FBI, CIA, NSA seek Army officers for fellowships: Deadline extended

FBI, CIA, NSA seek Army officers for fellowships: Deadline extended

The Army is seeking qualified majors and lieutenant colonels to apply for a chance to spend a year working for agencies such as the CIA, FBI, State Department, NSA, FAA and FEMA.

The Army Command and General Staff College Interagency Fellowship Program is a career broadening, educational opportunity for field grade officers. First launched in 2008, the program now boasts 28 interagency partners, including the Transportation Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the National Security Agency, the National Counterterrorism Center, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Justice Department.

The deadline to apply for the next class is Jan. 15. Successful applicants should expect to start their fellowship in mid-August and serve for about 11 months. All fellowships take place in the Washington, D.C., area.

The Interagency Fellowship Program started with just seven fellows at six interagency partners, said Ralph Doughty, the program’s director. The program has grown every year since, with a goal of 55 fellows by the summer of 2017, he said. So far, almost 200 officers have participated in the program.

The goal for this year is 50 fellows, he said.

Applicants will be selected based on their qualifications and where they’d like to serve their fellowship, Doughty said. The partner agencies also get a vote, and the Army tries to match the two, he said.

During the fellowship, the officers get “a deep dive” into the culture, processes, and capabilities or limitations of the agency to which they’re assigned, Doughty said.

One fellow is part of the team working to draft the FAA’s regulations on drone use in U.S. airspace, Doughty said. Another, working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, responded to the recent devastating floods in South Carolina.

“They earn their keep by contributing to the mission,” Doughty said. “The reason this is such a good thing is it results in a much better qualified officer for us.”

The fellowships also help the Army build contacts and relationships with partner government agencies, he said.

Applicants to the program must have completed CGSC and be Key Developmental assignment qualified, said Tim O’Hagan, the CGSC Interagency Programs manager. This includes, for example, an assignment as a battalion executive officer or operations officer.

“We’re looking for more experienced majors and/or lieutenant colonels,” he said.

Officers can be from any branch or functional area, he said.

“Each partner agency wants something different,” he said. “Some of them want intelligence backgrounds, some want Special Forces. They want officers who have good planning skills, understand the Army, who can think critically and analytically.”

Previous fellows also have found that the agencies seek applicants with strong writing skills, O’Hagan said.

Majors and lieutenant colonels are eligible to apply for fellowships in D.C. with a number of agencies, including FEMA.