So today I had my field trip for my Computer Forensics Course. We went to the CART Headquarters and FBI Training Center in Quantico, VA.

It was an absolutely fantastic experience. If I wasn't psyched for a job in the FBI, I now am moreso.

I woke up around 5 (i use 'woke up' loosely, because I don't think I got a wink of sleep) and got to my school's campus at about 6:30. We set out for the 3 1/2 hour drive at about 7. The drive was really great because it was nonstop conversation about anything and everything. I had hitched a ride with my teacher and he is no doubt, my idol

When we got there, we first toured the CART facility, which is an acronym for Computer Analysis and Response Team. We had a few presentations on what they do there at the facility, Then we took the tour of the "office" which is essentially a "geek-gasm" Each workstation was about 15 ft and was in a 'U' shape. Each station had about 4 computers and different hard drives, books, digital media, papers, toys and folders scattered about. Then we toured the server room, a very chilly place with thick... strands of fiber wire snaking about.

The group then stopped for a collective snake/souvenir break in the Training Facility; before moving on to Hogans Alley, which is about 3 mock, but fully functional city blocks used for training. They had everything from a drug store, hotel, car lot, movie theater and many others. There we learned that they use "real" firearms in the training. Actual 9mm handguns but instead of live ammo, the weapons fired paintball rounds. The adjunct professor/FBI Agent that got us the tour (did I mention that an actual FBI Agent helped teach my computer forensics course?) told us of his training in Hogans Alley.

After much strolling along as if lost in a small town, we made our way to the campus' new facilty known as the Titanic, A huge building many stories and probably a few football fields large. After snaking our way about, we had a really interesting presentation on document forensics. Piecing together burned or shredded documents, finding hidden messages (such as ones written in invisible ink, read urine) in or on documents. Again, extremely interesting stuff.

We then doubled back through the nearly vacant Training facility and took the grand tour. We actually got to watch a class going on about close quarters combat ("CQ...C? for those who get the reference) and that was essentially the last of it.

Again, a very interesting ride back that was mostly plagued by talk of food, obviously so... we hadn't eaten in about 6 hours, after lots, and lots, and lots of walking.

Overall a great field trip and something I will remember forever. Now... if only I could go there for actual training