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operator military intelligence Advice

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bobhope
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operator military intelligence Advice

Post by bobhope »

Hey, just found this forum and is full of advice. This is my first post and may sound noobie, but i would like to know any information on what the role of operator military intelligence. I have looked at the army website and and got information, but would like to know generally the ins and outs of this type of role. Any help would be greatly appreciated as finding it hard to find the information.

Thanks
sterion66
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Post by sterion66 »

I have noticed this role in my travels. I brushed it aside thinking that maybe a little less active than i would have liked hence going for infantry in the past. If there is anyone that has gone down this route it would be good to hear what your day is made up of mostly.

Mike
Dixie66
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Post by Dixie66 »

I am two weeks away from selection and my main job choice is Operator Military Intelligence. I also brushed it aside at first and set my sights (excuse the pun!) on the Royal Artillery, however since they ceased recruitment for a year or so i looked back over all my job offers and did more research on the Int Corps and that's when i decided on it as my first choice.

Mainly what i know is what you guys probably found on the net, you join after completing two selections, the standard entry selection and a second at Chicksands, bedforsdshire.

The special to arm training is 27 weeks long (and from what i've read quite demanding), during this time you'll learn about all aspects of the Corps. Imagery, Signal, Electronic and Human Intelligence split into Operational Intelligence and Counter Intelligence.

On completion of training you recieve a promotion to Lance Corporal and are then posted somewhere. Eventually you can specialise in a field of Intelligence or go for the linguist course.

I picked it mainly because i feel it will be varied and interesting, you still get field postings/travelling and basic training may satisfy your taste for the infantry life style.

Another plus is that like with most Corps you have the opportunity to volunteer for the Airborne. There is a chance to serve with 89 Military Intelligence Section attached to 16 Air Assault Brigade.

I must say it's not the easiest Corps to find information on...it's very hush, hush in places!!

'"Knowledge Gives Strength To The Arm"
Application - Done
BARB - 68 Passed
Basic Skills Test - Passed
Medical Forms - Cleared (eventually!)
ADSC Passed- 25/08/09
INT Corps Selection - Feb 2010
Chosen Jobs- #1 Operator Military Intelligence (Int Corps) / #2 Royal Corps of Signals
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Post by Wholley »

I'll see you at Chicksands then Dixie,thats where I take the dog for a walk 8)
Dixie66
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Post by Dixie66 »

"broadsword calling danny boy"

I might have to learn the password first, oh yeah and past selection...just a minor technicality!
Application - Done
BARB - 68 Passed
Basic Skills Test - Passed
Medical Forms - Cleared (eventually!)
ADSC Passed- 25/08/09
INT Corps Selection - Feb 2010
Chosen Jobs- #1 Operator Military Intelligence (Int Corps) / #2 Royal Corps of Signals
sterion66
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Post by sterion66 »

I have always found job descriptions love to paint things rosey. I would love to know how much time is put into deciphering things and how much time you sit there writing reports etc... I have emailed asking for as much detail as possible. I shall report back my findings.

Mike
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Post by Dixie66 »

Without knowing the facts, i can imagine an Infantry Company or even Platoon Commander has a pen in thier hand quite a bit of the time. And in an Artillery Regiment, guns don't clean themselves and aren't firing all day long, so cleaning and maintaining equipment must make up a fair chunk of the average day.

I have no illusions that army life is going to be non stop excitment, cause nothing is, but just hoping if i get in the Int Corps will be interesting and varied.
Application - Done
BARB - 68 Passed
Basic Skills Test - Passed
Medical Forms - Cleared (eventually!)
ADSC Passed- 25/08/09
INT Corps Selection - Feb 2010
Chosen Jobs- #1 Operator Military Intelligence (Int Corps) / #2 Royal Corps of Signals
sterion66
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Post by sterion66 »

Day to day jobs there is a difference between making notes on things your learning as i would assume you may do in the infantry and filling out mass reports on your findings which may occur in the int corps.

The above is just my thoughts as I haven't had any experience in the infantry my thoughts are based on assumptions. What i am getting at is reports may needed to be made and obviously you will make notes on what you are finding but how many hours are put into such things. If there are a mass of reports and it's taking up a large amount of your time then I don't feel the job would suit me. This was all i was getting at. I hope I haven't offended anyone by the above.

Mike
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Post by bored_stupid »

Dixie66 wrote:I picked it mainly because i feel it will be varied and interesting, you still get field postings/travelling and basic training may satisfy your taste for the infantry life style.

Another plus is that like with most Corps you have the opportunity to volunteer for the Airborne. There is a chance to serve with 89 Military Intelligence Section attached to 16 Air Assault Brigade.
Just my 2p worth and I'll admit straight away that I have no solid info on the Int Corps but my understanding is that your main job would be producing situation reports for briefs to senior Officers/Platoon Commanders etc...

Now, even if you were to be posted to 16 Air Assault Brigade I don't think there'd be much opportunity for any infantry type work or crt's and other gucci ops like that as the intel for these reports will usually come from Recce troops like Pathfinders, SRR, Patrols Pltn, UAV's etc... which you would then collate and form "the big picture" so Commanders knew what was going on in their area of operations.

Obviously there's bound to be the odd opportunity to accompany the odd patrol but that's not the role you're paid to do so you won't be doing it too much.

From what I've heard, the treat you very well in the Int Corps and it's easy to get on adventure training courses etc... when you're not on ops but it's not really a frontline role (most of the guys are a bit geeky by all accounts!) but there is plenty of opportunities and it's a Corps that's pretty hard to get into and needs a fair amount of brain power to do well in (lots try and fail just like the physically hard courses) so good luck to you and I'm sure you will love it if you get in.
sterion66
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Post by sterion66 »

SITREPS are fine with me, extremely important. I just get the feeling that i might not be able to find out any more information than the job role on the army jobs website which for me isn't enough. I haven't had a reply to my email as of yet but there is also a number which i may ring when i get chance see if i can find anything more out.

Mike
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Post by Dixie66 »

What i mean't by field postings was being posted to Brigades in conflict zones, which isn't anything like sipping tea in a dark room pouring over maps in a fine English Country Estate :D . I have never been to a war zone, never heard shots fired in anger so to me that is a big deal. The taste of the Infantry lifestyle in basic training is the running around getting muddy part that we all from an early age have a picture of what soldiers do...obviously they do alot more than that and as we grow and mature we learn to appreciate the complexity and variety of what troops do. When i was young, Guards were just seen outside Windosr and Buck Palace but as i grew so i learn't about dual roles and the operational side of the forces.

The Int Corps was the highest i could go for, from what i have found out it's not a cakewalk getting into it or even serving in it but meets my criteria of being challenging, varied and different to what i do now with some fairly good career prospects. It's all horses for courses or something like that, we fit in where the Forces needs us and so if i can't make it into the Int Corps then my back up is The Corps of Royal Engineers, which is very much frontline and again a massive challenge which is what i'm after...all in all it means jack if i don't pass selection which is what i have to attempt first.

Saying that i do understand your situation Mike, but we won't truly know what to expect until we experience it first hand...so we must use the information given and make a decision based on that. My Uncle Jack left the farms in '43 and joined the Army to serve. On completion of training he was sent to a Rifle Battalion and that's how it worked..."you are needed here" , and the poor old Bevin Boys during the war had to work in the coal mines even if they wanted to serve in the forces, so in that respect we have a great amount of choice and information available. If national service was reintroduced (which i feel it should) for some reason then there wouldn't be much choice pass RAF, ARMY and NAVY.
Application - Done
BARB - 68 Passed
Basic Skills Test - Passed
Medical Forms - Cleared (eventually!)
ADSC Passed- 25/08/09
INT Corps Selection - Feb 2010
Chosen Jobs- #1 Operator Military Intelligence (Int Corps) / #2 Royal Corps of Signals
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Post by dwarfy »

Bit of strange way of doing it in some ways but if you wish to find out a little more than is out there in the public forum, find your nearest T.A Int Corps Det and rock up on a drill night/information night with the intention of 'having a closer look'.

You dont really even need to say anymore than that or that you are actually going full time, and to be fair they shouldn't be annoyed even if they knew what you were doing, as its all for the same Corps.

Just a suggestion.
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Post by MSI64 »

The course is very demanding be under no illusions before you join, Please go into it with open eyes.

You will not be fast roping out of helicopters or driving Aston Martins!!
As a LCpl in the Corps remember you are the lowest rung on the ladder.
You will be preparing briefs but there will be a chance to get out in the field with the Infantry if you get the right job (Humint/Weapons Int)
The course is not about code breaking and secret Kung fu stuff.
Its a lot of work and many a late hour in the classroom practising briefing styles and Power point.
sterion66
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Post by sterion66 »

Attention to detail is always important so i'm going to start now
As a LCpl in the Corps remember you are the lowest rung on the ladder.
So after your next promotion some of the work you did as a LCpl may be passed down and you will be tasked with something else? I don't mean the whole job but i mean just a certain procedure or something.
find your nearest T.A Int Corps Det and rock up on a drill night/information night with the intention of 'having a closer look'.
Either London or Coulby Newham are the only 2 places where there are TA Battalions.

Dixie - Totally agree there's only so much information you can find out rest is just give it a crack. Lets face it if you don't like it, it's too complex or for whatever other reason there's a mass of jobs in the army i'm sure you'd be capable of.

Mike
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Post by Dixie66 »

I'm sure everyone thinks the grass is greener at another regiment or Corps, can't imagine everyone is 100% happy with what they do. I mean i'm a postman and enjoy it but sometimes think i should be doing an office job, but then would i miss the outdoors but would be paid more so it can be a 50/50 decision. My former recruiting Sgt has spent 22+ years in the Artillery but if he could do it all again would have done something more mentally challenging, but his relatives served in the RA so that's what he went with.
At the end of the day, we all join to be soldiers which is what we are taught to be during basic, after that it's fitting into a role that is right for the individual and the Army.
Application - Done
BARB - 68 Passed
Basic Skills Test - Passed
Medical Forms - Cleared (eventually!)
ADSC Passed- 25/08/09
INT Corps Selection - Feb 2010
Chosen Jobs- #1 Operator Military Intelligence (Int Corps) / #2 Royal Corps of Signals
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