-Life as a NCIS Special Agent-
The world many of us live in is a beautiful place whether we consider this statement from a physical or even metaphysical standpoint.
Sure, much of this exquisiteness is inherent. We are pretty lucky.
That being said, a lot of what we as humans do is built on preserving this reality.
However, this is no small feat.
While it’s true that goodness exists all around us, there are darker, more nefarious elements to life and living. Bad actors certainly exist. They often lurk in behind the shadows or sometimes in plain sight.
The trick is having robust systems in place which aim to ferret out these individuals or ideologies that threaten our overall way of life.
Well on this episode, we have a guest who has devoted her career within law enforcement towards doing just this. She has been serving and protecting her country’s interests at home and abroad for years.
Fortunately for us, she’ll break it all down and provide us with a peek in behind the curtain of what her and her agency does.
Introducing
Laura Merz is a Special Agent for the NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service). Armed with an undergrad from Columbia University and a Master’s degree in Forensic Science and Technology from George Washington University, her roles and responsibilities stretch across a wide spectrum.
Professional Background
Specifically, though, Laura plays a major role for the NCIS as far as being involved with felony level fraud investigations, crime scene processing, as well as counterintelligence, counter-terrorism, and insider threat management.
Her career within the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has seen her hold posts for the US military in Europe, Asia and North America.
Past Experience & Accomplishment
Not to be overlooked, Laura’s early career experiences also capture interest for many. She was a CSI (Crime Scene Investigator) for the Wichita Police Department involved in all aspects of that particular profession.
In 2012 she released an acclaimed book, Bunny Suits of Death: Tales of a CSI on her experiences as a CSI which broke down many of the stereotypes portrayed by popular media.
Reasons to Listen
Outside of the sensationalistic looks at this career which are often portrayed in film and television, it is rare to actually gain access to true professionals who actually do the work.
This will be a talk worth listening to for:
- those looking for true insights on what this line of work is all about
- those interested in finding out how they can position themselves to land such a position in the future
- those curious about what such a profession and life entails
Listeners will come away with insights on:
- the inner workings within NCIS criminal and fraud units as well as threat management divisions
- threat management unit
- the role NCIS plays in defusing potential future crimes
- a day in the life of a NCIS agent
- some surprising roles and responsibilities NCIS agents hold
- on Laura’s own unlikely pathway into this profession
- a thorough debunking of the NCIS television program versus the reality of the job
- in what ways the NCIS show accurately portrays the work of agents
- the one particular skill agents must have to do this job
- the stresses and pressure of the job and how Laura copes
- what it’s like dealing with terror threats
- an engaging story Laura shares about one of her work experiences while investigating a murder in Germany
- the role of tech within crime prevention and how it’s evolution brings both unique challenges and opportunities
- Much more!
A Memorable Quote from the Episode:
“Its really easy to get jaded in this line of work. It’s something that you need to work really hard at to fight that tendency and to remember that every new case that comes in is new for the person that’s reporting it. This is something that I work really hard at.”
-Laura Merz
Check out the Video Conversation:
For those who desire to view the full video conversation of this discussion, you can do so via Youtube.
Words of Wisdom:
Hear from Laura as she provides advice to those exploring the notion of entering into the realm of law enforcement.
Discover More
For those interested in learning more about Laura and her work, you can check out her book here. You can also follow her on these other platforms:
Keep Listening!
I hope you enjoyed the episode. For more, check out additional episodes here!
