Cryptologic Technician (CT) is a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

enlisted Enlisted may refer to: * Enlisted rank An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or ...

rating or job specialty. The CT community performs a wide range of tasks in support of the national

intelligence-gathering This is a list of intelligence gathering disciplines. HUMINT Human intelligence (HUMINT) are gathered from a person in the location in question. Sources can include the following: * Advisors or foreign internal defense (FID) personnel wor ...

effort, with an emphasis on

cryptology Cryptography, or cryptology (from grc, , translit=kryptós "hidden, secret"; and ''graphein'', "to write", or '' -logia'', "study", respectively), is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adve ...

and signal intelligence related products. Most CT personnel are required to obtain and maintain security clearances. Due to the highly classified and secure work environment requiring very restricted access, it is not always possible to share resources with other commands, leading to their shipboard nickname, " spooks". Almost every detail surrounding the CT world from administration to operations to repair requires dedicated technicians with appropriate security clearances (this accounts for the many branches of the CT rating, i.e. CTI, CTM, CTN, CTO, CTR, CTT). The contribution of an individual CT will depend upon the branch or career area. Members of the CT community enjoy a wide range of career and training options. Once trained, a CT might serve ashore, afloat, or in an airborne capacity. Some CT sailors can expect overseas assignments of lengthy duration and some may never travel overseas.

Specialties

*Administration (CTA) - Administrative and clerical duties that control access to classified material such as Special Security Officer (SSO) or Defense Courier Service (DCS). (No longer active.) *Interpretive (CTI) - Interpretive are the Navy's

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...

s. They specialize in analysis of adversary developments, radiotelephone communications, and preparation of statistical studies and technical reports requiring knowledge of a

foreign language A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a given country, and that native speakers from that country must usually acquire through conscious learning - be this through language lessons at schoo ...

. *Maintenance (CTM) - the installation, configuration, diagnosis, and repair of state-of-the-art electronic, computer, and network hardware and software systems. *Networks (CTN) - perform a variety of duties associated with

computer network operations Computer network operations (CNO) is a broad term that has both military and civilian application. Conventional wisdom is that information is power, and more and more of the information necessary to make decisions is digitized and conveyed over an e ...

across global networks. A combination of technical and analytical computer network skills provides the situational awareness required to plan and execute

information operations Information Operations is a category of direct and indirect support operations for the United States Military. By definition in Joint Publication 3-13, "IO are described as the integrated employment of electronic warfare (EW), computer network ...

(IO) actions/ counteractions. (Rating was established from NEC Codes: 9301, 9302, 9303) *Collection (CTR) – perform a variety of duties worldwide at numerous overseas and stateside shore commands, aboard surface ships, aircraft, submarines, and Naval Special Warfare. Duties include performing collection, analysis, and reporting on communication signals using computers, specialized computer-assisted communications equipment, video display terminals, and electronic/magnetic tape recorders. **Synonymous with

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

job specialty 35S (Signals Collection Analyst) and US Marine MOS 2621 (Special Communications Signals Collection Operator) *Technical (CTT) - perform a variety of specialized duties associated with the collection and processing of airborne, shipborne, and land-based

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

signals. They operate electronic intelligence receiving and direction finding systems, digital recording devices, analysis terminals, and associated computer equipment. Systems they operate produce high-power jamming signals used to deceive electronic sensors and defeat radar guided weapons systems. Additionally, intelligence derived from collection and processing update national databases which are crucial to tactical and strategic units throughout the world.

Non-communications signals In signals intelligence (SIGINT), non-communications signals are any signals sent out for a purpose other than communicating information. This includes radar emissions and emissions from instrumentation (which provide information, but are not sent ...

intelligence (ELINT), Electronic Warfare Support (ES), Electronic Attack (EA), Electronic Protect (EP), Anti-Ship Missile Defense (ASMD), while a portion perform servicing and maintenance of various related electronic countermeasures systems (i.e., AN/SLQ-32) They can hold

Navy Enlisted Classification The Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) system supplements the rating designators for enlisted members of the United States Navy. A naval rating and NEC designator are similar to the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) designators used in the U ...

such as 1702, 1733, 1734, 1736, 1737 which are primarily for the AN/SLQ-32, 8201, 8295, 8296 which are for Naval Aircrewman, 9135 for Subsurface, 1781 advanced apps, and also the 9141,9102 NEC's.

Rating changes

*1942-43 Specialists (Q) (CR) Cryptographers - Established 1942-1943 changed to CT in 1948 *1948 Communications Technician - Established 1948 from the ratings of Specialist (Q) (Cryptographers), Specialist (Q) (Radio Intelligence), Specialist (Q) (Technicians), and Radioman *26 March 1976, Communications Technician renamed to Cryptologic Technician (name alignment w/officer community). Establishes CTT, CTR, CTO, CTI, CTA, CTM ratings.

*On October 1, 2003,

Electronic Warfare Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...

Technicians (EW) were merged with CTT. *On October 1, 2007, CTA merged with

Yeoman Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...

(YN), and

Legalman Legalman (abbreviated as LN) is a United States Navy occupational rating. Legalmen: * Perform paralegal duties under the direction and supervision of Judge Advocates in providing and administering legal services, including matters concerned with ...

. *Cryptologic Technician Communications (CTO) cross-rated to CTN and the legacy CTOs merged with

Information Systems Technician An information systems technician is a technician of an industrial occupation whose responsibility is maintaining communications and computer systems. Description Information systems technicians operate and maintain information systems, facilitatin ...

(IT). *CTM were scheduled to be disestablished in 2008, with certain skill sets converting to

Electronics Technician Electronics technicians help design, develop, test, manufacture, install, and repair electrical and electronic equipment such as communication equipment, medical monitoring devices, navigational equipment, and computers. They may be employed in ...

(ET) and Information Systems Technician (IT) billets, but this has been set on hold for further planning.

Notable Cryptologic Technicians

*CTICS Shannon M. Kent *CTTC Christian Pik

*CTRCS David Mclendo

References

Navy Personnel Command

External links

U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans AssociationPublic.navy.mil
**http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=29281 {{DEFAULTSORT:Cryptologic Technician United States Navy ratings Technicians Naval intelligence United States Navy sailors

Specialties

Rating changes

Notable Cryptologic Technicians

See also

References

External links