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Want to be a CIA security guard? Try to pass this physical test first

A job posting for the CIA states candidates for its "executive protective agent" position have to do a certain amount of pushups and other exercises.
Want to be a CIA security guard? Try to pass this physical test first
Posted at 9:16 PM, Apr 10, 2024
and last updated 2024-04-10 21:17:03-04

Think you're fit enough to physically protect some of the nation's top officials? If your answer is yes, let's see how many pushups you can do in a minute.

The Central Intelligence Agency is seeking "executive protective agents" to provide "24/7/365 armed protection" to leaders worldwide, according to an official job posting. The selected candidates will be expected to work with foreign security officials, operate security vehicles, analyze threats and use weapons to get the job done.

These "strenuous" demands necessitate a physically, mentally and emotionally fit applicant, the posting states. And though testing the latter two could prove difficult, there's a clear list of prerequisites you must pass to complete the physical portion.

That list of prerequisites includes five exercises, which you must pass before getting the CIA job and on an annual basis thereafter. The requirements are:

    - A minimum of 18 pushups in 1 minute

    - A minimum of 27 situps in 1 minute

    - Run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes, 20 seconds or less

    - Run a 300-meter dash in 1 minute, 8 seconds or less

    - Do a 180-pound dummy-drag in 2 minutes or less

SEE MORE: The CIA starts a new in-your-face recruiting method for Russians

If you still think you have what it takes, you'll also need to be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, willing to move to the Washington, D.C. area, registered for the Selective Service and able to complete security and medical evaluations, the job posting says.

Plus, minimum qualifications say preferred applicants will at least have completed a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher, "excellent teamwork and decision making skills," and "high levels of trustworthiness, integrity and loyalty to the United States." 

Military, security or law enforcement work history is a plus, too. And a higher experience level could get you the top of the starting salary range — $122,459 — versus the bottom — $66,654.

But it's not about the money, according to the agency. 

"As a CIA employee, you'll also get the satisfaction of knowing your work is part of something bigger than yourself," the job posting reads. "Our work is driven by one mission: to keep our Nation safe. Every day is an opportunity to enhance U.S. national security."


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