What has been your experience in a legal, cyber, or intelligence field? What is the day-to-day experience like?

Everything I've read about 27D says that is indeed the case, fortunately if I reenlist I'm not really in a rush to promote (I know, famous last words). I'm mostly interested in finding a field that I can potentially turn into a lifelong career.

Making SGT and even SSG are doable in my MOS, slots do make themselves available. Getting SFC though, there's only one slot in the whole state for that and no MSG slot available. Granted I'm talking about Guard and I'm sure the Reserves sees similar slot issues compared to that of Active.

Thankfully there's a path to Warrant if you get stuck too long and that's an option a paralegal wants to consider.

Huh, prior to this I was actually unaware 27D could transition to warrant. Perhaps it's simply because the grass always seems greener on the other side but to me WO sounds like a dream job. It's good to know there's an opportunity for advancement beyond the enlisted ranks not requiring a bachelor's degree.

SPC (Join to see) - 270A Legal Administrator, kind of a balance between Paralegal and Judge Advocate. They handle a lot of the background tasks that keep a legal office running among other responsibilities.

As a 68W my entire time was spent in a hospital environment, I worked in a clinical setting that was dramatically different from what a FORSCOM medic might expect. My expectation is that a strategic unit will likely have a similar environment to the clinical one I've experienced where the majority of the work is done in an office. Is this true? I'd be interested to hear what the day-to-day experience of an intelligence MOS in FORSCOM is like, I'm having a tough time imagining what they'd end up doing that's different from an 11B.

SPC (Join to see) - Well, I was never in a strategic unit, so I can't say for sure. But yes, they DO spend the majority of their time in an office. From what I understand, they even "go to the field" in an office.

As for Intel in FORSCOM, it is actually.... mostly in an office! It depends on the specific MOS, of course, but Intel Soldiers in garrison generally spend their "duty day" (outisde of PT, details, motor stables, and other routine "Army things") in one of three "modes." Garrison unit support, tactical training, or technical training.

Garrison unit support is doing things that support the unit in garrison. This is things like physical security inspections and reports, personnel security, research for whatever the Commander wants researched, or any other thing that those intel folks are particularly suited for. The bulk of this falls on the 35Fs and 35Ls. The other MI MOSs have very clear laws and limits on what they can do involving US citizens and assets, so applying their particular skills in a non-training scenarios stateside is particularly limited. I hope I do not need to explain that one in depth. That does not mean, however, that those other MOSs cannot (or do not) help run an S2 shop, participate in research, or pull other garrison support duties.

Technical training is training to develop specific MOS or MOS-related skills. This can be things like language training, ASI-producing or career development schools (ALC, SLC, Collection Manager, Information Collection Planner, Source Operations Course, Strategic Debriefer, etc.), basic Soldier skills (rifle range, first aid training, etc.), or equipment proficiency (troubleshooting, operation, assembly, etc.). For a few of the Intel MOSs this is the primary focus in garrison, because many of these skills are perishable, and if they are not consistently re-inforced they will be mostly lost (such as language skills).

Tactical training is training to put those technical skills to use. Here we move from learning how to put a Prophet into operation (for example) to actually using it to do those things a Prophet does (I am trying to keep the post from even approaching the concept of leaving the unclassified realm, please forgive the vagueness). Language training moves from sustainment and testing to actual translation of tapes or records, or even having conversations in the target language. This training can take place in the comforts of garrison or in a field environment, depending on the type of training and the unit training calendar.

Overall, the majority of time for the majority of intel Soldiers is spent in an office environment, even in FORSCOM. When intel goes to the field, they generally operate out of tents - in an office environment. Sometimes they operate out of shelters on their trucks - which are mobile office environments.

Obviously, not all experiences will be the same. Depending on the MOS, unit, and position, you may be attached to an infantry platoon in the field and going everywhere they go, doing everything they do, and then doing what you do on top of that (kind of like a FiSTer or a line medic). As I said at the beginning; it is like anything else in the Army - it will depend on your MOS, position, and unit more than anything else.



I hope this helps. If I missed the mark, or you need clarification, let me know.

This is a ton of great information, thanks again for taking the time to answer and write all of this out. The information I've gotten from people on Rallypoint has been great alongside what I was able to glean from answers on other sites, I was unsure if I wanted to transition to an intelligence MOS or a legal one. I think both sound equally appealing at this point, they're the MOS's I'll be asking about at the recruiter's office this week.

SPC (Join to see) I have found myself participating more in political discussions of late, but the entire reason I joined RP was to be able to help out young troops even though I am retired. Happy to be able to help, and if you have any further questions, feel free to hit me up.

Thanks for the information, it's a huge help in determining what I might expect from the field. I still have access to my GI Bill benefits, in your experience is the intelligence field better experienced from the officer side vs the enlisted? I'm trying to determine if it's preferable to go into the reserves and prioritize finishing my schooling or go active and resume working full time.

SPC (Join to see) - Either way, just knock out a degree. While I might prefer an Intel Officer path, the opportunities are elsewhere in terms of promotion vacancies in my path of Logistics. 35F enlisted often had a much easier promotion path with lower point thresholds, and willingness to waive requirements. For example, I made SGT without BLC, and the required points were only 34 at the time. I've never seen 35F above 100 points for promotion.

A degree will serve you well either path you go. Not having it will limit you toward Sr. NCO boards relative to your competition, and having it will leave the window open for Officer. The reality of the situation is every competent soldier regardless of rank has a degree. So while, officers technically have to have a degree, and WO's and NCO's don't, they typically all do anyway.

Fair enough, thanks again for the info. My intention is to finish my degree regardless, it's mostly a question of whether I do so expeditiously or incrementally while working. I'm inclined to the latter, I've been attending full time for the past year and it has been an absolute chore.