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Become a C.I.A. Spy!

By: Gian Erguiza - September, 2008

Spies are quickly becoming a thing of the past. In this day in age, code-breaking technology and satellites amount to much of the spying. Most encryption technology though is still way to complicated so Intelligence groups and agencies still can’t crack it. Satellites are good for watching missiles and but is no good watching terrorists, drug-traffickers, secret-weapons programs, and leaders of rogue nations. This is where the spy comes along. An old-fashioned, well-trained spy is still the best bet for these kinds of missions.

The Directorate of Operations is the branch that runs covert operations and recruits foreign agents. The DO is known to hire 1000-2000 people based on their superior intellectual ability, toughness of the mind, and a high degree of personality. They also must be able to work in a fast-moving, ambiguous, and unstructured situations. The DO is always looking for an extraordinary individual who wants more than just a job.

There are a lot of requirements needed to become a spy. Plus, a lot more. One of the requirements is to have knowledge of a certain set of foreign language skills, before they can even talk to you. The most favored would be Asian and Arab Americans and those who can help with the “hard target” countries.

Spies heavily rely on their operations officers for information. The two types of operations officers are:

Field operations officers: These are spies who recruit other agents in other countries.

Staff operations officers: The support team in Langley, VA.

The following requirements are needed to apply to become a field operations officer or staff operations officer is as goes:

You must have gotten a Bachelor's or Master's degree and have received at least a 3.0. Particularly good majors to have include: business, international relations, economics, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering (especially nuclear engineering).
Must be under 35 years old.
Must have top-notch writing skills for field reports.
If, you’re married, spouse must be a U.S. citizen.
If’ you’re 100% fluent in another language, it helps, especially if its one of those “hard target” languages.
Starting salary ranges from $34,000-52,000 depending on experience. This experience might consist of an ability to speak Farsi or other difficult languages.
Computer expertise that would enable an agent to fool the global data networks that have made using fake identification more difficult is a plus.

Training is a different story. Training on how to become a spy is kept under wraps for obvious reasons. They do give us a few details though as to how to get into the Clandestine Service Trainee Program. You will go through 1-3 years of preparations, in which you will become a Collection Management Officer and a Operations Desk Officer. If you’re to become a filed officer, you will definitely spend some time at “The Farm,” The C.I.A.’s training ground at Camp Peary near Williamsburg, VA. The course includes a required few days ina swamp escaping human predators which is called, “Outward Bound without Guns.” Soon to be Field Officers will also learn how to set up clandestine meetings, gather information at cocktail parties, see if they’re being tailed, short wave radios, secure communications gear, and write reports for their superiors. “Jail sequence,” is another part of the course where officer recruits are thrown in a cell, deprived of food, water, sleep, and then interrogated for nearly two days.

There is a shortcut in all of this. If you’ve been in the military, you can apply directly into the CST Program. If you’re already in the military and know tons of information about the Middle East and speak a Middle Eastern language fluently, you can apply directly into the CST Program.

This is the road to becoming a spy and becoming part of the C.I.A.

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