@GOTWA
Hey, a few short questions if you don't mind. Currently, I hold a bachelor cyber security degree, and I got into the work force and hated it, I got a degree thinking money would solely make me happy and I was wrong.
1. Is this anything like an agent or is this a majority of desk work? Ignoring the romanticization of intel, I'm not clawing to do James Bond stuff, but if I only do a 4 year contract enlisting straight into 35L will a majority of my time be spent behind a desk? I enjoy hands on activity infinitely more than I do staring at a computer screen.
CI Cyber is more than just sitting in front of a computer screen. Once certified, you would participate in the collection of those materials as well. I believe there was 40 CI cyber (J5) qualified Agents on Active? Whatever the number, it's relatively small. It's such an important item that INSCOM is willing to throw money at it, knowing those individuals will leave for the private sector after the required rotation. The LTC/MICECP in charge came and briefed us and they're looking at options to keep the talent, including incentives that would nearly meet the salary equivalent of their civilian counterparts.
2. Does this job translate well into civilian side? I ask this in relevance hoping to work for the CIA, FBI or DEA, however, my friend currently in the army told me I'd be better off trying to go to Ranger Batt if I wanted to work there.
Short answer, it depends. Get use to hearing that phrase. Nothing is really black and white in this world. CIA will always be another animal. While you'll learn the game, it won't prepare you for that level of work. Now, if you learn what you need to learn and put your time in, the other opportunities to move on to the varsity teams will come. SOF experience will always place higher.
3. I saw online and through google, reddit and rallypoint(?) that this job is a glorified Mall Cop and looked down on by most of the army as no different than an MP. Is this the case? Not trying to sound like I have a problem with those or that I want to be respected/have a crazy amount of power. I was just wondering if this is the same as any other Federal LEO job there is or if its a LEO Lite or something like that.
I would say there's truth to that when you bring in OSI and NCIS because we don't have FLETC...for now. Take into the fact we lose a lot of shit to the FBI because they hold the home fort down. The tables turn when it comes to the Intel side of things and you move away from Crim. NCIS and OSI are definitely lacking in those realms. We're brought up to think Intel. They're brought up to think Crim. Two different ways of doing business. At least in my opinion.
Thanks in advance, I have talked to a recruiter and have taken the ASVAB, it's really just about picking a contract now and I don't know shit about this subject so I was hoping to get some advice.
I love what I do because of the opportunities I have in front of me. At the same time, I also appreciate having a solid foundation that was built in the Infantry. We just opened up 35L to all enlisted ranks and I'm not quite sold on it. With that, changes are coming in the next several years that are going to benefit us greatly and I'm excited to see where those changes take us.
