Likelihood of Landing an Overseas Billet on First Tour

[PhilMarlowe]

I was wondering the chances of getting an overseas assignment (OCONUS) on a intelligence officer's first tour after graduating NIOBC. How available are these and how sought out after are they?

I appreciate any information.

Thank you.

 

[HM3 San]

I was also wondering about this. I saw the career progression and it says sea duty after intel school. I would love to go to Italy, Spain, Greece, Japan, Singapore ( in that preference order).

 

[Renegade One]

Figure that functionally 10% of our CVN/CVW force is based overseas (Japan), as well as perhaps a like percentage of the amphibious ships. That's a respectable number of junior intel billets if you assume every squadron has one, which was the case in my time. I can't speak to the CRUDES/flagship/embarked (or shore based) staff billets for first-tour intel folks. But Japan is an option for sure, right now.

 

[IRfly]

There are pretty good odds, if you just want to be overseas. Greece and Singapore are longshots for a first tour, but Italy, Spain, or particularly Japan shouldn't be hard. It all depends, at the end of the day, on timing.

 

[zippy]

Defiantly possible, it's all going to boil down to luck and timing.

 

[LFCFan]

So the career progression for intel is kind of wacky. One of your first two tours must be a sea tour. There are plenty of staff things overseas for intel as we tend to get assigned to COCOM and fleet HQs, but I can tell you that you (probably) won't go to Molesworth or Stuttgart for shore duty on your first tour. Unfortunately you are usually expected to do a bad deal year in Bahrain with Europe as a follow on assignment.

My class sent two first two folks to Japan - one squadron, one to the airwing staff (and a third, but as a lat xfer his job was probably not actually a first tour gig). There were two more squadron AIs sent a few classes before me. So if they are open, they are there. Within the airwing alone there should be about nine billets that are for first tour intel JOs.

The intel schoolhouse gives out job assignments in a really touchy feely kind of way. And since you will likely have a ton of priors in your class who don't want to move their family all the way to Japan, you might have an easier time snagging an overseas job if your class is offered one than you think.

 

[Flash]

....Unfortunately you are usually expected to do a bad deal year in Bahrain with Europe as a follow on assignment...

How is that a bad deal? Bahrain is actually a decent place to be in that part of the world, even with the restrictions. You could be in a myriad of places that are a lot worse. With a tour in Europe at the end of it? Sign me up....

 

[IRfly]

How is that a bad deal? Bahrain is actually a decent place to be in that part of the world, even with the restrictions. You could be in a myriad of places that are a lot worse. With a tour in Europe at the end of it? Sign me up....

Maybe if someone has a weak liver.

 

[LFCFan]

How is that a bad deal? Bahrain is actually a decent place to be in that part of the world, even with the restrictions. You could be in a myriad of places that are a lot worse. With a tour in Europe at the end of it? Sign me up....

Actually, that's a good question. I just hear that it sucks and this is their way of filling those billets. Might have more to do with the job and the fact that it is IIRC an unaccompanied tour.

 

[zippy]

Maybe if someone has a weak liver.

And is allergic to great food.

 

[hlg6016]

According to the skipper all you gotta do is screw up one more time and you'll have your wish.

 

[IRfly]

Actually, that's a good question. I just hear that it sucks and this is their way of filling those billets. Might have more to do with the job and the fact that it is IIRC an unaccompanied tour.

Still not seeing the downside...

 

[MIDNJAC]

Actually, that's a good question. I just hear that it sucks and this is their way of filling those billets. Might have more to do with the job and the fact that it is IIRC an unaccompanied tour.

Bahrain, especially once you factor in all the extra pay your squadron AI friends won't be making, is a great time. Plenty of time travel nights in that place. Also, the best steak of my life was at the Meat Co. in Manama, and I've eaten at plenty of really good places in the US, Europe and Australia. South African free range beef filet. I have iPhone pictures if you want them

 

[Brett327]

Greatest brunch in my life was in Bahrain. A spread fit for a king, as the rock band played to the delight of my drunken Readyroom.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Greatest brunch in my life was in Bahrain. A spread fit for a king, as the rock band played to the delight of my drunken Readyroom.

yeah, you haven't had a brunch until you do it in Bahrain or Dubai.