SSA Van Meter received his Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Florida in Political Science in 1988. At the time of graduation, SSA Van Meter was also commissioned as an officer in the United States navy, and served 8 years as a Helicopter Pilot. While in the navy, SSA Van Meter also served as a Division Officer and Department Head of various units. While on active duty, SSA Van Meter earned his Master of Arts degree from The University of Oklahoma in Human Relations.
SSA VanMeter also served as a Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC prior to entering duty with the FBI on January 3, 1999. SSA VanMeter served in the Dallas, Texas Division of the FBI where he investigated health Care Fraud, Organized Crime, and Domestic Terrorism. Additionally, SSA Van Meter served as a pilot flying surveillance missions in support of Dallas Division cases. While in the Dallas Division, SSA Van Meter served as the case agent for several Undercover Operations.
In August 2008, SSA Van Meter transferred to FBI Headquarters where he served in the Domestic Terrorism Operations Unit as the Militia/Sovereign Citizens Program Manager. In June of 2010 SSA Van Meter transferred to the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia where he taught New Agents Interviewing and Interrogation techniques. SSA Van Meter became an instructor teaching Police Executives at the FBI National Academy beginning in 2011 where he taught Interviewing and Interrogation, Public Speaking, Officer Involved Shootings, and later created a course titled Leading At-Risk Employees. In order to teach these courses, SSA Van Meter became an Adjunct Professor for the University of Virginia. SSA Van Meter also served as the Employee Assistance Program Coordinator for the FBI Academy.
In January of 2017, SSA Van Meter transferred to the National Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he became the Program Manager for the Civil Aviation Security Program. In this capacity, he is the Program Manager for all Airport Liaison Agents located at federally controlled airports around the United States.