I am cryptologic technician interpretive
Chief Petty Officer Steve Barbee.
The CTI, the interpretative, or the linguist,
we're out there as the regional experts for
whatever language we learn, we learn about
the - the entire area.
I was working two jobs and wanted to
better provide for my family so I said,
"Well, we'll give the Navy - give the Navy
a shot and we'll see how that goes."
At that time I didn't know that it would be
a career - a 20-year career.
I was just looking for, "Hey, what can the
Navy do for me as far as getting me some training
so when I get out, a different kind of job that
I can do." So, I walked into the recruiter's
station and said, "Hey, I want to join.
I think I'm good to go for - for you.
I'm a good fit for the Navy. What's the soonest I
can leave?" And two weeks later I was on a
plane heading up to Great Lakes going to boot camp
as a gas turbine systems mechanic, or a GSM.
The Navy has this program where you can convert or
change your rating. So, I was a mechanic at the
time and I said, "You know, what about Intel?
What can I do to get into the Intel rates?
What can you tell me about the Intel rates?"
And, of course, the career counselor said,
"Well, I can't tell you much because it's all
classified. I was kind of excited about that
and I thought, "Well, let's see what I could
do in the Intel field." The career counselor
proposed becoming a linguist. So, I converted
over and said to the Navy, "Yep. I will reenlist."
And the Navy said, "Okay. We'll provide you with
an A school and we'll make you a Navy linguist."
So, I went to Monterey, California to the Defense
Language Institute where I learned Mandarin Chinese.
And when you get there you get to choose what language
you want." So, that was a big selling point for me.
So, I started at an E3 working in the engine rooms
with wrenches and tools and now I'm analyzing
Intelligence reports that could make it to the president.
College was kind of a dream that I had and may not
have been quite as attainable for where I was.
And by coming into the Navy that has certainly offered
me the opportunity to get a college education.
The cool thing about CTI is while you're going to
the Defense Language Institute, all
of that counts towards college credit.
We've transformed from bringing folks in and
just teaching any language that we happen to need
to teaching what we call the Big Six.
The Big Six in the Navy right now are your Spanish,
Russian, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, and Persian/Farsi.
So, anybody coming into the Navy, any sailor that
comes in, will learn one of those Big Six languages.
And their first tour of duty will be in support of
one of those languages. And afterwards then you
have the option of learning other languages.
As a CTI, you know, there's a lot of stuff you
get to learn. There's a lot of stuff that you
get to do. You learn everything there is to know
about that culture or that region.
When you go to DLI you get to learn about, of course,
how to read and write. You also get to learn
about the history, the politics, the government,
the military, you become that regional expert.
And the Navy needs that because in your day-to-day
job a lot of times you're going to be called upon
to read between the lines, if you will.
I've been able to travel pretty much all
over the world. I've been to the Middle East.
I've been to France and Italy, Spain. You get to
learn about all there is to know about cryptology
and Naval intelligence, as well as national intelligence.
If you apply yourself and you pay attention,
you get to see that big picture.
So, there's constant variety and there's constant
upward mobility. And so, I started out on the
bottom of the totem pole and learned everything
I could about the Intelligence community. I really
enjoy helping sailors. Now I'm the enlisted
Intelligence Program Manager so every sailor who
comes into the Navy who wants to be in Intelligence,
kind of has to come through my desk and I get the
chance to speak to most of them. So, I get to
have an impact there. And in the future I would
like to have an even bigger impact, if I could.
I think the Navy is a wonderful career choice.
By joining the Navy, the Navy will give you the
training and the experience that you need to be
successful in life. It will certainly put you in
different situations that you never would
have found yourself.
I am cryptologic technician interpretive
Chief Petty Officer Steve Barbee.