3
3
0
I just graduated from language training but failed the DLPT and now I have to reclass. Can someone please tell me about AIT for either MOS in terms of difficulty, requirements, etc? And could you also tell me about how a typical day performing this MOS is, duty stations, how much you enjoy the job, etc?
Advanced Individual Training (AIT) - 35F
35F-Enlisted: Intelligence Analyst
35G-Enlisted: Geospatial Intelligence Imagery Analyst
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 4
35F is shorter and will get you to a unit quicker. 35F are the face of the Intel community. the difficulty is what you make of the course. Each can be relatively easy if you are focused. I will say that I have had greater opportunities to see the world then what a 35G would get.
(5)
(0)
2
2
0
Prior 35F SGT here with a deployment. While deployed I worked mainly with 35S products, while CONUS I worked mainly with 35G products.
As a 35G you will learn the technical skills of imagery. None of which I really know well. I did pick up a few skills to pull imagery data for myself but certainly not the finer points of analyzing an image. I then also learned some points about 35S raw data while deployed.
As a 35F you will learn how to make presentations based on other Classified Reports and compile a more complete picture about a topic. Basically, what I thought (having gone in with a Master's degree) was anyone that was good at writing college reports and speaking in front of a room of people was going to do very well.
My biggest pet peeve is there is a failing with Database Management instruction. Duplicate records are rampant when trying to compile data from multiple sources. For example Bill G. Jones, William G Jones, Bill G Jones (notice the lack of a "." after G), Will George Jones, Bill George Jones are five different records in a database when in reality they are the same person and all correlating intel based on them needs to be consolidated. It's one of the more tedious things about being a 35F. Cleaning data, and making sure what you use for your analysis is sold information. NONE OF WHICH is taught in the school house. I only knew about it because of my civilian marketing analyst days, and you wanted to make sure you didn't send a mailer to the same person more than once.
As a 35F I have researched "individuals", I have researched "things", and I have researched "events", and I have used intel sources from nearly all typed of collection (signals, imagery, HUMINT, agency reports, etc....)
I got attached to an SF team as their personal analyst while down range . That would never have happened to a 35G.
35F = lots of thinking on your feet to make a product
35G = technical depth in imagery products
A good college researcher with a TS clearance can do a 35F job in the civilian sector. That's not the case so much with a 35G, and they learn a valuable specific skill.
As a 35G you will learn the technical skills of imagery. None of which I really know well. I did pick up a few skills to pull imagery data for myself but certainly not the finer points of analyzing an image. I then also learned some points about 35S raw data while deployed.
As a 35F you will learn how to make presentations based on other Classified Reports and compile a more complete picture about a topic. Basically, what I thought (having gone in with a Master's degree) was anyone that was good at writing college reports and speaking in front of a room of people was going to do very well.
My biggest pet peeve is there is a failing with Database Management instruction. Duplicate records are rampant when trying to compile data from multiple sources. For example Bill G. Jones, William G Jones, Bill G Jones (notice the lack of a "." after G), Will George Jones, Bill George Jones are five different records in a database when in reality they are the same person and all correlating intel based on them needs to be consolidated. It's one of the more tedious things about being a 35F. Cleaning data, and making sure what you use for your analysis is sold information. NONE OF WHICH is taught in the school house. I only knew about it because of my civilian marketing analyst days, and you wanted to make sure you didn't send a mailer to the same person more than once.
As a 35F I have researched "individuals", I have researched "things", and I have researched "events", and I have used intel sources from nearly all typed of collection (signals, imagery, HUMINT, agency reports, etc....)
I got attached to an SF team as their personal analyst while down range . That would never have happened to a 35G.
35F = lots of thinking on your feet to make a product
35G = technical depth in imagery products
A good college researcher with a TS clearance can do a 35F job in the civilian sector. That's not the case so much with a 35G, and they learn a valuable specific skill.
(2)
(0)
SPC (Join to see)
Thank you so much sir! I’ll keep that in mind. My main resistant with 35F is the fact that I’m not too fond of public speaking, however I have heard that 35F promotes quickly and I’m very good at writing. I appreciate your insight.
(0)
(0)
CPT (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) - Well, for the class you'll have to do a presentation as your final project. However, it took me a while to finally figure out (just before I finished college), that when giving a presentation in a classroom setting, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. Anyone that sharp shoots you runs the risk of getting shot at themselves when it's their turn.
Present within the first 5 of your class so you are still considered among the first, and are able to get the lay of the land from what to expect from the instructor, and you'll be able to adjust fire some.
The sooner you present the more folks in the audience are worried about their own presentation they have to do when it's their turn.
If you present first, no one wants to go next, if you are last everyone just wants you to shut up and be done with it.
This applies to all academic settings. Real Life is different.
When you finally get to a intel unit don't expect to be put in front of the Commander (COL+) anytime soon, that is unless your supervisors are proud of you and want to show off your briefing skills.
Present within the first 5 of your class so you are still considered among the first, and are able to get the lay of the land from what to expect from the instructor, and you'll be able to adjust fire some.
The sooner you present the more folks in the audience are worried about their own presentation they have to do when it's their turn.
If you present first, no one wants to go next, if you are last everyone just wants you to shut up and be done with it.
This applies to all academic settings. Real Life is different.
When you finally get to a intel unit don't expect to be put in front of the Commander (COL+) anytime soon, that is unless your supervisors are proud of you and want to show off your briefing skills.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
35F AIT is pretty intense, there’s 4 phases Mod A, B, C, D in mod A you only take one test and that’s a month into the course. You’re just learning the foundations. Mod B you take a test every 2 weeks and it’s all looking up the answers in your books or knowing it, Mod C it’s about the same stuff as Mod B but the questions are more analytical and you actually make products on the computer and you test every week. Then for Mod D and E they’re both out on the field and you get to apply what you have learned in a scenario. There’s one last test on that one.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
I can speak for the 35G side a bit. You’ll go to Fort Huachuca and have a 6 month AIT. For some people, it takes a few months to get into a class so it might be even longer. Once out, you can either have some Duty stations where you are more or less filling the spot but won’t do much GEOINT work. There the others where you will preform your job everyday or every other day. If you want to know about duty stations then you can go on ACT and find them on there. Send me a message if you need help figuring out how to do that on there. Overall, 35G is specialized in imagery and I enjoy it a lot. There are many cool things you’ll get to learn and see.
(1)
(0)
SPC (Join to see)
Thank you so much! How was AIT for you in terms of difficulty, physical requirements, Drill Sergeants, rucking, etc? I’m sorry I have so many questions, I haven’t been able to find out anything about 35G AIT.
(0)
(0)
SPC (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see)
So it was relatively easy. While I was there, the Drill Sergeants were very relaxed as long as you did the right thing. Personal time is usually kept for you but sometimes you’ll have to do CQ on the weekend for a bit. Physical requirement wise, you’ll need to work on your two mile run as Fort Huachuca has a high elevation so it’ll be harder to breath sometimes. Rucking they only did once a month but there are mountains located on the post so you can go hiking with a group up there which is pretty fun. Overall difficulty of the course isn’t to bad. Their won’t be any homework except for one section. Other than that, you’ll have time to learn it and the instructors are very helpful so you’ll be able to get it down if you focus. This was all in September 2019- March 2020.
So it was relatively easy. While I was there, the Drill Sergeants were very relaxed as long as you did the right thing. Personal time is usually kept for you but sometimes you’ll have to do CQ on the weekend for a bit. Physical requirement wise, you’ll need to work on your two mile run as Fort Huachuca has a high elevation so it’ll be harder to breath sometimes. Rucking they only did once a month but there are mountains located on the post so you can go hiking with a group up there which is pretty fun. Overall difficulty of the course isn’t to bad. Their won’t be any homework except for one section. Other than that, you’ll have time to learn it and the instructors are very helpful so you’ll be able to get it down if you focus. This was all in September 2019- March 2020.
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google