2010 DCO/DIRCOM boards: questions, answers, and discussion

[das]

IW and IP interviewers don't directly assign a confidence score during the interview process like INTEL and other communities (though I'm curious for folks submitting packages to IW and IP, have you done your two required interviews each with IW and IP officers, for a total of at least 4 interviews?). The strongest they can do is rate a candidate "outstanding" in every category, and rate the candidate on a scale of 1 to 10 for willingness to have interviewee serve under their command, though I have seen some officers write a confidence score in the comments.

Quantifiable leadership experience is one of the biggest things the board is looking for. Prior active duty enlisted experience in a related area is a big plus, as is an existing TS/SCI. The board does seem to favor individuals with graduate degrees, almost as a method of weeding out when they have so many highly qualified applicants, but that is not to say they won't select someone with only a BS — because they can and have done so. If you don't get selected, see what you can improve, and try again. Many have applied two or more times before getting selected.

The waiting is the hardest part! If the last two boards are any indication, the results should be available to your recruiter by next Friday (24SEP10), or early the following week at the latest.

 

[JasonB]

No idea how I scored on my interviews. My recruiter said that he is unable to give that to me. I only interviewed with 2 people total. I know that one person I interviewed with is a Commander here where I work, and gave me the highest score he could. The other person I interviewed with is a Captain, and is the CO for the Navy Comsec Command. He also gave me a strong interview.

The leadership I perform here where I work now, is to other engineers down range and the lower engineers here who are fairly green and learning the ropes.

Few things to look at in your package. Do you know how high you score on your interview? Are you performing a leadership role in your current job? You prior active duty will serve as a plus along with your TS/SCI. Graduate degree is a biggie for the board, not to say they will not pick someone up with a Bsc. Best of luck!

 

[das]

The reason I always ask about interviews is because of what the current program authorizations say:

IP: "Applicant shall submit two interview appraisals, at least one of which is conducted by Information Professional Officers O-4 or above, for consideration by the community professional review board. At least one appraisal will be conducted in person unless otherwise waived by the Program Sponsor."

IW: "Applicant must submit at least two interviews with application. Two interviews should be conducted by Information Warfare Officers currently serving on Active Duty or within the Selected Reserves (at least one must be from an Active Duty Information Warfare Officer), preferably at the O-5 or O-6 rank, however, one of two interviews may be conducted by an Information Warfare O-4. Applications that do not meet this requirement will not be considered by the selection board."

I suppose you can technically meet the letter of the requirements by interviewing with one IP officer and one IW officer, since each require at least one of the interviews to be by their own community, and don't stipulate that for the other.

To see all the Program Authorizations, visit this site.

 

[JasonB]

Just got off the phone with my recruiter. He said that I can apply for IP or IW and an interview from an IP is good for both of them. The CAPT I interviewed with is a reservist who has been activated, and the CDR is an aviator on active duty and is a department head for the agency I work for.

 

[das]

JasonB, good deal...I'm sure your recruiter has everything covered. In a little more than a week, you should know the results! Remember that no matter what happens, waiting and persistence are a big part of this process. Good luck!

 

[JasonB]

Im well aware of the hurry up and wait saying. It was way different when I was enlisted. From bootcamp all the way until I discharged. If I dont get selected this time around, Ill keep applying until I do get selected. Im super motivated and a go getter. So I will earn a commission, if not this board, then sometime in the future.

I appreciate the comments thus far.

What desinator are you? Intel IP/IW?

 

[das]

At present, I am working on efforts to help the Information Dominance Corps communities share information and build a common culture. The N2/N6 merger has certainly been a big change, and the junior officers coming in today will be a big part of shaping the IDC going forward.

Part of that means being aware of what the other communities are doing and saying, and synchronizing efforts. To that end, we have set up sites like this presence on Facebook, and this for sharing resources and documents, which help to get IDC-related info to people wherever they might be.

The information-heavy communities most of all should be at the forefront of sharing, collaboration, and integration. Some folks are a bit uncomfortable with this level of "openness", but as long as legitimate OPSEC issues are considered, it's this kind of collaboration that's going to take us forward. We even have a few current and retired IDC flags in the group...

 

[JasonB]

I saw the FB link before, its blocked at the agency I work for, so I am unable to join/like until I get home.

So are you an IP/IW or Intel?

Another question for you, how can I find a list of open billets for either IP or IW? I was hoping to become attached to NETWARCOM. I was a reservist after getting out and I am a plank owner of that command. So I would love to go back as an officer, and see how my work shaped the command. I wrote a lot of documentation back then.

 

[das]

I am none of the above.

If you are in NIPRNet or a peer network, visit the Navy Information Dominance portal on Intellipedia. We link off to subpages for the IDC, FLTCYBERCOM/C10F, and NAVCYBERFOR, with lots of good information. In particular, the US Navy's Vision for Information Dominance is a good read.

If you get selected into a community, your best bet is to reach out to your reserve OCM and/or detailer to see what's possible. Since you're in the DC area, there are likely greater opportunities in any event. The DC area is also officer-heavy on the IDC reserve side, but that is for good reason, and doesn't necessarily preclude anything. First things first, though!

 

[JasonB]

Ill check it all out. I am definitely interested in learning as much as I can about the community.

I read that the IDC has its own warfare pin now. Is it as difficult to get as the SW pin? I know that while I was active duty I was working on my pin (was on the GW CVN-73) and I would like to get that as fast as possible.

 

[das]

For the latest on the pin, see here. For a good discussion on the warfare qualification and pin -- for which there are a number of different schools of thought -- check out this discussion over at Information Warriors, from page 10 on. I think it's safe to say that the IDC pin will be evolving, and it will be a while, perhaps a few years, for that warfare qualification to really come into its own.

 

[JasonB]

Talked to my recruiter and he told me that I may know if I get selected or not a week from today. The next week is going to kill me with anticipation.

 

[JasonB]

Well, today is the first day of the board. Good luck to everyone that applied.

 

[conn14]

Jason, for what it is worth ... I also worked with LT Harper. He did tell me how I scored on the interviews with the panel of CPTs and the CO at Andrews. All I know is that I got a "very highly recommended" from those two interviews he set up for me.

 

[JasonB]

LT Harper did not tell me how I scored (said he couldnt), but both of the interviewers I had told me that they gave me the highest remarks. What designator are you going for?