Navy officials are urging active-duty enlisted sailors in the over 26,000-strong Information Warfare Community to apply for a new in-residence bachelor’s and master’s degree completion program at National Intelligence University in Maryland.

Sailors who hold ratings as cryptologic and information systems technicians, plus intelligence specialists, can apply —regardless of pay grade — as long as they’ve accrued enough academic credits to finish their degrees during an intensive 12 months of study.

“This is a great opportunity for highly motivated and disciplined students who can thrive in an academic environment with little supervision and a demanding course load,” said Navy Cmdr. Bryan Leese, the Chair of the Defense Intelligence Department at the school.

Program details were announced in NavAdmin message 299/18, released Dec. 10. The application deadline for the next term is Jan. 25.

“NIU has three programs that fit the needs of Navy IW Community sailors,” said Leese. “ Bachelor of Science in Intelligence, Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence and Master of Science and Technology Intelligence, with five slots for each of the three programs, a total of 15 quotas per year.”

Leese told Navy Times that future quota numbers could be squishy because of the needs of the Navy and the number of qualified candidates could fluctuate annually.

The sailors begin with a two-part application process. They apply to the school to get accepted for study and submit a package with the intelligence community detailer at Navy Personnel Command to go there.

Once the school accepts a sailor with enough credits to complete the program, Navy Personnel Command will launch a selection board to sift through the candidates and select a new crop of selections.

Those who are selected will be transferred under permanent change of station orders to the campus in Bethesda, Maryland, in time to start school in August.

They’ll carry a full academic load throughout the year until they complete their degrees, or for the span of 12 months, whichever comes first.

In exchange, the sailors must give back the time to the Navy — one year at the school plus four more in the fleet. The service obligation can be fulfilled through reenlistment or extensions.

Sailors must already hold, or be eligible to receive, a Top Secret /Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. Orders won’t be cut to the school unless the clearance is finalized.

The Navy has been sending enlisted sailors to the school since 1962 but the program wasn’t widely publicized until the latest message put out the call for applications, Leese said: “Though the message only allows a short application window for Academic Year 2020, Academic Year 2021 will have a broader application window because it’s an annual program."

Sailors who haven’t compiled enough credits to compete for the 2020 class can start targeting future years and tailor their off-duty education to enhance their chances of garnering the orders, Navy leaders say.

Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.

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