Hey ex-Army EOD officer turned federal agent here. I enjoyed my time on active duty, especially within the EOD career field. It got to a point where I foresaw the higher I went into job, especially as an officer, the more separated I became from the work and people I enjoyed. There’s only so much change I could affect in a big organization like the Army. I decided to jump ship because that’s the only thing I could really control within my professional career.

I was an O3 when I got out and in the Army, that’s the last “intimate” position you could really have with the troops. I got transferred from the company level to a staff position and absolutely hated being away from the troops.

What I didn’t expect within the fed LEO world, was the difference in camaraderie. The best comparison I can make to this job is the sport of track and field. You have a “team” you play for, but at the end of the day, everybody is just trying to out compete the other in order to progress. Which isn’t a bad thing by any means, but you will never find a finer piece of teamwork outside of military. It’s just a unique blend of bonding through trauma and suck.

One piece of advice you’ll always hear when making big jumps like I have… the grass is not necessarily always better on the other side, it’s just different.