Intelligence Officer / Operator

[The_Dictat]

Great suggestions breezie.  Cowboy by saying ROTP are you implying that you want to go to RMC?  Have you completed your Ba Intl Rel degree?  ROTP is generally designed for people going for their first university degree through RMC. 

Once you have a university degree you could join the RegF from the reserve as an Int O through the Direct Entry Officer (DEO) program.  It should be easier to reach your goal through that way.  It is of course conditionnal that you meet the criterion for Int O.  Contact a PSO at your recruiting center to get more info. 

Good luck

 

[Sam001]

The other day I went to the recruiting center and they gave me the number for the recruiter for intelligence. I had an info session with him, but I found he wouldn't answer some of my questions. However, he kept giving my vague answers or said that he wasn't technically allowed to answer them; hence, I was hoping maybe someone here might be willing to answer them. They more about getting the job than the job itself. Below are the questions:

1. What are the qualities that Intelligence Operators need; thus, are looked for by recruiters?
2. What are the skills that recruiters look for in potential applicants?
3. What is seen by recruiters as a "good" candidate for the job?
4. What is the typical applicant like? Are they usually prefered?

 

[MasterInstructor]

Hi

I think you could not get an answer for your questions because they all sound like the same question to me, at least first 3...

Canadian Forces recruitment system has a certain process, its not like you hand in your resume and see if you get an interview.

Results of your CFAT, Medical, Background Check, Interview will determine if you get employed. Each trade had different requirements for CFAT, Medical and Interview.

I am not familiar with Intelligence Operator myself.

cheers

 

[George Wallace]

If you go to the CFRC you can pick up a handout that tells about the Intelligence Operator position. 

If you use the SEARCH function you can find topics about the Intelligence Operator Trade.



That being said, we do not need yet another topic asking about Intelligence Operators.  In those topics you will find that an Intelligence Operator is not a James Bond, they are not Secret Agents of any sort, they do not spy on people, they do not have a "Licence to Kill", they do not go on Recce Patrols, or anything of the type.  They do not get Spec Pay, and train in the Martial Arts, nor learn foreign languages.  The only thing mysterious about them, is their name.




Topic Closed Locked

 

[George Wallace]

I might add, if you are honestly serious about becoming a member of the INT Branch, in any rank, that you pay particular attention to your writing skills.  Your ability to correctly use Canadian English, spelling and grammar, will make or break you on course.  Your use of correct spelling, grammar, and sentence structure have a cause and effect on those receiving your work.  Your credibility will be on the line.  The surest way to loose credibility in the INT Trade is to produce a product that unintelligible, poorly written, and full of spelling and grammatical errors.  "US Spelling" is a big no no, so don't trust Bill Gates' Spell Check.  Plagiarism will mean failure.  Cheating will mean failure.  So, cite all sources and do your own work.

 

[45a14]

Hey Everyone,

I joined the CF (Infantry reserves) when I was 18 and got out when I was 21.  I've worked some shitty jobs in the last 3 years, but I always have toyed with joining up again.  I'm working on a degree I have about 15 credits and after this term I will have another 15.  I don't want to go into debt with school, so I want to get the military to pay for it.  I'm interested in becoming an intelligence officer.

My questions to you are:

1) Is there any other information on Intel officers besides what the CF website has up?  Looking for supplemental stuff to aid in my decision making.
2) Will the military pay for the rest of my schooling despite the fact that I have already started my way to a degree? 
3)How do I go about applying for them to pay for my schooling?
4) If the military pays for the rest of my schooling does that have an effect on how many years I serve?  Does the amount invested determine how many years you serve?

 

[1911CoLt45]

Good day

From my past experiences this job is not available for any kind of direct entry, ROTP,  CEOTP.  Its usually offered once you have served some time at the lower portions of a regiment in the beginning of your officer career,  lets say with infantry for example.  I am however only talking from personal experience , being not in the CF and am still a civilian I could be extremely wrong.  However I did try this route as well and that is what the recruiters told me.  The recruiter could have been fibbing for all I know though get in contact with the recruiters.

Any one else have any suggestions?

 

[gcclarke]

I can't really comment on question 1), but...

2) You can apply for entry into the regular force under the Regular Officer Training Plan even if you still have some post-secondary under your belt, provided that upon your enrollment, you will still have a minimum of 2 years worth of schooling to go in your degree. Keep in mind that not all schools use the same "credit" system as yours may, so stating that you have 15 credits may be meaningless.

3) Wait until the new fiscal year, and then go into the recruiting centre to tell them that you would like to enrol as an ROTP candidate as an IntO.

4) You incur obligatory service at the rate of 2 months obligatory service per month of education subsidized.

And yes, as was mentioned, they don't seem to often (Although they do occasionally) hire Intelligence Officers "off the street", so it's entirely possible that once April rolls around, there will be a total of 0 ROTP slots and 0 DEO slots available for the fiscal year. If that is the case, you can always apply for entry under ROTP as another trade, and apply for an Occupational Transfer at a later date.

 

[45a14]

I can't really comment on question 1), but...

2) You can apply for entry into the regular force under the Regular Officer Training Plan even if you still have some post-secondary under your belt, provided that upon your enrollment, you will still have a minimum of 2 years worth of schooling to go in your degree. Keep in mind that not all schools use the same "credit" system as yours may, so stating that you have 15 credits may be meaningless.

3) Wait until the new fiscal year, and then go into the recruiting centre to tell them that you would like to enrol as an ROTP candidate as an IntO.

4) You incur obligatory service at the rate of 2 months obligatory service per month of education subsidized.



And yes, as was mentioned, they don't seem to often (Although they do occasionally) hire Intelligence Officers "off the street", so it's entirely possible that once April rolls around, there will be a total of 0 ROTP slots and 0 DEO slots available for the fiscal year. If that is the case, you can always apply for entry under ROTP as another trade, and apply for an Occupational Transfer at a later date.

Okay.  So I shouldn't apply until September? 

 

[gcclarke]

You can talk to them in early April to find out whether or not there's even going to be any IntO ROTP positions that Fiscal year. And by that year, I mean selected that year, as if I recall correctly, the final round of selections for the Sept 2010 school year is going on soon. So any selection boards that sit after April will be for Sept 2011.

Anyways, I'd typically say that the earlier you apply the better, but I wouldn't bother applying until at least April, when you can at least likely find out if there are any positions that you're applying to.

 

[NinjaRider]

Hi everyone,

Any suggested entry career/path best suited to get a crack at intel one day? I figure infantry would be a good bet but would appreciate your input.

I have gone through over 4 years of application delays and program closures with the CF. Enhanced CSIS checks took years due to my extensive travels, continuing education program closures.. I'm 32 and a civilian pilot. Ironically I taught the Canadian Forces how to fly the Challenger jet, CC-144, however since I only have 2.5 years of University studies I'm not eligible to direct entry, hence the mess. On numerous occasions I've gone on to recruiting centers to apply for a different career only to be convinced to apply for pilot again, and face more delays and closures. So I've quit on the idea of pilot. Intelligence interests me and I was told I could apply. I did. Only to later find out half the recruiting staff told me intel operators are not hired from outside and the other half yes. I was eventually advised from a higher up in a different center that my file although competitive would just stay in limbo.

So.. I'm trying to decide on a regular soldier career with intelligence in mind for the future, if possible. I'm inclined more to the combat arms but would consider all paths. My file is complete, checks done and ready to roll. Would appreciate suggestions. Thank you!

 

[George Wallace]

Your best bet is to do some time in Cbt Arms.  You are currently looking at a two year waiting list for INT.

 

[TimBit]

Another way to go is with Signals. A fair share of int comes from sigs and background in the field can help. Plus as a Sig Op you could get exposure to cbt arms. Finally there is always the comms research way which will get you in signals intelligence straight away.

Cheers!

 

[Greymatters]

Any suggested entry career/path best suited to get a crack at intel one day? I figure infantry would be a good bet but would appreciate your input.

I have gone through over 4 years of application delays and program closures with the CF. Enhanced CSIS checks took years due to my extensive travels, continuing education program closures.. I'm 32 and a civilian pilot. Ironically I taught the Canadian Forces how to fly the Challenger jet, CC-144, however since I only have 2.5 years of University studies I'm not eligible to direct entry, hence the mess. On numerous occasions I've gone on to recruiting centers to apply for a different career only to be convinced to apply for pilot again, and face more delays and closures. So I've quit on the idea of pilot. Intelligence interests me and I was told I could apply. I did. Only to later find out half the recruiting staff told me intel operators are not hired from outside and the other half yes. I was eventually advised from a higher up in a different center that my file although competitive would just stay in limbo.

So.. I'm trying to decide on a regular soldier career with intelligence in mind for the future, if possible. I'm inclined more to the combat arms but would consider all paths. My file is complete, checks done and ready to roll. Would appreciate suggestions. Thank you!

While many Int Ops come from an Army background, and most of those used to come from Infantry, that trend has more to do with how many persons are in other trades rather than a 'proper' career path.  Int Ops come from a wide range of trades and there is no single yellow brick road to success.

As to direct entry, that topic has been brought up on this forum before.  Based on what youve posted I think it unlikely that you would be accepted for direct-entry to Int; IMO you dont appear to have the education skill or experience areas they would be looking for, or the personal connections to open the doors for you.  Thats only my opinion on this aspect, others might know better.     

I would suggest though, that if (by your example provided) you are the type of person who walks into a recruiting centre and you let the staff there easily convince you to change your mind as to what career you want to pursue, you might want to either work on developing your level of self-determination and stop letting others make career decisions for you, or quit looking for the easy route.

Other than that, what you really need to do (as it may be awhile before you get a chance to apply for Int (not 'intel')) is that you should focus at this moment on selecting a career path that appeals to you.  Just in case there is a monstrous long line up, or the trade closes admissions for a while, or you dont meet standards for application to the Int trade, it would be nice to have a career you enjoy.

 

[NinjaRider]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Signals seems interesting. That or infantry. Grey.. I hear you but my words weren't the right ones. My determination to join and mistake to wait on the CF had a big impact on my flying career. What was supposed to be months turned to years. 14 years a pilot with thousands of hours logged it's only natural to want to be in the cockpit and get it done. Supposedly opened programs turned out to be closed. S#$& happens. I'm still determined to join the CF enough to leave an airline career. Question is which trade. Int would be an interesting opportunity if it arose. I've been most interested in infantry and signals, also looked into combat engineer and comm research. I appreciate your help. Great forum!

 

[SupersonicMax]

14 years a pilot with thousands of hours logged it's only natural to want to be in the cockpit and get it done. Supposedly opened programs turned out to be closed.

And rightly so. 

I'm still determined to join the CF enough to leave an airline career.

If you are in a good position now (ie: one of the Majors with a good sched), I'd recommend against it.  What I'd recommend is keep your job, join the reserve and give it a try that way first.  Who knows, you may not like it or you may like the reserves and stick with that plan.  If you live or can easily commute to YWG, talk to 402 Sqn (Dash 8).  They take direct entry reserve pilots.  All you need is 500TT and a MIFR.  You'd do a King Air course to get your CF pilot wings and you'd be trained as an FO on the Dash 8, all the while being a Class A reservist.  I personally know 1 guy that did that and flies the 777 with AC.  If you want more info, PM me.

If you're still working your way up the ladder working on smaller equipment with a crappy schedule, then Reg Force can be a good option. 

 

[NinjaRider]

Hey Super,

Thanks for the advice. That's a great idea. And I wish I could do it the problem is scheduling. Went through 2 layoffs this past year and recently got lucky in finding a job in this market where I'll be doing a lot of flying up north 3 weeks at a time and 6 month tours in Africa. I'll be gone most of the year especially summers leaving no time for the reserve. Pay is low, conditions not good and the birds date back to the 50s, although fun to fly. I'm still in the middle pack grinding my way. It's made for an exciting career, had a lot of fun in places like China, New Guinea and the north. But all the layoffs and conditions going down the tube are giving me second thoughts. Had my fun maybe it's time for change. Learn a new trade, finish my education.. I wish I could take the reserve route but this job won't make it possible. I also wish the Canadian Forces would do as the British military and considering life experience, such as being an expert on the Challenger jet who train their own pilots from 412 Squadron, into consideration regarding education. That leaves a college grad with a philosophy degree more eligible for pilot. Had to vent that out.. Oh well. Thanks!

 

[CountDC]

Wow this takes me back over 20 years.  Walking to work and a Major stopped and offered me a drive.  He vented about his friend that couldn't get into the military as a pilot even though he had 15 years flying with AC plus years of instructing along with helicopters.  Couldn't get in because he didn't have a university degree.  The Major was PO'd because when he joined he only had a grade 6 education and was accepted as a pilot.  Didn't help that at the same time they had taken in a new guy fresh from University with an Oceanography Degree.  I always remember the Major - "what the hell does oceanography have to do with flying?  The only thing a pilot needs to know about the ocean is not to put the jet into it".

 

[NinjaRider]

Lol.. That's a good one. There's bureaucracy for you and the lack of common sense. I have 2 1/2 years of University studies, became a pilot at a US military school, have two airline transport licenses, licenses and ratings from the US and Canada, advanced courses from manufacturers, avionics and an expert on the CC-144.. We're talking years of advanced studies and experience. That guy with the oceanography degree is eligible for direct entry, I ain't. Some years back tired of waiting I applied with the British Army as a regular soldier. I just wanted to get in. Enough with the pilot thing. Being part of the Commonwealth we can do that. While they prefer having degrees they do consider life experience. And so I was invited to do the selection phase in the UK as an infantry officer. I went and did well and during the process they suggested I go for pilot. Again that was hard to resist, flying Apaches in the Army would have been something, so I did. I did well and was advised to prepare for Sandhurst, their academy, only to fail their new written which was harsh. That trip ended up being expensive. Point of the story, they considered life experience and kudos to the Brits for that. Their selection process was exemplary. I screwed up and can live with that. It's a shame our military doesn't do that because you're losing good candidates. That's the bureaucracy and red tape of today and not just in the military. Common sense has gone out the window. Hopefully some people can change that.

 

[NinjaRider]

Reminds me of a CC-144 pilot from the CF we were training. He'd been in the service something like 20+ years. He ended up taking a leave to fly civilian for a while only to come back. Thing is he'd never had a degree and was not eligible for direct entry. Even after all those years of service. He was eventually able to get back in through the continuing education program.