I've recently started working in the CI field over the past few months here in the states and was looking around at some additional training. Now I understand this in no way substitutes traditional CI education methods used by the Government/Military. I'm just getting started in the line of work and am looking at expanding my knowledge base on a small scale for starters. Just seeing if anyone here has heard of these guys and if they actually have any credibility. The little "Spypedia" thing throws a red flag up to me but I may be wrong. http://www.cicentre.com/?page=ci_courses
I've never heard of them, but that doesn't mean they're not credible. Instead of paying to take their courses, maybe you could join their "SpyPedia" database thingy and just read about it all for free.
Yeah I've been looking at doing that as well. I'm kind of on the hunt for some official training though as well.
IMO, any intel training program conducted at the UNCLASS level is a suspect program. Are you in the DC area already?
Yeah I've heard of them. They've got a bunch of old IOs working for them and I think they do distinct classes for government/non government. Oleg Kalugin is one of their people, ex KGB Line K chief. Couldn't vouch for the training however. They did piss me off when their news service went to paying members only.
I didn't even think of that. One of my clearances is currently active through the company I work for overseas. I'm not quite sure how all of that would work.
Very true. Sounds like I may have to do it the old fashioned way and either go back into the military or hope to magically land a job with a company that will send me. Let's go a different route for a bit then. What about schools that teach methods of gathering intelligence? Not sure if those would require a clearance or not.
If the company that you work for overseas sponsored you for a clearance thats a good thing because they usually want people to already have that squared away. You might want to try http://www.scginternational.com/scg.html they appear to have some interesting courses. They will check you out pretty good but I dont believe a clearance is required. I saw a newspaper type go to their HUMINT collector course and do a write up. That course is said to be modeled after the MOTC or FTC so I assume they teach everything but the really sensitive stuff. As far as other government/mil training if you were a Reservist or Guardsmen you could work for your current employer and take classes through the FOUNDRY program which your unit wouldnt have to fund. Youd find those classes interesting. Other than that theres JCITA but of course you need to get a seat and have a reason to get a seat. The good thing about being in an USAR/NG 35 MOS is youd get that PR on a S/TS clearance every 5 years which lends itself very well to contracting,etc... that requires you already have an active clearance. As you said above, it might be time to really consider that if you know youre going to want those sorts of doors to be open to you.
