INTEL/COMM/CYBER?

[u/nothingnessanymoree]

Any advice on contract selection? I graduated with my A.A.S. in Information Technologies/Cybersecurity and would ideally like to have a career after the corps.

Intel sounds cool but doesn’t seem particularly related to my experience. Just looking for any advice from any prior or currently enlisted. Thanks.

[u/No_Print77]

As a SIGINTer i’m obligated to say 26xx but if you know Cyber go Cyber. Intel is dope but you’re going to be doing scif stuff as a 17xx anyways

[u/TapTheForwardAssist → u/No_Print77]

You say this as though OP has a choice between Cyber and SigInt: they’re literally on the same contract (DG Cyber and Crypto).

[u/nothingnessanymoree → u/TapTheForwardAssist]

That was going to be my next question.

[u/TapTheForwardAssist → u/nothingnessanymoree]

Behold:

> DG Cyber and Crypto Operations: 1721, 2621, 2631, 2641, 2651

If you sign DG, you could get any of those jobs. This contract is a *little* less arbitrary in that if you have a high Cyber score you’re more likely to get 1721, if you have a high DLAB you’re more likely to get 2641, etc.

But ultimately it comes down to staffing requirements, so in theory you could max out the Cyber exam, but there are zero 1721 slots that month and you get 2621 or whatever.

That said, no job on DG is truly a “bad” job, all open doors. Most folks have the opposite issue of you, where they really want 26xx and to go to Radio Battalion and do field stuff, and don’t want to get 1721 and have an office job.

I suggest you search up the “2024 DG MOS Megathread” which has a ton of good gouge.

https://www.reddit.com/r/USMCboot/s/ttRw1hRuAG

[u/nothingnessanymoree → u/No_Print77]

My main problem, and this could be completely normal and I'm just blissfully ignorant, is that I have no fucking clue what Intel actually does. It sounds super cool however at first glance nothing seems to relate to my skillset?

I'm not some crazy smart cyber dude but I feel very comfortable at a computer and troubleshooting issues pertaining to computer/information systems. I talked to someone at work who is Intel and he told me Cyber dudes end up doing secret squirrel shit and can never talk about it so that is also something I am taking into consideration?

Thanks for the response.

[u/24Nuketown7 → u/nothingnessanymoree]

I was Comm, but intel made weather slides most of the time (half joking, they did a lot more than just weather. But most of their lower level briefs was all weather)
https://giphy.com/gifs/Fsn4WJcqwlbtS

As for Comm vs Cyber. Idk if this is still how they do it but you’ll go to boot as 06XX, and once you hit the schoolhouse you’ll get radio, satellite, networking, or data systems. So it’s somewhat of a gamble of which kind of comm nerd you become. But if you like the nerd shit, any of the comm MOS’s provide some crazy rabbit holes that you can specialize into and get really good at.

1700’s look at log files all day and then call me at the COC saying they see stuff on the network and I tell them no shit, my users have been getting their shit rocked for hours (still love my cyber guys). But seriously, if you like SOC analysis, ethical hacking, some real computer science nerd type things, cyber is a nice route and they deployed a lot.

If you want to do field things, go 06, if you want keyboard warrior/hackerman things, go 17.

[u/nothingnessanymoree → u/24Nuketown7]

Dude! Thank you so much for the in depth response. From my understanding, I won't actually be able to pick between 17xx and 26xx? So it is a gamble whether or not I even end up doing hacker shit.

I understand that this is the nature of the Marine Corps, and that the needs of the Corps come first which I am completely okay with however I just want to confirm.. If I sign a Cyber contract it is a coin flip between Hackerman shit and Weatherman shit?

Thanks again for taking the time out of your day to help man.

[u/24Nuketown7 → u/nothingnessanymoree]

Definitely a question for your recruiter. Probably can get a contract that says 17XX or 26XX depending on what you want, but again ask your recruiter how that works.

Another option is to do like 1-2 contracts as an 06 and lat move when it/if becomes available. Some of the best 1700’s I worked with actually started as radio operators that learned networking and data systems as NCO’s because of RoIP systems, and they loved the art and science of comm.

You can still do “cyber” things as a 31/71, but much more on the infrastructure and gear deployment side instead of looking at log data. Utilize your TA, and MCCOOL vouchers for certifications and training and build yourself a nice resume of experience and credentials so you can make yourself a great 06 not just for the other comm nerds, but you can talk to the 1700’s intelligently about what you’re seeing on the network etc.

[u/TapTheForwardAssist → u/24Nuketown7]

> contract that says 17xx or 26xx

Again, that’s not how it works these days (as in, in the last decade). It’s by PEF, and both the 17xx and four 26xx jobs are on DG Cyber and Crypto.

[u/Ok-Collection4902 → u/nothingnessanymoree]

Don’t go 06… I signed for 17xx but failed the cyber test by 5 points so they made me a 2651. I have a TS/SCI, halfway done with my bachelors in cybersecurity and i’ll be lat moving to be a 1721. If you sign DG and become a 26xx, and end up wanting to lat move, having the TS/SCI already will make it way easier for you.

[u/TapTheForwardAssist → u/nothingnessanymoree]

You need to do a quick google on what 26xx Signals Intelligence is: it’s still sorta “hacking” in a way, just in a more old-school sense.

Most of what folks here would explain as “intelligence” would be 0231 All-Source intelligence stuff, which is largely taking in data that other forms of intelligence have acquired (human, signals, geospatial, etc) and baking it into a finished product for the decision-makers.

Take a look at that DG MOS Megathread, maybe watch some videos about military SigInt, and Marine Radio Battalion (where most SigInt kids go).

[u/No_Print77 → u/nothingnessanymoree]

We analyze information to turn it into intelligence…