Army Criminal Investigations Special Agents (MOS 31D) are responsible for completing criminal investigations that involve or may involve, the Army and its assets.
Specialists in this Army MOS are highly trained individuals who work with felony-level crimes.
Individuals in this position must be knowledgeable in civil and military laws and will conduct independent felony-level criminal investigations.
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Qualifications, Training, and Duty Stations
This position has more requirements than some other positions in the Army.
The strict requirements are due to the nature of the work being performed.
Having high moral standards and integrity are important in this position, as the efficiency at which the work is performed could be the difference between someone walking free or being charged with a crime.
This position is open to in-service soldiers with between 2 and 10 years of military experience.
They must be a U.S. citizen and be at least 21 years old.
Other requirements include:
- SPC-SGT (P)
- Score of 107+ on the Skilled Technical (ST) and 110+ on the General Technical (GT) portions of the ASVAB test.
- Ability to consistently pass the height and weight standards in the AR 600-9 and the Army’s Physical Fitness Test
- No physical limitations or history of colorblindness
- Favorable credit history and driving record
- Communication skills including speaking and writing clearly
- 60+ semester hours from an accredited institution
- Ability to deploy to any location
- Valid drivers license
Training as an MOS 31D consists of 15 weeks at a resident course.
During training, individuals will learn about any Army-related criminal investigation practices and procedures.
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Duty Stations
Those serving in the Army as an MOS 31D can expect to be potentially based at one of the following duty stations:
Inside the Continental US (CONUS)
- Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
- Carlisle Barracks, PA
- Fort Belvoir, VA
- Fort Bliss, TX
- Fort Campbell, KY
- Fort Carson, CO
- Fort Cavazos, TX
- Fort Drum, NY
- Fort Eustis, VA
- Fort Gordon, GA
- Fort Gregg-Adams, VA
- Fort Hamilton, NY
- Fort Huachuca, AZ
- Fort Hunter Liggett, CA
- Fort Irwin, CA
- Fort Jackson, SC
- Fort Johnson, LA
- Fort Knox, KY
- Fort Leavenworth, KS
- Fort Leonard Wood, MO
- Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
- Fort Liberty, NC
- Fort McCoy, WI
- Fort Meade, MD
- Fort Moore, GA
- Fort Novosel, AL
- Fort Riley, KS
- Fort Sill, OK
- Fort Stewart, GA
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
- Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall, VA
- Joint Base San Antonio, TX
- Redstone Arsenal, AL
- The Pentagon, Washington D.C.
- The Presidio of Monterey, CA
- United States Military Academy West Point, NY
Outside the Continental US (OCONUS)
- Fort Buchanan, PR
- Fort Greely, AK
- Fort Wainwright, AK
- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
- USAG Ansbach, Germany
- USAG Bavaria, Germany
- USAG Benelux-Shape, Belgium
- USAG Daegu, South Korea
- USAG Hawaii
- USAG Humphreys, South Korea
- USAG Italy, Vicenza
- USAG Japan
- USAG Okinawa, Japan
- USAG Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
- USAG Stuttgart, Germany
- USAG Wiesbaden, Germany
- USAG Yongsan-Casey, South Korea
What Does an Army Criminal Investigation Special Agent Do?
Army CID (Criminal Investigation Division) Special Agents complete investigation procedures and techniques on felony crimes that either involve Army personnel or property.
This position is ideal for anyone who is interested in law enforcement and can remain calm in high-stress situations.
It can be potentially dangerous work, and the crime scenes that you will investigate can sometimes have unfavorable content.
Their job duties can include crime scene processing, collecting testimonial evidence, providing protective services, preventing child abuse, and conducting crisis/hostage negotiations.
The felony crimes that they investigate may be general and economic crimes or part of counter-drug operations.
Special Agents work with advanced technology and forensic laboratories to complete their job.
They also conduct interviews and interrogations of complaints, witnesses, subjects, and victims.
Knowing proper interview/interrogation procedure and laws are required to ensure that the information they receive can be used in court.
CID Agents should be observant and know how to use all techniques in order to identify, collect, and process evidence at a crime scene.
Processing evidence at a crime scene can give the investigator a storyline and timeline to work from.
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Special Agents will be required to be familiar with and use the latest technology to complete crime scene analysis.
One of these tools is a laser scanner that can take measurements and panoramic pictures of a crime scene to reconstruct later.
Once in the Criminal Investigations Special Agent position, there are opportunities to apply and attend training in specialized fields.
Advanced training opportunities are available for select agents at:
- Defense Cyber Investigations Training Academy
- Defense Academy of Credibility Assessment
- FBI Academy
- Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
- Canadian Police College
- Scotland Yard
While these training opportunities are not awarded to everyone, they allow select individuals to gain skills in specialized areas that benefit both military and civilian careers.
What Does a Criminal Investigations Special Agent (31D) Get Paid?
Because this position requires at least two years of military experience and a rank of SPC-SGT (P), the pay will greatly depend on how much experience you have when entering into it and the rank you hold at that time.
The base pay table below gives an idea of what the base pay might look like for this MOS.
| Insignia | Pay Grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Minimum Monthly Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 +4 months | Private | PVT | $1,917.60 | |
 | E-2 | Private Second Class | PV2 | $2,149.20 |
 | E-3 | Private First Class | PFC | $2,259.90 |
 | E-4 | Specialist | SPC | $2,503.50 |
 | E-4 | Corporal | CPL | $2,503.50 |
 | E-5 | Sergeant | SGT | $2,730.30 |
 | E-6 | Staff Sergeant | SSG | $2,980.50 |
 | E-7 | Sergeant First Class | SFC | $3,445.80 |
 | E-8 | Master Sergeant | MSG | $4,957.20 |
 | E-8 | First Sergeant | 1SG | $4,957.20 |
 | E-9 | Sergeant Major | SGM | $6,055.50 |
 | E-9 | Command Sergeant Major | CSM | $6,055.50 |
 | E-9 | Sergeant Major of the Army | SMA | $6,055.50 |
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Benefits
In addition to the base pay above, individuals will be given benefits and compensation opportunities.
The Army provides housing and food for those who live on base. For those authorized to live off base, the DoD provides a Basic Housing Allowance and Basic Subsistence Allowance.
Benefits/Compensation also includes:
- Insurance: Free/Low-cost medical and dental
- Paid sick time
- 30 days of paid vacation annually
- Annual clothing allowance
- Education tuition assistance
- Low-cost life insurance
- Compensation for situations such as deployment
Job Reviews
This position can be very challenging physically and emotionally.
People in this position feel that they make a positive difference and express the learning opportunities presented to them.
At times, this position may have regular hours, at other times you will be called at odd hours and required to come to work.
Negative reviews of this position note high workloads and deadlines.
Positive reviews of the position discuss the growth opportunities and completing work that can be rewarding.
Related Article: Army Military Police (MOS 31B): Career Details
A few job reviews from Agents in the CID can be found below.
Civilian Career Opportunities
This position provides skills that could be used in federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Other opportunities for working in law enforcement include child abuse cases, hostage negotiation, and crime prevention.
Job titles include:
- Criminal Investigators
- Police Detective
- Sheriff
- Emergency Management Director
Working in this MOS will also provide training opportunities for certain certifications while in the Army that will allow for higher positions as a civilian.
These positions vary in pay, but the discipline and skills learned as an Army Criminal Investigations Special Agent allow for pay negotiations and higher position opportunities.
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Summary
Army Criminal Investigations Special Agents (MOS 31D) are responsible for investigating crime scenes for matters involving the Army and Army assets.
Criminal Investigations Special Agents handle matters that involve felony crimes and can complete tasks from crime scene evidence collection to interrogations.
This position requires previous military experience and the ability to obtain a Top Secret security clearance.
Previous special agents enjoy the work that they do and discuss how rewarding it can be when their work leads to a conviction.
Working in this MOS opens the door for civilian law enforcement positions all across the U.S.
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References
Army CID Special Agent Training
Zach currently resides in Syracuse, New York, and is very active in politics and local news media.
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General FAQ
What is a 31D in the army?
An Army Criminal Investigations (CID) Special Agent (MOS 31D) specializes in the investigation of felony-level crimes involving the Army or its properties.
Are Army CID agents federal agents?
According to Thomas Seaman, who is the Chief of the Special Agent Management Division and a retired CID agent, Army CID agents are sworn federal law enforcement officers who investigate felony crimes with an Army nexus.
How much do Army CID agents make?
An Army Criminal Investigations (CID) Special Agent is paid according to rank and time in service. However, the position is only open to soldiers with at least two years of prior service and a minimum pay grade of E-4.
How do I become an Army CID?
An Army CID Special Agent needs two years of service and 60+ semester hours from an accredited college. They also need to score 107+ on Skilled Technical (ST) and 110+ on the General Technical (GT) on the ASVAB.
Do Army Criminal Investigations agents require a security clearance?
Candidates for Army Criminal Investigations (MOS 31D) must be U.S. citizens and pass a Top Secret level security clearance.
There is some inaccurate information in this post. CID agents are federal law enforcement.
Thanks for that Jim, I’ve made the necessary changes to the article.