Live · Guide v1.0IS · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active

Home/Career Guides/IS

NAVY · ISCareer Guide · Intelligence · VWC.CG.IS.R.04

IS · NAVY · Enlisted

Intelligence
Specialist.

Navy IS (Intelligence Specialist). 720 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $70K–$90K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.

Training hours720DoD pipeline

ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours recommended in Military Studies

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 IS 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 IS training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.

Already have06

01
Intelligence analysis and reporting→ Data analysis and reporting
02
Utilizing intelligence databases→ Database management and querying
03
Security procedures and protocols→ Security best practices and compliance
04
Working with GCCS and other intelligence systems→ Working with ERP systems and data integration platforms
05
Pattern recognition across diverse data→ Data mining and statistical analysis
06
Drafting requests to conduct intelligence collection→ Defining data requirements for analysis and reporting

To learn09

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

+SQL for data querying and manipulation+Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)+Statistical analysis and data mining techniques+SIEM tools (e.g., Splunk, QRadar)+Network security principles and technologies+Cloud security best practices+Cybersecurity frameworks and compliance standards+Operating systems (Windows, Linux) and networking concepts+System analysis and design methodologies

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 industry intelligence tools (e.g., IBM i2 Analyst's Notebook)
— Enhanced analytical and critical thinking skills
— Knowledge of data visualization techniques and software

P.02

Security Analyst

$90K

Good match

Very high demand

Skills to develop

— Cybersecurity certifications (e.g., CompTIA Security+, CISSP)
— Knowledge of security frameworks and compliance standards
— Experience with SIEM tools and incident response

P.03

Market Research Analyst

$75K

Good match

Growing demand

Skills to develop

— Advanced statistical analysis skills
— Proficiency in market research methodologies
— Experience with survey design and data collection

P.04

Fraud Investigator

$70K

Moderate match

Stable demand

Skills to develop

— Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification
— Knowledge of financial regulations and compliance
— Experience with forensic accounting techniques

P.05

Emergency Management Specialist

$72K

Moderate match

Growing demand

Skills to develop

— FEMA certifications (e.g., IS-100, IS-700)
— Knowledge of disaster preparedness and response protocols
— Experience with risk assessment and mitigation strategies

/ 04 · Hidden Strengths

What the code built.

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

S.01

Pattern Recognition

Fusing intelligence from multiple sources to identify threat patterns, track adversary movements, and predict future actions

Transfers to

Finding signal in noise across diverse data — the core skill in data science, market research, and competitive intelligence

S.02

Adversarial Thinking

Modeling adversary decision-making to anticipate courses of action and identify intelligence collection gaps

Transfers to

Thinking like the competition — essential for strategic planning, cybersecurity, and business intelligence

S.03

System Modeling

Creating link analyses, network diagrams, and organizational models to map adversary structures and relationships

Transfers to

Building analytical models of complex organizations — applicable to consulting, due diligence, and social network analysis

S.04

After-Action Analysis

Producing intelligence assessments that evaluate operational outcomes and refine collection strategies

Transfers to

Measuring effectiveness and iterating — directly applicable to business analytics, campaign analysis, and product research

/ 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.

Business Intelligence Analyst

SOC 15-2051

Intelligence analysis IS business intelligence. You've been fusing data, finding patterns, and briefing decision-makers. The corporate version uses the same methodology with different data.

Adjacent · Match

Competitive Intelligence Analyst

SOC 13-1161

Tracking adversary capabilities and predicting their next moves — competitive intelligence is your military intelligence training applied to business strategy.

Adjacent · Match

Policy Analyst

SOC 13-1199

Your ability to analyze complex situations, produce clear assessments, and brief senior leaders translates to policy analysis for government, think tanks, and consulting firms.

Adjacent · Match

/ 06 · Training & Certs

What you trained on.

SOURCE · DOD + ACE\nVALIDATED

Academy