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1N631 Career Guide

Air Force

1N631: Communication Signals Intelligence Analyst

Career transition guide for Air Force Communication Signals Intelligence Analyst (1N631)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 1N631 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Information Security Analyst

$108K
High matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Cybersecurity certifications (e.g., CISSP, Security+)Knowledge of security frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001)

Intelligence Analyst

$85K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Familiarity with specific intelligence analysis tools (e.g., Analyst Notebook)Knowledge of relevant legal and ethical frameworks

Network Security Engineer

$115K
Good matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Network security certifications (e.g., CCNA Security, CompTIA Network+)Experience with intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS)

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Analyst

$78K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Proficiency in open-source research techniquesData visualization skillsFamiliarity with social media analysis tools

Technical Writer

$75K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Excellent written communication skillsAbility to translate technical information into clear, concise languageExperience with documentation tools (e.g., Confluence, Markdown)

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 1N631 training built — and where they transfer.

Adversarial Thinking

As a 1N631, you were trained to think like the enemy, anticipating their moves and vulnerabilities in telecommunications. You actively emulated hostile intelligence services to identify potential threats and weaknesses in DoD systems.

This skill translates to a strong ability to identify risks and vulnerabilities in business strategies and systems. You can anticipate potential problems and develop proactive solutions by thinking from an opposing perspective.

Pattern Recognition

Your role involved monitoring, processing, and analyzing friendly telecommunications vulnerabilities to identify deficiencies and weaknesses. You were responsible for recognizing patterns in data to detect OPSEC trends and potential threats.

This translates to a strong ability to identify trends, anomalies, and key insights from complex data sets. You can spot patterns that others miss and use them to make informed decisions and predict future outcomes.

Situational Awareness

You maintained a comprehensive awareness of friendly telecommunications vulnerabilities and hostile intelligence threats. You briefed commanders at all levels on potential intelligence vulnerabilities, ensuring they were well-informed and prepared.

This translates directly to an ability to quickly assess a situation, understand the key factors at play, and anticipate potential consequences. You can maintain a broad perspective while also focusing on critical details, making you an effective decision-maker in dynamic environments.

System Modeling

You developed and executed plans for ESSA operations, devising procedures and systems to meet changing telecommunications requirements. This involved understanding the structure and function of complex communication networks.

This translates to the ability to understand and create models of complex systems, identifying key components, relationships, and potential points of failure. You can use this skill to optimize system performance, troubleshoot problems, and develop innovative solutions.

Rapid Prioritization

You evaluated ESSA activities in terms of accuracy, relative mission priority, and bearing on overall OPSEC patterns or trends. In dynamic situations, you quickly determined what information was most critical and acted accordingly.

This means you can quickly assess situations, identify the most important issues, and allocate resources effectively. You excel at making decisions under pressure and ensuring that critical tasks are completed efficiently.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Fraud Investigator

SOC 13-2011

You've been trained to think like an adversary and identify vulnerabilities, which makes you exceptionally well-suited to detecting and preventing fraudulent activities. Your skills in pattern recognition and analysis will be invaluable in uncovering complex fraud schemes.

Business Intelligence Analyst

SOC 15-2051

You've honed your skills in data analysis and pattern recognition, perfect for extracting actionable insights from business data. You can leverage your ability to model systems and anticipate threats to help businesses make informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition.

Supply Chain Risk Analyst

SOC 13-1199

You're skilled at identifying vulnerabilities and assessing risks, making you an ideal candidate for ensuring the security and resilience of supply chains. Your background in adversarial thinking and situational awareness will enable you to anticipate potential disruptions and develop effective mitigation strategies.

Competitive Intelligence Analyst

SOC 19-3099

You’re skilled at collecting, analyzing, and reporting information, similar to your 1N631 duties. You can leverage your adversarial thinking to anticipate competitor moves and help companies gain a strategic advantage by analyzing market trends and competitor activities.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Signals Intelligence Analyst Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, TX

960 training hours24 weeksUp to 15 semester hours recommended in telecommunications and information security

Topics Covered

  • Telecommunications Fundamentals
  • Signals Collection Techniques
  • Electronic System Security Assessment (ESSA) Procedures
  • Operations Security (OPSEC) Principles
  • Database Management and Analysis
  • Vulnerability Analysis and Reporting
  • Hostile Intelligence Threat Assessment
  • Defensive Counterinformation (DCI) Support

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)65% covered

Requires studying security management practices, software development security, and cryptography in more depth. Also requires 5 years of cumulative paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains of the CISSP CBK.

CompTIA Security+75% covered

Requires studying specific security technologies like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and cryptography implementation details. Familiarize with risk management best practices.

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)60% covered

Requires studying formal hacking methodologies, penetration testing techniques, and common attack vectors. Focus on the legal and ethical aspects of hacking.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)Project Management Professional (PMP)GIAC Security Expert (GSE)Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Integrated Data Network (IDN)Network monitoring and packet capture tools (e.g., Wireshark, SolarWinds)
Global Command and Control System (GCCS)Geospatial intelligence platforms (e.g., Esri ArcGIS, QGIS)
Air Force Information Warfare Center (AFIWC) ToolsCyber threat intelligence platforms (e.g., Recorded Future, CrowdStrike Falcon X)
Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS)Secure communication and collaboration platforms (e.g., Signal, Wickr)
Electronic System Security Assessment (ESSA)Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing tools (e.g., Nessus, Metasploit)
Defense Information System Network (DISN)Wide area network (WAN) technologies and security protocols (e.g., MPLS, VPN)
Tactical Data Links (e.g., Link 16)Real-time data exchange protocols and middleware solutions (e.g., Kafka, MQTT)

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