Anyone a cryptologic linguist in the military?

Question

We are looking for a cryptologic linguist to talk to before we join the military...wondering if you like your job, what it generally entails etc.

"We" refers to my spouse, our daughter and me. Because we are all looking into it. Is that okay with you?

Thank you so much G. Angel, you have been much more helpful than most recruiters...

Answer 1

Well, I can't really give you any details about the job because - it's classified. (Sounds cooler than it is.)

That being said, it is pretty interesting. If you like puzzles - like crossword puzzles - that will be a good indication of whether or not you may like it. The first phase of training consists of a lot of things like that... (You might have taken a special test already to determine your aptitude.)

You spend all of your time at work in a room with no windows and one door... Depending on where you go and what branch of service you are in but usually they group all services together, especially in training.

You are not James Bond, it isn't glamorous. The MOS sounds cool but it is mostly gritty, detail-oriented work that no one really understands. You don't get the open recognition that Rangers and SOF's enjoy - in fact no one knows what you are doing and that is the whole point. You work hard, usually without any recognition.

There is no civilian counterpart where you can go after you get out - other than NSA and DIA, which don't count.

If you are going to learn a language, then after basic training, you will go to Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. That place is awesome! It is as nice as any college campus anywhere. They don't have Drill Sgt.s there - the NCO's are more like college counselors.

Depending on your language (probably Arabic, with today's needs) you are grouped into companies by language. The school is challenging! Most trainees don't make it through. You will really have to work hard to pass. Really hard. Arabic is a 2 year commitment at DLI.

If you don't make it through, you might be given a job that you don't like- that is the reality of military life... Be sure to take this very seriously. Knowing a language - especially a middle-eastern language can be very marketable when you do get out. I know soldiers that failed and became fork-lift operators. Don't say nobody warned you.

So - the schedule:
1) basic training 9 weeks. A lot of fun, really. Especially compared to what is ahead. The U.S. Military has come a long way from Full Metal Jacket.

2) Language Training at DLI. 12-24 months, depending on language.

3) AIT (Advanced Individual Training) about 20 weeks. Depends where you are going...

That means that it could be a full *3 years* before you are a fully-fledged soldier, sailor or marine!

I enjoyed my time in the military. I liked my MOS (98C)

Good luck

Answer 2

There isn't any subject of "Cryptologic Linguistics." Cryptologic Linguist is a role descriptor for a targeted role in Signals Intelligence. Civilian positions are both executive or executive contractor. Some colleges do coach signs intelligence, however the ones can be executive associations, or colleges that cater to executive equivalent to American Military University. Instructors for the ones guides can be folks with many a long time of SigInt enjoy...and enjoy counts way over educational credentials.

Answer 3

Which Branch? although every branch send their Linguists to DLI in Monterey, the day to day focus will be somewhat different once you hit the field.

Navy CTIs, for instance never get stationed aboard a ship, but they WILL deploy on one ocasionally. and by ocasionally I mean you could be gone all the darn time, or never. or somewhere in between.

you won't be ablke to get any details, since the job is Classified, but generally speaking, Navy CTIs spend their days in dark rooms with headphones on listening to the other guys talk. they do not, as a general rule, tranlsate inthe field, as DLI doesn't prepare them for Native level speaking ability.

Answer 4

I knew one who was trained in Arabic while in the AF for 4 years during Desert Storm. She said she didn't do much but listen to static all day waiting for someone to say something in Arabic and hope it was useful, which it never was in her case.

Answer 5

Who is this "We" you are referring to?