Role Overview
A military criminal investigator is the person who gets called when something serious happens that is more than everyday law enforcement.
They are often called special agents and work in organizations like:
- Army CID – Criminal Investigation Division, with MOS 31D Criminal Investigation Special Agent for enlisted and warrant officer 311A
- NCIS – Naval Criminal Investigative Service for the Navy and Marine Corps
- AFOSI – Air Force Office of Special Investigations for the Air Force and Space Force
They investigate:
- Felony level crimes involving military personnel, dependents or DoD interests
- Financial crimes, fraud and cybercrime
- Drug trafficking, theft, sexual assault and serious violent crime
- War crimes, terrorism and threats to national security in some units
Think of this as the military version of detective work and federal special agent work combined. You are not doing routine patrols; you are building cases.
What Military Criminal Investigators Do
Day to day, special agents:
- Investigate serious crimes
- Homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery
- Large scale thefts, fraud, contract corruption, drug distribution
- Computer related crimes and some national security cases
- Process crime scenes
- Secure scenes and prevent contamination
- Photograph and diagram scenes
- Collect, package and label physical and digital evidence
- Coordinate with forensic labs and technicians
- Interview and interrogate
- Talk with victims and witnesses
- Conduct interviews and, when appropriate, interrogations of suspects
- Evaluate credibility and document statements clearly
- Develop and run investigations
- Plan the scope and direction of a case
- Execute search and arrest warrants with legal oversight
- Coordinate surveillance or undercover work when needed
- Work with prosecutors, judge advocates and other agencies
- Write reports and testify
- Prepare detailed investigative reports
- Testify in courts martial and civilian courts about findings and evidence handling
In short, you are part detective, part forensic technician, part federal agent.
Work Environment
Criminal investigators work in:
- Field offices on bases
- Shared offices with other agents
- Interview rooms, evidence lockers, report writing spaces
- Crime scenes and field locations
- On and off base residences
- Training areas, motor pools, ranges
- Offices, warehouses, digital environments
- Joint and national level units
- Headquarters and special investigative task forces
- Joint terrorism task forces and cyber investigative teams in some roles
Expect:
- A lot of time on investigations rather than routine patrol
- Variable schedules that can include call outs during nights and weekends
- Travel for interviews, surveillance or court testimony
The work is less uniform driven than standard military police work, though you still meet military standards and customs.
Entry Requirements And Pathways
There are several different paths depending on branch and component. I will outline a common pattern, then highlight Army CID as a concrete example.
Common baseline
Most military criminal investigator roles require:
- U.S. citizenship
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret or Secret clearance, often TS/SCI with polygraph for some positions
- Good moral character, with clean criminal and financial history
- Valid driver’s license and strong driving record
They are usually not entry level first contracts straight from high school. You either:
- Come from a prior military specialty such as Military Police with experience, or
- Enter directly as a civilian special agent (NCIS, AFOSI, some CID roles) with a bachelor degree
Army CID Special Agent – MOS 31D
For the Army, the MOS 31D Criminal Investigation Special Agent is the core enlisted path.
Highlights:
- Investigates felony criminal offenses with an Army interest
- Processes crime scenes, collects and analyzes physical and digital evidence
- Interviews and interrogates victims, witnesses, suspects and subjects
- Prepares reports and testifies in courts martial and other tribunals
Requirements typically include:
- Be a current soldier with 2 to 10 years of service, or a college graduate entering selected programs
- Meet age and rank limits set by CID
- Strong performance history and recommendations
- Favorable background, credit and driving records
- At least one year of Military Police experience or two years of civilian police experience for some reserve positions
Training:
- Completion of the CID Special Agent Course at the U.S. Army Military Police School, about 15 weeks of resident training focused on criminal investigations
CID also has:
- Reserve component special agents
- Warrant officers (311A) who are senior technical leaders, requiring prior 31D experience and usually a bachelor degree
NCIS and AFOSI Special Agents
For NCIS and AFOSI, most agents are civilian federal employees or selected enlisted and officers:
- NCIS special agents must be U.S. citizens, generally under age 37 at hiring, with a bachelor degree and often law enforcement or investigative experience considered competitive
- AFOSI civilian agents need a bachelor degree, minimum GPA, under 37, strong background and must complete the Criminal Investigator Training Program and OSI specific course at FLETC in Georgia
- AFOSI also recruits enlisted airmen (SrA through TSgt) and officers through competitive selection programs
Bottom line: this is usually a mid career or graduate level move, not a first stop out of high school.
Core Skills And Personal Traits
Military criminal investigators are expected to meet a very high professional standard. Helpful traits include:
- Ethics and integrity
You handle sensitive information, evidence and decisions that can change lives. - Critical thinking
You analyze inconsistent stories, complex timelines and incomplete evidence. - Attention to detail
Small details matter in reports, evidence handling and legal procedures. - Communication skills
You interview people, write clear reports and testify in court. O*NET lists active listening, social awareness and judgment among key soft skills for detectives and investigators. - Emotional resilience
You may see traumatic crime scenes and hear difficult stories. - Discretion and confidentiality
You cannot gossip or share case details casually. - Calm under pressure
You must keep composure in interviews, arrests and courtroom testimony.
If you are naturally curious, fair minded and comfortable with responsibility, this role fits that profile.
Education And Long Term Learning
Minimum entry varies:
- Some Army CID routes accept soldiers without degrees but with strong performance and experience
- NCIS, AFOSI and many CID special agent roles prefer or require bachelor degrees, often in criminal justice, forensic science, psychology, accounting, cyber or related areas
Over a career you can build:
- Degrees
- Associate or bachelor degrees in criminal justice, criminology, forensics, cybercrime or accounting
- Master degrees in criminal justice, intelligence, forensic psychology or security studies
- Professional courses and certs
- Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at FLETC for many federal agents
- Forensic evidence, digital forensics, financial crimes courses
- Interviewing and interrogation, crisis negotiation, protective services
- Civilian credentials related to 31D
Department of Defense COOL lists multiple related certifications such as professional investigator, forensic examiner and fraud specialist as aligned with MOS 31D, sometimes with funding support.
Education directly improves your competitiveness for federal, state and local investigative roles after service.
Earnings Potential
In the military as a CID 31D or similar
You are paid by rank and years of service:
- Many CID special agents are in the E5 to E7 range, so base pay often runs from the mid 30,000s to upper 50,000s per year before allowances
- Housing and subsistence allowances, health benefits and tax advantages can raise effective compensation into the 50,000 to 80,000 plus range depending on rank, location and dependents
CID and investigative positions sometimes offer special duty pay, and of course you retain all standard military benefits such as healthcare, leave and retirement credit.
Civilian earnings after service
Most military criminal investigators map to civilian Detectives and Criminal Investigators, O*NET code 33-3021.00.
According to recent Department of Labor data:
- The median annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators is commonly in the high 80,000 to low 90,000 dollar range, varying by agency and region
- Federal 1811 series special agents (such as NCIS and AFOSI) typically start around GL or GS 7 to GS 9 and can progress into six figure salaries with experience
Local and state detective roles:
- Often pay above patrol officer rates
- Can range from roughly 70,000 to 120,000 dollars or more in large metro departments and high cost areas
Your clearance, investigative training and military track record can be a strong differentiator when competing for these jobs.
Day In The Life Of A Military Criminal Investigator
Exact routines differ by agency and assignment, but here is a typical day for an Army CID special agent at a major installation.
Morning
- Check email, tasking systems and phone messages
- Attend a short office briefing to review new cases, priorities and any overnight incidents
- Review active case files, evidence logs and upcoming interviews
Case work during the day
Depending on the day, you may:
- Go to a crime scene
- Respond to a serious incident such as a sexual assault, death, significant theft or major accident
- Secure the scene alongside Military Police or Security Forces
- Photograph, sketch and document everything carefully
- Collect physical evidence such as weapons, shell casings, clothing and digital devices
- Conduct interviews
- Schedule and conduct interviews with victims and witnesses
- Prepare and conduct suspect interrogations, ensuring rights are properly advised
- Record statements and capture details accurately
- Research and analysis
- Review security camera footage and call detail records
- Examine financial records or digital logs
- Coordinate with forensic labs for DNA, fingerprints or digital forensics
- Paperwork and coordination
- Write detailed investigative reports
- Draft requests for search warrants or subpoenas with legal counsel
- Brief prosecutors, Staff Judge Advocates or chain of command on case status
Unexpected events
Investigators are often on call:
- A serious incident can interrupt your planned day
- You may work late or come in on short notice for deaths, assaults or complex cases
During deployments or special assignments, you might:
- Investigate crimes in a joint environment with host nation and coalition partners
- Work on war crimes, terrorism or corruption cases related to deployed operations
The job is a mix of desk work, field work and court related duties, rarely a nine to five routine.
Career Growth And Promotion Path
In uniform
For Army CID 31D, Marines CID, and similar paths, growth typically looks like:
Entry level special agent
- Rank: often E5 or E6 for enlisted
- Focus: learning investigative procedures, evidence handling and core casework
- Work: assist senior agents, handle simpler cases under close supervision
Experienced agent and team leader
- Rank: E6 to E7
- Work:
- Lead complex investigations
- Supervise other agents on cases and taskings
- Act as case agent for major crimes
- Coordinate with prosecutors and external agencies
Senior enlisted advisor or warrant officer
- Senior NCOs and warrant officers (311A in the Army) serve as technical experts and leaders
- They:
- Oversee offices or field elements
- Manage investigative programs and training
- Advise commanders on criminal threat trends and prevention
For officer equivalents:
- Military Police or special investigations officers lead detachments, regions and higher headquarters programs in criminal investigation, counterintelligence, fraud and cyber investigations.
After the military
Common post service roles include:
- Federal special agent positions (NCIS, AFOSI, FBI, HSI, DSS and others)
- State or local detectives or investigators
- Corporate security investigator or fraud examiner
- Private investigator and loss prevention manager
Your CID or similar background often counts as directly relevant experience when applying to competitive 1811 series jobs or senior local detective roles.
Employment Outlook
For the civilian side:
- Detectives and criminal investigators are expected to see steady demand, with employment projections typically in the low single digit growth range over the next decade, roughly in line with average growth.
- There is continual replacement hiring as experienced investigators retire or move into management or other roles.
For military criminal investigators:
- The need for felony level investigations, war crime inquiries, fraud cases and insider threat issues is not going away
- Army CID, NCIS and AFOSI all continue to recruit and highlight special agent roles as critical elements of their law and security missions
The picture is not explosive growth, but consistent demand for high quality investigators with strong ethics and technical skills.
Advantages Of This Career Path
People who love this work often mention:
- Meaningful impact
You help victims, hold offenders accountable and protect the integrity of the force. - Intellectual challenge
Cases involve complex timelines, motives and evidence sets. - Professional identity
Special agent or criminal investigator is a respected, specialized role. - Strong civilian crossover
Your skills translate directly to federal, state, local and corporate investigative work. - Variety
No two cases are exactly the same. You may handle property crimes, violent incidents, financial cases and cyber investigations over a career.
Challenges And Realities
There are also serious downsides:
- Emotional toll
You may see death, serious injuries, abuse and betrayal. Vicarious trauma is a real risk. - Long and irregular hours
Cases do not wrap neatly at the end of a shift. Court deadlines and major incidents can keep you late. - High responsibility and scrutiny
Mistakes in evidence handling, reports or testimony can damage cases and reputations. - Competitive entry
Many people want these roles, and you usually need strong performance, education and a clean record to qualify. - Secrecy and stress
You cannot share case details with friends or family, and holding that weight can be tough.
Being honest about these realities is critical before you commit to this path.
Is This Career A Good Fit For You
You might be well suited for military criminal investigation if you:
- Enjoy solving complex, real world puzzles
- Are drawn to law, justice and helping victims
- Can stay calm and fair when dealing with suspects and emotionally charged situations
- Are willing to accept significant responsibility and scrutiny
- Value ethics and integrity even when no one is watching
- Are comfortable balancing field work, desk work and court work
If you are unsure, it helps to look beyond the cool job title and understand your deeper motivations.
Is this career a good fit for you
Take the MAPP assessment at www.assessment.com to see how your motivational profile aligns with a career as a military criminal investigator or special agent.
The MAPP assessment looks at what kinds of tasks and environments truly energize you. That insight can help you compare criminal investigation with Military Police, corrections, intelligence analysis, cyber operations and other law and security roles.
How To Get Started
- Take the MAPP assessment
Use your results to confirm whether investigative, analytical and justice oriented work matches your natural drives. - Start with a base law and security specialty
- Enlisted: consider Military Police or Security Forces to gain law enforcement and reporting experience
- Civilian track: focus on a bachelor degree in criminal justice, forensics, psychology, accounting or cyber
- Keep your record clean
- Avoid criminal issues, serious debt problems and risky behavior
- A strong background check is non negotiable in this field
- Build investigation related skills
- Take classes in report writing, interviewing and evidence handling
- Seek internships or volunteer roles related to law enforcement or investigations when possible
- Research specific programs
- Review Army CID 31D and 311A prerequisites in current regulations
- Look at NCIS, AFOSI and other special agent programs to understand age limits, degree requirements and hiring processes
Planning early and making deliberate choices about education and assignments will position you well when you are ready to compete for a criminal investigator or special agent role.
