CRYPTOLOGIC TECHNICIAN COLLECTION

CTR's perform a variety of duties worldwide at numerous overseas and stateside shore commands and aboard surface ships, aircraft and submarines.  Duties include performing collection and analysis of state-of-the-art communication signals using sophisticated high-powered computers, specialized computer-assisted communications equipment, video display terminals and electronic/magnetic recorders.

The duties performed by CTR's include

• Providing in-depth analysis on a variety of complex digital communications signals using sophisticated communications equipment and computer technology to provide critical intelligence information.
• Providing analysis and technical guidance while assigned temporarily to ships, submarines or P-3 aircraft.
• Possible assignment to selected ships homeported at Norfolk, VA, Mayport, FL, San Diego, CA, Pearl Harbor, HI, Bremerton, WA and Yokosuka, Japan. 
• Qualifying to perform special operations in support of national security that demand extremely high mental and physical qualifications along with additional special security clearance screening procedures.
• Supporting Information Warfare tasking on the global communications network.
• Operating sophisticated state-of-the-art strategic and tactical signals collection and analysis systems, and utilizing sophisticated direction finding technology.
• Originating reports and briefs for operational commanders both ashore and afloat.

Qualifications and Interests
ASVAB standard score required: VE + AR = 110

- Qualities required of people in this rating group are good speaking and writing skills, a good memory, resourcefulness, curiosity, an adaptability to detailed work and repetitive tasks, and an aptitude for arithmetic reasoning and record keeping.

The desire and ability to work with others as part of a team and to deal with ideas and information is also important.  A talent in operating high-powered computers and electronic devices is also helpful.

- Because of the nature of the duties performed, applicants for the CTR group must be of good character.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens and meet eligibility requirements for continuous access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).  Eligibility for a Top-Secret clearance is determined by the results of a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) followed by a reinvestigation every five years.

Opportunities
About 3,000 men and women work in the CTR rating with skill requirements ranging from communication monitoring activities and operation of sophisticated devices, network/database management and Information Warfare under the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) National Strategy.  Competition is keen, but placement opportunities exist for those seeking this challenging and rewarding duty.

Career Path After Recruit Training
Enlistees are taught the fundamentals of this rating through formal Navy schooling.  Advanced technical and operational training is available in career paths at later stages of career development and occasionally at the completion of the 15-week CTR "A" school.

School:  Class "A" Technical School
Present Location:  NTTC Pensacola, Fla.
Approximate Training Time:  15 weeks
Subjects:  Computer fundamentals, security procedures, mathematics, signals theory, digital communications technologies, equipment operations, satellite communications and fundamental reporting techniques.

Following completion of basic CTR technical training, graduates may expect assignment to sea duty in the United States or worldwide overseas to such locations as Hawaii, Bahrain, Spain, England, Japan or Australia.  Sixty percent of "A" school graduates get immediate follow-on specialized "C" school training; the remainder go directly to their initial operational assignment.

Normal Rotation

E1 - E7 1 INCONUS/2 OUTCONUS(SEA)
E8 - E9 2 INCONUS/1 OUTCONUS(SEA)

Requirements for Conversion to CTR

1. Sailor immediate family/spouse must be a U.S. citizen.
2. Signed 1306/7 requesting conversion, ensure it states lateral/score/forced.
3. ASVAB (AR/VE) must equal 110, possible waiver at the Enlisted Community Managers discretion.
4. Copies of last three evaluations.
5. Special Security Officer (SSO) interview.
6. Completed SF-86.
7. Must be E5 & below and have no more than 8yrs in the Navy.