On the fence

[timbousa]

Do what you got to do!

I know exactly how you feel. I wanted SNA so bad I could taste it, and they gave me Intel. At first I thought I would do it, just because I have absolutely nothing else going on in my life, but now I don't know. I think that if I were to go to OCS, I would only be jealous of those lucky ones who got SNA and would never be satisfied with Intel.
Therefore I would recommend to you to follow your heart. You got to do what you want to do and nobody else. There is nothing worse than regret later on in life that you didn't do what you truly wanted to. And don't let anybody try to convince you otherwise. I have people telling me I am crazy for not taking this intel slot, but I say the hell with them. They are not the ones who have to do it, I am.
I talked to my recruiter and he said just reapply and because since I already got a final selection, that the reevalutaion process should only take a few weeks.
So maybe you should think about doing the same. It can't hurt if that is really what you really are interested in. Or maybe we could just trade ;-), then it would work out well for the both of us!

 

[TXHusker05]

Just to give my stance on the subject. I am one of those on the fence people. I love to fly but I am best qualified and most interested in intel. I also do not intend on staying in the Navy for much longer than 10 years if that. I'd like to become a federal agent after the Navy or join the CIA and intel is right up that alley. I guess it will come down to which one picks me. At least you got that far.

 

[Brett327]

I keep hearing about this "IA". WHat IS it? How common is it? I'm confused (my natural state).

Don't worry about IAs at this point. If you're making career decisions based on a possible stint in Iraq, then you're in the wrong line of work.

Brett

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I know one member of this board who wanted nuke power, didn't get selected and ended up with aviation (pilot). He did very well in flight school. You don't have to want it as bad as a lot of folks here have aluded to. You do, however, need to be committed to do the work it takes to get winged and want to succeed. I've know many an aviator who happened to fall into aviation. I don't know any who are complaining.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

I'd like to become a federal agent after the Navy or join the CIA and intel is right up that alley.

I would say that very much depends on what you want to do as a federal agent or in the Agency...

The best advice I ever got was from an IP who told me there are people who spend their whole careers trying to push the right buttons and check the right boxes, and they still don't get their way. Then there's people who do what they really want and get really good at it... somehow, they usually end up being happy. And hey, if you get KIA along the way... at least you don't have any regrets

 

[TXHusker05]

I would say that very much depends on what you want to do as a federal agent or in the Agency...

The best advice I ever got was from an IP who told me there are people who spend their whole careers trying to push the right buttons and check the right boxes, and they still don't get their way. Then there's people who do what they really want and get really good at it... somehow, they usually end up being happy. And hey, if you get KIA along the way... at least you don't have any regrets

I am not one of those please everyone else to get where you want people. I will do what I need to do as long as I am doing what I want to do. Either way, I'd like to work in counter terrorism. As a federal agent I would prefer NCIS so I can stay with the Navy and also enjoy one of the best counter-terror intelligence units in the world. With the agency, I would prefer working as a case officer in the field rather than an analyist in Langley. Bringing me to my next question, does anyone here know anything about Mobile Security Detachments? I'd like to be an OIC of a MSD more than anything. It is the middle ground between combat action, VBSS and intel. Plus it would be a good foundation for being an agent.

 

[Brett327]

I am not one of those please everyone else to get where you want people. I will do what I need to do as long as I am doing what I want to do. Either way, I'd like to work in counter terrorism. As a federal agent I would prefer NCIS so I can stay with the Navy and also enjoy one of the best counter-terror intelligence units in the world. With the agency, I would prefer working as a case officer in the field rather than an analyist in Langley. Bringing me to my next question, does anyone here know anything about Mobile Security Detachments? I'd like to be an OIC of a MSD more than anything. It is the middle ground between combat action, VBSS and intel. Plus it would be a good foundation for being an agent.

One thing to consider is that most of the federal LE agencies have fairly restrictive age requirements which might be precluded by a meaningful career in the Navy. Second, I don't know where you're getting your info on NCIS (I hope not TV), but they are almost universally disrespected in their field. While I'm sure they might have a few OUTCONUS hot spots where they do CT or CI, the vast majority are the equivalent of small town cops that get to investigate the perennial drunken Sailor date-rape (buyer's remorse) at NAS Boondocks. Lastly, the notion that an Intel O is a shoe-in for CIA work is also a bit unrealistic. Sure there are some similarities, but they likely won't fit into either DO (most former military are Spec Ops types, although the right linguistic skills might back door you in there) or DI (you'll need a PhD most likely) standard hiring practices. Not trying to rain on your parade, just urging a bit more research before you commit.

Brett

 

[TurnandBurn55]

Good advice my Brett... my dad was a career Foreign Service Officer so I've done a few overseas tours at US Embassies. Never seen an officer in charge of an Marine Security Guard det, that's a staff or gunny position with the occassional warrant.

For the uninitiated, DO= Directorate of Operations, DI= Directorate of Intelligence. Actually I believe the DO has been renamed the NCS (National Clandestine Service)...

Talking too much about what they do gets into OPSEC issues of the worst kind... but suffice to say that if you want to be a case officer, the best way to torpedo your chances of getting that is being a desk jockey. You want to go to the field and convince people to do bad things, you need a few people skills.

 

[zippy]

Max hiring age as an 1811 anywhere is 37... For the Clandestine service it is 35.

As for DI vs DO... just look on the website, and pickup some of the books on the topics.

Inside the CIA

CIA at War

See no Evil by Robert Baer (and his other one... sleeping with the devil maybe)

Jawbreaker by Gary Berntsen

First In by Gary Schroen

TX... you have a PM

 

[TXHusker05]

TurnandBurn, I wasn't talking about marine embassy guards, I am talking about US Navy Mobile Security Detachments. There are MSD's guarding the Iraqi Oil Terminals, as well as in country all over the middle east. From what I understand, MSD's also secure ports that a ship is preparing to dock at. Detachments are generally commanded by a commissioned officer, MS Squadrons are generally an O-5/O-6 Command.

As for the CIA, I have done a bit of research on working for them (including reading quite a few of those books zippy mentioned) and I think intelligence would be an excellent fit for the DO. Obviously the more natural fit is DI but like someone mentioned, without a PhD, you are at a disadvantage there and the CIA is NOT a veterans preference agency.