Posted on Jul 26, 2020
What are deployments like for enlisted navy reserve Intel specialists?
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Hello everyone,
I have a BA and am a civilian at DoD. I am considering to enlist in the reserves to do Intel in the Navy. I know drill weekends are mostly paperwork, but what are deployments like? Are there any decent opportunities as rank progresses? Thank you very much.
I have a BA and am a civilian at DoD. I am considering to enlist in the reserves to do Intel in the Navy. I know drill weekends are mostly paperwork, but what are deployments like? Are there any decent opportunities as rank progresses? Thank you very much.
Reserves
Enlisted
DoD Civilian
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel I am sure you know some spooks who could help him out. SCPO Morris Ramsey PO3 Bob McCord LT Brad McInnis CSM Charles Hayden SGM Steve Wettstein LTC Stephen F. SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint
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Matthew Aquino
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel that makes sense. Maybe if I can rephrase, would I be doing what I was trained to do?
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Matthew Aquino - Since the Days of Admiral Zumwalt We have been a "Technical" Navy. We do have Intelligence Specialists that Cover Trend Analysis, Threat Analysis, Photo Intelligence and Briefing. Most of Us are Cryptologic "Technicians" Specializing in COMINT Communications Intelligence, SIGINT Signals Intelligence, ELINT Electrical Intelligence, Electronic and Information Warfare (Now Called Cyber Warfare). Officially We work for 10th Fleet, Naval Information Warfare Command, Cyber Command. More Correctly We are the Uniformed Members of No Such Agency. Does that Help? "In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor"
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Matthew Aquino
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel oh yes very much so. I'm on similar taskings now for DoD so I want to make sure should DCO not work out that my work will be similar.
When sitting with a recruiter, what should specifically be looking for in the contract? C school? Job description?
When sitting with a recruiter, what should specifically be looking for in the contract? C school? Job description?
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Matthew Aquino - Outstanding! Unfortunately Like Many things. It's all about You're Test Scores. In the Navy If You Smoke the ASVAB and are a Math Genius the Navy Has Only One Option for You, You're going to be a Nuclear Engineer. Now if You do Pretty Good and Smoke the Mechanical Translations Section, You are What We Want (Users of Weird Math). Once You get Steered to the Cryptologic Community We used to have some Unique Tests, Can You "Copy Code?" You'll Make an Excellent CTR Maybe a CTT, Can You Make Heads or Tails of an Imaginary Language? You Might Make a Good CTI. Are You Musically Inclined? It Seems to be Very Common in Our Community. Are You Asperger's (Don't Tell Anyone) Lot of Us are Diagnosed as Asperger's Later. LOL! One of those Occupations where Borderline Crazy is a Good Thing.
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First, I would look at a Direct Commision as an Intel Officer in the Reserves. The pay is better and you will advance.
Second, deployments in the Navy Reserve are less and less likly. If you want to deploy, join the Army. I was in the Navy Reserve for 26 years. 7 of them as a CWO assigned to a Crypto Unit that worked with Intel. As I retired in 2013 the opportunities to deployed were going way down. I only deployed once in 26 years and I volunteered.
I enjoyed my time in Intel and Cryptological Warfare. Go officer though, it will be a more enjoyable carrer.
CWO3 Kilcran
Second, deployments in the Navy Reserve are less and less likly. If you want to deploy, join the Army. I was in the Navy Reserve for 26 years. 7 of them as a CWO assigned to a Crypto Unit that worked with Intel. As I retired in 2013 the opportunities to deployed were going way down. I only deployed once in 26 years and I volunteered.
I enjoyed my time in Intel and Cryptological Warfare. Go officer though, it will be a more enjoyable carrer.
CWO3 Kilcran
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CWO3 (Join to see)
Matthew Aquino As I said, the deployments are not as prevalent now. I went 20 years with no deployments. There are opertunities for schools at times. The best thing is if you can take time off to attend the Intel A School if you go enlisted. My son is leaving the Marines and will be looking into the Navy Reserve Cryptological Comunity when his 4 years are done. He will drill while he gets his Degree.
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Matthew Aquino
CWO3 (Join to see) yes I know. Don't I go to A Intel school followed by C school after? Thought those were mandatory
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CWO3 (Join to see)
Matthew Aquino A School Yes, C School Maybe. They do not always follow one another. I was an EWSN when I went into the Navy Reserve. I attended boot camp and A School for 12 weeks back in 87-88. I then went to my reserve unit. I went to Active duty in 88 for 4 years (not deployed, new contract) and never went to a C School. I went back to the Reserves in 92 and continued my carrer making EW2, EW1 and then CTTC. I then went CWO at 20 years and retired with 26.
If you can get a C School great, take it. But as I said, it is not always available.
If you can get a C School great, take it. But as I said, it is not always available.
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I was deployed as an Army Intel Analyst in a Joint environment around Navy Personnel so I think what I have to share applies some.
See, the intel community is comprised of 17 Agencies which includes the military in there. The likes of the CIA, NSA, FBI, etc..... recruit from the best universities this great nation has to offer. Then they vet candidates, and put them through their training.
When I was in my deployed environment there was an individual from an agency with a PhD doing the heavy analysis.
Then you have the military. See, the bar to become a military intel analyst is having a high school diploma, a high enough ASVAB score, and get through MEPS and basic training and intel training (which for me was 2 months basic and 4 months of intel). If you are right out of high school odds are pretty good your background investigation will be relatively clean because you didn't have time to do serious mistakes in life.
So what you need to do to be a success as a military intel analyst down range is how to make a great batch of coffee. Because the guy with a PhD from Harvard that's been doing this for more than a decade will be doing the analysis.
**************
I jest, but I do have a theory when we as military intel analysts will not be considered a joke by our three letter agency peers.
BATTLE FIELD INTELLIGENCE
If the mission is battle field intelligence and preparing intel products for the commander to go into battle then we will be able to provide much more value, as that is what we are trained to do. Otherwise, you are probably going to be there to make coffee.
You will of course learn how to use neat intel systems, and be exposed to neat things, and people with amazing experiences in life. So suck that in where you can, but no one is going to be leaning on the enlisted guy's input in a joint agency environment.
See, the intel community is comprised of 17 Agencies which includes the military in there. The likes of the CIA, NSA, FBI, etc..... recruit from the best universities this great nation has to offer. Then they vet candidates, and put them through their training.
When I was in my deployed environment there was an individual from an agency with a PhD doing the heavy analysis.
Then you have the military. See, the bar to become a military intel analyst is having a high school diploma, a high enough ASVAB score, and get through MEPS and basic training and intel training (which for me was 2 months basic and 4 months of intel). If you are right out of high school odds are pretty good your background investigation will be relatively clean because you didn't have time to do serious mistakes in life.
So what you need to do to be a success as a military intel analyst down range is how to make a great batch of coffee. Because the guy with a PhD from Harvard that's been doing this for more than a decade will be doing the analysis.
**************
I jest, but I do have a theory when we as military intel analysts will not be considered a joke by our three letter agency peers.
BATTLE FIELD INTELLIGENCE
If the mission is battle field intelligence and preparing intel products for the commander to go into battle then we will be able to provide much more value, as that is what we are trained to do. Otherwise, you are probably going to be there to make coffee.
You will of course learn how to use neat intel systems, and be exposed to neat things, and people with amazing experiences in life. So suck that in where you can, but no one is going to be leaning on the enlisted guy's input in a joint agency environment.
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Matthew Aquino
CPT (Join to see)
Nice! Ok so you enlisted and have a name on here as 1LT. What was your path to commission?
Nice! Ok so you enlisted and have a name on here as 1LT. What was your path to commission?
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CPT (Join to see)
Matthew Aquino - I direct commissioned from enlisted, which at my age was my only path, and very risky because I could only do it from the INSIDE while enlisted (but the cut off age was then 42 as an internal direct commission, and not 30 form the outside). I failed the first attempt because I tried for Intel, which only had 12 vacancies state wide (which also get allocated to ROTC, active duty coming into the USAR, etc). The second pass I was a little more in tune with the "system" and looked up all the vacancies, and picked the one with the most LT openings, which was Logistics (200 open in my state). The USAR was never going to fill all those. So if I didn't get picked it was because of "ME" and not someone bumping me out of the position.
I don't know your age, or your commission options with the Navy, but I'd recommend the OCS path as it's probably the most straight forward. Trying to direct commission from the outside without being a doctor/lawyer is probably has hard as it gets.
If you want to actually be an Intel Professional then I recommend the Warrant Officer path. HOWEVER, first you have to be enlisted in your MOS, then basically make it to E6, then put in a packet (year process), then go to WOCS, then go to your MOS Warrant School. So you are looking at around the end of your first enlistment contract before you even remotely can pin WO1. This was my back up plan.
I don't know your age, or your commission options with the Navy, but I'd recommend the OCS path as it's probably the most straight forward. Trying to direct commission from the outside without being a doctor/lawyer is probably has hard as it gets.
If you want to actually be an Intel Professional then I recommend the Warrant Officer path. HOWEVER, first you have to be enlisted in your MOS, then basically make it to E6, then put in a packet (year process), then go to WOCS, then go to your MOS Warrant School. So you are looking at around the end of your first enlistment contract before you even remotely can pin WO1. This was my back up plan.
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Matthew Aquino
CPT (Join to see)
Thank you sir this advise is much appreciated!
Don't suppose you have any knowledge about PSYOP?
Thank you sir this advise is much appreciated!
Don't suppose you have any knowledge about PSYOP?
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CPT (Join to see)
Matthew Aquino - nothing more than you can find yourself. It's good for a career track in CNN or FOX.
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