Quantico graduates discuss realities of being FBI agents

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Many viewers watched the shocking season finale of ABC's hit show "Quantico" Sunday night, but do you ever wonder what it's really like to join the FBI?

Young, ambitious and attractive FBI hopefuls took center stage in the show. Much of the action and drama took place at the FBI's 20-week training academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Dramatic scenes such as car chases and gunfights are often how Americans perceive a day in the life of a law enforcement agent. Eyewitness News spoke with two real-life Quantico graduates to see how close those depictions really are.

Although agents do have to train for intense encounters, they said what is shown in Hollywood is not the real thing.

"(The Quantico show creators) captured parts of it very well, obviously the plot line is something only created in Hollywood," Kimberly Anderson said.

Anderson is a special agent in the cyber division. When she was young, she felt a heightened sense of justice for victims and said she always wished she could do more to help if she ever witnessed anything.

Prentist Henderson graduated two weeks ago. He was actually inspired by the Hollywood television shows, and now works in the violent crimes unit.

He said growing up watching shows such as "The X-Files" and "America's Most Wanted" help drive him down the law enforcement career path.

Both agents admit training at Quantico was tough, and Henderson said the most challenging thing is being away from friends and family for a long time.

The training agents now work long hours and sometimes unpredictable schedules. But they said it's a dream worth the sacrifice.

"I recently told my family I'm happy exhausted - I've never been happier in my life. I've also never been so exhausted," Anderson said.