Intelligence Officer Program
Officer candidate indoctrination and training for appointment on active duty as ensign, U.S. Navy, designator 1830, Special Duty Officer (Intelligence (INTEL)) requirements per Program Authorization 108A, signed, April 13, 2019.
The program accepts applications from qualified civilians, enlisted personnel of the regular Navy or Navy Reserve (active and inactive), or enlisted personnel of other armed services with an approved inter-service transfer.
Qualifications
The United States Navy Intelligence Officer Program is open to both men and women who are citizens of the United States. Waivers for the citizenship requirement will not be considered.
Age: Applicants must be at least 18 years old and less than 42 years old at the time of commissioning.
For surface warfare officer (SWO) (INTEL option), applicants must not have passed their 35th birthday upon commissioning.
Security Clearance Eligibility: Candidates must meet the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 704 eligibility standards for access to sensitive compartmented information.
Education
Minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required.
Major fields of study in International Relations with a Language/Regional Focus (e.g., Middle East or Asian Studies), Political Science, History, or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are strongly preferred, but not required.
An undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale is required. Exceptional candidates may request a waiver if their cumulative undergraduate GPA is above 2.8. A conferred graduate-level degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative graduate program GPA of 3.0 or greater will supersede an undergraduate degree with a non-qualifying GPA.
Foreign Language Skill: Certifiable foreign language skills and cultural background/expertise is highly desirable but not required. Claims to language skills must be supported by a valid Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) or a Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) test to measure the applicant's aptitude to learn a foreign language.
Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR): All applicants must take the OAR examination. Applicants for commission as an INTEL Officer must attain a score of 50 or greater, waiverable to 45.
Leadership and Work Experience
Prior military experience (Intelligence Specialists, and other similar ratings/ MOS', etc.) and/or significant civilian occupational experience in disciplines related to intelligence or cyber-related professions is strongly desired.
Military work experience shall be validated with submission of the applicant's three most recent observed performance evaluations, military training, and education completed.
Leadership: Quantifiable record of leadership, management, or supervisory experience in civilian and/or military organizations is strongly preferred.
Physical
Applicants must be physically qualified in accordance with the physical standards established by the Manual of the Medical Department, Chapter 15. Candidates must meet the physical fitness weight and/or percentage of body fat standards at the time of application and at time of commissioning.
Indoctrination
Selectees will complete Officer Candidate School (OCS), Officer Training Command, Newport, RI.
Enlistment: Civilians and enlisted applicants in the paygrades of E-4 and below who are selected for this program are designated officer candidates and advanced to the paygrade of E-5 upon reporting to OCS. Enlisted applicants in the paygrades of E-5 and above are designated officer candidates in their present paygrade. (Basic Military Pay Chart)
Appointment
Candidates will be commissioned in the restricted Line of the U.S. Navy as an Ensign, designator 1830.
Surface Warfare Officer (INTEL option): Ensign, USN, designator 1160 (Surface Warfare Officer Student), additional qualification designator of "LOE." Officers will be redesignated to 1830 without board action per Information Warfare Community (IWC) Option Program, MILPERSMAN 1212-050.
Service Obligation
Officers must serve at least four years on active duty from date of appointment. The balance of service, sufficient to complete eight years total obligated service, may be served in a ready reserve status.
Surface Warfare Officer (INTEL Option): Upon redesignation to 1830, SWO (INTEL option) officers incur an additional minimum service obligation per MILPERSMAN 1212-050 from date of designator change to be served concurrently with any other obligations.
Pay and Allowances: Upon commencing Oficer Candidate School, selectees will receive pay and benefits based on paygrade as outlined above in the Indoctrination "Enlistment" paragraph.
