I used to be military intel, so here's my take: you'll more than likely be placed as a linguist as they are continuously understaffed. Do not fall for the high-speed propaganda they put in those recruitment videos. I feel as if working on fighter jets is as Air Force as it gets in the enlisted field, so the chance to develop a 'military work ethic' is definitely there. Posts Mental Health Help. Once my contract is up, what would my options be? Do you like briefings, power point, and a lot of reading if you said no to any of those things then Intel may not be the best way to go. I guess Im asking, if I want to be a pog is it likely to get pushed to combat? Protip resources. I think I got what I need for now from this thread and another, thanks! It's impossible to describe every possible assignment, but typically a 1N0 is involved in analysis and dissemination of Intelligence, rather than the collection of it (in which the other 1N AFSCs specialize in). I’m under the impression that officers are the ones directing the people who are doing the dirty work, not out in the field themselves. In basic, I’m expecting to be surrounded by a bunch of younger kids who are very unlike me, but once I specialize in MI, what can I expect from the people there? I don't know too much about the Army, but from my understanding the initial process is pretty much the same across the board. I know 35Ms who have actually never done their job except in training. As long as your references are thorough you will have no problem securing your clearance. I’m under the impression that officers are the ones directing the people who are doing the dirty work, not out in the field themselves. I remember when I was a dumb 18 year old, and I signed to be a linguist. Press J to jump to the feed. Whatever you choose do what is right for you! Former 35D (Army All Source Into Officer) here. Doesn't sound like it from the post which means no dice. Don't give up hope completely, Monterey is very nice and there are always those special duties/deployments I mentioned. I dont know dick about army contracts. HUMINT (35M) tends to require talking to locals, and so they often get picked for patrols as well. Things like what they actually do, no vague description like you find on the Air Force website. Thanks. The mix is different between the platforms and the missions are constantly changing. Im like op with that worldly intrigue but am not keen on leading an infantry platoon. Oh also, yeah you're correct about us being an "older" group of folks. SIGINT will almost always by desk work or sitting at a rack, but all of the opportunities I have had to go outside the wire have been SIGINT involved. I went to DLI straight after basic (studies Urdu there) and from there I went on to my unit. Good luck finding intelligence in officers... Just kidding. Just my .02c. Join the Air Force. I look forward to any answer you guys might be able to give. If I contract through ROTC, am I likely to get intel? State Dept, FBI, CIA, counter-intel, grad school? I just point it out to you since you mentioned job satisfaction. Born overseas to a US parent! Am I eligible for any signing bonuses (high ASVAB, college education, languages spoken)? Many of my friends came back to work at the same units/bases they separated from as civilian contractors! Operations Intelligence is one of the most diverse career fields in the entire Air Force. I was highly arrogant at the time, perhaps as a product of being in the ivory tower of uni, and these factors contributed to my failure in the linguist program. I graduated from a Scottish university in history and international relations, with the former specialized in subjects that compliment the latter. Because they are understaffed and hold high clearances, they tend to stay at the strategic levels. Understand that we are conducting a drawdown and the military has few current "combat" operations, so most jobs you would get (regardless of intel MOS) are going to be in garrison environments where there is more busy work and training than actual collection/analysis. Bottom line: Job selection is entirely a crapshoot. Members. I had a lot of Soldiers in my time that ate always upset that they weren't doing "rewarding" real world work but just endless tactical exercises. Will my academic background make me more competitive for intelligence officer, or is that not as crucial a factor? They then do other things with the things you did for them. Cookies help us deliver our Services. 3. After seeing mostly saggy old ladies on the beaches of Monterey and getting a world of warcraft account I quickly realized that my new home was at a desk, and real intel was paperwork and powerpoints. You'll have a better shot at getting answers from people in those MOSs you mentioned. Yes, I am. State Dept, FBI, CIA, counter-intel, grad school? Now I work in flightline avionics, extremely far removed from my academic background. I scored a 99 on the practice ASVAB in half the allotted time so, uh, yeah, I'm smart. Military Intelligence Officers are subject matter experts in the ‘red force’, and expected to have an intimate understanding of the enemy including their tactics, weapons and activities. Yeah you're probably right, I should have posted in there, thanks though. From there you will be farmed out to your unit. IMINT, ELINT, HUMINT etc...)? Born overseas to a US parent. That said I did get to do some strategic Intel in my time so it's possible. hope going to be analyzing where enemy units will be on a battlefield and spend a lot of time analyzing "fake" battles in exercises. Hello all. Thank you for reading this long post. linguists that speak Farsi will have no problem working outside the wire, if thats what you want. Spies, Intelligence and Espionage News. What all does basic entail? ), I know more than most, and could carry a decent and relatively neutral conversation about most topics, especially those relating to Israel and/or Iran. I am an American in his early 20s who graduated college recently. linguists are generally older. Army linguists in the intel field (35P, not 09L Interopreter) generally sit behind desks. Again, not Army but basic will be lots of yelling and fucking up and PT, and AIT/tech school will be less yelling and PT but about the same amount of people fucking up and acting like idiots. Unless you get into collections, even HUMINT will be report writing most of the time. One thing about the military is there is not a whole lot, if any, choice in where you go and when. Community for current, future, and past members of the US Air Force. I’ve traveled extensively (much of it solo) outside of the US across multiple developing countries – including across the Middle East. And trust me, it's even worse if you have a degree and worked in "the real world" prior to your enlistment. 2.Which MOSs allow for most time “outside the wire”? Thanks. Lastly, this country has allowed my family and me to thrive as human beings. Caveat to that, you will most likely need to snag one of those special duties or Gucci augmentee deployments though. How does the Army actually work structurally? The recruiter seems trustworthy enough, but he’s a salesman, and I’m naturally wary of salesmen. Depending on what you were involved in there are countless alphabet agencies that will hire you after you get out to work all over the country. Like flying fighter jets, right? Based on your desire to work "outside the wire" I would say Army, but during my time with the AF I got the opportunity to go out on plenty of ops by snagging special duty assignments and being selected for special deployments with units that were looking for augmentees. Definitely look up RAS, though; I'll likely be gunning for it when the time comes as well. For the past year, I have been working in a corporate finance role that pays well, but leaves me incredibly unfulfilled and bored. I’m physically in good shape, with a sub 7-minute mile and 225/265/365 B/SQ/DL. It doesn't necessarily have to be one of the three I mentioned above. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I know that in many respects this is a desk job, but I’d like to know which ones minimize the “desk job” aspect. I'm just looking for what people have to say about not only getting yourself as an officer, but a specific job as one.