Stress
Being a Border Patrol Agent is both mentally and physically stressful. You're part cowboy, part police officer, part diplomat, and even just a little bit of a spy. The more exciting parts of the career are filled with tense moments, while the slower bits may make you lose your hair from boredom.
Part of the problem is the ups and downs in activity experienced at the border. Agents used to spend most of their work hours processing dozens of people a day, which made the day go by rather quickly. Thanks to better border control technology, those numbers have been drastically reduced. Now agents lead generally monotonous workdays with the intermittent spikes of overly stressful law enforcement operations.
To respond to the growing number of agents who have succumbed to the stress, the Border Patrol has begun providing special training for supervisors. There are peer support programs within the Border Patrol that are available to agents.
As far as the weather goes, the extreme highs or lows may also be a factor in your overall career enjoyment. We suggest a strong sunscreen or parka, depending on where you're stationed.