View Full Version : Officially Began My OCS Application Today
I met with the recruiter this afternoon and picked up my packet checklist and security clearance papers. Let's hope this is a smooth process and everything works out well for me and I serve my country valiantly.
Get some good running shoes and PM SethB with questions.
I have seriously thought about OCS. Good luck!
Good luck! Keep us updated. Hopefully you'll enjoy Basic like I did. :)
The beginning of the security clearance form seems a lot like a 4473...
SeriousStudent
03-21-11, 21:39
The beginning of the security clearance form seems a lot like a 4473...
And if you fill it out correctly and pass the background check, you DO get a weapon! :D
How long you get to keep it is up to you and your instructors.
Good luck to you, and thank you for your desire to serve our nation.
I had a speeding ticket five years ago; how do I find out how much the fine was for? I have to include it if it was over $300...
I had a speeding ticket five years ago; how do I find out how much the fine was for? I have to include it if it was over $300...
I am seriously considering OCS but if I have to list every traffic ticket I got... Well... lets just say there goes that...
Littlelebowski
03-22-11, 11:05
What branch?
Littlelebowski
03-22-11, 11:05
I am seriously considering OCS but if I have to list every traffic ticket I got... Well... lets just say there goes that...
Just answer with integrity, you'll be fine.
What branch?
Military intelligence
Littlelebowski
03-22-11, 11:32
Military intelligence
That's not a branch, that's a specialty or MOS. "Branch" means Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, or Air Force.
That's not a branch, that's a specialty or MOS. "Branch" means Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, or Air Force.
Well MI has a branch code of 35 according to army.about.com but either way I'm going Army.
Littlelebowski
03-22-11, 11:53
Trust me, in the military "branch" means which service. Good luck.
You may not get MI. Your class may not even have the option. You need to be a PT stud early in the class to get what you want, as the Army selects and promotes it's junior leaders based mostly on physical fitness. I'm told that MI branch detailed infantry is about as good as it gets for junior officers, ymmv.
Trust me, in the military "branch" means which service. Good luck.
True, but I also get what he is saying. Within the army you can either ask what some ones MOS is or what branch (armor, artillery, MP, Infantry, etc..) someone is in.
Just answer with integrity, you'll be fine.
No what I mean is that I am have had a lot of traffic tickets when I first got my license, anything from "Racing On a Public Highway" "Reckless Driving" "Careless Driving" Speedings galore, as high as 95 in 45 and so on. I was a stupid kid with a fast car.
All were more than 5 years ago, so I can't even come close to remembering how much they were. I did not plead guilty to any of them as I went in with lawyers and plead down, but the fines went up as the points went down.
No what I mean is that I am have had a lot of traffic tickets when I first got my license, anything from "Racing On a Public Highway" "Reckless Driving" "Careless Driving" Speedings galore, as high as 95 in 45 and so on. I was a stupid kid with a fast car.
All were more than 5 years ago, so I can't even come close to remembering how much they were. I did not plead guilty to any of them as I went in with lawyers and plead down, but the fines went up as the points went down.
It says to report it whether you were expunged, etc and to go back 7 years (my recruiter said to go back 10 when possible) and only to report fines greater than $300. It doesn't say anything about you being denied if you have speeding fines over $300, but it would be bad to leave anything out.
How high is your insurance?
Military intelligence
Don't do it!
:D
C4
Don't do it!
:D
C4
What would you recommend, Grant?
You're already ****ed up, but that's OK, because you will learn.
You have any questions, let me know.
I hear MI LTs spend lots of time on peoples security clearance packets. Sound fun?
What would you recommend, Grant?
Do you really want advice from a NAVAL CRYPTOLOGIST? :sarcastic:
C4
Do you really want advice from a NAVAL CRYPTOLOGIST? :sarcastic:
C4
Nah, I already know I don't wanna be on a boat all the time lol
You're already ****ed up, but that's OK, because you will learn.
You have any questions, let me know.
What did I do wrong this time :lol:
variablebinary
03-23-11, 03:23
Trust me, in the military "branch" means which service. Good luck.
When we talk about branches we talk MI, Transportation, Arty, Infantry, etc etc etc...
I hear MI LTs spend lots of time on peoples security clearance packets. Sound fun?
Nah, not really. In my unit, the PL's never see your TS packet. All the junior MI officers are usually pretty busy with actual mission ops, but that is for SIGINT. I have no idea what the HUMINT guys do when they aren't deployed. They look bored usually.
It says to report it whether you were expunged, etc and to go back 7 years (my recruiter said to go back 10 when possible) and only to report fines greater than $300. It doesn't say anything about you being denied if you have speeding fines over $300, but it would be bad to leave anything out.
How high is your insurance?
Now its back to normal as I have not had a moving violation in over 5 years. Knock on wood.
All those tickets got dropped or reduced and plead down because I went in with lawyers, never by myself. I raced a 69 Chevelle SS on a local road with a 45mph limit, we got stopped, no clue what he got, but I got a reckless driving and 94 in 45. Went in with a lawyer, speeding got dropped and reckless was reduced to "Operating a Vehicle in an Unsafe manner" No points lol. But the fine went up because of the plea deal. That's why I said about the large fines.
Good luck sir and thank you for serving!
Littlelebowski
03-23-11, 10:46
When we talk about branches we talk MI, Transportation, Arty, Infantry, etc etc etc...
Must be an Army thing. I've never heard of that before but I was Marine Infantry and my biggest exposure to the Army was Jump School.
W
Nah, not really. In my unit, the PL's never see your TS packet. All the junior MI officers are usually pretty busy with actual mission ops, but that is for SIGINT. I have no idea what the HUMINT guys do when they aren't deployed. They look bored usually.
I think my BIL is in MI. They seem to do a lot of monitoring of public info like newspapers from around the world and stuff from what he has said. When not deployed. (I don't think he is SIGINT).
Nah, I already know I don't wanna be on a boat all the time lol
Sorry, didn't mean it like that. What I meant was, do you really think a Naval Intel guy is going to tell you to NOT go into the Intel branch of the USA?? ;)
While I wasn't in the USA, I have worked with the 82nd Intel Div on Counter Drug missions and will share some info about the positives and negatives of working in the intel world. Most of my comments are based off of working intel for the NAV and as a Civy working C4I for SPAWAR.
Positives of working Military Intel:
Because of my security clearance and background, I had a job offer before I even left the Military. Once out, I switched jobs every 15 months as someone was always offering me $10K more a year to work for them.
If you like being on the "inside" and knowing what is REALLY going on VS what is spoon fed to you from the various news organizations, you will like working intel.
In the NAV, there are two types of intel jobs. One is geared more toward analysis (book) and the other is geared towards collection (field). I was the field type (Cryptologic Technician) and really enjoyed being in some chit hole countries and digging out bad guys. So when you are looking at the different intel jobs, think about where and what you will be doing and if it will interest you or not.
IMHO, if you think fast on your feet, have a lot of common sense then you will want to be in the field working your job.
Negatives of working Military Intel:
I basically burnt out two fiancés in 5yrs because of my deployment schedule and inability to communicate with them for long periods of time. It was very common for me to get a ONE DAY notice for a 6 month mission. I couldn't tell friends and family when I was leaving, where I was going or how long I would be gone. I would suddenly re-appear with no warning/notice. A lot people don't do well with this.
Voyeurism. Do you like it? Most do, but there is a price to be paid. In the USN, Cryptologists are charged with two missions. Their primary (find the bad guy) and monitor their own fleet. Listening to other peoples private lives is well, ugly. You feel dirty after it and basically want to apologize to that person when you see them.
When you enter Naval Cryptology School, there is a sign that hangs over the door that says; "You are now entering the Dark Side." I did not know what that really meant to years later (see below).
At parties/social gatherings (when everyone is chatting about what they do for a living), your response will be boring and short. "I'm in the Army and work in an office." Very few people will know what you do and not even your wife/parents/etc will have any clue what you are really doing. For me, the hard part was watching the news and seeing something wasn't correct and not being able to tell a single person. Or knowing something big just happened, but had to keep it for yourself. You will basically sign a piece of paper that says that you cannot tell anyone what you know till 40yrs (or something like that) after your death. So what's the fun of knowing a lot of cool stuff if you can't share any of it??? :rolleyes:
Privacy. You won't have any. They are authorized to read your snail mail, e-mail, look at your bank accounts, listen to ALL your phone conversations and basically watch you while you watch others. So if you like your privacy, don't go into intel.
Short story. When you get your TS/SCI (and get the re-investigation every 5 years), the Govt will go door to door where you live and interview your neighbors, high school teachers, friends, enemies, etc to see what they have to say about you. I had gotten out of the NAV and was working as a contractor for the USAF out of Langley. My 5yr re-investigation came up. So I come home one night and my neighbor comes over to me says; "I don't know what kind of trouble you have gotten yourself into, but I feel that I should tell you that a Govt agent has been all over the street asking us questions about you." I explained that everything was ok and that they were working on my security clearance. I am fairly certain that neighbor did not believe me and from then on, I was most likely the talk of the town. :D
Waiting. Do you like fishing? Sitting around for hours on end waiting for something to hit your line? If so, then you will like Intel work. If not, then you won't. Gathering intel is a lot of sitting around waiting for something to happen. Then you get minutes of extreme activity and you have to act fast on your feet so that you do not miss the opportunity. So 90% boredom with 10% panic is what it will be like for you.
I thank GOD everyday that I went into the Rate (MOS) that I did as it has opened so many doors for me that I just can't count them all. I also got to see the most of the world on the Govt's dime and learned that things are never what they seem.
Good luck to you in your career choice and let me know if I can help with anything.
C4
Must be an Army thing. I've never heard of that before but I was Marine Infantry and my biggest exposure to the Army was Jump School.
Army uses branches. Field Artillery is a branch. 13A, 13B, 13D etc are MOS' within that branch.
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