Hi everyone. I've been selected to become a reserve intel officer, and my recruiter tells me the next step is the background investigation and a Congressional review. He's told me the process should take "a few months," which right now sounds like a lifetime to someone who's already been waiting well over a year in this process. Don't get me wrong, I'll wait as long as I need to, but I'm just really eager to get started. Can anyone out there give me a more precise reading/estimate on just how long it might be before I actually get sworn in and started at my job? Thanks for any info and have a great Navy day!! :icon_smil
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question re clearances
- Thread starter cedesq
- Start date
floridaseabee
Member
Patience!
Are you a DCO? For the commissioning papers, I had to wait about 3 months for mine. After you get sworn in, you will be assigned to a drill location that has a applicable unit near you. I live at Eglin, but the nearest Seabee unit is at Tallahassee (even though there is a NOSC at Pensacola), so I drill out of TLLH. Concerning your clerance, mine is taken care of on the civilian side, but I remember having to fill out that damn SF86 and sending it into the recruiter, so your clearance should already be under investigation. Anyone know the wait on final SECRET right now? A unit CO is able to grant interm SECRET, if I remember correctly. If you are going for a TS, expect a wait (but dont expect your clearance to be final before you swear in). After you swear in, you will have to wait a bit longer for DEERS (read: ID card) to catch up to you and other Navy databases/websites (NKO, BUPERS, etc.) to recognize that you are now a member.
My time line was:
Acceptance and Date of Rank (DoR) : 02JUN05
Swearing in : 09SEP05
First Drill : NOV2005
Key thing here is patience. Careful to not get too bad of a case of 'Ensign-itis'. Things will happen...it may be slow, but they will happen.
One other thing. Now, I dont how things are in the Intel community, but this definatetly applies to the Seabees.....be prepared, its going to be busy. You will find yourself doing a LOT of work outside of the drill weekend without pay. Its the nature of the business, but its worth it. Very much so. Congratulations.
Are you a DCO? For the commissioning papers, I had to wait about 3 months for mine. After you get sworn in, you will be assigned to a drill location that has a applicable unit near you. I live at Eglin, but the nearest Seabee unit is at Tallahassee (even though there is a NOSC at Pensacola), so I drill out of TLLH. Concerning your clerance, mine is taken care of on the civilian side, but I remember having to fill out that damn SF86 and sending it into the recruiter, so your clearance should already be under investigation. Anyone know the wait on final SECRET right now? A unit CO is able to grant interm SECRET, if I remember correctly. If you are going for a TS, expect a wait (but dont expect your clearance to be final before you swear in). After you swear in, you will have to wait a bit longer for DEERS (read: ID card) to catch up to you and other Navy databases/websites (NKO, BUPERS, etc.) to recognize that you are now a member.
My time line was:
Acceptance and Date of Rank (DoR) : 02JUN05
Swearing in : 09SEP05
First Drill : NOV2005
Key thing here is patience. Careful to not get too bad of a case of 'Ensign-itis'. Things will happen...it may be slow, but they will happen.
One other thing. Now, I dont how things are in the Intel community, but this definatetly applies to the Seabees.....be prepared, its going to be busy. You will find yourself doing a LOT of work outside of the drill weekend without pay. Its the nature of the business, but its worth it. Very much so. Congratulations.
Thanks! I'm really excited to have been selected because the process is so competitive; it's been a lengthy process so far, but hey-- whatever it takes! 
I would expect that there's going to be a lot of work involved even outside of regular drill weekends, and I'm not surprised because I'll probably have to learn quite a bit! Intel is my passion, as is becoming a part of the Navy community, and I realize that a great deal of responsibility comes with that so I'm prepared to do whatever is necessary to not just do the job but hopefully exceed expectations. Thanks again for your advise. . . patience, admittedly is not my greatest virtue. . . I'm working on it, though. . .
I would expect that there's going to be a lot of work involved even outside of regular drill weekends, and I'm not surprised because I'll probably have to learn quite a bit! Intel is my passion, as is becoming a part of the Navy community, and I realize that a great deal of responsibility comes with that so I'm prepared to do whatever is necessary to not just do the job but hopefully exceed expectations. Thanks again for your advise. . . patience, admittedly is not my greatest virtue. . . I'm working on it, though. . .floridaseabee
Member
Its all good. DCO seems to be somewhat of a dirty word around here. Stands for Direct Commission Officer. You will have a two-week Officer Indoc coming up in the form of your first 2-week AT. Its a a lot of classes and a bit of PT and drill, not NEARLY as much as the OCS guys go through. Its a lot to fit in for two weeks and they do a great job with what little time they have. Make sure you are in great shape when you go (and your uniforms are inspection quality), so you dont look like a bag of ass in front of people. In my class we had no less than 25% drop out of a 1.5 formation run, on a track surface, for being out of shape. I was horrified to see that...kinda hard to lead from the front, when you are sucking wind from the rear on a distance that is about a long as a trip to the mail box. My two cents on the physical fitness issue.
Oh...and listen to your Chief Petty Officers....
Oh...and listen to your Chief Petty Officers....
just out of curiousity, why do navy intel-O's not go through the regular commissioning sources like OCS, ROTC, etc? Is the direct commission deal for guys who work in the intel business already and the navy wants, or is it for everyone who applies for intel? Just wondering cause it seems a lot different than the Marine side.
nocal80 said:
The vast majority do IIRC. The DCO's are those that have some desirable civilian skills (like already an Intelligence Analyst or Crypy or Linguist) and as a DCO they will primarily serve in Reserve billets with occasional (or right now more than occasional!) Active Duty. The Intel billets with the fleet sqaudrons are still the normal commisioning routes.
The DCO is a good way to get an AI that often has some "ready to go" skills and background and most do a really good job. The AI's we had in 209 were all DCO's and I can only thinkof one I had in the fleet that was better.
floridaseabee
Member
Concur with Pugs. The DCO program is for people who already have "Ready to Go" skills that the Navy can use right away with minimal formal training on the Reserve side. Doctors, Nurses and Engineers fall into this category as well.You still have some items that you need training on (I still have some CB and CEC courses that I have to attend), but you wont be useless to the Navy. Its a hella fun job.
Oh, there is also a DCO-type program for the Active side, but its a bit different. Engineers and Intel/Cryppies don't fall into this category then...its off to OCS for us. Correct?
Oh, there is also a DCO-type program for the Active side, but its a bit different. Engineers and Intel/Cryppies don't fall into this category then...its off to OCS for us. Correct?
The one guy I can think was better is head spy out at CINPAC right nowThanks for the advise! I've been staying in shape 'cause the LAST thing I want is to be one of those people who can't keep up. . . besides, I really enjoy all the physical training stuff-- it's all FUN for me! So, I'm really looking forward to it, and I love a challenge and being pushed to my limits.