seeking some good advice to a few Q's

[JDogg]

I'm kind of at a crossroads in my life right now as I am graduating from college in April and not really finding a job to my liking.

I am graduating with an Economics degree, Finance minor, 3.5 gpa and lots of work/volunteer experience (2 year missionary, microfinance intern in Kenya, Division of wildlife, wells fargo banking etc). I have taken my sweet time through college and just turned 27.

I have been doing a significant amount research into navy careers and talked to a recruiter the other day. I haven't gotten a chance to get in touch with an officer recruiter in my area yet.

I would most be interested in being an intelligence officer but am starting to learn that it seems to be a very time consuming tedious process (I don't have a job now and can't wait around for 9 months). The recruiters talked to me about being a CTI which seems really interesting. I really like the idea of learning a new language like chinese, korean or arabic. Here's a coupel questions I have:

Would it be foolish to enlist, become a CTI and then pursue becoming an officer?

How long do you have to be enlisted before you can apply to become a commisioned officer?

Am I better off just trying to apply to OCS now?

Do CTI's report to intelligence officers?

Do CTI's and intel officers spend a lot of time at sea?

What's the oldest you can be as an enlisted applying to be an officer?

It seems that the officer pay scale is much higher/more accelerated than enlisted pay. Is the quality of life of an officer much better than enlisted?

If I wanted to pursue a graduate degree in Law and be a JAG, would the Navy let me take time off for that as an enlistee or an officer?

Pretty much I see myself being an officer in the end but here's what I see as the benefits of enlisting (please correct me if i am wrong). I can join and get paid sooner than if I pursued OCS straight away. I am more likely to get the job I want (CTI). I can learn a language, live in Monterey for a while. I can pursue an officer career later as an (O-1E).

The major issue is how much less you make as an E-3 than an O-1. My main fear is getting 'stuck' and now increasing my pay much.

Sorry for the lengthyness of this post but any advice is much appreciated.

I am also open to looking into any other careers in the navy I may be qualified for. I basically chose intelligence because it sounds interesting but there are a lot of jobs in the world that sound cool but actually suck.

 

[BACONATOR]

The bottom line is that enlisting with the ultimate goal of becoming an officer is counter-productive to your goals. If you want to be an officer, DON'T ENLIST. If you want to enlist for the enlisted career experience/etc, then enlist. But if you want to become an officer, enlisting is basically the opposite of what you want to do.

 

[Spekkio]

You shouldn't rush into something just because you don't have a job. Moreover, you shouldn't look to the Navy just because you don't have a job -- you will have a miserable 4 years.

To answer your questions: It's better to apply for an officer program now if that's what you desire and you are qualified. Since you are qualified, and it sounds like you want to be an officer, then you should apply to OCS directly. Yes, it may take 6-10 months to start getting paid no matter what community you apply for, but that's a lot shorter than the YEARS it will take to have the opportunity to apply again if you enlist. Also, becoming a CTI won't make you a shoe-in for intel.

How long do you have to be enlisted before you can apply to become a commisioned officer?

It depends on your rating (for example, nukes have an opportunity to get picked up for commissioning within a year or so), but typically it takes a few years. You have to build a good reputation/evals, since your service record will become the number 1 factor on your commissioning application.

Am I better off just trying to apply to OCS now?

Yes.

What's the oldest you can be as an enlisted applying to be an officer?

Depends on the designator...I think it's 31 for Intel, but not sure.

It seems that the officer pay scale is much higher/more accelerated than enlisted pay. Is the quality of life of an officer much better than enlisted?

Yes. You will be given a lot more freedom from the start, but the penalties are also more severe if you screw up. You also won't have to do as many menial tasks.

 

[JDogg]

Are you saying being enlisted doesn't make you a better candidate for being an Officer? I thought that having the previous experience would make you a better officer.

 

[Spekkio]

Nope. If you are already a qualified applicant (which you are), then enlisting will not increase your chances. If you had a mediocre/poor GPA through college, then enlisting MIGHT help, provided that you performed well in the fleet.

 

[navy09]

Ya, talk about a horrible time to hit the streets as an Econ/Finance degree. I'm an econ major and can't imagine having to find a job now. Still, don't join the military just because you can't find a great job right now.

As others have said, don't enlist as a route to being an officer. If you have no problem being enlisted your entire time in the military, then go for it.

Why don't you just get some shit job that will pay the bills for now while you apply to OCS?

There are a lot of jobs in the world that sound cool but actually suck.

Good point- being an intel officer/CT isn't remotely like being James Bond. Do your homework (it sounds like you've already done quite a bit) and figure out if it's the right job for you.

 

[JDogg]

I think I may go that route. I can work as a personal banker for a little while (zzz...) while I am getting my OCS stuff together.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not just looking to the Navy because I can't find a job. Its that I probably would have never looked into the Navy in the first place had jobs not been scarce. But knowing what I know now, I would probably take the Navy over being a consultant or wall street guy any day even if it pays less. I think the navy holds a lot of benefits that have more than monetary value to me. There are a lot of college kids that go out and do summer security or pest control sales where I am from and make a decent living. I made 25K in four months and could probably make 30+ next summer but knocking doors selling sketchy products isn't the life for me. I want something more rewarding and exciting than the corporate world has to offer.



thanks for the advice

 

[Flash]

The recruiters talked to me about being a CTI which seems really interesting. I really like the idea of learning a new language like chinese, korean or arabic.

Would it be foolish to enlist, become a CTI and then pursue becoming an officer?

Do CTI's report to intelligence officers?

Do CTI's and intel officers spend a lot of time at sea?

I am more likely to get the job I want (CTI). I can learn a language, live in Monterey for a while.

I basically chose intelligence because it sounds interesting but there are a lot of jobs in the world that sound cool but actually suck.

To address some of the CTI questions. As a CTI you would usually be reporting to a Information Warfare officer, what they used to call Cryptology. A CTI sounds a bit glamorous but much of the stuff that you will be doing is a bit mundane. You do get the opportunity to do some cool stuff sometimes if you end up in the right job but from what I saw you are just going to be listening in on whatever you are told to, no matter how boring. But first and foremost you will be a CTI, your basic job will not vary that much.

As an intel officer your jobs will probably be a lot more varied and you get the opportunity to do some pretty cool stuff if you are in the right job. While you can do some mundane things, Intel O's can be attached to SEAL units, HUMINT teams or a fighter squadron. There is the possibility of a lot more variety and 'intellectual stimulation' as an Intel O I would think too. And if you are in the right billet you can learn a foreign language too.

One more thing to keep in mind, trying to become an officer out of CTI might be harder than you think. Working with many CTI's there was usually a pretty high ratio that had college degrees, higher than any other rate I worked with. I would think that getting into officer programs as an CTI, already very competitive and selective for all E's, would be made even harder than you would find elsewhere.

These are all generalities, things may vary considerably with the people in both jobs, but that is what I have seen working with both jobs. There are a couple of IW and Intel officers on the board that will be able to give you more insight, and at least one former CTI senior enlisted here too. But to emphasize what others have already said, if you want to become an officer then go down that path, the CTI option only if you want to do that. And a small piece of advice, choosing CTI to be in Monterey for the little while you would be there is dumb, because you won't be there too long. You can always go as an officer for a grad degree if you want.

Either way, good luck!

 

[Sky-Pig]

There is an intelligence officer area of the Airwarriors website, but if you are really wanting to get a better idea of what being a CTI would entail...I recommend surfing over to www.informationwarriors.net. It's just like airwarriors, but for the Information Warriors types.

As has been mentioned many times...if you can hold out for an officer program...do it. The process to gain a commission as an enlisted sailor is not one for the faint of heart...or the unlucky.

Out of curiousity...since the recruiter suggested CTI...what language (besides english) do you speak?

Good luck.

 

[Uncle Fester]

You mentioned wanting to learn a new language as part of your training. CTI school is time-consuming anyway, and going to DLI will eat up some more time. So if your ultimate goal is to be an officer, going CTI will not help.

The only good reason to enlist and become a CTI is if you really want to be a CTI. It's an interesting rate, and you'd be working with some very smart people, but as others have said, enlisting is the worst way to become an officer.

The E recruiters will just try to sell you on enlisting - not knocking them, that's their job - and an older, educated applicant will help with some of their hard-to-fill quotas. If you want to be an officer, talk to an Officer recruiter. You might be surprised what you'll qualify for. Mrs Fester had no idea flying was even a possibility, as she was a 29-year-old Music major with 20/400 vision, but she done got her 'FO wings.

 

[JDogg]

So my wife is not on board with the Navy 100% yet. I was just wondering what Officer Careers spend the least time at sea. Intel? Logistics? Public Affairs?

 

[S.O.B.]

So my wife is not on board with the Navy 100% yet. I was just wondering what Officer Careers spend the least time at sea. Intel? Logistics? Public Affairs?

Don't do it; the current deployment/IA/GSA/BRAC away time is getting ridiculous. If she or you is worried now, it's not going to work out. Get a job at a bank.

 

[JDogg]

I don't mind deployment or any time apart. This is just to appease her.

 

[S.O.B.]

I don't mind deployment or any time apart. This is just to appease her.

How much time apart do you expect?

 

[Uncle Fester]

If you don't want to deploy, don't join the Navy. Some jobs spend more time ashore than others, but nowadays, everybody's gone.

You want to stay home, join the Coast Guard. (I keed, I keed!)