Intelligence Analyst
$85KHigh match
High demand
Live · Guide v1.018F · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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ARMY · 18FCareer Guide · Intelligence · VWC.CG.18F.R.04
18F · ARMY · EnlistedSpecial Forces Intelligence
Special Forces Intelligence
Sergeant.
Army 18F (Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant). 2,400 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $70K–$95K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours2,400DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 30 semester hours recommended
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage3/8direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 18F background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Sort · Match descending
/ 02 · Skill Bridge
The gap, named.
What 18F training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have05
- 01Situational Awareness→ Ability to perceive and understand business environments, market trends, and competitive landscapes.
- 02Adversarial Thinking→ Skills in risk management and cybersecurity, anticipating potential threats and developing preventative strategies.
- 03Resource Optimization→ Project management skills, effectively allocating resources, managing budgets, and ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
- 04Team Synchronization→ Ability to synchronize efforts and maintain cohesion within a team in collaborative work environments.
- 05Intelligence Collection and Processing→ Skills in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data to provide actionable insights.
To learn07
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Network security principles, intrusion detection, and security information and event management (SIEM) tools.+Cybersecurity frameworks and compliance standards (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001).+Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).+SQL for data querying and database management.+Python (pandas, numpy) for data analysis and manipulation.+Project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum).+Technical documentation and communication skills.
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →/ 03 · Civilian Pathways
Where your code lands.
Security Consultant
$95KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
- — Cybersecurity certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM)
Emergency Management Specialist
$78KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — FEMA certifications
- — HAZMAT training
Corporate Investigator
$72KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Private Investigator license
- — Legal knowledge
- — Surveillance techniques
Training and Development Specialist
$70KModerate match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Instructional design
- — Curriculum development
- — Adult learning principles
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 18F training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Situational Awareness
18F Special Forces Intelligence Sergeants constantly assess their surroundings, including cultural, political, and environmental factors, to anticipate threats and opportunities during missions in diverse and complex operational environments.
Transfers to
This translates to a heightened ability to perceive and understand the nuances of a business environment, market trends, and competitive landscapes, allowing you to anticipate challenges and capitalize on opportunities.
Adversarial Thinking
You were trained to think like the enemy, anticipate their actions, and develop countermeasures. This involved analyzing potential threats, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors.
Transfers to
This skill translates directly into risk management and cybersecurity roles, where anticipating potential threats and developing preventative strategies is paramount.
Resource Optimization
As a Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant, you were responsible for managing and allocating limited resources, including personnel, equipment, and time, to achieve mission objectives efficiently and effectively.
Transfers to
This translates to strong project management skills, where you can effectively allocate resources, manage budgets, and ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.
Team Synchronization
You coordinated intelligence activities with other team members, ensuring seamless integration and collaboration to achieve shared objectives, often under high-pressure and time-sensitive conditions.
Transfers to
This ability to synchronize efforts and maintain cohesion within a team is invaluable in collaborative work environments, ensuring that projects are completed efficiently and effectively.
/ 05 · Non-Obvious Matches
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Market Research Analyst
SOC 19-3022.00You've been trained to analyze complex situations and identify patterns. As a Market Research Analyst, you'll use those skills to study market conditions, consumer behavior, and competitor strategies, providing valuable insights to businesses. Your experience in collecting and processing intelligence translates directly to gathering and interpreting market data.
Adjacent · MatchBusiness Continuity Planner
SOC 13-1199.00You're adept at planning for and mitigating risks. As a Business Continuity Planner, you'll develop and implement strategies to ensure that an organization can continue operating in the event of a disruption. Your experience in establishing security plans and developing evacuation plans translates directly to creating and maintaining business continuity plans.
Adjacent · MatchFraud Investigator
SOC 13-1070.00You've been trained to identify and analyze threats. As a Fraud Investigator, you'll use those skills to investigate suspected cases of fraud, gather evidence, and prepare reports. Your experience in intelligence collection and processing translates directly to gathering and analyzing evidence of fraudulent activity.
Adjacent · MatchEmergency Management Director
SOC 11-9161.00You're skilled at planning and responding to crises. As an Emergency Management Director, you'll develop and coordinate emergency response plans and procedures. Your experience in establishing security plans, developing evacuation plans, and providing area specialist assistance translates directly to managing emergency situations and ensuring the safety of people and property.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC)
Fort Liberty2,400hHours
62wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 30 semester hours recommended
Topics · 8
- Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS)
- Small Unit Tactics
- Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)
- Language Training
- Intelligence Collection and Processing
- Advanced Special Operations Techniques
- Military Source Operations
- Counterintelligence
Partial coverage · 3
- Certified Protection Professional (CPP)60%
Study business principles, physical security, and legal aspects.
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)40%
In-depth study of all eight domains of information security including risk management, security architecture and engineering, communication and network security, identity and access management, security assessment and testing and security operations.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)30%
Learn formal project management methodologies, tools, and techniques as defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Recommended next · 05
- Certified Counterintelligence Threat Analyst (CCTA)Adjacent
- DoD Certified All-Source AnalystAdjacent
- GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)Adjacent
- Certified Open Source Intelligence Professional (COSINT)Adjacent
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)Adjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Tactical Ground Reporting (TIGR) | Crime analytics software | Operations |
| Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A) | Palantir Gotham | Networking |
| Biometric Automated Toolset (BAT) | Mobile fingerprinting devices | Operations |
| Trojan SPIRIT II | Satellite communication terminals | Operations |
| Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS) | Secure document sharing platforms | Networking |
| AN/PRC-150 HF Radio | HF amateur radio | Operations |
| Secure Electronic Enrollment Kit (SEEK II) | Mobile biometric enrollment systems | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 18F into a resume that ships.
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.