Do CIA agents actually get in firefights? or are they just paper pushers who send special forces to do their work instead?
>>28304322
Bit of both with extraordinary rendition to 3rd world shitholes too
>>28304322
they "officially" dont do anything
outside of the office
its mostly a sea of non-official covers and plausible deniability handled by a handful of case officers
>>28304322
sometimes they get in plane crashes
CIA agents are by and large desk jockeys but they are held to physical standards and trained in self defense, offensive driving, room clearing, etc.
Imagine a football coach that can also run the plays if needed. Thats about it.
You know Stan from American dad? That's almost identical to CIA jobs except even less action than what Stan gets
>>28304322
POOs are a type of CIA agent.
>>28304322
my dads exwife works at the cia.
knowing her personally (and was brought along on "bring your family to work" at the cia day) she could ONLY be a desk jockey. Lots of locked rooms with security checkpoints everywhere. dads exwife may be a paper pusher but probably helps with cover stories and shit. desu I think she does cyber security or something. (LOL thats been working well in the US lately).
>>28304384
thats bullshit this woman is a skinny fat delusional nerd who cant handle much.
It depends. Case officers are typically armed, and have to go through the Agency's paramilitary course, which is essentially the same as Army infantry training. Yet former case officers often attest to the fact that their work involves a lot of time at desks and at society functions looking for assets to recruit. Back in the Cold War, KGB agents were a significant source of concern for case officers in the field, so it was probably more exciting.
Now, case officers are what most people are thinking of when they think 'CIA agent'. But that doesn't mean CIA personnel never get their hands dirty. CIA has its own in-house paramilitary unit called the Special Activities Division. Depending on who you ask, they number either a few dozen or a few hundred, and almost all of them are former members of SOCOM or JSOC. They definitely fit what you're looking for.
>>28304414
Then she's not an 'agent', or more correctly, a case officer. The dude you're replying to was likely referring to them, and he's correct.
>>28304383
...with no survivors.
>>28304403
That's actually a pretty good analogy.
Most spying done by the CIA is done by recruited assets, but their handlers have to be able to do the job just as well, if not better.
It's like the Special Forces. You can't recruit or run agents without being an expert in tradecraft yourself.
>>28304383
>>28304471
This.
As someone who's looked into as a career he wanted to pursue (though realized it's essentially something you don't get without an invitation), SAD (special activities division) is what people think of when they want "the real COD black ops, HURR"
The ones who go in, shoot shit, assassinate peopl, etc.
>>28304471
>almost all of them are former members of SOCOM or JSOC
Where do people get this idea?
>>28304955
What if I want to get into such a career but don't necessarily want to be an elite operator and get into SOF, then SAD?
>>28304322
>agents
They're called Case Officers and they go through paramilitary training but their job largely consists of building relationships with potential sources and then gathering information from them, then doing a lot of paperwork.
They have Paramilitary Officers in the Special Activities Division that are more in line with what you think but their job most of the time is exactly like what Army SF does except more spooktastic.
>>28306298
do you happen to be friends with a bunch of members of terrorist organizations for no apparent reason?
>>28304383
>>28306346
No. I'm not looking to become Jason Bourne, but I want to do some interesting work in the intel field without being in an office all the time
>>28304322
If you want to read any books on the subject I'd suggest The Good Spy, See No Evil, and The Book of Honor. There's quite a few books out about intelligence organizations and operations but those three are specifically about case officers
>>28306372
are you exSF? do you speak many languages? since you answered no to both, sorry kid.
>>28304471
>Agency's paramilitary course, which is essentially the same as Army infantry training
It's way more than that. Read Robert Bauer's See No Evil for an overview into what they actually learn.
Also, OP, you can read this for some info - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Allen_Davis_incident
>>28306406
Whats the recruitment like for assets and are languages enough?
Notthatanonbtw.jpeg
>>28306522
Recruitment can be anything from casually asking someone for information to being actively blackmailed for it. There is no right way to recruit someone, just a case by case basis.
Languages are the most important aspect, the more you know the better your chances are but you also need to have a near insane knowledge of current events and local culture and customs.
>>28304383
Big guys live big lives
>>28304471
>paramilitary course
>essentially AIT
holy kek
>>28306572
....so id only be qualified as an asset for western internet communities, or when the next major ddos or giant customer data list is posted
>>28304383
Was shitposting part of your plan?
>>28306616
An asset is a source if that makes sense. There's no Jason Bourne style "deniable asset" that's trained for years by the CIA then goes around doing black ops. The CIA has no jurisdiction on US soil so probably not, sorry.
>>28306613
Not him but what's the difference and what do they teach them specifically?
Can you only receive that kind of training at the Agency?
>>28306406
>do you speak many languages
I'm only bilingual. What languages would I need to learn?
>>28304322
Robert Bear was one of the boots on the ground when we tried to assassinate Saddam in the late 80s.
Let's say there is a guy from Iraq who knows 4 languages and wants to work with the CIA. What would he do?
I'm asking for a friend
>>28304322
Both. CIA employs analysts to go over recovered intelligence, prepare documents, do all the paper pusher stuff, but it's important papers that need pushing. It was CIA analysts who prepare the briefing for every major player before a big operation.
They also employ field agents, who collect the intelligence. This ranges from cold war style intelligence gathering (spy planes, document copying, etc), to boots on the ground where the agent liases with local intelligence agencies, or investigates them, or works with moles, or any of the hundreds of ways HUMINT is collected.
There are also agents that go on raids with Spec Ops teams. The spec ops will clear enemy resistance, and the agent will take care of ensuring they got the right prisoner, the right documents, whatever.
>>28307421
Apply for a job
>>28307099
see
>>28306455
>readabooknigga.jpg
>>28304384
>held to physical standards
Lol no.
There are no physical requirements for hire into the NCS. That's straight from the mouth of a recruiter.
>>28306406
Nigger, there are fucking nurses who decided to apply for the NCS and got hired.
>>28305099
I could see it for SAD, not everyone can sneak the Dalai Llama out of Tibet. The average CIA agent hell no.
>>28307421
Go look online at the career listings
>>28307421
apply for SAD/CIA. its on their website. this kind of guy would be good for this
>>28308111
Where are they getting that idea though? I've read a few CIA books and none of them had any military experience. A few of them didn't even go to college.
>>28308176
>Where are they getting that idea though?
Movies and the internet.
>>28306455
I would have thought that someone cool and disciplined enough to work for SAD wouldn't start a fight over a parking spot
>>28308208
he was a hitman
more often than not they sit around and jerk each other off like any other state or government employee
eventually your wrist gets a sprain, and you collect disability
>>28306357
That is an impressive macro
>>28305099
The fact that that's who they recruit? It's not an idea, it's reality. Very rarely will they recruit someone from inside the Agency. It used to be they would request active duty Special Forces members and put them on 'detached duty' with the Division, but apparently that's not done very often anymore.
>>28308422
sheep dipping
>>28308422
>The fact that that's who they recruit? It's not an idea, it's reality.
This is correct, but very misleading. It does not mean that "almost all of them are former members of SOCOM or JSOC". They do a wide range of recruiting. It's like thinking the army only recruits kids in high school.
If you look at CIA deaths and public figures, very few have any military experience and even less have SOCOM experience. If you read books written by former agents, almost none of them have any military experience.
>>28308527
This desu senpai.
Here's an idea anons, why don't you find out who is the recruiting manager for your region by attending some recruiting events or panels at a nearby college (helps if your college has an ICCAE program or is heavily recruited by .gov and defense contractors) and ask them.
They will straight up tell you exactly this.
Guess who applies and gets hired into the NCS?
Nurses, mechanics, students, some veterans though they don't give veterans preference and are the only .gov entity that isn't required to, librarians, fucking anyone who can write a good cover letter showing that they understand what the job entails. The recruiter told me straight to my face that they don't give a flying fuck about your resume because what they train and do isn't legally done by anyone else in the US, and what they look at is the cover letter, which gets you the interview.
But if you don't want to go in blind (and you probably don't) I would recommend going into any of the four branches MI corps'. I've never worked with them but I hear Muuhhrreeeens probably aren't the best choice for MI. Navy is pretty cool, IS get to do some choice things like NSW (took a class with them), and I have a few friends who went into the AF as MI and they liked it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:United_States_intelligence_agencies
CIA is old news, people. there are literally hundreds of agencies that use different tactics and methods for different projects. Plus, there may be many more that we will never know about.
>>28306455
> On October 1, 2011, Douglas County, Colorado, sheriff's deputies arrested Davis in Highlands Park, Colorado, at the Town Center in Highlands Ranch, for third-degree assault and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors, stemming from a dispute between Davis and 50-year-old Jeff Maes about a parking space.
> Davis later pled guilty to misdemeanor third-degree assault and received a two-year probationary sentence.
A violent kind of guy. I like it.
Good read, Anon, appreciate it. I had never heard about it, but it sounds like a complete clusterfuck. Pakistan really is fucked. I like how the intelligence director resigned knowing that some shady shit was going down within the Paki government.
I don't think Davis would simply murder two dudes unless they pointed a firearm at him. That's a lot of unwanted attention. Seems to me that the two guys on the bike probably wanted to bring Davis into questioning or make him disappear.
Just ordered that book. You know of any other stories like this one that is available to the public?
>>28304322
CIA officers do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Iu7xs74hJw
>>28304322
They used to.
>>28308958
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1db_1188948068
>>28308735
this pretty much. i've been approached a few times for applying, and i'm nothing special (some army time, went to college, bunch of trade certificates and other experience, et c)
Then again won't you just get approached for shitty positions if you have no mil/SF experience?
Or is it like in that movie with Colin Farell where you can pretty much become an "agent" by having interesting skills in languages/technology and computers/something else that's useful?
Are all Agency jobs outside of SAD-SOG just some variation of pushing papers?
What about their Political Action Group? Do they only take in ex-SOF as well?
here is a nonclassified version of what they do: http://www.understandingwar.org/
they write reports about shit going on in places of interest to policy makers. notable analysts could be given a diplomatic cover to go in country for classified reports they can only get from local contacts.
guaranteed it does not pay well.
>>28304322
ok, here is the cliffnotes version. you have analysts, field agents and sad
analysts push paper. their job is to analyse. suprisingly.
field operatives recruit 'agents', which is an individual outside the cia, to gather intelligence for them. because instead of trying to get access it's easier to get the people who have access. this is a large part of what human intelligence is. you gather intelligence from humans. yay. these can be guys meeting guys in afghanistan, or it can be some guy with diplomatic cover in europe persuading (blackmailing a lot of the time) that russian embassy lackey to make a few extra copies. this still happens. think cold war shit. depends heavily on people skills as well.
sad kill people and get in firefights.
yeah. an "intelligence product" means a report a lot like a legal brief. analysts have to write and read more then most lawyers and get paid a lot less.
>>28309173
Jesus fucking Christ if you can't find this information just fucking forget about working in the IC at all.
>>28309428
>guaranteed it does not pay well.
Even if it didn't it's not about the money. When I worked in Iraq I got first hand experience of how important the job is.
>>28309519
>an "intelligence product" means a report a lot like a legal brief.
It doesn't.
A product can be many different formats, it's dependent on what the customer (policy maker or decision maker) wants.
That can range from white papers to briefings to imagery with captions.
>>28309560
its about the money. its always about the money.
>>28309577
so... a brief. cool.
>>28309615
>its about the money. its always about the money.
Which is why you're on here asking about the IC instead of having worked in it.
>>28309656
wasn't me asking, it was me explaining. i'm an infosec anarchist they wouldn't touch in a million miles.
>>28309735
>they wouldn't touch in a million miles.
That's an interesting unit of measurement to use for that.
>>28304322
Mr. Anderson. Do you want to die on an oil reserve?
>>28308843
>You know of any other stories like this one that is available to the public?
This was pretty neat imo
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2556350/Surveillance-footage-shows-US-special-forces-took-ONE-minute-grab-terror-suspect-surgical-raid-outside-home-Libya.html
>>28306398
The good spy really hit the nail on the head with being a Case Worker. He barely ever carried his weapon, unless under orders to do so.
One of my geography professor is one of the guy in the JAWBREAKER during 9/11 innafghanistan, he teach classes in conflicts, CIA 101, and GIS, 29ish year of service for the CIA
>started off as an analyst, history major
>literally desk job, 9-5, the environment on langley is more similar to the show The Office
>20 year of service
>jews did 9/11
>years of paperworking veteran, he got into the JAWBREAKER team, one of the first people to step foot on Afghan, couple of weeks after 9/11
>CIA put him on a training, not that of a SEAL-tier level, but like basic CIA field courses on the farm
they're working on a team, most of them consist of field workers like from the SAD/paramilitary/local militia as for the footsoldiers, and a couple of guys from langley office for brainy stuff
most of the time innafghanistan, although he got assigned with a rifle, pistol, and other shit, he's still with local sandpeople, the CIA pays the sandpeople as his team's 'bodyguard' during the tour
pic related, its him
>>28311939
forgot the pic
>>28304858
>>28304322
Why do we even have these assholes again? Has the CIA or the NSA or any of these pompous secretive asshole organizations ever protected the country in any way? It seems like we only keep them because they always have an excuse. Decades ago it was "muh soviets" but now it's "muh terrorism"
>>28314503
Aren't the CIA and NSA basically untouchable at that point?
>>28311939
>sends in a literal history major with no combat experience to run paramillitary ops
deep pockets I see
>>28314503
They have. Most of the shit they do never reaches the public.
They also have screwed up sometimes and made things worse.
Also, NSA != CIA
CIA is foreign ops. They aren't allowed to spy on the US (though they probably have anyway)
NSA is domestic for the most part. They're the ones that spy on the US residents. As far as I know, their primary concern is terrorism and cyberattacks
>>28315315
>The National Security Agency (NSA) is an intelligence organization of the United States government, responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign intelligence and counterintelligence purposes – a discipline known as signals intelligence (SIGINT). NSA is concurrently charged with protection of U.S. government communications and information systems against penetration and network warfare.[8][9]
NSA isn't supposed to spy on people in the US. It also fails hard at both of the jobs it's actually intended to do.
>>28314503
>Has the CIA or the NSA or any of these pompous secretive asshole organizations ever protected the country in any way
The CIAs job first and foremost is to provide intelligence about global events, and inform policy makers in a clear and concise way. Though I'm sure they do much more than that, the majority of the organization is in Langley doing paperwork that, while highly classified, is probably relatively boring.
>tfw getting a degree in Criminal Justice
>tfw a minor in French
>tfw I just want to travel the world
>tfw I'll never be a CIA agent
Honestly, I wouldn't even mind being a secretary and a consulate or an embassy. I just want to travel the world and see cool shit while still having a decent job.
>>28315953
Just apply m8, you got nothing to lose.
>>28316443
I plan on it. I only have a few more credits for my Bachelors and then I think I'll do the police academy offered by the University. I don't want to do police work, but I feel it would look more impressive.
>>28316459
Mentioning applying for it on any social media or forum will get you turned down.
>>28315315
NSA is the primary source for the nation's SIGINT, CIA does a lot more involving HUMINT but they do a little bit of everything. They do a lot actually except most of the time their work stops something from happening which is why you don't hear about it or it's classified cause reasons. Good book to read on the NSA: The Secret Sentry
>>28316459
A good in between would be counterintelligence either with DSS or FBI, wouldn't be bad to look into, they're usually pretty busy in a good way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_Security_Service
>>28316882
Yeah, the CIA is going to check my posts on 4chan to make sure I didn't post anything about it. Not saying it's not possible, but I doubt they'd give a shit. Also, the CIA has a Twitter account and used to send out application information all the time to people asking.
>>28316985
This would be really cool, and I've looked into it. However I don't have any Military back ground so I feel I'd be at a disadvantage. No harm in giving it a shot though. Especially if I go through the academy.
>>28308422
I have a good friend that is a former SEAL and has been in the security contractor game since 2002. He's been in every Middle East shithole you can imagine and a few trips to Columbia for some fun in the jungle with FARC. He has never directly said, " I do shit for the CIA.", but it's not hard to put the puzzle together. I think he's what's referred to as a green badger, probably works directly with SAD under contract, but he's not officially a field officer.
>>28314503
you sound like you're in highschool or you're a midwestern chainsmoking shutin. Go give your mamma a sponge bath fuckfaic
>>28316995
Yeah it's pretty badass, CI guys are usually a lot more busy than case officers doing their actual job. I you really want to stay out of the military I'd say totally just go straight to the academy but a few years in service could help greatly, especially in an intelligence field.
>>28317013
>being this much of a bootlicker
>>28317014
Eh, I don't really have any desire to join the Military. My brother is a recruiter for the Marines and he told me the Military is in a bad spot right now for anyone who isn't an officer. They have too many people and with the war winding down nothing to do with them. Intelligence wouldn't be bad, and like I said I almost have my 4 year degree. it seems like the best course would be to go through the academy and then shoot for my masters. Then apply.
>>28315953
If you're in college, apply for CIA internship right away, it will definitely secure your position
https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-opportunities
https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-opportunities/undergraduate-internship-program-analysis.html
>Important Notice: Friends, family, individuals, or organizations may be interested to learn that you are an applicant for or an employee of the CIA. Their interest, however, may not be benign or in your best interest. You cannot control whom they would tell. We therefore ask you to exercise discretion and good judgment in disclosing your interest in a position with the Agency. You will receive further guidance on this topic as you proceed through your CIA employment processing.
also
>Minor in French
well you should've gotten a minor in either arabic (farsi/urdu), chinese (mandarin/canton), and russian, these three are the most valued language skills
>>28307421
Tell him to go for it. Especially if any of those four languages are a less common Middle Eastern dialect. Guys like that are in demand right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-CG5w4YwOI
>>28317017
>>28317017
It's not Bootlicking when you are the one wearing the boot.
I think the derogatory word you are looking for is 'goose stepping'.
What is the purpose of the farm at Langley if the agency doesn't even recruit from anywhere else than tier 1 SOF?
>>28317236
This guy should be fucking shot.
>>28317236
what the fuck is this shit
this is some gargantuan-level cringe
>>28306357
This is great
>>28309173
Bump for this
I picture the CIA as a 3-part organization
the first part is the people who actually can tell people they're in the CIA - they're just government employees doing more secretive shit, but they still sit at a desk on a computer, not operating
the second part is the group that extracts teeth from Vietnamese prisoners in a wooden shack deep in the jungle to get information (at least during vietnam war, now in the black sites in poland for present day)
then the third part is the aliums division
on a scale of 1-10 how right am i about the CIA?
>>28317236
>>28317857
>>28318200
>not knowing Weird Al
>being so triggered by a parody song
hell at the very least, it's better than the actual song.
>>28318966
0. The company is just a big office. The most interesting and secret agenty shit they do is look at satellite photos of Chinese fishing boats and old Russian missile silos to make sure no one started a nuclear war since the last time they went outside.
>>28304383
First bane post in a while that I laughed at
>>28318966
sure, except part one is the whole thing.
>>28321218
Fuck off. There's been spooks in every war (and everywhere else) since the CIAs birth.
>>28321249
The prevailing opinion is that in the modern world, spying is best done via computer, and military interventions are best left to specops groups. The CIA just doesn't have a reason to be actively involved in a war.
What's the difference between the CIA and DIA?
>>28321459
>spying is best done via computer
Which is best done if the people you are spying on have an internet connection. If they don't, or any sort of electronic footprint, then you're out of luck.
Say, for instance, you want to know about a Pakistani staff officer with his eye on the big job. He doesn't have a mobile phone, he spends most of his time between secure facilities with no outside line etc etc. You have a rough idea of his career thus far, but you don't have anything up to date and current. You aren't going to send in James Bond, but what you do need is capable workers with traditional skills that can work on the ground and acquire information without the use of a computer. The CIA offers that.
>military interventions are best left to specops groups
When was the last military intervention carried out by the USA?
Technology changed the ratio of field agents to information processors in the CIA, but it didn't remove the requirement entirely. The CIA has more reason to be in a war than the USMC, if we're talking about useful capabilities that only they can offer.
>>28322750
A power struggle
>>28306398
I'd add company man to that list.
The book clears up quite a few things about the CIA and how they operate.
>>28304414
sounds like an analyst anon, not an agent
>>28306455
diplomatic immunity really is too vague
>>28309173
one of my college professors was approached by the cia during the cold war because he was fluent in russian and lived in some eastern shit hole for a few years as a young adult and they wanted him to work at a consulate and pretend he was a russian or something and see if any of the staff there would turn but he turned it down. He had no mil experience. If you are useful to them and have what they want they will take you.
>>28322750
CIA is civilian, DIA is military
>>28304403
This is a good way of putting it.
>>28304383
Occasionally they will threaten to shoot a man before throwing him out of a plane
>every damn captcha today has been gift boxes
>>28324309
Not all DIA employees are military personnel.
>>28322750
>What's the difference between the CIA and DIA?
CIA's primary mission is collections, analysis, and operations in support of the Executive Branch.
DIA's primary mission is collections and analysis in support of military operations.
>>28323395
Lol not really. While they are parallel agencies in that they both have a clandestine service, both conduct HUMINT collections and CI, and analysis, the DIA is concerned primarily with support of military operations.
>>28315315
just stop talking
>>28323380
This desu senpai.
The human element is always the weakest when it comes to security.
We are in the prehistoric ages of our Cyber Punk future (and advancing at a decent rate), but even an authority on cyber security will tell you that social engineering is still important to collections and intrusions.
I actually talked to a guy in my college (a fellow veteran student) who was finishing his Doctorate. He, with the help of the Air Force, built and used an enclosed server to test the human vulnerability to securing computer systems by testing when, how often, and why people take actions with email that are seemingly counter-intuitive that create security vulnerabilities in networks.
It's still the human element.
>>28309735
No, you're a cuck who wishes they could hack it
>>28314503
You wouldn't know
>>28315315
>I didn't read the NSA charter
>>28304322
if you're in the CIA and getting into firefights you're doing it wrong
>>28317073
Not that guy, but I might be doing an IC internship, but not with the CIA. Having done something of that nature, how difficult would it be to get to the Agency in the future?
>>28324309
DIA is military intelligence, not a military organization
>>28304322
According to Richard Marcinko the cia is full of criminal informants. This is how they obtain information. So I'd have to day the pencil pushers work with people of all types(which according to dick, the criminals are agents)
Suppose it could all be fiction.
some ranger or delta posted last week about working with a cia guy in iraq
>>28306625
Of course!
>>28304322
>central intelligence agency agent
>>28328798
As a former asset I can say that most of you have it wrong, few of you have it sort of right, but only one of you has any idea how it actually works.
>>28325752
In this thread in particular, it's nice to see someone who knows what he's actually talking about.
If you want a guy that has seen it all for CIA SAD, check out Billy Waugh. After Korea & Vietnam, he ended up going for the CIA. He was both a Blue Badger (employee) and Green Badger (contractor).
The man is a legend in the community.
In the past two decades he has had a profound influence on how PMCs have evolved.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Waugh
>>28328922
Well, what else would you call them?
>I'm CIA
>>28332257
I'm an Agent for the Central Intelligence Agency.
