Intel, Intelligence MOS

[irizavrima]

My name is Amir and I'm currently a poolee with a DD (intel) contract. I originally desired infantry but I had been given advice from several people to sign up for intel. My biggest fear is that I will be stuck at a desk doing boring work...Being that I am just a poolee I dont really know squat about the marines so please don't take offense to this...My question to you is will i be at a desk or on a laptop the next 5 years or will I have an oppurtunity to actually go into the field?? also what will i be doing when im not deployed??? its my understanding that i would be working with grunts to gather intel and then bring it back to command to analyze it...again please dont take offense to my generalizations, i know all marines are important to the corps. I just want to be in a field i will enjoy. any advice would be greatly appreciated

-Amir

[Obelisk]

I'm guessing you'll be referred to this thread: http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=35103

Though I'm not too sure it fully answers your question about field/desk work, I think cplbrooks's and dscusmc's answers in the thread are likely what you are looking for.

From what I've read through my own research on the topic, yes you will be in the "field", in that you will be posted in the same general area as where the action is, *however* you will probably not be going on too many patrols. You might be spending alot of time reading intelligence data that goes through the Sensitive Information Protocol Network - SIPRnet, so if you like to read that sort of thing (I do) this could be the right MOS for you. You will have the opportunity to go on some patrols/missions, in order to keep yourself connected to the situation on the ground, however I believe this depends on exactly what kind of intel work you do. As dscusmc put it, "At a grunt unit, your focus will be on small-arms weapons, IED's, militia units, terrorist units, and infantry tactics. You could find yourself de-briefing recon teams coming out of the field. Preferrably, you might get to go into the field with the teams and the grunts." I highly recommend you read his entire post for alot of useful information on the subject.

[AmyG]

Be sure to read the rules stickied in the forum. For starters, capitalize Marines and Marine Corps. They've earned that respect.

I believe intel does both paperwork and field work. Obviously, someone needs to collect the intel. It probably depends what your specific job, and how good you are. If you're lousy in the field, they're not going to put you out there when there's someone better qualified to do the job.

[irizavrima]

sorry about the reposting, I will follow the rules from here on out. Another question I have is this...how do i get close to the action? i understand that intel has a specialty known as a battalion "s2" but then again i might be wrong...