0211 Counterintelligence/HUMINT Specialist

The 0211 is the Marine who sits across from a source, asks the right questions, and comes back with information that protects the force or shapes the commander’s understanding of the threat. Counterintelligence and human intelligence collection is one of the most demanding cognitive fields in the Corps, and it is one of the few enlisted paths that requires a proven track record before you can even apply. If you want high-stakes work that tests judgment more than raw physical strength, this is worth serious consideration.

Job Role and Responsibilities

The 0211 Counterintelligence/HUMINT Specialist conducts sensitive intelligence operations in garrison and deployed environments, identifying hostile intelligence threats, collecting information through human contact and technical methods, and protecting Marine Corps personnel and national security programs from foreign and domestic threats. These Marines perform interrogations, debriefings, screenings, and liaison operations to support MAGTF intelligence requirements.

Daily Tasks

The daily rhythm of a 0211 Marine depends heavily on assignment. In garrison, the work often includes case file management, source development, threat reporting, and operational planning. In a deployed context, daily tasks can include:

• Planning and conducting source meetings, debriefings, and screenings
• Writing intelligence reports using standardized formats and classification procedures
• Identifying and countering foreign intelligence activities targeting Marine personnel and installations
• Coordinating with other intelligence agencies, NCIS, and interagency partners
• Analyzing raw human intelligence reporting and producing finished products for commanders
• Maintaining detailed operational files and supporting legal requirements for intelligence collection

Specific Roles

Mission Contribution

0211 Marines protect the force by identifying who is trying to collect against it and deny them the access they seek. On the collection side, they gather information from human sources that no sensor or signal can provide. Both missions together reduce the intelligence advantage an adversary might otherwise hold. The value is not always visible in the immediate tactical picture, but it shapes decisions at every level of command.

Technology and Equipment

CI/HUMINT work uses classified collection systems, biometric devices, digital reporting platforms, and secure communications equipment. Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Marines use specialized detection equipment to identify clandestine recording devices. Much of the specific equipment is classified, but the technical load requires comfort with computers, secure communications, and detailed documentation systems.

Salary and Benefits

Financial Benefits

Pay follows the 2026 DFAS active-duty enlisted pay tables, effective January 1, 2026.

Source: dfas.mil, 2026 Enlisted Basic Pay Table. 0211 is a lateral move from an existing enlisted grade; most applicants enter the field as Corporal or Sergeant.

Additional Benefits

BAS of $476.95 per month applies to all enlisted Marines. BAH varies by duty station, rank, and dependency status. TRICARE Prime provides no-cost medical, dental, and vision coverage. The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers full in-state tuition at public schools and up to $29,920.95 annually at private schools (AY 2025-2026 cap). Language training incentive pay and special duty assignment pay are available for qualifying assignments.

Work-Life Balance

CI/HUMINT work involves irregular hours, potential for unannounced operational requirements, and overseas deployments. The work is mentally intensive rather than physically punishing, but the tempo can be high. Marines assigned to operational teams in deployed environments may work extended hours for sustained periods.

Qualifications and Eligibility

Basic Qualifications

Exceptional Lance Corporals and Staff Sergeants may be considered case by case. The typical applicant is a mid-career NCO with a clean record, strong communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to work with people under pressure.

Application Process

The process starts well before school. Applicants build a lateral-move package, submit through their career planner, and undergo a suitability review. Pre-course familiarization, a records check, and a counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination are all part of the screening. SCI eligibility is based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI). The timeline from interest to school seat is typically several months to over a year.

Selection Criteria and Competitiveness

0211 is a selective field. The polygraph requirement, SCI eligibility, age requirement, and line-score threshold together create a meaningful filter. Marines with prior investigative, law enforcement, or human-relations experience often perform better at the suitability interview. A clean conduct and criminal record is non-negotiable.

Upon Accession

Marines lateral move at their current enlisted grade. The 60-month service obligation begins upon lateral move approval and is separate from any prior enlistment obligation.

Work Environment

Setting and Schedule

0211 Marines work in intelligence sections attached to MAGTFs, in dedicated CI/HUMINT units, at NCIS support elements, and in various joint and interagency environments. The work environment shifts between office, fieldwork, and fully operational deployed settings. Schedule depends on mission tempo and command requirements.

Leadership and Communication

CI/HUMINT Marines work in small teams with significant independence. Communication with commanders, legal advisors, and interagency partners requires clarity and discipline. The field rewards Marines who can write precisely, speak credibly under questioning, and maintain operational security.

Team Dynamics and Autonomy

The field operates in small teams where individual judgment carries real weight. A CI/HUMINT Marine in a deployed environment may make operational decisions with limited immediate supervision. That autonomy requires maturity and reliability that is screened for explicitly during the selection process.

Job Satisfaction and Retention

Retention in the CI/HUMINT community tends to be strong among Marines who pass the initial learning curve. The work is intellectually engaging, the clearance is a long-term career asset, and the mission carries genuine significance. Marines who find caseload management, source development, and interagency work tedious do not typically stay past their initial obligation.

Training and Skill Development

Initial Training

Advanced Training

• Language training through the Defense Language Institute (selected billets)
• Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Technician Course
• Joint HUMINT training with Defense Intelligence Agency or Army HUMINT schools
• SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) for applicable operational billets
• Advanced collection management and targeting courses

Career Progression and Advancement

Career Path

Role Flexibility and Transfers

0211 is a specialized field and lateral moves out require command endorsement. The clearance and investigative background can support moves into NCIS, federal law enforcement, or warrant officer programs. The 0210 Warrant Officer track is a specific pathway for experienced CI/HUMINT Specialists.

Performance Evaluation

Proficiency and conduct marks apply to Lance Corporals and Corporals. Staff Sergeants and above receive formal FITREPs. Advancement in intelligence fields is tied to operational results, clearance maintenance, writing quality, and demonstrated reliability in sensitive environments.

Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations

Physical Requirements

0211 is not a combat-arms MOS, but Marines in this field serve in deployable units and operational environments. PFT and CFT performance matters because the field deploys and the Marine must be capable of keeping pace with supported units.

Source: marines.com. Verify current year standards against official Marine Corps publications.

Medical Evaluations

Standard periodic medical evaluations apply throughout the career. SCI clearance maintenance includes periodic reinvestigations and psychological evaluations for applicable billets.

Deployment and Duty Stations

Deployment Details

CI/HUMINT Marines support deployed MAGTFs, MEUs, and joint task forces. Deployment frequency varies by unit type and assignment. Support elements may deploy on shorter notice cycles than standard infantry units. Assignments to joint and interagency organizations can also involve extended TDY requirements.

Location Flexibility

Major 0211 assignments are located at Marine intelligence activities, Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, Quantico, and overseas at various MAGTF support locations. The field tends to cluster around intelligence-heavy installations rather than general infantry bases.

Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations

Job Hazards

CI/HUMINT work in deployed environments involves exposure to hostile intelligence services, potential physical danger in source-meeting environments, and the psychological weight of handling sensitive operational information. Safety risks are more often from the operational environment than from industrial hazards.

Safety Protocols

Operational security and counterintelligence best practices govern all collection activities. Legal review and appropriate authority are required before many collection techniques. Oversight from command and legal channels is built into the process.

Security and Legal Requirements

SCI eligibility and clearance maintenance are required throughout the career. A counterintelligence-scope polygraph is required at accession and may be repeated periodically. Marines are subject to UCMJ and applicable intelligence oversight regulations.

Impact on Family and Personal Life

Family Considerations

Classified work and deployments affect family communication and transparency in ways unique to intelligence fields. Families may not know exact locations or missions during deployed periods. MCFTB, Military OneSource, and MCCS programs provide support. The intelligence community also has established informal support networks for families at major installations.

Relocation and Flexibility

PCS moves are typical throughout a career. Intelligence-field Marines tend to cycle between operating-force billets and garrison intelligence units. Clearance and specialty qualifications travel with the Marine.

Marine Corps Reserve

Component Availability

0211 is available in the Marine Corps Reserve. The public career page lists the Selected Marine Corps Reserve, IMA (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), IRR, and Direct Affiliation Program as reserve pathways. Reserve CI/HUMINT service requires acceptance of PCS and training requirements tied to the PMOS-producing course.

Drill Schedule and Training Commitment

Reserve CI/HUMINT Marines must meet the same clearance and PMOS training requirements as active-duty counterparts. The Direct Affiliation Program provides a structured pathway for qualifying Marines to enter the reserve side of the field.

Part-Time Pay

A reserve Sergeant (E-5) earns approximately four days of base pay per drill weekend, roughly $446 per weekend based on 2026 rates. Active-duty monthly pay of $3,342.90 for the same grade is substantially higher.

Benefits Differences

Deployment and Mobilization

Reserve CI/HUMINT Marines can be mobilized under Title 10 orders for intelligence support missions. Mobilization lengths vary by mission type, often six to twelve months.

Civilian Career Integration

CI/HUMINT experience pairs extremely well with federal law enforcement, NCIS, FBI, DIA, CIA, and contractor intelligence roles. The clearance, polygraph record, and investigative background are assets in the federal cleared workforce. USERRA protections apply. Many intelligence professionals pursue careers that directly build on active-duty CI/HUMINT work.

Post-Service Opportunities

Transition to Civilian Life

The Transition Readiness Program supports separating Marines with career counseling and job-placement assistance. The intelligence community actively recruits veterans with active clearances and proven collection experience. Many 0211 veterans enter federal investigative or intelligence roles within months of separation.

Civilian Career Prospects

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Is This a Good Job for You? The Right (and Wrong) Fit

Ideal Candidate Profile

The best 0211 candidates are mature NCOs with excellent interpersonal skills, strong written communication, emotional stability, and the ability to maintain composure in sensitive and ambiguous situations. Marines who enjoy investigative thinking, can manage relationships under stress, and have the patience to document information carefully are natural fits. A clean record, above-average ASVAB scores, and demonstrated leadership before applying all matter.

Potential Challenges

Marines who need constant physical action, dislike documentation-heavy work, struggle with ambiguity, or have conduct or financial issues in their background will not pass the screening process. The age requirement alone means applicants must already be mid-career Marines before they can enter the field. Anyone expecting an action-movie version of intelligence collection will be disappointed by the reality of thorough, careful, documentation-driven work.

Career and Lifestyle Alignment

For Marines who want a long-term career in intelligence, national security, or federal law enforcement, 0211 provides an extremely strong foundation. The clearance, collection experience, and analytical skills translate directly into the federal and contractor markets. The GI Bill and tuition assistance can add formal education that makes that transition faster and more competitive.

This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Marine Corps or any government agency. Verify all information with official Marine Corps sources before making enlistment or career decisions.

More Information

Contact your unit Career Planner or the Marine Corps Intelligence Schools at Dam Neck to understand current 0211 lateral move solicitation timelines and package requirements. Verify all current screening requirements before submitting a lateral move package.

Explore more 02 Intelligence roles, including 0231 Intelligence Specialist and 0261 Geospatial Intelligence Specialist.

Need score context? Review the ASVAB guide and the PiCAT guide before publishing permanent MOS content.