If I wanted to join the cia, then what military branch would benefit me most?

Question

Also, should i go to college first and military second? or vice versa

and please if your knowledge is derived from hollywood or jason bourne, please keep answers to yourself (however i am a big fan ha)

thank you

Answer 1

Join the Army and go into Military Intelligence; while you are serving in the military you can go to college and get your degree in Criminal Justice.

Answer 2

Your question is a bit ambiguous. Are you trying to join the CIA or the Military? Do you want to be Field Officer, or an Intel type?

If you wish to be a Field Officer, a suggestion is to go to any of the branches of the US Military and attempt to become a SPECOPS operator. (Force RECON/SEALS/Green Beret/Air Commando.)

Once you have done this, and decided you have had your fill of lving in the bush for however long, and being away from family for even longer, and putting your life on the line too many times, without anyone knowing about it, because you were never there, then you can decide to go and apply for the CIA as an Field Officer.

While in the Military it would be great for you to use your spare time to complete your college degree.

The CIA does look for people with college degrees.

Here is the information from their web page for a Paramilitary Operations Officer:

Paramilitary Operations Officer/Specialized Skills Officer

Work Schedule: Full Time

Salary: $54,525 – $75,669

Location: Washington, DC metropolitan area



The Clandestine Service is looking for U.S. citizen candidates to fill Paramilitary Operations Officer and Specialized Skills Officer positions. Paramilitary Operations Officers and Specialized Skills Officers serve both at our Headquarters in Washington DC and overseas. Qualified candidates can expect to focus on intelligence operations and activities for U.S. policymakers in hazardous and austere overseas environments. A number of qualified Paramilitary Operations Officer candidates are trained in the Clandestine Service Trainee (CST) Program. Specialized Skills Officers support a wide variety of activities.    

Minimum requirements for Paramilitary Operations Officers include a bachelor's degree and military special operations or combat arms experience (ground, air, or maritime). Previous foreign travel, combat service, and foreign language proficiency is highly valued. For Specialized Skills Officers, minimum requirements also include a bachelor's degree. A background in aviation, maritime experience, military psychological warfare operations, information operations, communications, business, and counterintelligence are preferred. The 35-year maximum age requirement could be waived on a case-by-case basis.

All applicants must successfully complete a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview and an extensive background investigation. US citizenship is required.

To be considered suitable for Agency employment, applicants must generally not have used illegal drugs within the last twelve months. The issue of illegal drug use prior to twelve months ago is carefully evaluated during the medical and security processing.

Important Notice:  Knowledge by non-Agency personnel of your association with the Central Intelligence Agency or the Intelligence Community may limit your ability to perform or preclude you from certain assignments. NCS applicants should therefore endeavor to protect the fact that they have applied and/or are thinking of applying to the NCS. We urge your discretion throughout the entire hiring process to ensure maximum flexibility for your potential NCS career. Further guidance will be provided as competitive applicants move through the hiring steps.

To Apply:

Submit Resume Online

Note: Multiple submissions are unnecessary and will slow the processing of your resume. Of course, if you made an error in your submission or need to update your resume, you may submit another resume. The second resume will overwrite the first.

An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free work force.

Posted: Apr 21, 2007 06:18 PM

Last Updated: Feb 21, 2008 03:07 PM

Last Reviewed: Feb 21, 2008 03:07 PM