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USA35L

Counter Intelligence Agent

Conducts counterintelligence investigations, operations, collections, and analysis. Identifies and neutralizes foreign intelligence threats to the Army.

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Recruiter vs. Reality
What they tell you

As a Counterintelligence Agent, you'll protect the Army's secrets from foreign intelligence threats. You'll conduct investigations, identify espionage risks, and master the art of threat analysis — launching a career in counterintelligence that the CIA, FBI, and NSA actively recruit for.

What it's actually like

You are a counterintelligence agent, which sounds exactly as cool as you think it is and is simultaneously more boring than you can imagine. The cool part: you run operations to detect, identify, and neutralize foreign intelligence threats targeting U.S. Army personnel, technology, and operations. You interview sources, conduct surveillance, and investigate security incidents that could indicate espionage, sabotage, or terrorism. Your badge carries federal law enforcement authority, and your casework is classified at levels that make your security briefing an all-day event. The boring part: mountains of reports, database queries, link analysis charts, and the administrative overhead that turns every operation into a paper trail that JAG, MI command, and sometimes DOJ will review. Your investigations range from insider threats (the soldier selling secrets) to force protection (the person surveilling the gate), and each one requires patience, documentation, and the kind of methodical work that movie spies never do. Deployed CI is the premium assignment — you're operating in environments where the threat is active, your collection is real-time, and your reports directly influence force protection measures. Your federal LE authority, TS/SCI clearance, and investigative expertise are a recruiter's dream for the FBI, CIA, DIA, DSS, and defense contractors paying $85-130K.

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MOS Intel

ClearanceTS/SCI
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PromotionAverage
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Deploy TempoModerate
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BonusUp to $30,000
Career Intel
Duty StationsFort Liberty (NC) · Fort Meade (MD) · Fort Cavazos (TX) · Fort Huachuca (AZ) · Various INSCOM and CI sites worldwide
Daily LifeConducting counterintelligence investigations, security screenings, source operations, and threat assessments. You detect, identify, and neutralize foreign intelligence threats to the Army. The work can involve interviewing foreign nationals, investigating security violations, and running counterintelligence operations. The level of autonomy is significant.
AIT / SchoolThe CI Special Agent Course at Fort Huachuca (AZ) is about 19 weeks. Covers CI investigations, source operations, security screening, and threat analysis. Requires prior service (typically E4+ with a clean record and strong interview skills). Entry is competitive and includes a polygraph.
Physical DemandsLow. CI work is primarily interviews, investigations, and analysis. Standard Army PT requirements but the job is desk and field-interview based.
DeploymentsDeploys to conduct counterintelligence operations in theater; some assignments at fixed sites worldwide
Certifications
Counterintelligence Special Agent credentialTS/SCI clearance with CI polygraphSource handling certificationsVarious classified program accesses
Pro Tips
  1. 1Your CI credential and TS/SCI with poly make you one of the most hireable veterans in the intelligence community. Don't let your clearance lapse — ever.
  2. 2Build relationships across the intelligence community during your service. CI agents work with CIA, FBI, DIA, and NSA — those connections are your future career network.
  3. 3Specialize in cyber CI or technical CI — these subdisciplines are in extreme demand and command premium salaries in the civilian market.
The Honest Truth

Counterintelligence is one of the most intellectually demanding and career-rewarding MOSs in the Army. You are essentially a military spy hunter, and the work ranges from fascinating to mundane. The recruiter (for reclassification) will emphasize the James Bond aspects, and some assignments deliver on that promise — running source operations, investigating espionage, and conducting counterintelligence across foreign environments. The reality: a lot of CI work is security screenings, vulnerability assessments, and report writing. The high-end operational work is earned through experience and reputation. The civilian translation is extraordinary: the intelligence community and defense industry pay premium salaries for CI professionals with clearances and operational experience. FBI, CIA, DIA, and every major defense contractor actively recruit from the 35L community.

Training Pipeline
1
BCT10w
Fort Huachuca (AZ)
2
AIT18w
Fort Huachuca (AZ)
Counterintelligence Agent — CI collection, analysis, source operations. TS/SCI required.
On the Outside

What this actually is in the real world

Your skills translate. Here's what civilian employers call this job — and what they pay.

CI Analyst

Dead-on match
$95,000$68,000$145,000/yr median
Job market: Faster than average

Security Manager

Strong match
$78,000$55,000$115,000/yr median
Job market: Average

Federal Agent

Strong match
$89,000$65,000$135,000/yr median
Job market: Average

Risk Analyst

Related field
$82,000$58,000$125,000/yr median
Job market: Faster than average
Salary data estimated from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and comparable civilian roles. Figures are approximations — use as a guide, not a guarantee.
Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB)
$13,700SGT · 36-month contract · as of 2024-04-03
SGT rank, 36-month contract · Source: MILPER messages · Data gaps where PDFs unavailable
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