Cryptology

[JWDevilDog]

No, the language part is only cool cause I get paid extra money and people look at you as a linguist and think your important so they don't mess with you too much.

I lol'd at that. And it's true too, based on how our LCpl who was our Korean interpreter was treated on my last deployment... That kid got to do whatever he wanted for the most part, because he was so "important."

Not that terps aren't important. Overcoming a language barrier is essential to any mission, no matter how mundane.

[haebyungdae]

Anybody that can't somewhat effectively interpret between two languages should be treated as gold cause that's some tough chit to do. I had to do that before (interpreting is not my job nor could it ever be, cyrpto lings are not interpreters) and it was pretty difficult, and people who don't know your MOS just throw you into the situation without any prep, ****ed me off.

I just try to lay low, just sit at my desk and do my job and take smoke breaks when higer ups visit, don't really care too much for presenting myself/job or about getting some paperweight (coin).

[Beltayn]

A couple things to contribute that haven't been mentioned:

1)
A great deal of research has been done regarding the DLAB test and how much someone's score reflects their ability to learn a language. The final conclusion is that beyond simply passing it indicating you are basically capable of adapting to a new language, score doesn't really mean anything at all.
DLI is one of the most challenging academic environments in the Marine Corps, and the main reason for that is the tempo of training there. It requires very serious commitment and motivation to be able to do well there, so make sure that you are going for the right reasons.
I'm a pretty smart guy, and I aced the DLAB with a 131. I went into DLI cocky, expecting to breeze through it like I had every other academic environment I'd ever been in. That expectation lasted less than a week.

Regardless of the MOS, you should go into an MOS because it is something you are certain you want to do. It should be something you want to spend the next 4 (NOTE: you will have to sign a 5-year contract to do crypto-linguist) years doing. As juicy as a 30k bonus might seem to you now, is that bonus alone going to be able to keep you motivated through as much as 2 years+ of intense language training before you ever seen it and ever reach the fleet?

Just food for thought.

2)
0211-Counterintel has a lot of cross-over with 267x-Cryptolinguist, to include the opportunity to attend DLI and recieve the same language training as a Cryptolinguist. The main difference is that the language training for 0211s is a supplement to their arsenal of skills, and if they should discover they don't have the aptitude for learning a language, or fail to qualify in their assigned language, it has no adverse effect on them. A Cryptological Linguist, on the other hand, who is unable to qualify in their language will lose their MOS, lose their enlistment bonus, be demoted to LCPL should they have earned CPL or above while in training at DLI, and be moved to a new MOS based on the needs of the Marine Corps. They will essentially become an Open Contract Marine with zero enlistment bonus that hasn't accomplished anything except wasting a year or two of their life and their service to the Corps.

Make sure you understand the distinction that Cryptological Linguists are not part of the intel field. They are Signals and Electronic Warfare. There is a good deal of cross-over between what their work involves in the fleet, but ultimately if you are looking for something in the Intel field you should ask for a contract for an Intel job; 02xx.
Don't let anybody fool you by telling you that it's "the same thing". I made that mistake.

[Beltayn]

p.s. I'm not saying this because I'm trying to discourage you if this is what you want, or to imply that being a Cryptological Linguist is in any way a bad job. Quite the reverse. It offers a great many wonderful opportunities, opportunities for fantastic reenlistment benefits, and an easy gateway into very highly paid work in the civilian sector and potential entry to organizations such as the NSA/FBI/CIA. That Top Secret clearance alone is a golden ticket of opportunity. I simply want to stress that it is not an easy title to earn, nor one that you will earn quickly. You can and will hear about friends you went to boot camp with returning from their second deployment and sporting a stack of ribbons before you even hit the fleet for the first time as a fresh boot right out of training. I have a great deal of respect for my brothers serving as 2600s, the importance of the work they do, and what they had to do to get where they are.

[Moderboater]

You know i'm almost certain you can take language tests in the Marine Corps and if you pass them you get the pay upgrade for sucessful completion. Any other Marines hear about this? If that is the case then I would recommend you find some Rosetta Stone Cd's of languages that interest you and work your ass off at learning them.

[Beltayn]

You know i'm almost certain you can take language tests in the Marine Corps and if you pass them you get the pay upgrade for sucessful completion. Any other Marines hear about this? If that is the case then I would recommend you find some Rosetta Stone Cd's of languages that interest you and work your ass off at learning them.

While you are correct, it would take a heck of a lot more than a couple Rosetta Stone CDs and a phrase book or two to reach the level of fluency required to score high enough to qualify for extra pay.

[haebyungdae]

And it depends on the language. If you know Spanish or French don't expect the Marine Corps to pay you anything. And yes, for the critical languages, it will take a lot more than Rosetta Stone to get you to the level in reading and listening to pass that language's DLPT

[Beltayn]

The other thing about that too is in order to receive extra pay the language you know has to be mission-relevant.
In other words, its all fine and dandy if you are native-fluent in Korean, but if you are currently in Pashtu and Dari-speaking Afghanistan the Marine Corps doesn't give a damn.

The best example of the situation that would grant extra pay that I've encountered would be the Haiti relief effort. When the MEU to Haiti was being organized HQMC pulled Marines from commands all over the east coast who were native speakers of Haitian and sent them down TAD to work as translators. Two Marines from my section did this.

[TinDragon]

A Cryptological Linguist, on the other hand, who is unable to qualify in their language will lose their MOS, lose their enlistment bonus, be demoted to LCPL should they have earned CPL or above while in training at DLI, and be moved to a new MOS based on the needs of the Marine Corps. They will essentially become an Open Contract Marine with zero enlistment bonus that hasn't accomplished anything except wasting a year or two of their life and their service to the Corps.

As a note, they probably won't waste the money they've already put into you by making you a cook or Motor T at this point (no offense to those jobs). We had a couple folks at my school (Pensacola, school for non-linguist 26xxs) that had failed out of DLI, so they were sent to the 2631 school as their "needs of the Corps" job. (Requires a TS clearance, and it's the shortest school I can think of in the Intel field.)

[jackson07]

I know plenty of DLI failures with their TS/SCI in different MOSs. Including water purification specialist.

[1stRad2671]

Guys I knew that didn't make it went on to be a rigger, LAAD, and Amtracs.

[JWDevilDog]

I seriously hope I can succeed at the DLI. Starting the process of lat-moving into 2671, and hopefully learning Farsi. I just hope I have what it takes..

[Beltayn]

I remember a couple guys who failed out being placed as Infantry, and one that went into Arty as a forward observer.

Personally I'm a cook with a Top Secret Clearance and a 145 GT.
I made good though, and I'm shipping out to do MSG in August, so at least that clearance is gonna do some good.

[Beltayn]

I seriously hope I can succeed at the DLI. Starting the process of lat-moving into 2671, and hopefully learning Farsi. I just hope I have what it takes..

Good luck to you. Make the most of the opportunity. Smash your X-box with a sledgehammer before you PCS.

Do Lat moves get any say in what language they get? I know for boots you get to fill out a wishlist but it was 100% a placebo and the MSGT who actually assigned your language never actually sees it.

[JWDevilDog]

Good luck to you. Make the most of the opportunity. Smash your X-box with a sledgehammer before you PCS.

Do Lat moves get any say in what language they get? I know for boots you get to fill out a wishlist but it was 100% a placebo and the MSGT who actually assigned your language never actually sees it.

To an extent. I'm gonna try to circumvent it by putting the language as a re-enlistment incentive.