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2631 Electronic Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Analyst

A radar emits a pulse. You measure the frequency, pulse width, pulse repetition interval, and scan rate. You compare those parameters against a classified database. The signature matches a known threat system. Or it doesn’t, which means you might be looking at something new. You document it, write the report, and that report goes to the EW planner who decides whether to jam, avoid, or track. That is the job of a Marine Corps 2631 Electronic Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Analyst.

Most people understand that radio communications can be intercepted. Fewer understand that non-communications electronic signals (radar emissions, weapons guidance systems, sensor transmissions) tell a completely different and often more revealing story about what an adversary is doing. The 2631 analyst is one of the Marines who reads that story. This MOS sits inside OccFld 26, the SIGINT, Electronic Warfare, and Cyberspace Operations field. Where a 2621 operator focuses on collecting communications signals, a 2631 analyst interprets non-communications electronic signals and produces the technical intelligence that commanders and EW planners need.

Job Role and Responsibilities

The 2631 Electronic Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Analyst analyzes non-communications electronic signals to identify, characterize, and report on adversary emitter activity. Marines in this role support electronic warfare planning by producing technical intelligence products on radar systems, guidance systems, and other electronic emitters. The work requires both technical knowledge of signal behavior and analytic discipline in translating raw collection into intelligence that decision-makers can act on.

The daily rhythm in 2631 is built around collection data and reporting cycles. You arrive at your workstation with a queue of signals data that came in during the previous shift. Some of it is familiar: known emitters operating at expected parameters. Some of it is not. The unfamiliar material is where the real work starts. You pull the signal apart technically, compare it against what is known, and form a judgment about what you are looking at. Then you write it up in a format that gets it into the right hands.

What You Do Every Day

  • Analyze electronic intelligence (ELINT) data collected from adversary radar, weapons guidance, and sensor systems
  • Identify signal parameters, compare them against known emitter databases, and characterize new or unknown emitters
  • Produce intelligence reports and ELINT products that support electronic warfare and operations planning
  • Support EW planning by providing technical threat data on adversary electronic systems
  • Collaborate with collection operators (2621), ISR systems engineers (2651), and intelligence officers
  • Maintain awareness of current threat emitter activity and update analytic judgments as new collection arrives
  • Follow strict classification and handling requirements for all intelligence products

Specific Roles

CodeDescription
2631Electronic Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Analyst (primary MOS)
2629SIGINT Chief (FMOS, awarded at SNCO grade upon meeting experience requirements)

Marines may also earn additional training designators tied to specific analytic tools, joint assignments, or national-level intelligence programs.

Mission Contribution

Electronic warfare planning depends on knowing what electronic systems an adversary operates and how those systems behave. Without accurate ELINT, EW planners work from guesses. With it, they can identify threats, prioritize jamming or suppression actions, and protect Marine forces from electronic attack they did not see coming. A 2631 analyst sits at the technical foundation of that planning process. The work is specialized and largely invisible to the rest of the operating force, but its effect on force protection and mission success is direct.

Technology and Equipment

2631 Marines work with classified analytic software tools, signal parameter databases, and technical exploitation systems. Most analytic work takes place at workstations inside secure facilities. Deployed settings may involve mobile analytic platforms. The skill pattern is consistent regardless of setting: you interpret technical signal data using tools and frameworks built specifically for the ELINT mission, then translate what you find into reporting that meets intelligence community standards.

Salary and Benefits

Financial Benefits

Base pay for 2631 Marines follows the standard 2026 DFAS enlisted pay scale. Pay is determined by paygrade and years of service.

RankPay GradeYears of Service: 2Years of Service: 4Years of Service: 6Years of Service: 8
Private First Class (PFC)E-2$2,698$2,698$2,698-
Corporal (Cpl)E-4$3,303$3,658$3,815$3,815
Sergeant (Sgt)E-5$3,598$3,947$4,110$4,300
Staff Sergeant (SSgt)E-6$3,743$4,069$4,236$4,613

Source: DFAS 2026 pay tables. Figures reflect the 2026 pay raise.

Marines in this field may qualify for:

  • Career Sea Pay when assigned to afloat or MEU intelligence elements
  • Hostile Fire / Imminent Danger Pay of $225/month during qualifying deployed periods
  • Reenlistment bonuses when 2631 is designated as a critical skill MOS; verify current bonus amounts with your recruiter or career planner

Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) is $476.95 per month for enlisted Marines (2026 rate). Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) varies by paygrade, duty location, and dependency status.

Additional Benefits

Active-duty Marines are covered by TRICARE Prime at no cost. The plan covers medical, dental, vision, prescriptions, mental health, and hospitalization. Family members are also enrolled at no cost.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides up to 36 months of education benefits. Public university costs are fully covered at the in-state rate. The private school cap for academic year 2025-2026 is $29,920.95. After six years of service with a four-year additional obligation, Marines can transfer benefits to dependents. Federal Tuition Assistance adds up to $4,500 per year for coursework completed while on active duty.

The Blended Retirement System pension equals 40% of your high-36 average basic pay at 20 years of service, with TSP matching up to 5% of basic pay beginning in your third year.

Work-Life Balance

Marines earn 30 days of paid leave per year (2.5 days per month accrual, 60-day maximum carryover). Analysts in 2631 typically work shift schedules tied to collection and analytic support cycles. Garrison work can resemble an intelligence watch environment with regular shift rotations. Deployed or exercise periods involve extended hours and reduced predictability.

The shift schedule in a 2631 billet is worth understanding before you commit. Unlike a 9-to-5 garrison job, an intelligence analyst supporting a 24-hour watch element rotates through shifts that include nights and weekends. Your schedule changes with the rotation, and it does not align neatly with civilian social patterns. Some Marines adapt easily. Others find the rotating schedule genuinely disruptive to personal life, especially early in a career when the schedule is less flexible.

Federal Tuition Assistance allows Marines to pursue college coursework during active service, and the shift-based nature of this MOS can actually create time for coursework between duty periods. Many 2631 Marines finish associate or bachelor’s degrees before their first reenlistment. That investment translates directly into post-service competitiveness at federal agencies and contractors where a degree is required for GS positions.

Qualifications and Eligibility

Basic Qualifications

RequirementDetail
CitizenshipU.S. citizen (required for TS/SCI clearance)
Age17-28 at enlistment (waivers available)
EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent; GED requires AFQT 50+
AFQT minimum31 (diploma holders); 50 (GED holders)
ASVAB line scoresGT: 110 minimum; EL score also evaluated. Confirm current thresholds with recruiter against NAVMC 1200.1L
Security clearanceTS/SCI required; applicants must be clearance-eligible before accession
MedicalStandard MEPS physical; no disqualifying conditions for classified access
PhysicalMust meet Marine Corps PFT and CFT standards
OtherFinancial history, foreign contacts, and personal conduct reviewed during Tier 5 investigation

The GT composite (General Technical: Verbal Expression + Arithmetic Reasoning + Mechanical Comprehension) is the primary ASVAB threshold for 2631. The EL composite (General Science + Arithmetic Reasoning + Mathematics Knowledge + Electronics Information) also factors into field eligibility. Marines with GT scores above 115 are well-positioned for both the schoolhouse and the analytic work itself.

The TS/SCI clearance is a Tier 5 background investigation. It covers your financial history, foreign contacts, drug use, and personal conduct going back years. Foreign national contacts in your immediate family do not automatically disqualify you, but they add complexity and extend the timeline significantly. Be thorough and honest on every form.

Solid ASVAB preparation directly affects your options in this field. The PiCAT pre-screen is available before your MEPS appointment if your recruiter offers it.

Application Process

  1. Contact a Marine Corps recruiter and express interest in OccFld 26 or specifically MOS 2631
  2. Take the ASVAB or PiCAT and meet GT and EL thresholds
  3. Complete MEPS processing including physical examination and background review
  4. Begin the Tier 5 Top Secret background investigation paperwork
  5. Receive a conditional enlistment contract for the 26 field; specific MOS designation within 26XX may be confirmed after schoolhouse screening
  6. Complete Boot Camp at MCRD Parris Island or MCRD San Diego
  7. Complete Marine Combat Training (MCT) at SOI-East or SOI-West
  8. Report to MOS schooling for ELINT/EW analyst qualification

Background investigations for TS/SCI take time. Often six months to over a year. Applicants with straightforward histories typically move faster. Foreign national contacts in immediate family, prior drug use, or significant debt can extend the timeline substantially.

Selection Criteria and Competitiveness

2631 is selective. The clearance requirement eliminates a significant share of otherwise-qualified applicants. Beyond the clearance, the schoolhouse rewards Marines who are strong at analytic reasoning, pattern recognition, and technical writing. Applicants who have competed in math or science, have experience with technical documentation, or have any background in electronics or signals research tend to perform well.

Upon Accession into Service

Marines enter at E-1 (Private) at enlistment. A standard active-duty contract is four years. Special duty contracts and critical-skills bonuses tied to OccFld 26 may be available; confirm current terms with your recruiter against the latest manpower guidance.

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Work Environment

Setting and Schedule

2631 Marines do most of their work in secure intelligence facilities, both in garrison and deployed settings. The analytic environment is climate-controlled and workstation-based. Shift work is standard in intelligence watch environments. Deployed analytic elements may work from ship, forward operating base, or joint intelligence support facilities.

The work rhythm is steady rather than sporadic. Analytic products follow defined reporting timelines. You maintain your work rate whether collection is light or heavy. When the data arrives, it needs to be processed on schedule.

Leadership and Communication

2631 Marines work within a chain that includes collection supervisors, senior intelligence NCOs, and commissioned intelligence officers. Reporting quality is measured regularly. Junior analysts receive feedback on product accuracy, analytical tradecraft, and adherence to intelligence writing standards. Formal performance evaluations use proficiency and conduct marks for junior enlisted Marines and FITREPs for SNCOs.

Communication in intelligence settings follows strict need-to-know and compartmentalization rules. Analysts learn early to write precisely in classified formats and to avoid inadvertent disclosure in any context.

Team Dynamics and Autonomy

Analytic work in 2631 involves both team collaboration and individual judgment. An analyst examining an unknown emitter may work alongside collection operators and systems engineers to correlate multiple data sources. At the Corporal and Sergeant level, analysts increasingly own their analytic lines and defend their assessments to senior intelligence personnel.

The balance tips toward individual responsibility as rank increases. Senior 2631 analysts at the SSgt and GySgt level may supervise entire analytic sections and serve as subject-matter experts for supported commanders. Getting to that level requires years of product output, not time in grade alone.

Job Satisfaction and Retention

Marines who find technical puzzle-solving genuinely interesting tend to report strong satisfaction in 2631. The work is meaningful in a concrete operational sense, the clearance creates long-term civilian value, and the technical depth rewards sustained effort. The challenges that affect satisfaction most are shift work, clearance-related lifestyle restrictions, and the lack of public recognition for intelligence contributions.

Training and Skill Development

Initial Training

PhaseLocationDurationFocus
Boot CampMCRD Parris Island (SC) or MCRD San Diego (CA)13 weeksMarine fundamentals, physical conditioning, discipline
Marine Combat Training (MCT)SOI-East (Camp Geiger, NC) or SOI-West (Camp Pendleton, CA)29 daysBasic Marine skills and field craft for non-infantry Marines
MOS School (ELINT/EW)Goodfellow AFB (San Angelo, TX) via joint SIGINT/EW schoolhouse6-12 months (varies by curriculum track)Electronic intelligence analysis, signal characterization, EW support, classified analytic tradecraft

Goodfellow AFB hosts the primary joint military SIGINT schoolhouse. Marines attend alongside counterparts from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The curriculum is classified in detail, but the analytic foundation covers signal characterization methods, emitter identification, and intelligence reporting standards. Passing requires consistent academic performance across technical and tradecraft subjects.

The analytic tradecraft component of 2631 training goes beyond technical signal work. You learn intelligence writing standards, structured analytic methods, and how to communicate uncertainty in a classified product. This means saying what you know, what you assessed, and how confident you are without overstating what the data shows. These skills are harder to build than technical knowledge, and the schoolhouse spends significant time on them.

Students who treat the schoolhouse as purely technical training miss the analytic half of the job. The best 2631 Marines coming out of Goodfellow are not just the ones who can read a signal. They are the ones who can turn what they see into a clear, defensible written product that holds up under scrutiny from a senior analyst or an intelligence officer.

Advanced Training

After initial MOS qualification, 2631 analysts can pursue:

  • Advanced ELINT analysis courses tied to specific emitter categories or threat systems
  • Joint ELINT exploitation training at NSA and defense intelligence agency programs
  • Electronic warfare integration courses that connect the analytic function with EW planning and operations
  • All-source intelligence integration training at Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA) and joint schools
  • Defense Language Institute (DLI) language training if a language designator assignment is offered

The Marine Corps Intelligence Activity at Quantico is a key professional development venue for senior 2631 analysts. Time at MCIA exposes analysts to national-level requirements and builds relationships across the intelligence community that carry real value during transition.

Career Progression and Advancement

Career Path

PaygradeRankTypical Time in GradeRole
E-1Private (Pvt)0-6 monthsRecruit / training pipeline student
E-2Private First Class (PFC)6-9 monthsMOS schooling student
E-3Lance Corporal (LCpl)9-14 monthsJunior analyst at first unit
E-4Corporal (Cpl)2-3 years TISAnalyst with independent reporting responsibility
E-5Sergeant (Sgt)4-6 years TISSenior analyst, section leader
E-6Staff Sergeant (SSgt)8-10 years TISAnalytic section chief, SNCO advisor
E-7Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt)12-15 years TISSenior SIGINT SNCO, detachment leadership
E-8Master Sergeant (MSgt) / 1stSgt16-19 years TISSenior intelligence SNCO or First Sergeant
E-9Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) / SgtMaj20+ years TISSenior technical advisor or Sergeant Major

Specialization and Additional MOS

  • 2629 SIGINT Chief (FMOS): Awarded at the SNCO level to recognize mastery of SIGINT collection and analytic leadership.
  • Language designators: Assigned when a Marine completes DLI training in a specific language. Opens assignment options to joint intelligence collection units and national-level agencies.
  • Joint intelligence assignments: Senior analysts may be assigned to NSA, DIA, or combatant command intelligence staffs.

Role Flexibility and Transfers

Lateral moves out of 2631 are possible through the LATMOVE program. Moving within OccFld 26 (to 2621 or 2651 duties) is administratively more straightforward than crossing to a different occupational field. Command endorsement and sufficient time in MOS are standard requirements.

Performance Evaluation

Junior enlisted Marines (E-1 through E-4) receive proficiency and conduct marks that inform promotion recommendations. NCOs and SNCOs receive FITREPs. In intelligence, documented analytic accomplishments, reporting accuracy, and demonstrable contributions to supported commanders’ decision-making are strong fitness report content. Marines who pursue professional certification through DIA or NSA analytic tradecraft programs have a differentiating advantage at promotion boards.

Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations

Physical Requirements

Physical demands in 2631 are moderate in garrison but real in deployed and field settings. Marines must maintain current PFT and CFT scores throughout their service. Deployments involve wearing gear, setting up analytic platforms, and operating in field conditions regardless of the analytic nature of the primary job.

The disconnect that catches some intelligence MOS Marines off guard is the mismatch between the garrison work environment and the field requirement. You spend most of your workday at a classified workstation. The PFT and CFT feel secondary. Then a MEU workup begins or a field exercise runs for three weeks, and suddenly you are carrying equipment, running personnel movements in body armor, and sustaining operations in environments that test your physical baseline.

Marines in analyst billets who let their fitness slide between cycles tend to struggle visibly during field events. This affects fitness report content, promotion boards, and leadership perception. Staying in physical shape is a professional requirement in the Marine Corps regardless of MOS, and in the intelligence field it carries additional weight because you are typically a smaller percentage of the force and every Marine’s output is visible.

New Marines entering 2631 should plan to train seriously for the PFT and CFT well before their first evaluation cycle. Meeting the minimum is technically passing. Scoring in the first-class range is the operational norm for competitive Marines in OccFld 26.

PFT and CFT Standards (2026, Age Group 17-20)

TestEventMale MinimumMale First ClassFemale MinimumFemale First Class
PFTPull-ups323111
PFTCrunches (2 min)7010070100
PFT3-Mile Run28:0018:0031:0021:00
CFTMovement to Contact (880m)3:452:354:353:16
CFTAmmo Can Lifts (2 min)42954284
CFTManeuver Under Fire (300m)3:002:053:402:46

Consult current Marine Corps fitness publications at marines.mil for the most up-to-date scoring tables.

Medical Evaluations

Marines complete a full MEPS physical before accession. Periodic medical readiness requirements apply throughout service. TS/SCI clearance reinvestigations, typically every five years, review health, lifestyle, and financial factors that could affect continued access.

Deployment and Duty Stations

Deployment Details

2631 Marines deploy as part of MEU intelligence sections, MEF intelligence battalions, and joint intelligence support elements. MEU rotations typically run seven months. Deployed analytic work takes place aboard ship, at forward operating bases, or inside joint intelligence facilities.

The assignment base for 2631 Marines follows the same pattern as OccFld 26 broadly:

  • 1st Radio Battalion (Camp Pendleton, CA): Primary SIGINT and ELINT unit for I MEF. Supports Pacific-focused operations and deploys with MEUs out of the West Coast.
  • 2nd Radio Battalion (Camp Lejeune, NC): Primary SIGINT and ELINT unit for II MEF. Supports Atlantic, Mediterranean, AFRICOM, and EUCOM rotations.
  • III MEF (Camp Courtney / Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan): Forward-deployed presence in the Pacific. High operational tempo, close proximity to peer competitor threat systems that make ELINT work directly relevant.
  • Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA, Quantico, VA): Select senior analysts serve at the national-level intelligence venue for the Corps.

Marines in 2631 should expect regular deployments across a full career. The field is operationally relevant enough that demand for experienced ELINT analysts remains consistent.

A 2631 Marine on a MEU rotation works from the ship’s intelligence spaces during transit and from forward operating bases or joint facilities once ashore. The analytic mission does not stop during transit. Collection continues, and the reporting cycle continues with it. Being at sea does not mean being disconnected from the intelligence enterprise; it means doing the same analytical work in a more compressed and operationally immediate environment.

Deployment timing and frequency vary by assignment. Marines at 1st or 2nd Radio Battalion should expect at least one MEU rotation and potentially additional joint or theater assignments over a three-year tour. Okinawa-based Marines work in direct proximity to the threat systems their ELINT training was designed to address. That proximity creates both operational relevance and occasional operational urgency that garrison assignments do not replicate.

Location Flexibility

Additional duty station options include MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii for III MEF forward support, and various joint intelligence facilities tied to NSA, DIA, or combatant command assignments depending on billet and qualifications. Senior 2631 analysts with national-level credibility may receive orders to joint duty assignments at major intelligence community organizations.

Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations

Job Hazards

Operational risk in 2631 comes primarily from deployed environments. Analysts assigned to forward elements or MEU operations face the same general risk profile as other deployed Marines. Workstation-based work in garrison carries standard ergonomic and occupational health considerations.

The analytic work itself does not involve physical hazards beyond normal office-environment ergonomics. The risk exposure comes from deployments. A 2631 analyst aboard a MEU ship may be at sea for months, and depending on the operational theater, that ship may operate in proximity to contested areas. Forward deployed analytic elements may be located at forward operating bases that carry the associated risks of austere and operationally active environments.

Safety Protocols

Marines follow standard OPSEC and COMSEC protocols. Classified system handling rules are taught in MOS schooling and reinforced at every unit. Physical security of analytic facilities follows strict access control procedures. TEMPEST requirements apply to classified workstations and the rooms that house them.

OPSEC training for 2631 Marines goes beyond the standard annual requirement. Analysts work with classified products daily and must demonstrate consistent judgment about what information can be discussed where, with whom, and in what context. Facility security officers conduct regular compliance checks. Marines who develop strong OPSEC habits early protect both themselves and the classified programs they work on.

Security and Legal Requirements

Holding a TS/SCI clearance changes how you live, not only where you work. Here is what that means concretely:

  • Foreign travel requires pre-approval and reporting. A weekend trip to another country goes through security channels first. Spontaneous international trips are not compatible with this clearance.
  • Social media becomes a managed behavior. Anything that reveals your unit, location, work function, or clearance status is a potential security violation.
  • Financial changes such as new debt, a major purchase financed on credit, or a bankruptcy must be reported because they can affect clearance status.
  • Polygraph examinations may be required for specific billet assignments, particularly at joint or national-level intelligence organizations.
  • NDAs cover every program and system you work on. These are permanent. Discussing classified information after separation is a federal criminal offense.
  • Insider threat training is conducted regularly. You learn what behavioral indicators look like, because you are required to report concerns about colleagues as well as yourself.

Reinvestigations occur approximately every five years for TS/SCI holders. The process examines the full period since the last investigation.

Impact on Family and Personal Life

Family Considerations

The TS/SCI investigation reaches into your household. A spouse or immediate family member may be interviewed as part of the background process. The investigator wants to know about your finances, behavior, foreign travel, and contacts. Most families handle this without difficulty once they understand what to expect, but it catches some spouses off guard if not discussed in advance.

Deployment separation in an ELINT MOS follows the same general pattern as other MEU-assigned fields. Seven-month rotations are standard. The classified nature of the work means your family cannot know your specific assignment, your location at any given time, or the details of what has you working late or extended shifts. That ambiguity is part of the deal. Some families build strong routines around it. Others find it genuinely hard to manage.

The Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) program, Military OneSource, and MCCS are present at all major installations with OccFld 26 units. These programs offer counseling, deployment readiness resources, financial guidance, and childcare referral services.

Relocation and Flexibility

PCS moves occur approximately every two to three years. Overseas assignments to Okinawa and Hawaii are part of the normal rotation for III MEF-assigned Marines. Family circumstances can be noted in preference requests, but the Marine Corps fills billets based on the needs of the service.

Families moving to Okinawa face a particularly significant transition. The overseas environment is culturally distinct, access to familiar resources is more limited, and the support network is primarily through the installation community rather than the broader civilian economy. Most families who enter an Okinawa tour with realistic expectations finish it positively. Those who arrive expecting it to feel like a stateside assignment typically have a harder time. The Marine Corps does provide substantial support programs, and the Okinawa installation community tends to be tightly knit in ways that benefit families who engage with it.

Marine Corps Reserve

Component Availability

MOS 2631 exists in the Marine Corps Reserve, but billets are limited compared to larger support fields. Access depends on unit availability, open training seats, and the Marine’s ability to maintain clearance currency between drill periods.

Drill Schedule and Training Commitment

Reserve 2631 Marines follow the standard one weekend per month plus two weeks of Annual Training schedule. Analytic recertification and system training may require additional training days. Maintaining clearance currency between drill periods is a practical requirement that some Reserve Marines underestimate when they first sign up.

Part-Time Pay

An E-4 Corporal with fewer than two years of service earns $3,142.20 per month on active duty (2026 DFAS rate). A drill period pays approximately 1/30 of monthly base pay, yielding roughly $419 for a standard four-period drill weekend. A Corporal with three years of service earns $3,482.40 per month on active duty, putting a drill weekend at roughly $465.

Benefits Differences

AreaActive DutyMarine Corps Reserve
CommitmentFull-time1 weekend/month + 2 weeks/year
Monthly base pay (E-4 under 2 years)$3,142.20~$419 per drill weekend
HealthcareTRICARE Prime (free)TRICARE Reserve Select (premium-based)
EducationFederal Tuition Assistance ($4,500/year) + GI Bill eligibleMontgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve eligibility differs
Deployment tempoHigher; MEU/MEF rotationsLower; episodic mobilization
RetirementBRS pension at 20 years (40% high-36)Points-based; collect at age 60

Deployment and Mobilization

Reserve 2631 Marines can be mobilized under Title 10 orders for named operations or augmentation requirements. Mobilization typically runs 12 months. Cleared intelligence analysts are in demand during sustained operations when active-duty units need augmentation.

Civilian Career Integration

A reserve billet in 2631 pairs well with civilian employment in intelligence analysis, defense contracting, or federal service. The combination of an active clearance, current analytic training, and regular work currency is genuinely attractive to contractors and agencies that hire cleared analysts. USERRA protects reserve Marines from employment discrimination tied to military service.

Post-Service Opportunities

Transition to Civilian Life

The transition from 2631 to civilian intelligence work is one of the cleaner paths in the enlisted Corps. The TS/SCI clearance, analytic tradecraft, and ELINT-specific knowledge align directly with roles at NSA, DIA, and the defense contractor community. Here is where to focus your job search:

  • NSA: ELINT analysts with collection and reporting experience are directly competitive for civilian GS-9 through GS-13 positions. The agency values the same tradecraft skills the 2631 MOS builds.
  • DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency): Technical intelligence and ELINT-specific analyst roles draw consistently from OccFld 26 veterans. GS-7 to GS-13 entry points are realistic within the first two years post-separation.
  • CIA: The Directorate of Digital Innovation and the analysis directorates both have roles where ELINT experience is relevant.
  • Defense contractors: Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, L3Harris, CACI, Leidos, and Perspecta actively recruit cleared analysts. Contract roles often pay more than comparable GS positions, especially at the TS/SCI level.

Begin the Transition Readiness Program (TRP) at least 180 days before your EAS date. Use that window to identify target employers, tailor your resume around quantifiable analytic accomplishments, and build relationships through professional networks in the intelligence community.

Civilian Career Prospects

Civilian Job TitleMedian Annual SalaryJob Outlook
Intelligence Analyst (federal)~$97,0004% growth (BLS)
Information Security Analyst~$120,00033% growth (BLS, much faster than average)
Electronic Warfare Systems Analyst (contractor)$95,000-$135,000Strong demand in DoD/IC
Signals Intelligence Analyst (cleared contractor)$90,000-$130,000Consistent demand; clearance required
Technical Intelligence Researcher$85,000-$115,000Growing in DoD contractor space

Figures are approximate based on BLS data. Cleared positions regularly exceed these medians.

The federal GS pay scale adds context to these numbers. A GS-9 Step 1 position in the Washington, D.C. locality pays roughly $73,000 before locality pay adjustments. With locality pay applied, that number rises significantly. GS-11 and GS-12 positions are common entry points for veterans with four to eight years of ELINT and intelligence analysis experience. A 2631 Marine who separates after eight years with an active TS/SCI clearance is competitive for GS-11 or GS-12 positions without additional education, though a degree improves the range of available postings and the ceiling for advancement.

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

Ideal Candidate Profile

2631 is a strong fit for Marines who like technical problem-solving, can work methodically inside classified environments, and want a career path with clear civilian value. You should enjoy reading technical data, making defensible judgments based on incomplete information, and writing clearly under time pressure. An interest in electronics, radar physics, or signals behavior gives you a natural foundation to build on.

You should also be comfortable with the clearance lifestyle: financial discipline, limited foreign contact, and discretion about work content in personal settings.

Potential Challenges

This MOS is a poor fit if you want physical outdoor work or highly visible mission action. Analytic work is mentally demanding but largely sedentary. Shift schedules and secure facility requirements limit lifestyle flexibility. Marines who get bored with detailed, repetitive technical tasks will find the daily reality of 2631 draining.

The clearance process is also a genuine filter. Complex financial or personal history slows the investigation and can result in denial.

Career and Lifestyle Alignment

If you plan to work in intelligence, defense, or federal service for the long term, 2631 sets up a coherent career arc. The clearance and analytic skills are directly marketable, and they compound in value with each year of experience. If you plan a short enlistment and want the fastest possible transition to an unrelated civilian career, the investment the Corps makes in training you may create pressure to stay longer than you planned.

The most important self-assessment question for 2631 is not whether you can handle the clearance process or score high enough on the ASVAB. Those are threshold questions. The real question is whether you want to spend significant portions of your professional life doing analytical work that is never publicly credited, often deeply technical, and largely invisible to anyone who does not hold the same clearances. Some people find that kind of work deeply satisfying. It requires a particular kind of professional motivation that does not depend on external recognition.

Marines who thrive in 2631 tend to be the ones who are genuinely curious about how adversary systems work, who find the puzzle-solving dimension of technical analysis rewarding on its own terms, and who understand that the value of their work shows up in outcomes they may never personally observe. If that description fits you, 2631 offers a career arc that is both operationally meaningful and professionally valuable in ways that survive separation from the Corps.

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.

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More Information

Contact your local Marine Corps Recruiting Station (RSS) or visit marines.com for current availability and contract information on MOS 2631 and OccFld 26.

Explore more OccFld 26 Signals Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and Cyberspace Operations careers such as 2621 Communications Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Operator and 2651 ISR Systems Engineer.

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

Last updated on by Boots and Utes Editorial Team