The U.S. Border Patrol is recruiting to bolster its numbers, and will be conducting five "blitz recruiting locations" Aug. 16 in Pennsylvania and New York, including Syracuse.

The public education session in Syracuse will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel, 6301 Route 298, East Syracuse. Potential recruits will be offered application assistance, test-taking tips, practice testing and evaluation, and personal accounts of Border Patrol agents' experiences.

Recruits earn between $36,000 and $46,000 in their first year, with a potential of $70,000 per year within three years of service, plus benefits.

Candidates can expect a rigorous screening process, including a written examination, a structured interview, a language aptitude or Spanish proficiency test, a physical fitness test and a medical examination.

A 55-day basic training session and a 40-day Spanish immersion course is conducted in Artesia, N.M. Initial assignments will be in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.

More information is available at www.borderpatrol.gov.