page_title: Secret Service Counter Assault Team
section_title: Selection and training
hierarchical_section_title: Secret Service Counter Assault Team / Operations / Selection and training
caption_attribution_description: English: George Bush motorcade on Ada Drive going to Dick DeVos's house after having lunch in downtown Ada, Michigan at Schnitz Grill above the Ada Bike Shop. Vehicle in bottom right carries the U.S. Secret Service Counter Assault Team (CAT).
context_page_description: The Counter Assault Team is a specialized tactical unit of the U.S. Secret Service that provides tactical support to the Presidential Protective Division to protect the President of the United States. This is in contrast to the Presidential Protective Division whose mission is to shield the president from an attack and to evacuate the president to a place of safety. The CAT can also provide tactical support to other designated protectees, at venues and National Special Security Events.
  The Secret Service first began fielding counter assault teams in 1979. "Hawkeye" is the designation for a CAT assigned to the president, followed by the president's Secret Service code name. For example, the code name for President Obama's CAT was "Hawkeye Renegade".
context_section_description: Members of the counter assault team are Secret Service special agents who have completed an initial, eight-month course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, and have successfully served at least several years in the Secret Service. Upon selection, CAT operators undergo an additional seven weeks of specialized training that includes counter-ambush tactics and close quarters combat. Applications for the team are competitive and physical requirements for entry include three pull-ups wearing a 45-pound (20 kg) weighted vest and a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) run in under nine minutes. Approximately ten percent of applicants are ultimately selected.
caption: A motorcade during the presidency of George W. Bush with the Counter Assault Team in the vehicle in bottom right
exif: {"Image Make": "Canon", "Image Model": "Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "PhotoScape", "Image DateTime": "2008:10:15 13:54:42", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "204", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/125", "EXIF FNumber": "28/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Landscape Mode", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "250", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2008:10:15 13:54:42", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2008:10:15 13:54:42", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "49471/7102", "EXIF ApertureValue": "40761/8200", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "135", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2816", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1880", "EXIF FocalPlaneXResolution": "1605473/500", "EXIF FocalPlaneYResolution": "1166117/361", "EXIF FocalPlaneResolutionUnit": "1", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF OffsetSchema": "12"}