Standing Post

The Secret Service prides itself on having a robust cadre of military veterans as Special Agents, Uniformed Division Officers, Technical Law Enforcement officers and as Administrative/Technical Professionals. In fact, our CIO Kevin Nally is a retired United States Marine Corps Brigadier General who served in the military for 34 years, including tours in the Operation Desert Storm and Operation Ira...

Dive into the latest episode of Standing Post with Deputy Special Agent in Charge Joan Hoback, our lead liaison with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Joan gives an in-depth look at our partnership and how our Forensic Services Division supports investigations into missing children's cases and highlights our proactive Childhood Smart presentations, which are tailored for kids...

In this episode of Standing Post, we have the unique opportunity to speak to Deputy Assistant Director Darryl Volpicelli, the former Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Detail. While he is currently an executive in our agency, as the SAIC of PPD, DAD Volpicelli was responsible for every element of security for the President, whether that was in the White House or traveling throu...

During this episode of My First Foot Beat, Sgt. Tech. Natasha Rowles talks to Off. Joeniqua Colebrooke. They discuss Officer Colebrooke's journey to the Secret Service, from the Bahamas to the US Army, and how her Army Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) influenced her decision to apply for our Airspace Operations Branch as a Uniformed Division officer. Are you interested in becoming an officer...

In this episode of Standing Post, we talk to Office of Investigations Assistant Director David Smith to discuss the current state of Secret Service investigations and trends in cybercrimes. He highlights several specific criminal scams that have been on the rise, including Pig Butchering and ransomware, specifically noting the real-world implications ransomware threatens on our infrastructure. It’...

In this episode of My First Foot Beat, Sgt. Tech. Natasha Rowles sits down with her long-time friend and Law Enforcement Instructor Christina Werries. Their friendship goes back more than 20 years and, like all good friendships, they have numerous memories and many experiences together, including an unthinkable life-changing event: Christina’s stage 4 ovarian cancer diagnosis. Christina discusses...

When the NFL comes knocking, you answer. So when former NFL wide receiver and current CBS Mornings co-host Nate Burleson expressed interest in training with the Secret Service, we opened our doors. He spent a hot July day undergoing a truncated selection process for our Counter Assault Team, part of our Special Operations Division. They went through the PT, weapons handling, obstacle courses and r...

In the latest episode of My First Foot Beat Sgt. Tech. Natasha Rowles talks to Off. Tech. Paige Tully about some of the unique roles she's had in the Secret Service, from working midnights at the White House to taking photos as a crime scene technician, and even working as an ambassador for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Are you interested in becoming an officer in the Uni...

As a child, Uniformed Division Officer Leth Oun experienced some of the worst atrocities known to man: he grew up in Cambodia in the 1970s under the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot’s reign of terror. After years of brutality, he was able to flee Cambodia and made his way to America as a refugee, settling in Maryland. He learned English, graduated from high school and college and eventually joined the Secr...

In the latest episode of My First Foot Beat, Sergeant Technician Natasha Rowles sits down with Officer Sean Cherney to discuss his journey to the Secret Service. Their discussion covers a wide range of topics, from how his upbringing set him up with the values needed to be worthy of trust and confidence to Secret Service training and living in the DC area. Additionally, Cherney’s broad experience...

Everyone’s path to the Secret Service is different. In the case of Special Agent Tory Green, his life started in a low-income, single-parent household and he somehow made his way to becoming an Eagle Scout, Huntsville Police Officer and eventually a Special Agent in the Secret Service. In this episode of Standing Post, we talk to him about his upbringing, his continued volunteer work and the inves...

In the latest episode of My First Foot Beat, Sgt. Tech. Natasha Rowles sits down with Sgt. Joshua Mas and Off. Ryan Baker to talk about the joys of fatherhood, how they maintain a work/life balance in a high-profile law enforcement position and she even heard a few dad jokes.

In this episode of Standing Post, we talk to Steven Abel, a Protective Armored Specialist in our Special Services Division. Steven has a unique job that is critical to our protective mission – he is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Secret Service vehicles, primarily the Presidential limo, which is commonly referred to as “The Beast.” His role is so critical to what we do that it doesn...

In this episode of Standing Post, we talk to two analysts in our Forensic Services Division about science-focused careers in a law enforcement agency. Supervisory Document Analyst Meg O’Brien and Fingerprint Specialist Alicia Hope discussed their early love of science, entering forensic career fields after college and how they help support investigations for both the Secret Service and other law e...

In a second special Mother’s Day episode of My First Foot Beat, Sergeant Technician Natasha Rowles talks to Uniformed Division Captain Georgene M. Kalogeras and her mother, retired Uniformed Division Lieutenant Carolyn M. Hoey (formerly Beal). Rowles and her guests discuss what life was like growing up in a Secret Service household, cultural changes in the organization since Hoey reared her daught...

In a special Mother’s Day edition of My First Foot Beat, Sergeant Technician Natasha Rowles talks to Sergeant Miranda Grimm and Officer Andrea Farrow about navigating two unique landscapes: motherhood and the Secret Service. In this insightful episode, they discuss the challenges they face as they balance the responsibilities of a Uniformed Division officer with their home lives.

In the April 2023 episode of Standing Post, we sit down with Financial Analyst Andrew Frey to discuss a new type of cybercrime called Pig Butchering. If you think the name is intriguing, wait until you hear about the crime: criminals randomly contact people and slowly befriend them while convincing them that they can make money in cryptocurrency. Criminals executing a Pig Butchering scam have to u...

In the latest episode of My First Foot Beat, Officer Technician Natasha Rowles sits down with the Edmunds brothers – Dezmon and Freddie – to discuss their paths to the Secret Service, a little sibling rivalry and some of the perks of the job. Are you interested in becoming an officer in the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division? Apply on USAJobs.gov, just search for “United States Secret...

In a special edition of Standing Post, Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle invites three former Secret Service directors back for a quick conversation. They discuss ongoing initiatives that have spanned their tenures; some of the unique challenges they faced, including COVID response and coming in as the director without any Secret Service experience; and some of the lessons they've learned as the...

In a special episode of My First Foot Beat, Sgt. Tech. Natasha Rowles talks to Officer Jackie Varner about her Uniformed Division career that has spanned nearly 30 years. They discuss her path to the Secret Service, which started with the military, some of her favorite moments and the impact she has had on countless officers and agents at the White House. Anyone considering a career in the Secret...

Update for February 2023 I apologize to everyone expecting a new episode of Standing Post this month. We had an opportunity to build a dedicated studio for podcasting and other video projects and it took up quite a bit of our time. However, now that it is built and we have a new home, I think we will be able to expand our ability to tell stories in both audio and video formats. This is an exciting...

In the latest episode of My First Foot Beat, United States Secret Service Uniformed Division Deputy Chief Catrina Bonus looks back at her career with host Sergeant Technician Natasha Rowles. They discuss the highlights and impacts of Bonus' career, plus changes that have happened since she started as a Federal officer, including efforts to better represent and create an inclusive environment for w...

In the latest episode of Standing Post, we welcome Forensics Division photographer Victoria Taylor. As a Marine Corp veteran, she has a unique perspective about finding Federal employment in those first few years after transitioning out of the military. She talks about life as a Marine in San Diego, her time in college, and how the Marine Corp connection helped her land a position at the Secret Se...

In the newest episode of My First Foot Beat, Sergeant Technician Natasha Rowles talks with Officer Amita Claytor about her path to the Secret Service, which included a four-year break in training. In addition to this unique circumstance, the two also talk about Claytor’s decision to return to Secret Service training after a career as an Akron, Ohio, police officer; her background; what life as a U...

Episode #050 - Please welcome DSS Michelle Christine to the show. Michelle is a Detection Systems Specialist (DSS) in the Special Operations Division, which is responsible for ensuring the safety of leaders and dignitaries in US airspace. She was part of the first wave of personnel in the DSS career when it was stood up about 17 years ago. As interesting as this is, in her spare time Michelle is a...