Would-be Intel Officer

[Flash]

Thanks for the input, guys. Although my educational background was in France, I did some work as a journalist writing about former French North and West Africa and the political situation there. I understand that I'll be sent wherever I'm needed, but I feel like it would be most interesting to be deployed to that part of the world.

I know you may not want to hear it but the former French colonies of Africa are not one of the likely places you will be sent as a Navy Intel type. You might luck out eventually and end up at AFRICOM but in all likelyhood you will be stuck on USS Boat with a squadron, briefing aircrew on SAM threats.

Your skills might come into good use later if you choose to pursue an Intel career, but the Maghreb and West Africa are not too high on the Navy's priority list.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Yep...there are occasions in your career where a knowledge of French might be handy, and eventually you might try and become a Foreign Area Officer. But it's not something that makes you especially suited to being an Intel guy.

Our Intel community is (well, is supposed to be) all about operational intel; i.e., threats in an operational area, bomb-damage assessment, etc.

Honestly, if you're determined to apply your skill set for the gov't, State or Central Intelligence might be more what you're looking for.

 

[Daisy]

What happens to people who gain foreign language fluency at the Defense Language Institute or through undergrad or grad study? Especially in Mandarin, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, etc.

I have kind of assumed that they end up in intelligence translating higher level classified information.

 

[Big Biff]

What happens to people who gain foreign language fluency at the Defense Language Institute or through undergrad or grad study? Especially in Mandarin, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, etc.

I have kind of assumed that they end up in intelligence translating higher level classified information.

Most Officers that go to DLI are picking up a language for Foreign Area Officer or working an exchange program with another countries military. That school is mostly filled with crypto enlisted who do all the translating. IW Officers are in charge of the crypto enlisted, but their school ciriculum doesn't include DLI usually.

 

[Uncle Fester]

What happens to people who gain foreign language fluency at the Defense Language Institute or through undergrad or grad study? Especially in Mandarin, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, etc.

I have kind of assumed that they end up in intelligence translating higher level classified information.

You go to DLI because of the job you're going to, not the other way around.

Edit: Damn, Biff beat me to it already.

 

[Renegade One]

Ya my mom is actually praying that I don't get picked up, for that exact reason. And I cannot convince her otherwise for anything. Sucks...

Niki: Understand that one of the joys of being an actual adult is that you no longer have to convince your mom of anything, least of all whether or not to join the military. Unless, of course, you're still living at home and rely on her for food and laundry services.

 

[nikiterp86]

Niki: Understand that one of the joys of being an actual adult is that you no longer have to convince your mom of anything, least of all whether or not to join the military. Unless, of course, you're still living at home and rely on her for food and laundry services.

Haha yes, hence the reason my package is in for the May board. Her concerns won't affect what I do, but she is really good at guilt tripping, so it just makes my life easier if I can talk her into not worrying so much haha.

But I do my own laundry

 

[HeyJoe]

I was a first tour intel officer who deployed to the "sandbox" immediately. Most people don't though - I only know one or two others who have.
I didn't tell my family where I was going.

So how did you explain your absence then?

 

[anghockey]

Niki: Understand that one of the joys of being an actual adult is that you no longer have to convince your mom of anything, least of all whether or not to join the military. Unless, of course, you're still living at home and rely on her for food and laundry services.

Ah yes, but not having your family guilt trip you every time you go to visit is a huge bonus.

And heaven forbid I would EVER have to rely on my mother's cooking.

 

[jorgelito]

I was a first tour intel officer who deployed to the "sandbox" immediately. Most people don't though - I only know one or two others who have.
I didn't tell my family where I was going. I don't recommend that as a general rule. Just tell them that you will hope for the best and be ready for the worst and that their support will help you no matter what happens. My family has no understanding of what I do, nor can I tell them, but as long as they are supportive, it is all OK.

Was that an IA tour? Did you volunteer for it? I would love to hear more about it if you can spare some details.

 

[MasterBates]

Ah yes, but not having your family guilt trip you every time you go to visit is a huge bonus..

My solution?

I didn't go home for almost 3 years in which the anti-war part of the family started raising hell at me over Christmas dinner. It wasn't just the usual libtard "bush lied people died" speil. It was getting personal. And a few idiot cousins were foaming at the mouth. I was sitting there expecting a more "Sane" relative to say SOMETHING, but nobody did.

My father (the only living vet in the family) was on a trip. I went upistairs, threw my shit in my bags and drove 13 hours to Michigan and spent Christmas with a friend from college.

 

[Jynx]

she is really good at guilt tripping, so it just makes my life easier if I can talk her into not worrying so much haha

I remember when I said I was looking Navy. "Yea, go, don't worry about us. I'm sure we can figure out how to fix the computers by ourselves. Your sister won't miss you much I'm sure, and the dog will be fine without you. Go, it's good for your career. I promise I won't worry about you getting sunburned in the desert or away from home for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur...."

Jewish moms are the world's best travel agents for guilt trips

 

[anghockey]

I remember when I said I was looking Navy. "Yea, go, don't worry about us. I'm sure we can figure out how to fix the computers by ourselves. Your sister won't miss you much I'm sure, and the dog will be fine without you. Go, it's good for your career. I promise I won't worry about you getting sunburned in the desert or away from home for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur...."

Jewish moms are the world's best travel agents for guilt trips

That sounds exactly like my mom. At my cousin's Bar Mitzvah a few weeks ago my mom was lying and encouraging me to lie about my plans. Wtf.

Guilt trips = free trips back home for Passover. Last year I even got my dad to fly my goy then-boyfriend out for seder.

Oldest synagogue in America is in . . . NEWPORT, RI!

 

[bubblehead]

Was that an IA tour? Did you volunteer for it? I would love to hear more about it if you can spare some details.

Individual Augmentee... And you will not love to hear more about it.. lol...

 

[MasterBates]

Have a Half Jewish/Half Catholic mother and get back to me on the guilt trips!