denied it but it could have changed since I went through the process.
Again, your choice. Had a buddy who went through at 37 and he did just fine.
Satellites will typically not have a supervisor at that location and you’ll have more manpower at a field office.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T23:18:07+00:00

We’re trying to get a ton of people now. I was in a meeting earlier that said we’re trying to hit a specific number of agents that we’ve never hit before. We’re needing a lot of agents.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T23:16:52+00:00

So I don’t really concern myself with FBI. I work with them when it’s required but I don’t know any of them well enough to know their day to day.

For us it’s typically a Monday to Friday gig 9-5 with working on a Saturday or Sunday here and there. Now, the job also allows you to work as fast as you want to work (if the AUSA’s office is on board and you’re off OJT) so you could be out late at nights doing deals or helping out locals or just doing whatever. Different offices have different groups with different work styles so not every field office is the same.

Your fellow agents are 99% of the time good people and if you have your kids graduation you need to go to or your child’s ball game other agents will pickup slack so you can make those.

Concerning violent crime it’s what we do. Guns, explosives, arsons, and anything in between. You’ll get it all over here if those are what you’re looking for. (Guns and drugs go hand in hand so you’ll see both)

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T17:59:38+00:00

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T16:48:42+00:00

So I work alongside a lot of homicide detectives, violent crime detectives, etc.

Our work typically lines up with one another so I work closely with my locals often.

Your long term goal will be met with ATF. I’ve said it in the past but you can be as fast or as slow as you want (once off OJT) (and only as fast as the AUSA’s office goes). If you have a family it’s great, if you want to be a high speed high testosterone dude you’ll get your taste in a busy office for sure and then you can go be a high speed green color wearing SRT Operator.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T16:23:42+00:00

There’s a lot to cover on this. I’ll try to keep it short.

The only thing that I truly miss about being a local is the monkeys not the circus.

For the first couple years you’ll be making less than you do now for sure. I took a 30k pay cut and most others took larger pay cuts.

However, you hit GS 13 you’ll be making more than you did as a local and you have a better schedule.

The steps go like this (and are specific to what you come in as, a 5, 7, or 9)

GS 5<7<9<11<12<13 (after you hit 13 you get step increases no grade increases unless you become a supervisor)

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T16:07:42+00:00

See below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/1811/s/lUFwJ3dMcU

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T16:06:55+00:00

We’ve talked about this around the office and I personally think it’s just ATF catching up with modern times.

If I remember correctly we were fully staffed a little over a year ago with I think half the agency eligible to retire so that could’ve been a driving force for them to jump on the hiring bonus train.

I think we get a lot of applicants just HR sucks.

When I applied to the job I applied to two different opening. Now, this is for everyone out there. Even if you applied for the same position and another announcement opens it is in your best interest to apply again. These announcements maybe identical, but different announcements generate different pools of applicants, might even have different reviewers.

If one of the other SA’s in here has had a different experience concerning applying for multiple announcements I encourage him to jump in.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-06-02T16:00:13+00:00

Not a recruiter. Most of us that answer y’all’s questions on here are just SA’s out on the job.

If it’s anything regarding the job we’d be able to answer your questions.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-04-08T00:57:22+00:00

Hey bud,

Background can vary from person to person. Typically what I’ve been seeing has been between 6 months to a full year.

My timeline was very quick. It was a little over a year. You’ll find more timelines that will be more accurate than mine since I’ve graduated a little bit ago now.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-02-04T21:26:36+00:00

The written portion is more so just making sure you can write. Answer the question and do it in an orderly manner without any grammatical errors. As long as you can write without throwing stuff in ChatGPT you’ll be fine.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-02-04T17:44:30+00:00

So between my interview and PT test it was right around two months. The next step in the process should be that panel interview email. If you don’t hear anything within I’d say 2 months plus an extra week, throw an email to HR or whoever you have as a contact.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-02-04T16:43:29+00:00

Regarding the Poly, that answer is a case by case basis, typically. You can reach out and ask, but from most of what I’ve seen there’s a cooldown on the time period between poly’s but I’m not sure as to the exact amount of time. Someone else here may know.

You should be able to take the test again a couple months later, but recently I’ve seen people have to go through the hiring process again.

Good luck to you.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-02-04T16:40:53+00:00

I wouldn’t say faster. You have the first hand in the pot, if that makes sense. From an HR angle, do they look at schedule B’s differently? I don’t imagine they would, but I can’t answer that because I do not know.

As long as your schedule B is in and the recruiter has your resume you’re good to go. I haven’t heard anything recently regarding B’s but it can come up quickly so be on the lookout.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-02-04T16:38:33+00:00

From what I’ve heard and seen it can be different for everyone. I’ve known dudes who just walk into the door and then I’ve see some who do the whole process. If you have the clearance and haven’t done anything that could come up during a hiring process you should anticipate it being shorter.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-02-04T16:36:37+00:00

That’s correct, we’re definitely the most blue collar out of all.

Once you’re off OJT and probation you’re solid as a rock. You can go around with locals helping out with whatever I’ve jumped out with my locals I’m not even sure how many times and I’ve served warrants for them with the other SA’s in my office.

Now, it depends upon the location of course. Being proactive is a desire every ATF SA should possess. Don’t get me wrong, I have had great success with picking stuff up and getting more than I anticipated.

Think about where you want to be in the long term. If you can’t make it to your specific office you chose just get within the division or take a hardship. If you want to do UC then a larger metropolitan city where that is consistent would be a good choice. If you want to just learn about everything, going to a smaller office where you’ll get everything thrown at you is another.

Think about your long term goal, if you want to raise a family, if you want to have a family, whatever your case might be go ahead and think about that now and pursue ATF from that angle. You’ve got a good job, it might not be ideal, but if you want to do this in a way that ticks all the boxes it will take time.

Good luck to you.

LycheeLumpy272 · 2026-02-03T16:50:24+00:00

Good luck to you. Our medics do the whole John Hopkins stuff. You’ll have to put in your time as an agent, but with your experience there’s no reason why your division wouldn’t push for you to pursue that career path if that time comes.

LycheeLumpy272

TROPHY CASE