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ARMY · 35MCareer Guide · Intelligence · VWC.CG.35M.R.04

35M · ARMY · Enlisted

Human Intelligence
Collector.

Army 35M (Human Intelligence Collector). 920 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $65K–$95K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.

Training hours920DoD pipeline

ACE creditACEUp to 15 semester hours recommended

Tech roles4mapped to your code

Civilian pathways5validated

Cert coverage2/5direct + partial

/ 01 · Tech Roles

Roles your code maps to.

SOURCE · BLS + LIGHTCAST ROLES · 4

Industry tech roles your 35M 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 35M training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.

Already have07

01
Adversarial Thinking→ Threat Modeling, Risk Assessment
02
Pattern Recognition→ Anomaly Detection, Intrusion Detection
03
Situational Awareness→ Incident Response, Real-time Monitoring
04
After-Action Analysis→ Vulnerability Assessment, Root Cause Analysis
05
CHIMS, HOT-R, Analyst's Notebook (i2), CIDNE, Palantir GOTHAM→ SIEM, data visualization, and case management systems
06
Interrogation Techniques→ Elicitation, interviewing, and information gathering
07
Report Writing→ Documentation, Technical Writing, and Communication

To learn09

The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.

+Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools (e.g., Splunk, QRadar)+Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing methodologies+Network security principles and technologies+Data analysis tools (e.g., Python pandas, SQL)+Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)+Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) security fundamentals+SIEM platforms such as Splunk or QRadar+Threat intelligence platforms+Programming fundamentals (e.g. Python)

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.

SOURCE · LIGHTCAST + CURATED PATHWAYS · 5

P.01

Intelligence Analyst

$85K

High match

High demand

Skills to develop

— Familiarity with specific analytical software (e.g., Analyst's Notebook, Palantir)
— Enhanced data visualization skills

P.02

Counterintelligence Agent/Investigator

$95K

High match

Growing demand

Skills to develop

— Specific legal knowledge related to investigations (e.g., criminal law, fraud)
— Relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE))

P.03

Security Manager

$90K

Good match

Stable demand

Skills to develop

— Security certifications (e.g., Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Protection Professional (CPP))
— Knowledge of physical security systems and protocols
— Risk assessment and management methodologies

P.04

Translator/Interpreter

$65K

Good match

Growing demand

Skills to develop

— Certification from the American Translators Association (ATA)
— Specialized vocabulary in a specific field (e.g., medical, legal, technical)

P.05

Corporate Investigator

$75K

Moderate match

Stable demand

Skills to develop

— Knowledge of corporate security protocols and procedures
— Experience with internal investigations and loss prevention

/ 04 · Hidden Strengths

What the code built.

Cognitive skills your 35M training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.

S.01

Adversarial Thinking

Understanding human motivations, vulnerabilities, and decision-making processes to conduct intelligence collection through interpersonal interaction

Transfers to

Reading people and understanding what drives their decisions — the interpersonal intelligence used in sales, negotiation, HR, and investigative journalism

S.02

Pattern Recognition

Identifying inconsistencies in narratives, detecting deception indicators, and recognizing behavioral patterns during interviews and interrogations

Transfers to

Detecting deception and inconsistencies — applicable to fraud investigation, HR investigations, investigative journalism, and due diligence

S.03

Situational Awareness

Reading room dynamics, monitoring body language, and adapting questioning strategies in real time during high-stakes interviews

Transfers to

Real-time interpersonal calibration — the social intelligence that drives success in sales, negotiation, therapy, and executive coaching

S.04

After-Action Analysis

Evaluating source reliability, corroborating information across reports, and assessing intelligence value for operational planning

Transfers to

Verifying information quality and source credibility — applicable to investigative research, journalism, due diligence, and risk assessment

/ 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.

Corporate Investigator

SOC 33-9021

Interviewing subjects, gathering evidence, assessing credibility, and building cases — corporate investigation uses the exact same HUMINT methodology you've trained in.

Adjacent · Match

Executive Recruiter

SOC 13-1071

Your ability to read people, assess motivations, build rapport, and extract honest information makes you exceptionally effective at talent acquisition — especially for senior roles.

Adjacent · Match

User Researcher

SOC 15-1255

Interviewing people, understanding their real motivations (not just what they say), and synthesizing findings into actionable reports — UX research is HUMINT for product design.

Adjacent · Match

/ 06 · Training & Certs

What you trained on.

SOURCE · DOD + ACE\nVALIDATED

Academy