Is enlisting 35N and transferring to 35L at E5 a viable option in the National Guard?

2021-04-20T23:36:07-04:00

I understand 35N is SIGINT and 35L is primarily HUMINT focused. I have heard that 35M is a feeder to 35L, that being said, I am weary of 35M civilian employment prospects especially as real world experience will be limited in the Guard. 35N, from what I've heard, provides very marketable skills, directly from AIT for contracting jobs and seems to have the best overall employment prospects. Nevertheless, I would still transfer for 35L if possible as Counterintelligence is where I would aim for in the long-run.

So, would a 35N ever be considered for a transfer to 35L? (National Guard only)

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Apr 21 at 2021 8:45 AM

2021-04-21T08:45:06-04:00

Either 35M or 35N is viable for a transfer to 35L. However 35M has more overlap in skills and will be an easier transition.

Since you are talking specifically guard, more important than that is what is slots are available (and will be available down the road).

And finally, regarding employment, 35M is actually MORE easily transferable to civilian employment than 35N. Both are VERY marketable for federal government and government contracting jobs. However 35M skills are ALSO transferable to purely civilian jobs involving heavy human interaction, such as sales, recruiting, and some government jobs at the state and local levels.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2021 1:38 PM

2021-04-21T13:38:06-04:00

Having spent time as a 35F and becoming an NCO as such, here's my take on it.

35L in the USAR is over rated. Everything in the USAR is over rated. While home in garrison doing weekend warrior stuff we fall victim to the lowest common denominator mandatory training. That is Fitness, Urine tests, SHARP, TARP, EO, maybe a range, etc.......... regardless of MOS we are all doing 90% the same thing.

35L is the hardest intel MOS to promote in. I looked into it myself. It sounded cool, but the promotion threshold was 700+ points. Just about any other 35 MOS only needed a pulse. Every time I check it's still the same thing.

35F, 35G, and 35N seem to have the best upward mobility because folks can put that to work elsewhere. Hell, the Air Force was sniping our 35G's with $100K signing bonuses. I was telling soldiers they should take it. You can always come back to the Army after if you don't like it, but don't turn away $100K for your family. Good Lord................

Now, in terms of the Intelligence Community I got a sense (while deployed and doing active 35F stuff) we military intel folks are at the bottom of the food chain. There is a HUGE gap between us and the next competent intel agency. HUGE!!!!!!!!!!

Here's what I'm getting at. The USAR recruits into its intel ranks from anyone that scored high enough on the ASVAB that graduated high school (which could be a sub 2.0 GPA), and was fit enough to get through MEPS. They are all probably too young to get into any significant trouble and easily clear a background.

The three letter agencies are pulling from anywhere they can think of, the best universities the USA has to offer. Then they test the hell out of them, and only keep pursuing those that rose to the top. Finally, they eventually train them, and continue to educate them.

So, when you are down range, and in a situation where there are three letter analysts there with PhD's guess who is making the coffee.

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If you want to use the USAR as a means to get you into full time employment in the Intel Community then jump on all deployments and missions you can get your hands on. Get experience anywhere and everywhere. Otherwise, all you have is BCT and AIT, and once back home in your reserve unit just doing monthly drills all that training relevancy washes away (unless you deploy a lot and use it).