motivational statement: parents FOREIGN military experience?

[cossack]

Thanks for the info and yes, I expect to get a great callsign and a nickname even in OCS lol

In regards to what LFCFan said... I know it will be an uphill battle for me applying to Intel with little STEM experience. I'm still however banking on my languages (Russian, French) and education (Masters in Int Relations/Security Studies from an Ivy school, don't know how much of a + factor that would be). I've had a chance to actually go beyond theory/poli sci stuff during grad school and took quite a few quant/intel/defense analysis courses (fairly straightforward - calculate how to bomb a certain target with some given inputs, research air power capability of a given country for a certain mission, analyze an intel report, cost analysis of the missile defense for the Asia "pivot", Dupuy combat modeling, etc).

Actually, 60% of the reason why I want to join is because of the education. I want to experience not just the military life but also what I've studied (won't be the case all of the time, I understand). Took only one course on Intelligence, but it is still the field that I want to work in.

 

[IRfly]

My $.02:

Quit wearing the Russia/USSR thing on your sleeve (i.e. calling yourself "cossack"). The more you put it out there, the more eyebrows you'll raise.

If you want to be in the U.S. military, I hope you have a better reason than that your father/grandfather were in the Soviet military. Write about that reason. Looks like it's 60% that you want the education and experience that a few years in the military will provide: that's a legitimate reason, but figure out a way to couch it that's more about what you can do for your country.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Thanks for the info and yes, I expect to get a great callsign and a nickname even in OCS lol

In regards to what LFCFan said... I know it will be an uphill battle for me applying to Intel with little STEM experience. I'm still however banking on my languages (Russian, French) and education (Masters in Int Relations/Security Studies from an Ivy school, don't know how much of a + factor that would be). I've had a chance to actually go beyond theory/poli sci stuff during grad school and took quite a few quant/intel/defense analysis courses (fairly straightforward - calculate how to bomb a certain target with some given inputs, research air power capability of a given country for a certain mission, analyze an intel report, cost analysis of the missile defense for the Asia "pivot", Dupuy combat modeling, etc).

Actually, 60% of the reason why I want to join is because of the education. I want to experience not just the military life but also what I've studied (won't be the case all of the time, I understand). Took only one course on Intelligence, but it is still the field that I want to work in.

languages not much of a benefit none of my guys that went IDC spoke anything worthwhile, I usually say they didn't speak a foreign language because none listed it, but many people I know coming out of college can speak a little of something.

your graduate degree will help though, many of the people picked up with no prior service had a graduate degree and high GPA.

 

[azguy]

I am familiar with both processes, and I wouldn't risk it on a "benefit of the doubt" at all. At least at OCS when people had to redesignate from other areas some were told "you probably can't get a TS/SCI, so no IDC for you."

Look, what you were implying is very wrong - and there's no reason to be spreading it as "gouge" here in front of guys that don't know any better.

Looking at a guy whose last name is "Chang" or a guy whose family is from Russia and saying he can't apply for Intel because he might not pass the clearance is racist and it's simply not how the Navy works. If I'm misunderstanding you, please clarify.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Look, what you were implying is very wrong - and there's no reason to be spreading it as "gouge" here in front of guys that don't know any better.

Looking at a guy whose last name is "Chang" or a guy whose family is from Russia and saying he can't apply for Intel because he might not pass the clearance is racist and it's simply not how the Navy works. If I'm misunderstanding you, please clarify.

The USN actually used to do it that way (kind of) we had a check sheet and if a person had family that met certain criteria they could not apply, I believe that has changed due to the enhanced screening prior to OCS now.

I didn't take what he said the way you did, I took it as you don't know about the board so might avoid it, to be honest the board would probably be more interested in his accomplishments than what his relative did.

On the plus side they have the IDC guys go through a more thorough screening now after pro Y than they used to so they can prevent people from getting screwed at OCS.

I also think the OP needs to decide what is more important, being an officer in the USN or being an Intel officer as there are other designators that have a much better selection rate.

 

[LFCFan]

Look, what you were implying is very wrong - and there's no reason to be spreading it as "gouge" here in front of guys that don't know any better.

Looking at a guy whose last name is "Chang" or a guy whose family is from Russia and saying he can't apply for Intel because he might not pass the clearance is racist and it's simply not how the Navy works. If I'm misunderstanding you, please clarify.

Look dude, I'm helping the guy by saying that I have seen people not get intel and be outright told "they had doubts about your clearance chances." You are saying that I'm "very wrong" when I have seen it happen to people! This was because of information they had to put down on their application as derogatory information. Obviously, your family history is not derog (Yeah, looking at someone whose name is "Chang" like that would be racist). What I am saying is that drawing attention to the fact that your family has a long history of serving in the military of one of our biggest adversaries may be harmless, but I can't see anything good coming from it, and he's just better off writing about how he wants to serve in the US military. I'm not even going as far as saying he won't get a clearance. I just don't think he should risk that.

 

[cossack]

Yea, the more I think about it.. I don't think its a good idea. I'll also ask my recruiter for input.

NavyOffRec, most other designators look for STEM degrees as well, my recruiter sent me a list of each and what they look for. My objective is to be a USN officer first, Intel is something that is logically the path that I want to go due to 1) education 2) eventually, working in civilian IC sector

I will list SWO as my third choice

Also, do they begin with your clearance only upon graduating OCS or do they do some preliminary checks while in training? Don't know how long an average clearance takes, but I do know they cost over 30-40 grand, so the gov't will splurge only if they're sure you'll be needed. I will definitely need one in this career, its essential.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Yea, the more I think about it.. I don't think its a good idea. I'll also ask my recruiter for input.

NavyOffRec, most other designators look for STEM degrees as well, my recruiter sent me a list of each and what they look for. My objective is to be a USN officer first, Intel is something that is logically the path that I want to go due to 1) education 2) eventually, working in civilian IC sector

I will list SWO as my third choice

Also, do they begin with your clearance only upon graduating OCS or do they do some preliminary checks while in training? Don't know how long an average clearance takes, but I do know they cost over 30-40 grand, so the gov't will splurge only if they're sure you'll be needed. I will definitely need one in this career, its essential.

The only designators that look for STEM degrees besides the obvious ones (Nuke and CEC) are IW, IP, Intel. SWO is one that looks for the true well rounded person, Supply will look more for business degree, and aviation looks for good ASTB scores.

 

[LFCFan]

Also, do they begin with your clearance only upon graduating OCS or do they do some preliminary checks while in training? Don't know how long an average clearance takes, but I do know they cost over 30-40 grand, so the gov't will splurge only if they're sure you'll be needed. I will definitely need one in this career, its essential.

Since you put down intel, you'll get an SSBI out of the way regardless unlike other designators. They will start your investigation before you go to OCS. Where it gets done in relation to OCS depends more on when you get sent to OCS than the investigation itself, since the class dates for intel tend to be a longer time after acceptance than other fields for some reason. And when investigations are open you can be given a preliminary clearance, so it really won't affect you much if it takes a long time.

I went to OCS and had to redesignate to intel there, so I didn't get an SSBI rolling until after I finished OCS.

 

[LET73]

Slightly true, but I think this is based on the misunderstanding about what Navy intel does. It's more about technical stuff than political science stuff. As NavyOffRec has pointed out before, a common misconception is that speaking multiple languages is a big deal. It really isn't. You can wax poetic about Chinese politics until you're blue in the face, but if you can't wrap your head around threat systems or how navies operate, you're screwed.

Yes and no. Understanding and being familiar with threat systems is the bare minimum you need to be credible at your job--but the operators are going to be pretty familiar with the capabilities of a platform/system that might well be used to try to kill them. You don't add value by reciting facts anyone can look up, you add value by putting those facts in the context of what's going on, and providing analysis. But like you say, it's not a college poli sci class, either. And no one really cares about language ability. It might help with getting an attache job down the line, but that's probably about it.

And @cossack, you're considering citing your family's proud Russian military service in the hopes of getting picked up for intel? Do you read the news? That would come off as exceptionally tone-deaf, at best. As a naturalized citizen, I think the more compelling angle would involve looking forward to how you can serve your adopted country rather than implying that you/your family have proud ties to a country the US isn't exactly on great terms with right now.