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Intel Officer Path

Lorenzo de Florida

Applying to be an Intel O
Hi everyone,

The threads on the intel officer lifestyle and "a day in the life" are old and refer to other threads with links that weren't working for me. So, I thought I would start a new thread on what can reasonably be expected of an intel officer career. Please feel free to answer any or all of the questions I have below:

1. From what I've gathered, the 30-month operational fleet tour seems to be when the intel officer is "thrown to the wolves," not ready to add a lot of value but to learn what you don't know in a difficult, stressful environment where you're not appreciated. Is that about right?

2. After the fleet tour, it seems like there will be interesting opportunities for someone interested in geopolitics, foreign naval intelligence, and analysis of irregular threats to U.S. interests all over the globe. Do people generally agree that intel officers have an interesting career that satisfies those who like studying geopolitics, regions of the world, and enemy weapons capabilities?

3. I hoped that as an intel officer, I could get some overseas assignments. From what I've read, the attaché and other overseas assignments will probably be more likely at the O3 and O4 second tour timeframe. Any chance after the fleet tour to get assigned Rota, Spain, or something similar? Could a junior intel officer reasonably get an assignment at ONI in MD or CENTCOM in Tampa, FL(also very cool, in my opinion)?

4. I see differing responses on different threads and boards, but I would appreciate any input people can provide on family life in this career path. Right now, I expect to be away for three months for OCS. I expect to live with my wife and kids at NIOBC in VA. I don't know what to expect during the 30-month tour or follow on assignments. From what I've read here, it seems to differ whether I get a squadron assignment or ships company. I know joining the Navy means significant time away from my family, but it would be great if I could minimize time away and still serve. Any advice or insight?

Thanks, everyone, for providing any insight you may have. I really appreciate it.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
. I know joining the Navy means significant time away from my family, but it would be great if I could minimize time away and still serve. Any advice or insight?

Thanks, everyone, for providing any insight you may have. I really appreciate it.
This is something that can be hard to predict, sometimes people get assigned commands and never deploy, some get assigned to commands that get short cycled for deployments.
 

Lorenzo de Florida

Applying to be an Intel O
Thank you for the info, I’m trying not to ask stupid questions but so many military terms are new to me. I’m assuming “short cycled for deployments” mean deployed more regularly than what would be a typical deployment schedule.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not adverse to deploying, I expect it as part of the assignment.
 

FormerRecruitingGuru

Making Recruiting Great Again
4. I see differing responses on different threads and boards, but I would appreciate any input people can provide on family life in this career path. Right now, I expect to be away for three months for OCS. I expect to live with my wife and kids at NIOBC in VA. I don't know what to expect during the 30-month tour or follow on assignments. From what I've read here, it seems to differ whether I get a squadron assignment or ships company. I know joining the Navy means significant time away from my family, but it would be great if I could minimize time away and still serve. Any advice or insight?

Two thoughts here:

1. Why would you want to move your family twice within a 6-7 month period? That's exhausting in itself to move family once for schooling and another time short after for your first duty assignment.

2. @Brett327 covered it, but you can't have your cake and it too (in particular active duty) for trying to serve in the military and minimize time away. The Navy is in the business of deploying, even after the global war on terror. That's like going to a steakhouse because you want to eat a vegan/vegetarian meal. Are you wanting to be an Intel officer just because they don't "deploy" as much? That too isn't a smart career/professional decision to make.

For #2, perhaps you should consider either the Reserves (enlisted or officer if you qualify) or even the National Guard if you want to serve and remain relatively close to family.

Finally, there's a ton of information you can find on being an intel officer here on the page and on google.
 

Lorenzo de Florida

Applying to be an Intel O
Thank you for the feedback from both of you. I need to explore the Reserve option more thoroughly.

I want to be an intel Officer for several reasons. Of all the available options (and there aren’t too many remaining at my age) intel suits my interests and aptitude the best. I have a stem undergrad and just got a masters degree in Global Risk. Upon graduation a navy recruiter reached out to me and got the ball rolling.

When I brought up the possibility of reserves with my OR for many of the reasons mentioned above, he kind of dismissed the idea because o don’t have any practical experience in intel. He said the “reserves will expect you to be ready to hit the ground running.” Having only academic experience in analyzing and assessing risk he steered me toward active duty. He said the reserves won’t even consider my competitive OAR score, they only care about experience.

With that said, I’m willing to make the sacrifices to get into the intel world, but with the suggestions here I think I’ll explore the possibility of reserves.
Thanks guys, this is helpful. I know there’s a lot here and google but often the military-speak is confusing for a newbie like me.
 

number9

Well-Known Member
Contributor
When I brought up the possibility of reserves with my OR for many of the reasons mentioned above, he kind of dismissed the idea because o don’t have any practical experience in intel. He said the “reserves will expect you to be ready to hit the ground running.” Having only academic experience in analyzing and assessing risk he steered me toward active duty. He said the reserves won’t even consider my competitive OAR score, they only care about experience.

There are plenty of Reserve INTEL Os with no prior experience in the field.

Source: I am one.
 

Lorenzo de Florida

Applying to be an Intel O
Join the reserves.
I spoke with a reserve recruiter today and realized the DCO route might be best for me.

What should I do with my active duty package that I think is submitted for the Feb board? I suspect if I’m selected for AD in February and tell them “no, I’d like to try the DCO in September” that might put a mark on my profile for any future applications.

Can and should I tell my AD recruiter to cancel my package?
 

FormerRecruitingGuru

Making Recruiting Great Again
I spoke with a reserve recruiter today and realized the DCO route might be best for me.

What should I do with my active duty package that I think is submitted for the Feb board? I suspect if I’m selected for AD in February and tell them “no, I’d like to try the DCO in September” that might put a mark on my profile for any future applications.

Can and should I tell my AD recruiter to cancel my package?

Just tell your AD recruiter.
 

kaldor2c7

IWC CW Mustang
Hi everyone,

The threads on the intel officer lifestyle and "a day in the life" are old and refer to other threads with links that weren't working for me. So, I thought I would start a new thread on what can reasonably be expected of an intel officer career. Please feel free to answer any or all of the questions I have below:

1. From what I've gathered, the 30-month operational fleet tour seems to be when the intel officer is "thrown to the wolves," not ready to add a lot of value but to learn what you don't know in a difficult, stressful environment where you're not appreciated. Is that about right?

2. After the fleet tour, it seems like there will be interesting opportunities for someone interested in geopolitics, foreign naval intelligence, and analysis of irregular threats to U.S. interests all over the globe. Do people generally agree that intel officers have an interesting career that satisfies those who like studying geopolitics, regions of the world, and enemy weapons capabilities?

3. I hoped that as an intel officer, I could get some overseas assignments. From what I've read, the attaché and other overseas assignments will probably be more likely at the O3 and O4 second tour timeframe. Any chance after the fleet tour to get assigned Rota, Spain, or something similar? Could a junior intel officer reasonably get an assignment at ONI in MD or CENTCOM in Tampa, FL(also very cool, in my opinion)?

4. I see differing responses on different threads and boards, but I would appreciate any input people can provide on family life in this career path. Right now, I expect to be away for three months for OCS. I expect to live with my wife and kids at NIOBC in VA. I don't know what to expect during the 30-month tour or follow on assignments. From what I've read here, it seems to differ whether I get a squadron assignment or ships company. I know joining the Navy means significant time away from my family, but it would be great if I could minimize time away and still serve. Any advice or insight?

Thanks, everyone, for providing any insight you may have. I really appreciate it.
I should probably send this to you privately...but my response might serve to benefit the search function audience in the same....

Navy OP tempo is always changing (theatre conflict driven). While serving as an enlisted NSW type I was stateside 75% of the time but never home. How is that you might ask...well we were always in the mountains, in the desert, or at San Clemente Island...not to mention all of the other hot training spots like Lake Tahoe and Vegas lol. The only down time we truly had was the remaining 25% when deployed overseas. I had an apartment in SD that literally was never occupied. Our IWC support were equally sharing that schedule (dipped CTI types).

Again just my experiences for a rather unrelated field but it was still the "US Navy". Previous to that as an naval aviation type in a squadron we deployed for workups often. Sea tours were exactly that...deployed and often away from home. Shore tours were awesome and more structured 0600-1430 hours, but it's my presumption that anyone aspiring to join the ranks of Naval leadership need to be competitive and ready to assist in sharpening tip of the spear for the fight. That means deploying... Sandbagging the available billet types would only degrade your opportunities for advancing your career, this would be harder on your family long-term than the short-term heartaches of being away. (I am father of 2+ so I speak with a tone of empathy).

Even the DCO IWC route is going to be arduous with schedule. Keep that in perspective. It will also demand alot more time from your normal day to day life than just one-weekend per month. This is why they screen candidates with community service, volunteer work, leadership, or involvement with other aspects of career progression besides just collecting a paycheck. Anyone who's been in a leadership/guidance role knows it's never a 9-5 operation...more like it just "consumes you".

Again all just my input from the outside looking in....

Lastly....it takes a special woman to standby this commitment. I know first hand. She's the officer in charge of the household on all levels, her job is difficult and complex at best, and now she's performing this with minimal resources...'you'... I was single during my NSW tours and for good reason (and lack of opportunity lol), but if there's any advice I can give on this area is to have her immersed in the entire experience as much as you can. Her life is very unpredictable while herding cats all day, managing feeding schedules, doctor visits, sick kids, etc... so any sense of predictive forecast is going to keep her mind at bay when it comes to the Navy and it's driving asset...."you".

Good luck. I hope you stay the course, just add a little correction and choose a path the best fits the Navy and the support level you can provide.
 

GlassBanger

IntelO
Contributor
I am going to reply to this even though you have decided to move on from the path of being an intelligence officer, as you were right and the information on here is extremely out of date, as this is largely an aviation forum.

First and foremost, I need to make sure anyone considering this route truly understands the function of an officer in the Navy, especially intel. We serve as managers and supervisors. Our function is to enable the enlisted specialists to do their jobs. Be their resource and know their resources, drive the mission focus and morale, liaise (and ideally be an umbrella) between the higher command and them, and function as someone that can find the answer. You can be a Division Officer in charge of sailors directly with your Chief and SEL, you can be by yourself 1 of 1 representing intelligence in a heavy collar-rank wardroom, and you can be among many peers working on one project. But you will always, always, be steps away from direct involvement with the product and raw information. As an example: often I have given briefs in my career to Admirals, Captains, foreign senior officers and the like, but the information I used to build my brief came from an enlisted specialist or their civilian counterparts. The only thing I own in that product is my assessment after having read through and analyzed that information. Being an intel officer is very rarely “hands-on”.


I am not saying all of this to dissuade applicants, but to manage expectations. Being an 1830 (intel officer) can be a very rewarding career full of a lot of opportunities and avenues to explore, but people need to be realistic.

Your initial duty station is not only narrow to two pipelines, like “back in the day” of ship’s company vs. squadron. When I graduated NIOBC in 2020, there were INDOPACOM, squadron billets in Japan, a LOT of ONI billets in Suitland, MD [be it Nimitz, FID, Hopper, etc], some squadrons stateside, STRATCOM, a Seabee group stateside, and even a targeting school slot in Fallon, NV. I personally ended up at ONI for my first tour.


The initial tour is actually 36-month orders, with the opportunity to detail and leave at 24 months after you have earned your warfare qualification and with the permission of your chain of command. Officers may live in one location (typically, with exceptions) for anywhere from 2-3 years.

As for how much operational “fleet” tours vs. shore tours matter, there are wickets to hit in order to promote after your first automatic 2 ranks. *Technically* to be selected for O4 you need only to have not faced judicial issues, and have earned your warfare device. **HOWEVER**, if you get sent to a shore tour for your first duty station, you are expected to go to an operational tour afterward. The difference between a fleet tour and a shore tour are whether or not you deploy.


Operational tours are ship’s company, squadrons, FID in ONI, CENTCOM in Bahrain, and some onesie twosies that are currently slipping my mind. This is also something that is fluid; there can be last minute billets that come up that are classified as operational.

It is also a community that doesn’t allow you to get comfortable. Once you get good at one thing, you’re being sent to do something you’ve never looked at in your entire career. Your knowledge is “inch deep, mile wide” get used to hearing that expression. I’ve worked as a collection manager; putting together collection plans and deconflicting resource usage, and then suddenly I’ve been yeeted into the role of a non-kinetic threat analyst; looking at Red non-kinetic and cyber threat capabilities and limitations.


As for overseas assignments, there are many. The ones you most often go to as a first tour are in the form of squadrons. Second tour and beyond are typically echelon commands, ships, and watch centers. There are very few intel officer billets in Rota, Spain. Attaché positions are for senior O4s and above, but I've only ever actually seen O5 and above.

I cannot speak for balance with children and a spouse, but I can speak to work/life balance for travel, hobbies, and partners. Because I went to a shore tour first, I didn’t deploy those ~24 months. My work schedule was anywhere from 0730-1600. I always went in at 0630 and left at 1400 because I finished my responsibilities for the day. Where I worked, I did not have sailors I needed to be there for so myself and my peers had a lot of freedom. There was always time for my partner and my hobbies, and travel was easily approved. But I am in the military. I would have to stay late sometimes unexpectedly if the Admiral needed a short-fuse product, if a peer was out and I had to do their stuff, etc.

This is extremely important, and relatively new. The Navy has something called Individual Augmentee billets throughout the world that until very recently, were the responsibility of reservists. This is now no longer the case. These IAs are now on the shore tour stationed IWC officers and enlisted. These are unavoidable. Nobody is excepted from them. When selected for one, you do not have a choice. So, no longer is being on a shore tour a certainty of not deploying. IAs range anywhere from 6 months to over a year, and their locations are 98% of the time as awful as you'd imagine.

Enter service with the expectation that you don't just answer to yourself or your family anymore. Be ready to be challenged with everything possible; from knowledge, time management, conflict resolution, deconfliction, interpersonal relationships while balancing rank, and everything in between.


Everything I’ve said should be taken with the knowledge that I am largely a shore-based sailor and what I share comes from that realm of experience.



Anyone can feel free to DM me any questions, but I would encourage you to ask here so that my answers can benefit everyone.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
I am going to reply to this even though you have decided to move on from the path of being an intelligence officer, as you were right and the information on here is extremely out of date, as this is largely an aviation forum.

First and foremost, I need to make sure anyone considering this route truly understands the function of an officer in the Navy, especially intel. We serve as managers and supervisors. Our function is to enable the enlisted specialists to do their jobs. Be their resource and know their resources, drive the mission focus and morale, liaise (and ideally be an umbrella) between the higher command and them, and function as someone that can find the answer. You can be a Division Officer in charge of sailors directly with your Chief and SEL, you can be by yourself 1 of 1 representing intelligence in a heavy collar-rank wardroom, and you can be among many peers working on one project. But you will always, always, be steps away from direct involvement with the product and raw information. As an example: often I have given briefs in my career to Admirals, Captains, foreign senior officers and the like, but the information I used to build my brief came from an enlisted specialist or their civilian counterparts. The only thing I own in that product is my assessment after having read through and analyzed that information. Being an intel officer is very rarely “hands-on”.


I am not saying all of this to dissuade applicants, but to manage expectations. Being an 1830 (intel officer) can be a very rewarding career full of a lot of opportunities and avenues to explore, but people need to be realistic.

Your initial duty station is not only narrow to two pipelines, like “back in the day” of ship’s company vs. squadron. When I graduated NIOBC in 2020, there were INDOPACOM, squadron billets in Japan, a LOT of ONI billets in Suitland, MD [be it Nimitz, FID, Hopper, etc], some squadrons stateside, STRATCOM, a Seabee group stateside, and even a targeting school slot in Fallon, NV. I personally ended up at ONI for my first tour.


The initial tour is actually 36-month orders, with the opportunity to detail and leave at 24 months after you have earned your warfare qualification and with the permission of your chain of command. Officers may live in one location (typically, with exceptions) for anywhere from 2-3 years.

As for how much operational “fleet” tours vs. shore tours matter, there are wickets to hit in order to promote after your first automatic 2 ranks. *Technically* to be selected for O4 you need only to have not faced judicial issues, and have earned your warfare device. **HOWEVER**, if you get sent to a shore tour for your first duty station, you are expected to go to an operational tour afterward. The difference between a fleet tour and a shore tour are whether or not you deploy.


Operational tours are ship’s company, squadrons, FID in ONI, CENTCOM in Bahrain, and some onesie twosies that are currently slipping my mind. This is also something that is fluid; there can be last minute billets that come up that are classified as operational.

It is also a community that doesn’t allow you to get comfortable. Once you get good at one thing, you’re being sent to do something you’ve never looked at in your entire career. Your knowledge is “inch deep, mile wide” get used to hearing that expression. I’ve worked as a collection manager; putting together collection plans and deconflicting resource usage, and then suddenly I’ve been yeeted into the role of a non-kinetic threat analyst; looking at Red non-kinetic and cyber threat capabilities and limitations.


As for overseas assignments, there are many. The ones you most often go to as a first tour are in the form of squadrons. Second tour and beyond are typically echelon commands, ships, and watch centers. There are very few intel officer billets in Rota, Spain. Attaché positions are for senior O4s and above, but I've only ever actually seen O5 and above.

I cannot speak for balance with children and a spouse, but I can speak to work/life balance for travel, hobbies, and partners. Because I went to a shore tour first, I didn’t deploy those ~24 months. My work schedule was anywhere from 0730-1600. I always went in at 0630 and left at 1400 because I finished my responsibilities for the day. Where I worked, I did not have sailors I needed to be there for so myself and my peers had a lot of freedom. There was always time for my partner and my hobbies, and travel was easily approved. But I am in the military. I would have to stay late sometimes unexpectedly if the Admiral needed a short-fuse product, if a peer was out and I had to do their stuff, etc.

This is extremely important, and relatively new. The Navy has something called Individual Augmentee billets throughout the world that until very recently, were the responsibility of reservists. This is now no longer the case. These IAs are now on the shore tour stationed IWC officers and enlisted. These are unavoidable. Nobody is excepted from them. When selected for one, you do not have a choice. So, no longer is being on a shore tour a certainty of not deploying. IAs range anywhere from 6 months to over a year, and their locations are 98% of the time as awful as you'd imagine.

Enter service with the expectation that you don't just answer to yourself or your family anymore. Be ready to be challenged with everything possible; from knowledge, time management, conflict resolution, deconfliction, interpersonal relationships while balancing rank, and everything in between.


Everything I’ve said should be taken with the knowledge that I am largely a shore-based sailor and what I share comes from that realm of experience.



Anyone can feel free to DM me any questions, but I would encourage you to ask here so that my answers can benefit everyone.
It is good for someone like you to put this out there, every once in a while someone does and it helps let those applying for Intel know they aren't going to be Jack Ryan, or someone that is going door to door doing covert ops. The Intel officers I worked with always found the applicants that desired to apply for Intel for those reasons quite amusing.
 

kaldor2c7

IWC CW Mustang


This is extremely important, and relatively new. The Navy has something called Individual Augmentee billets throughout the world that until very recently, were the responsibility of reservists. This is now no longer the case. These IAs are now on the shore tour stationed IWC officers and enlisted. These are unavoidable. Nobody is excepted from them. When selected for one, you do not have a choice. So, no longer is being on a shore tour a certainty of not deploying. IAs range anywhere from 6 months to over a year, and their locations are 98% of the time as awful as you'd imagine.



Could you so kindly break this IA down between 1810, 1820, 1830? Because a destination vacation hotpot like Djibouti might differ for 1830 vs an east coast command for an 1810. Correct?

Great write up btw. Awesome info
 

GlassBanger

IntelO
Contributor
Could you so kindly break this IA down between 1810, 1820, 1830? Because a destination vacation hotpot like Djibouti might differ for 1830 vs an east coast command for an 1810. Correct?

Great write up btw. Awesome info
The last IA slate that came out had around 30 billets on it by the time it made it to my command and ~10 of them were for officers; 1 of 1820, 2 of 1810, and the remaining for 1830. The slate makes its rounds from command to command and the more desirable locations are snatched en route.

As for the difference between a billet slot in Djibouti (regardless of 18XX) vs for example NCWDG, that seems pretty self explanatory; can you clarify what you're trying to ask here?
 

paltheon232

Member
I would be happy to sit in a small room and analyze info and create briefs and products to support the war fighter/fleet forever, I just think that every aspect of the intel community is crazy awesome with the impact that it can have. Hopefully they accept my lat convert package here in the next board, SWO life is great and all buuuuuuut.
 
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