Intelligence in military

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 6/19/2009 3:44pm

Originally Posted by madrigan

So in your opinion a class on Foucault would not be applicable to working in the intelligence field?

I did not say that. I just focused in on a few specific classes to guage the strength of his analytic training. Any philosophy class is good for your brain; Not all of them are strictly Analytic.

**Sempai** · Posted On: 6/19/2009 11:23pm

I was in a similar situation 2 years ago, I was heading into the chemical branch instead. But I've worked with a few MI folks.

MI analysts largely deal with tracking troop movements and other situations in the AO that may effect operations. They look at documents and other odd things that grunts bring in from patrol that suggest the capabilities of the local hostiles. They also work with maintaining the physical security of sensitive items and information.

Since you're looking at graduation soon you'll have the option of going in as an officer. If you'd like more details PM me and I'll tell you all about how I did it. If you'd rather enlist goarmy.com is the place to do your research. You can also go down to the recruiting office and talk to a recruiter about your options, it's not like you have to sign anything before they let you leave.

**resolve** · Posted On: 6/20/2009 12:00am

My father was a military intelligence officer during Vietnam. He went through recondo school and all that jazz.

He ->had<- to learn languages as part of his job. He's forgotten most everything now but at one point he could speak Vietnamese, Korean, French, and passable light conversation Japanese.

Alot of the times he was with his COs gathering intel from local villagers about the VC. It was alot of what Sempai said as well; gathering intel from documents.

It put him in plenty of dangerous situations in hostile territory and he almost lost his life several times in firefights. I don't know how the Army utilizes their intelligence officers these days though.

**JanusMagus** · Posted On: 6/20/2009 1:57am

One of my relatives was in Vietnam as an officer and had his men turn on him, but luckily he didn't die (I hear that happened often).

a) More than 1 semester of (Symbolic/Mathematical) Logic
Yep. One of my favorite things is pure logic really. I have so many books (besides the ones I had for the classes) on Aristotelian and symbolic logic, etc. The logic games on the LSAT are a fun challenge imo.
b) any Philosophy of Language
No but I know some... I just found that boring.
c) any Philosophy of Science, Mind, or supporting Cognitive Science.

I love philosophy of science. I also used to like books on string theory that I obviously couldn´t really grasp by Brian Greene and Lee Smolin. I like Ernst Mayr for evolution and took AP bio. I kind liked philosophy of mind, although not the materialists, and I like to read about current neuroscience )and especially Nicholas Taleb´s books on our cognitive biases. I enjoy the free will debate, hard and soft problems of consciousness (Chalmers, Dennett, James Moreland, Churchlands, etc..=.

alsoÑ If it really means anything, I love movies like Nreach and Body of Lies, and I really love to read books about spies and Con Mneñ and also strategy books like Robert Greene and Carl von Clausewitz.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 6/20/2009 12:16pm

Originally Posted by JanusMagus

One of my relatives was in Vietnam as an officer and had his men turn on him, but luckily he didn't die (I hear that happened often).

a) More than 1 semester of (Symbolic/Mathematical) Logic
Yep. One of my favorite things is pure logic really. I have so many books (besides the ones I had for the classes) on Aristotelian and symbolic logic, etc. The logic games on the LSAT are a fun challenge imo.
b) any Philosophy of Language
No but I know some... I just found that boring.
c) any Philosophy of Science, Mind, or supporting Cognitive Science.

I love philosophy of science. I also used to like books on string theory that I obviously couldn´t really grasp by Brian Greene and Lee Smolin. I like Ernst Mayr for evolution and took AP bio. I kind liked philosophy of mind, although not the materialists, and I like to read about current neuroscience )and especially Nicholas Taleb´s books on our cognitive biases. I enjoy the free will debate, hard and soft problems of consciousness (Chalmers, Dennett, James Moreland, Churchlands, etc..=.

alsoÑ If it really means anything, I love movies like Nreach and Body of Lies, and I really love to read books about spies and Con Mneñ and also strategy books like Robert Greene and Carl von Clausewitz.

It sounds like you have a good analytical background. You should have no problem with the ASVAB. Get a good enough score and they'll basically say "You can choose any job you want" but of course they'll try to sell you on whatever suits their needs best. Stick to you guns.

Just out of curiosity, how far does your training in Logic go? Have you had any Metalogic or exposure to the completeness/incompleteness theorems?

If you're still in school, try to get a course in computability, computation theory (usually a senior CS course). I think you'll dig Chomsky and Turing's work. Those boys are wicked smaht.

Good luck.

**madrigan** · Posted On: 6/20/2009 12:35pm

Originally Posted by War Wheel

I did not say that. I just focused in on a few specific classes to guage the strength of his analytic training. Any philosophy class is good for your brain; Not all of them are strictly Analytic.

I know you didn't, i was attempting to be funny. Ok, back to the topic now.

**Kilted One** · Posted On: 6/20/2009 1:06pm

If you want to be treated well and work in intelligence, I suggest the Air Force, Navy, or the Coast Guard. It does not sound like the ASVAB will be a problem. You can get E-3 wages and sleep in tents, i.e., Marines or Army, or you can get E-3 wages and sleep in hotels (not aboard ship though). USAF, Navy or Coast Guard intel people actually spend most of their time performing intel activities. Intel is frequently broken down between imagery, signal, cryptographic, and other types of intel, etc. I am about to retire from the Army Reserve and am currently serving in Iraq where I am not wearing my kilt.

**JanusMagus** · Posted On: 6/20/2009 7:31pm

Thank you so much for your help.

Also: my training in logic really doesn't go up THAT high it's just that I really studied the basics well and symbolic. Unfortunately the best professors at my college don't teach the logic classes so it seems hopeless for me there. But I will try some of those classes if I get the chance.

Almost everyone I ask tells me to do air force, so I may try to stick with that.
I'll just have to see just how good I can do on that test and keep studying for the LSAT so I can take that too just in case this falls through.

**omoplatypus** · Posted On: 6/20/2009 8:35pm

i have a cousin who is in navy crypto. she said that, generally speaking, there are almost always openings in the intel community. not from lack of interest, but lack of qualified personnel. good luck with everything.

oh yeah, and +1 on navy or air force intel.