ela ide ▁Thompson . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁third ▁of ▁five ▁children . ▁Her ▁father ▁was ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁and ▁so ▁they ▁tra ve led ▁around ▁the ▁country . ▁She ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁Fair f ax , ▁Virginia . ▁In ▁Fair f ax ▁she ▁went ▁to ▁Kings ▁Park ▁Element ary ▁School . ▁While ▁in ▁high ▁school ▁at ▁Robinson ▁Second ary ▁School ▁she ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁women ' s ▁basketball ▁and ▁soft ball ▁teams . ▁ ▁Education ▁ ▁After ▁high ▁school ▁Mer ed ith ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁At ▁US C ▁she ▁played ▁vars ity ▁basketball ▁and ▁soft ball . ▁She ▁earned ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁C riminal ▁Justice . ▁ ▁Early ▁DE A ▁After ▁college ▁Thompson ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁security ▁guard ▁at ▁a ▁hotel ▁in ▁Fair f ax ▁for ▁a ▁year ▁and ▁a ▁half . ▁On ▁September ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁she ▁joined ▁the ▁DE A ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁ 4 0 th ▁DE A ▁Basic ▁Agent ▁Class ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁She ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Columbia , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁before ▁being ▁transferred ▁to ▁Miami ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁While ▁at ▁Miami ▁she ▁got ▁out standing ▁performance ▁evalu ations ▁and ▁was ▁called ▁a ▁" t ire less ▁worker ". ▁ ▁Operation ▁Snow cap ▁ ▁Mer ed ith ▁along ▁with ▁ 1 4 ▁other ▁agents ▁volunte ered ▁and