SOF to Intel Agencies

0699 said:
0699 said:
Reading this thread, all I could think was "those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know..."
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And to go with that...

2) If you disagree with the above statement, you probably don't know what you're talking about.

3) If your knowledge consists of "word on the street", "I heard", "a quick check of...", or "a friend of mine", then it's probably wrong.
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There are those who have worked with, around and for "people" long enough that when we ask questions we get answers to those questions. Your perception, while it may very well be your reality, isn't the reality in all that was discussed here. ;)

...I say apply for the job and let the chips fall where they may. Quit trying to game the thing.
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This part I do concur with.
 
Okay...so hopefully this isn't too off topic but since we're talking about different agencies I have a question. If it's off topic let me know and I'll just start a new thread.

I just found out about and toured a college that had a program that was geared towards DoD/Intel Community work. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have to do with intelligence collection, but it has to do with information technology/security. I talked with the Dean of this particular program and he says companies like Northrup Grumman, NCI, and DoD/IC regularly recruit graduates. There's even a post-bachelor certificate (or Masters, I can't remember) where they literally teach you how to hack into basically anything. You have to have a clearance and be employed with Uncle Sam to get into that, I believe. Anyone know anything about this career field/path? I've done a little research and it seems like there are plenty of jobs in it.
 
Damn, I don't log on for 6 hours (had to give my guys a pt test), come back in here and it's like I walked into a party and everyone stops and stares at me like I just fucked all their mom's!

?!?!! whats that motherfucker say about me?!!
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I didn't say anything that anyone doesn't already know about those 3/75 types....

On this topic, everyone wants to believe that they will turn into jason bourne once they make it into this unit or that unit, or that if I get into this unit then it will open doors for me here and there. Then you get there and find out there is another level up from that, and on and on it goes. If you are chasing the cool guy image that you want to see yourself as, it is a never ending rat race. There is ALWAYS someone cooler than thou. Find something that you enjoy doing and be the best at it. That is when you become a real asset. Chasing after what you percieve to be the most bad ass thing out there is not worth your time, health, or energy. If what you happen to be really good at is bad ass, then good for you.

Then again, maybe I am just salty because I realized I am never going to be jason bourne haha.
 
surgicalcric said:
There are those who have worked with, around and for "people" long enough that when we ask questions we get answers to those questions. Your perception, while it may very well be your reality, isn't the reality in all that was discussed here. ;)

...
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Disregard. I'll get back in my lane as I doubt I have as much info about the IC as others here.

Stay safe.
 
No!!! This thread can't end yet! :sneaky:

If this is off-topic, please disregard this question.

I have three tattoos. They're not big, all three can be covered with average polo shirts. Two of them are religious. None of my them are extremist, sexist, nor racist.

I read other tattoo-related threads but I think it was only concerning military/SOF... How are tattoos viewed in intel community?



Thank you in advance.
 
There are too many variables to give a definitive answer. Since most intel jobs involve wearing long sleeves and sitting behind a desk, the short answer is "no one gives a damn as long as you can do your job and the tats aren't distracting in some way."
 
My coworkers LIKE my Nickleback tatoo. 8-) I've seen many, many tramp stamps on folks. Nobody seems to mind. :thumbsup:

Plus a bunch of IC types are ex-mil so tats are not uncommon but face, neck, hand ink are still highly discourage not because of policy but because they look fooking stoopid.
 
Off topic for this particular thread but if I were in a hiring position for any job, I would never hire someone with a neck tat.
 
Maybe you guys could see something here. :ninja:

http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/inside-the-nsa

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL GETS UNPRECEDENTED
LOOK INSIDE AMERICA’S MOST SECRETIVE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IN INSIDE THE NSA
Agency Opens Its Doors to Documentary Cameras
For the First Time Since 9/11
Inside the NSA Premieres Monday, January 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on
National Geographic Channel
“We do not want to make a mistake.
It has terrible consequences for our nation.”
—General Keith B. Alexander, Director, National Security Agency
 
lindy said:
It's not always doing cool guy shit or hanging out at Embassy functions. Choices have consequences.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/for-cia-family-a-deadly-suicide-bombing-leads-to-painful-divisions/2012/01/20/gIQAyJGVYQ_story.html?tid=pm_pop[/quote]

Sad story and I feel for her kids and husband that are left behind. I am inclined to agree with her uncle though. That type of work should not be something you do because you want to be promoted and you have a chip on your shoulder about being a woman, which is how it read to me. I also disagree with the husband blaming everyone else. She was the Khost base chief, responsibility, not sole but some, lies with her. I wonder why she was given the assignment in the first place, as nothing read as though she had any real operational experience. If that was the case, then she definitely should have either received some training, or not been given the assignment.
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CDG said:
Sad story and I feel for her kids and husband that are left behind. I am inclined to agree with her uncle though. That type of work should not be something you do because you want to be promoted and you have a chip on your shoulder about being a woman, which is how it read to me. I also disagree with the husband blaming everyone else. She was the Khost base chief, responsibility, not sole but some, lies with her. I wonder why she was given the assignment in the first place, as nothing read as though she had any real operational experience. If that was the case, then she definitely should have either received some training, or not been given the assignment.
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WTF dude? Easy to judge while sitting in a Lazy Boy in CONUS. The American people cannot have it both ways: either they push the limits to see what they can get away with or we cower behind the risk averse mentality of the Clinton admin. The shit is dangerous and they all accepted the risk. Press has indicated they though the source had good P&A and they trusted the GID bubba. As for the assignment, how often does a unit CO go around running missions? The lead and manage the process so their subordinates do the heavy lifting and get the credit.

This type of "damn the torpedeos, full steam ahead" is what got us to UBL...and got Federal employees killed. It's a war and it impacts us all. All Federal agencies have lessons learned although some mangers have forgotten them or never really understood the problems to begin with. Give us the tools and resources to achieve the objective but don't bitch, complain, or start inqueries once we come back with blood on our hands. Let us, military and Feds alike, do our jobs of destroying AQ.

I personally would welcome more patriots like the Khost officers who placed their personal needs and desires second to the Country's. The USG is full of shitbags who have yet to get their boots dirty but claim to understand how things work because they've read plenty of point papers about it. I find it cowardly.

I wonder if there is more to this story that is not in press. :hmm:

Sorry for the rant. It wasn't directed at your personally.
 
lindy said:
WTF dude? Easy to judge while sitting in a Lazy Boy in CONUS.......
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Yes, it is. I am not trying to pass judgment, just expressing an opinion based off the information in the article.

  1. The article made no mention of her having experience in any situation like she was in in Khost.
  2. The report seemed to intimate promotion as a motivating factor in her applying for the job intially.
  3. The uncle says he talked to her about it and she got offended by the suggestion she couldn't do everything a man could do.
  4. Her husband encouraged her to take the job and is now blaming the CIA.
  5. The report that an independent review board released concluded that she broke protocol in the vetting process and by having so many officers present when receiving the informant.
  6. The article mentions that one of the other CIA officers was expressing concern about the legitimacy of the informant. Yet nothing seems to have been done in response to his concerns.

These 6 main points are what I was basing my opinion on. If I am out of line, I apologize.
 
CDG said:
Yes, it is. I am not trying to pass judgment, just expressing an opinion based off the information in the article.

  1. The article made no mention of her having experience in any situation like she was in in Khost.
The best way to get experience is by doing. How does one get warzone experience unless they go there?
  1. The report seemed to intimate promotion as a motivating factor in her applying for the job intially.
How is life any different? How many E-6's take on a lesser assignment because it's fun? Perhaps there are requirements in place that we don't know about? Wasn't there recently an article about a CSM who didn't have combat experience? Why would an intel agency have different requirements?
  1. The uncle says he talked to her about it and she got offended by the suggestion she couldn't do everything a man could do.
  2. Her husband encouraged her to take the job and is now blaming the CIA.
The family is certainly still morning over the loss. Sometimes a female can get folks to open up whereas dude on dude just isn't always the best avenue of approach.
  1. The report that an independent review board released concluded that she broke protocol in the vetting process and by having so many officers present when receiving the informant.
The folks that follow the rule book are usually left behind. They need, want, and cultivate a culture of risk taking but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I wonder how many operations failed before UBL was killed?
  1. The article mentions that one of the other CIA officers was expressing concern about the legitimacy of the informant. Yet nothing seems to have been done in response to his concerns.
Group think is sometimes alive and well in any corporation.


These 6 main points are what I was basing my opinion on. If I am out of line, I apologize.

Just remember the source. There must be more about this and the AAR that is not in the public domain. This event while tragic surely have made things better for all the officers across the community. Things changed for the better after Pearl Harbor, Somalia, the embassy bombings, 9/11, etc.
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The best way to get experience is by doing. How does one get warzone experience unless they go there?

True. I disagree that a position like Station Chief of a FOB is the place for someone with no experience though.
How is life any different? How many E-6's take on a lesser assignment because it's fun? Perhaps there are requirements in place that we don't know about? Wasn't there recently an article about a CSM who didn't have combat experience? Why would an intel agency have different requirements?

This is not a corporate job, or a school, or an instructor billet. This was a position of leadership that requires more than just the desire to check a box on your career checklist, IMO.

The family is certainly still morning over the loss. Sometimes a female can get folks to open up whereas dude on dude just isn't always the best avenue of approach.

As they should be. Lashing out in emotion is not going to help anything though. Sure, I think the females with CSTs have proven that. This was hardly the same situation. And I don't agree with the argument that an American, Christian, female will get an Arab male to open up.

The folks that follow the rule book are usually left behind. They need, want, and cultivate a culture of risk taking but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I wonder how many operations failed before UBL was killed?
I get what you're trying to say, I think. It seems that these rules had legitimate reason to be in place in light of what happened though. This was more than just a failed operation.

Group think is sometimes alive and well in any corporation.

Yep. A leader has the responsibility to mitigate that and not contribute.
 

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