Advice for an Intel Officer newbie? (BDCP Currently)

[Logico]

I am in BDCP for Intel. I go to OCS in December05. It seems that several people here have worked around Intel officers. Could anyone give me advice about one or more of the following:

1) Common "Newbie" mistakes that are avoidable. This could be Intel specific or Officer in general.

2) What makes for a good intel officer as opposed to an average one (or a bad one).

3) Things that would help me going in (i.e. areas of study, read this book, etc.)

4) Any other advice or stories that might help.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Brett327]

I am in BDCP for Intel. I go to OCS in December05. It seems that several people here have worked around Intel officers. Could anyone give me advice about one or more of the following:

1) Common "Newbie" mistakes that are avoidable. This could be Intel specific or Officer in general.

2) What makes for a good intel officer as opposed to an average one (or a bad one).

3) Things that would help me going in (i.e. areas of study, read this book, etc.)

4) Any other advice or stories that might help.

Thanks for your help!

I'll PM you when I get back from work.

Brett

 

[bennett4362]

brett, you're a pilot, right?

 

[Brett327]

brett, you're a pilot, right?

Prowler NFO.

Brett

 

[bennett4362]

oh, thanks!

 

[Logico]

Brett,

Man you must work late. It's 1 am Central Time and still no PM.

Doesn't anyone have any advice?

 

[STA-21-INTEL]

I can tell you from my experience as an IS at a squadron that one important thing to keep in mind if you are a fresh Ensign (direct from NIOBC) is to just keep in mind that your enlisted guys/gals have been doing it longer than you have. It's fine if you have a direction you want the division to take (your mission statement, if you will) but don't try to get into the weeds of it until you have seen how it works. I had a fresh Ensign at my last squadron that was excellent in this respect and it allowed for a very smooth transition from the old AI to the new. My sister squadron had an eager beaver and it made it painful, lost him their respect, and ended up making him look bad to the squadron when he couldn't get things accomplished. I know this is sort of a general suggestion, I'll see what I can think up more specifically.

 

[Logico]

I can tell you from my experience as an IS at a squadron that one important thing to keep in mind if you are a fresh Ensign (direct from NIOBC) is to just keep in mind that your enlisted guys/gals have been doing it longer than you have. It's fine if you have a direction you want the division to take (your mission statement, if you will) but don't try to get into the weeds of it until you have seen how it works. I had a fresh Ensign at my last squadron that was excellent in this respect and it allowed for a very smooth transition from the old AI to the new. My sister squadron had an eager beaver and it made it painful, lost him their respect, and ended up making him look bad to the squadron when he couldn't get things accomplished. I know this is sort of a general suggestion, I'll see what I can think up more specifically.

STA-21-INTEL: That is very helpful. I appreciate the advice. By the way, in your experience how large is the gap between what is taught at Intel school (both enlisted and NIOBC if you know) and what is actually used in the field? I mean this question in two ways. The first relates to technical ability of the new IS or ENS for the first assignment. The second relates how often it occurs that what is actually needed by the customers of intel isn't what one is prepared to provide through school.

Thanks

 

[STA-21-INTEL]

As is usually the case with navy schools, OJT is far more benficial than the actually schooling. This is part of the reason the new ENS should listen to his/her IS's. In a squadron (where the majority of INTEL ENS's go), the Intel job is quite different from the rest of the fleet. While on shore, we basically fill the billets of CTA's because squadrons aren't billeted for them and still have clearance work that must be done for pilots and certain maintenance rates. You will get absolutely ZERO training in this as either enlisted or officer, yet are expected to know about because you're INTEL and therefore know about all things classified! It can be very frustrating. When you get to the boat, the NIOBC courses come more into play. There you get to plan missions, analyze info, brief/debrief, etc. On the boat or at JIC/JAC locations are where we in the INTEL world get to do our real job.
As far being capable of delivering the product desired, don't stress too much. On shore, listen to your people and you'll learn fast. On ship, they will have a plan for getting you accostumed to the job. Normally, you would start by briefing/debriefing aircrew to learn the ropes. This is usually followed by time as SIAC watch officer or maybe Imagery or Targeting. In my limited experience, they like to move JO's around to get them experienced at multiple jobs.
I don't know if I covered everything you want, just let me know if you want more and I'll ramble on...

 

[Logico]

just let me know if you want more and I'll ramble on...

Okay...ramble away. I also wonder what your take is on the pros and cons to having an airwing vs. a carrier as your first assignment? I had a conversation with the intel officer community manager who said that about 75% of new ENS go to a squadron and 25% go to a ship. He also said that people more or less get to choose where they want to go during NOIBC (from a list of "navy needs" of course).

Could you tell me what you think are the pros and cons for each assignment? This question would be best answered while keeping two perspectives in mind (family "time away" vs. career enhancement).

Thanks STA-21-INTEL

 

[bennett4362]

He also said that people more or less get to choose where they want to go during NOIBC (from a list of "navy needs" of course).

the way you get your first assignment changes from time to time; currently, students are not explicity told what is available, nor are they given a specific choice on what they get.

you fill out your "dream sheet," according to your top five locations, your top five jobs, then you put whether you want location or job to be most important (all of this without really knowing what's available).

the detailer then assigns your station, and you're told at an informal gathering what you got (then you find out what all was available!)

 

[Logico]

the way you get your first assignment changes from time to time; currently, students are not explicity told what is available, nor are they given a specific choice on what they get.

you fill out your "dream sheet," according to your top five locations, your top five jobs, then you put whether you want location or job to be most important (all of this without really knowing what's available).

the detailer then assigns your station, and you're told at an informal gathering what you got (then you find out what all was available!)

A recent graduate from NIOBC told me, on the "Intel Only" board on NKO, that their class members got into a room and together chose who got what based upon their own desires, instructor input, and Navy needs. The scenerio you mention sounds less optimal but not that bad I guess. My wife and I want Japan so I'd probably have to put "location=Japan" as my #1.

Either way, I guess my "carrier vs. airwing" question would fall under the "job" perameter rather than the "location" perameter.

 

[bennett4362]

A recent graduate from NIOBC told me, on the "Intel Only" board on NKO, that their class members got into a room and together chose who got what based upon their own desires, instructor input, and Navy needs. The scenerio you mention sounds less optimal but not that bad I guess. My wife and I want Japan so I'd probably have to put "location=Japan" as my #1.
QUOTE]

that is the way it was done until very recently. class 20-05 received their orders a couple of weeks ago and class 30-05 is expecting theirs any day; i know for a fact both these classes received/are receiving their orders according to the process i described.

 

[Logico]

QUOTE]that is the way it was done until very recently. class 20-05 received their orders a couple of weeks ago and class 30-05 is expecting theirs any day; i know for a fact both these classes received/are receiving their orders according to the process i described.[/QUOTE]

That's a bummer. Thanks for the info though. So could you give me a general idea about what were the options? I know that you broke it down into 2 categories "Location" and "Job" but what about the sub-categories? Is Location something like "Europe" or can someone name a country or even a base? Does "Job" break down into "carrier" vs. "squadron" or does it get more fine-grained?

 

[bennett4362]

unfortunately (in my opinion) the options were very broad; broad options, coupled with not knowing what's available, make for a "dangerous" situation

for location, your options are overseas-pacific, overseas-europe, west coast, east coast, and washington d.c. (and you rank those 1-5).

for job, your options are ship, air squadron, shore squadron, staff, and intel center (which you also rank 1-5).

there is another column at the bottom of the sheet for "remarks" where you can notate if you have any EFM (exceptional family members) or other circumstances you think should be taken into consideration.

the dream sheets are given to the class officers, then they create a kind of master spreadsheet from all the dream sheets; it's this spreadsheet that the detailer ultimately sees. (i don't really know anything else about the spreadsheet, though.)