Army Criminal Investigations Special Agent MOS 31D (2026)

Army Criminal Investigations Special Agents (MOS 31D) conduct criminal investigations involving Army personnel, property, and interests.

This role focuses on felony-level investigative work and requires knowledge of both military and civilian legal procedures.

Criminal Investigations Special Agents operate independently or as part of investigative teams to collect evidence, conduct interviews, and support judicial processes within the Army.

Related Article: Army CounterintelliAberdeengence Agent (MOS 35L): Career Details

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 (less than 4 months)	Private	PVT	$2,226
	E-1 (after 4 months)	Private	PVT	$2,407
	E-2	Private Second Class	PV2	$2,698
	E-3	Private First Class	PFC	$2,837
	E-4	Specialist or Corporal	SPC	$3,142
	E-5	Sergeant	SGT	$3,342
	E-6	Staff Sergeant	SSG	$3,401
	E-7	Sergeant First Class	SFC	$3,932
	E-8	Master Sergeant	MSG	$5,657
	E-8	First Sergeant	1SG	$5,657
	E-9	Sergeant Major	SGM	$6,910
	E-9	Command Sergeant Major	CSM	$6,910
	E-9	Sergeant Major of the Army	SMA	$6,910

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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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What People Get Wrong About Army Criminal Investigations Special Agents

A common misconception is that Criminal Investigations Special Agents perform the same duties as Military Police.

While both roles support law enforcement functions, MOS 31D focuses on felony-level investigations rather than routine law enforcement or patrol duties.

Another misunderstanding is that this position is open to new enlistees.

In reality, MOS 31D is limited to in-service Soldiers who meet specific experience, rank, and eligibility requirements before applying.

Some people assume that investigations are limited to a single type of crime.

Criminal Investigations Special Agents handle a range of cases involving Army personnel or property, including general, economic, and counter-drug-related offenses.

There is also a belief that this role involves only fieldwork.

While crime scene processing is part of the job, Special Agents also spend significant time conducting interviews, preparing reports, coordinating with legal authorities, and working with forensic and investigative systems.

Finally, it is often assumed that all Special Agents receive advanced external law enforcement training.

While specialized training opportunities exist, attendance is selective and based on Army needs and individual qualifications.

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.

Related Article: Army Interpreter (MOS 09L)

References

Army CID Special Agent Training

Army MOS 31D Career Details

Army COOL 31D

General FAQ

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