Would-be Intel Officer

[bubblehead]

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

Wait?! Is that even possible? lol...

 

[MasterBates]

Yes.

 

[Big Biff]

So how did you explain your absence then?

When I got recalled from college and went to the Sandbox, I told my mom I was studying abroad for a semester in the Netherlands... Good thing I didn't get shwacked. She still doesn't know to this day.

 

[HeyJoe]

When I got recalled from college and went to the Sandbox, I told my mom I was studying abroad for a semester in the Netherlands... Good thing I didn't get shwacked. She still doesn't know to this day.

Nice!

 

[Jynx]

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

In terms of guilt trips, I'll see your half Jewish half Catholic mom and raise you a bringing home an Indian/Black Jamaican baptist girlfriend to meet her. Three years later and I still hear all sorts of lovely reminders about that one...

 

[eddie]

When I got recalled from college and went to the Sandbox, I told my mom I was studying abroad for a semester in the Netherlands... Good thing I didn't get shwacked. She still doesn't know to this day.

That IS funny.

 

[bberg]

I have a dual degree in International Studies with a concentration in Europe and speak German and French. I took the ASTB but didn't study like I should have and got a 48 5/6/6 (Probably gonna to take it again). I have been to Europe a lot for school and even worked in Germany. What do you think my chances of getting into Intel are?

 

[anghockey]

What do you think my chances of getting into Intel are?

We've all asked this question, and it has the same answer: Nobody can tell you. People with stellar stats have not gotten selected, and people with mediocre scores but otherwise great packages have been. Just submit the best package you can to the board and hope for the best. You can't get selected if you don't try!

 

[getawaydriver]

Greetings.

Great info all over this site. I want to give a few years of service to my country, and as I have several U.S. Navy members of my family, I decided that it is probably the best path for me. I'm looking specifically at intelligence because I think that it fits best with my experience and temperament (master's in journalism and French area studies, generally analytical and like to boil things down and communicate them.)

One of the issues is that certain other members of my family are concerned for my safety. They think that if I join Naval intelligence, I'll immediately be sent to Baghdad or Kabul.

Going into combat and into harm's way is obviously a part of the decision, and it's something I think that one ought to accept when putting on the uniform. But how can I explain to them specifically what an Intel officer does and what should I tell them is the likelihood that I would be deployed on the ground in a combat zone instead of posted with a squadron or on a carrier? Any advice, ideas?

Thanks.

I saw this and figured I would contribute should any aspiring Intel O have any questions about the intel discipline and want an idea of how their skill sets may apply to their future in the Navy/IC.

I have been in the IC now for some time, serving in various capacities with the same agency (awaiting my FS for NA/FO). What I am about to say is from the experience I have had in my agency and my rudimentary knowledge of the mission and requirements (get to know that word well) of the Navy intel shops and, possibly, ONI.

I think your journalism background will serve you well concerning the USIC's writing style of cut and dry, analytical writing, so long as you realize you are writing intelligence products, and not looking for the next Watergate scandal.

This writing is the complete opposite, as you may or may not know, of academic writing. You have to be clear and concise and succinct.

And the most important thing to keep in mind concerning your writing: Write as to not be misunderstood.

I would suggest reading the BBC's world service website (bbc.co.uk) as it is very comparable to the no-BS writing which you will be taught.

Also, being that you have some sort of background in journalism, while you will be doing the sort of things mentioned by other (debriefs, possible question development for target exploitation), the general curiosity and interest in the world that comes with being a journalist and an intel dude/dudette will help.

The aforementioned statement goes with the caveat so long as you use logic and rationality and ask plausible questions, and not churn out a "down the rabbit hole" sort of question.

Regarding the area studies, for what I believe the Navy's requirements are, your French will serve you well so long as you either begin to augment it with Arabic or serve in a liaison function with a French speaking partner/ally (you might have to gain some experience before you can shoot for something like attaché and cruise the wine and cheese circuits). I can't really speak for this as I am not currently in the Navy or ONI. It is just what I can infer from being in the IC and the atmosphere thus far.

Anyway, I hope this helps and best of luck in the process.

 

[LET73]

What do you think my chances of getting into Intel are?

Low, for the simple reason that Intel is one of the most competitive communities to get picked up for as a civilian (other than PAO and EOD, to name a couple). The important thing is how badly you want it. I would definitely recommend taking the OAR again, and putting together a motivational statement that explains why you'd be a good intel officer, but more to the point, a good naval officer. Your background certainly ties in with what the community is looking for, but there are a lot more people who want to be intel officers than there are spots for them. Put together a package that makes you stand out as a whole person, and above all, be persistent. Good luck!

 

[Alecta]

The percentage that get Intel is a function of those that get Jets

A European/Romance languages will only carry you so far. You're up against people who know 2 'in demand' languages- fluently.

Also, think outside of the box here a bit. Only a fraction of the world's Muslims speak modern Arabic (almost all know some Qur'anic Arabic) and an even smaller amount are Arabs. There's Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Urdu, Turkish, Kurdish, Dinka and other African dialects, Bengali, Korean, Chinese, and all of the languages scattered with Malaysia and Indonesia. Oh, and don't forget Russian. They're actually one of the fastest growing Muslim populations on the planet because of conversion. Yes, French will help you with North Africa, but that should be a secondary language.

 

[HH-60H]

The percentage that get Intel is a function of those that get Jets

A European/Romance languages will only carry you so far. You're up against people who know 2 'in demand' languages- fluently.

Also, think outside of the box here a bit. Only a fraction of the world's Muslims speak modern Arabic (almost all know some Qur'anic Arabic) and an even smaller amount are Arabs. There's Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Urdu, Turkish, Kurdish, Dinka and other African dialects, Bengali, Korean, Chinese, and all of the languages scattered with Malaysia and Indonesia. Oh, and don't forget Russian. They're actually one of the fastest growing Muslim populations on the planet because of conversion. Yes, French will help you with North Africa, but that should be a secondary language.

Frankly, as has been discussed around here, Arabic or any other language will be of limited use in Naval Intelligence. Not to say there aren't some 1630 jobs where language would be useful, but for the most part, not so much.