351M or MI Officer? What is the better career path?

SPC Nolan Nartatez — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 07:39:22 -0400

I want to transition to 35M after my first contract is complete. I have all the scores necessary to get it, however I know I don't want to stay enlisted. I want to make my way into either warrant officer as 351M or use the green to gold program, and hopefully get selected for the MI field. I want to know what the day-to-day lives of both are like, and any other relevant information to help me make a decision for my wife and I. I plan to stay in at least 20 years, maybe more.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Oct 30 at 2021 2:45 PM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 14:45:03 -0400

It really depends on what you want to do. If you really want to do the specific Human Intelligence stuff, go Warrant. MI Officers are, generally speaking, generalists not specialists.

Additionally, the farther up the Officer chain you go, the more removed you will be from the specifics of that field. MI LTCs do almost nothing with actual intelligence. CW5s are actively involved with intel collection and analysis everyday.

MI LTCs oversee BDE S2s, who advise BDE Commanders and focus BN S2s who advise BN Commanders and issue collection focus to Companies and attached assets who do the actual collection. A LTC is almost always going to be *at least* 2 steps - if not 4 - from the actual intelligence collection and collation. Even within the G2, the LTC is directing CPTs who are telling NCOs what to actually do. Sure, the LTC is providing the focus and guidance, but is not doing actual intel work, or even directly supervising it.

Whereas Warrants are generally not out there doing interrogations or collections - but they could be from time to time, even the CW5s. And the majority of the time when they are directing others, it is a direct line from Chief to collector, or *maybe* one or *at most* two steps removed.

Finally, an MI Officer is more focused on POLICY; an MI Warrant is more focused on PROCEDURE. Officers tell you WHAT to do, Warrants tell you HOW to do it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2021 4:52 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 16:52:08 -0400

Thats a lot of wants there. Its not as simple as reclassing to 35M anymore like it used to be. You will first need to successfully complete DLI prior to attending the 35M AIT. I can assure you that making it to 351M is not as simple as it seems. You will need at a minimum 6 years experience as a 35M with at least 1 assignment in an operational strategic unit or two consecutive units that have an active HUMINT mission which right now stands at 3 locations, Hawaii, Korea, and Europe.

In terms of officers, MI is one of the most competitive branches to get not to mention actually getting selected into the G2G program. If you want to enter the MI field, look for an MOS that has a continuous mission like All-source or SIGINT/GEOINT.

HUMINT is not as prevalent as it once was.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2021 5:58 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 17:58:03 -0400

Yeah... You're definitely putting the cart before the horse here.

First, you're not going to move into 351M if you're not a 35M, and there is no guarantee that you can reclass into 35M. There are many, many, many variables that go into what you can reclass into during your enlistment. Bottom line, the Army wants to move you from an over strength to an under strength MOS. If you aren't over strength and your requested MOS isn't under strength at the time of your request, you're going to face significant hurdles.

Second, you don't get to pick your branch when you commission. You put a list of preferences on a piece of paper, but the Army decides where you will go. Whether you go the OCS route or Green to Gold ROTC route, you'll find that the Army makes the decision to which branch you move to. Infantry and MI are the two most requested branches, so unless you are ahead of your peers in PT, GPA, and every other measurable metric, you probably aren't going to be an MI officer.

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made Oct 30 at 2021 10:40 PM

MSG John Duchesneau — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 22:40:17 -0400

If you want to do MI work and MI work only - I recommend the Warrant Officer route. If you want a broader variety of experiences and higher levels of rank and responsibility then go the Officer route.
As a Warrant Officer you will be as close to your own boss as anyone in the military is. As an officer you will always have a commander, XO or chief of staff asking you to give a report about something. As an officer you will also have a few assignments outside of the MI field.
Everyone says that being a Warrant Officer is the best of both worlds of Officer and Enlisted and its probably true.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 1 at 2021 2:51 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 02:51:27 -0400

I was a 35M who was given the option to go warrant or officer, I choose to go officer. This was my experience as a National Guard soldier. Warrant required three NCOERs as a 35M, completion of SOC and proficiency in a language before you could apply. While I was qualified, I elected not to go this route because there was only one AGR slot in my state and I wanted to go active guard. I went through the OCS program to commission. There is no guarantee that you will branch MI. You will submit your top three branch choices, a board will meet, and by order of merit place people in available slots by needs of the Army. I choose to go officer because there was more active guard opportunities and I felt I could assist my soldiers better as an officer. Keep in mind you will not have very many opportunities as an MI officer to perform the tasks learned as a 35M so if you love doing the job I would recommend going warrant.

Response by CW4 Tim Leival made Jan 21 at 2022 11:02 PM

CW4 Tim Leival — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 23:02:16 -0500

To be a MI officer is a difficult and rewarding career. To serve as a 351M is a calling not unlike a priesthood. As one who left a long career in the 18-series to reclassify as a 351M, let me assure you that if mastery of the art of persuasion is not your life and all-consuming passion, then don’t waste everyones’time. The fact you are asking strangers for advice is inductive of a lack of self-awareness that is not conducive to success in this world. You need to get to know yourself better before you embark on that journey.