Poolie torn between Intelligence specialist and Linguist

[s4m222]

ASVAB score 87, all Lines above 120
DLAB 110
Enlisting 4years

Currently in a DEP open contract, leaving in 7 months give or take. 20100612

Ive been searching the forums, I cant say ive been through every page, but I have done some searching and was able to find some good information about 0231 Intelligence Specialist. However i have not been able to find much on 27xx Linguist other than what Googling "Marine Corps most / Linguist" gives me.

1. Which MOS transfer better to a civilian career?
2. Any contacts / Links for the above mos's ?
3. Anything else you would like to tell me/ advice/ warnings/ things you wish you were told?

[Rocky C]

Go Intel.
You'll be Glad you did when you EAS.

Good Luck to you.

[s4m222]

just to check, EAS means End of active service? (google)

[s4m222]

Also, I already speak Korean Fluently, Im wondering if i can apply that in anyway.

[haebyungdae]

1. Civilian career: Whether you go 0231 or the 267X route you would mostly likely be able to equally apply the analyst skillset you will acquire to transition to a job at the agency or some other contracting company.

2. Websites: I've found no better information when it comes to general job description then those found through About.com or Wiki. Lots of people can tell you lots of things, the nature of both fields (especially 267X) is that you have to pretty much wait and see, but you won't be disappointed.

3. Since I'm a linguist I would say go linguist, but I'm biased. There is a larger variety of things that you could be doing in a lot of different areas. And plus, the electronic warfare job is freaking awesome.

Just because you know Korean and are fluent now does not mean that you would automatically be placed as a 2673 Asian pacific crypto linguist, but it doesn't hurt you. Talk to your recruiter more about this option is you are considering it. Because if you can test high enough and display proficiency enough to not go to DLI then you save the Marine Corps money.

Another thing too, is that any 2600 job is a 5 year contract, not sure about the 0200 field but if you go linguist then you will have to serve 5 years active.

[s4m222]

the longer contract is okay. I guess i am a bit hesitant toward linguist as in, could i cut it and actually become proficient as that....

[haebyungdae]

It would all depend on how well you are able to learn the language that is assigned to you and beyond that if you work hard at it and take it seriously you will pass. The courses are difficult but it's not set up for you to horribly fail if you at least put forth a little effort, you don't have to be some language savant. Once you pass your course, I can attest to at least Korean, Russian, and Indonesian that you do not have to be hot stuff in order to do your job. In the end, a linguist with a DLPT score of listening 2, reading 2 can do the same tasks with the same accuracy as me as a 3, 3+.

Side-note: A cryptologic linguist is not an interpreter.

[TinDragon]

Seriously, why does nobody ever want to do SigInt?

We have no love. =(

[s4m222]

actually that was one of the 3 i was looking into... although when i searched signals intelligeance or ground electronic warfare on this forum... i got 0 results..

[haebyungdae]

You can't find anything cause nobody ever spells it out. Do a search for "SIGINT." That should give you some results, but I think most of the pages are pretty old.

@TinDragon: That's because everyone wants to be an intel specialist and make power points all day.

[Beltayn]

There was a neat quote for Gen. Mattis recently about how he thought "Power Point makes us stupid" and "When someone can figure out how to read these freakin power points, we'll have won the war."

[haebyungdae]

Is that before they started pushing for the "what's in it for me?" slides at the beginning of briefs?

[s4m222]

When i get a MOS assigned to me in my contract will it be an exact MOS. I.E. In the contract it will state i am a 0231? Or is it more along the lines of you are contracted as a 02xx, and then sort of place you within that field?

[TinDragon]

If you're a reservist you get to pick, otherwise you'll get a choice between Cryptolinguist (any language) or Intel (02xx, or 26xx that's not a cryptolinguist).

[rg2o3]

0231!!!

[TinDragon]

0231!!!

Motivated Power Point Warrior!

[s4m222]

Ill be enlisted not a reservist.

Thank you tindragon

[s4m222]

how come i see some people who say their contracts are for a 0231? are they all reservist?

[TinDragon]

how come i see some people who say their contracts are for a 0231? are they all reservist?

They're either reservists, found a way to at least sign for a 02xx job, or don't realize that SigInt exists. The most likely situation is that they don't realize SigInt exists.

[s4m222]

So even if i dont go as a linguist 27xx, and i go either 02xx intell or 26xx sigint, If i have a 100 or above on the DLAB they will want me to learn another language?


The test is simply pass/fail and from my understanding, there is no studying for it because it consists of a made up language and only measures your aptitude for comprehending and learning a new language. If you pass it, then you should be offered a spot at DLI following your completion of your 0231 course and you'll learn a language that is assigned to you there. You do not get to choose the language so you may end up learning Farsi, Arabic, Russian, Korean or anything else. If you fail, then no big deal and you will just go to your first fleet unit after school. There are no negative effects on your record if you don't pass so don't go stressing out about it. (From the 0231 Stickie)

[s4m222]

(i wanted to add to above window but i cant after 5 minutes)

1. Difference between a 27xx linguist and a 26xx crypto-linguist?

2. Within the 27xx field there are numerous (specific language) Linguist, then at the end 2799 there is a military translator/interpretor. I would assume all linguist are doing this but it must be different enough to have a difference designation? Enlighten me ? :D (sort of found an answer
As a linguist you are not trained to be an interpreter or document translator. An interpreter is totally different. Document translation is a gimme but it's rare if you are actually doing what all linguists are trained to do. Linguists are trained in SIGINT, i.e. listening. The only scores that matter in school are your listening and reading skills. Speaking (related to interpretation) doesn't matter.)

[haebyungdae]

1. There is no primary MOS 27xx. A linguist's MOS is 267x and you'll only see the 27xx deal within a linguist's records to simply denote what exact language they are.

2. A cryptologic linguist is not a translator/interpreter and will hardly ever be tasked to do so. A crypto-ling (267x) is also unable to obtain the interpreter MOS. If you want information on job description then Google it, this is all I will say here and nobody else should say anything more either.

If you become a 2600, whether it be 2621, 31, 7X, or whatever, after bootcamp and after your MOS school if there is a need for people with language skills in a certain language at your unit then it is possible to learn a language and not be a linguist. But this doesn't happen all too often.

[Beltayn]

Some clarification. Crypto-ling is primarily an Electronic Warfare job. Crypto-lings are simply distinct from the norm of other MOSs that deal with electronic warfare in that they also have a running understanding of strategic vocabulary in an offensive foreign language, which allows them to be more effective at their job when put in intelligence situations where that language is relevant.

This is different from simply being a "translator".

[s4m222]

in that they also have a running understanding of strategic vocabulary in an offensive foreign language, which allows them to be more effective at their job when put in intelligence situations where that language is relevant.

very clarifying thank you.

And also thank you haebyungdae, i didnt know your MOS couldnt be 27xx, in the MOS booklet it shows 27xx, so i assumed. Also my recruiter didnt seem to realize either which doesnt help. But in his defense, i guess it would be hard to know about each and every MOS, when he has only done a couple. 감사함니다

**Also i have been googling, however its different to hear from people who have real experience in the fields, or know more about the field, than a generic 2-paragraph description that most military job descriptions offer.

[haebyungdae]

I'm pretty sure that the whole MOS thing was changed years ago from what I've read. Like my MOS is 2673 and within my records I think my AMOS is 2741 (한국어)

I am quite hesitant to say/write things in too much details on the internet. This is mostly to cover my own ass because of the usual grey area that people in my position are in when talking about such things due to the sensitive nature of it. And, that is a place I don't want to find myself.

But yes, like what Beltayn said. But if the situation is not that to where your language is relevant then you will be doing the same thing as a 2621, 31, 29, etc. (minus 2651) usually.

[TinDragon]

I'm pretty sure that like haeby said, the 27xx MOS was redesignated to the 267x MOS a few years back.

And he's also right about the 51 thing. We're on our own effing program. :P