Cryptologic technician(CT) is aUnited States Navyenlistedrating or job specialty. The CT community performs a wide range of tasks in support of the nationalintelligence-gatheringeffort, with an emphasis oncryptologyandsignal intelligencerelated products.
| Cryptologic technician | |
|---|---|
 Rating insignia | |
| Issued by | United States Navy |
| Type | Enlisted rating |
| Abbreviation | CT |
| Specialty | Technical |
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, CTO, CTR, CTT, CWT). 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
edit- Administration (CTA) – Administrative and clerical duties that control access toclassifiedmaterial such as special security officer (SSO) or Defense Courier Service (DCS). (No longer active.)
- Interpretive (CTI) – Interpretive are the Navy'slinguists.They specialize in analysis of adversary developments, radiotelephone communications, and preparation of statistical studies and technical reports requiring knowledge of aforeign language.[1]
- Maintenance (CTM) – the installation, configuration, diagnosis, and repair of state-of-the-art electronic, computer, and network hardware and software systems.[2]
- Collection (CTR) – perform a variety of duties worldwide at numerous overseas and stateside shore commands, aboard surface ships, aircraft, submarines, andNaval 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.[3]
- Synonymous withUS Armyjob 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-basedradarsignals. 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.[4]Non-communications signalsintelligence (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 holdNavy Enlisted Classificationsuch as 1702, 1733, 1734, 1736, 1737 which are primarily for theAN/SLQ-32,8201, 8295, 8296 which are for Naval Aircrewman, 9135 for Subsurface, 1781 advanced apps, and also the 9141,9102 NEC's.
- Networks (CTN 2004–2023) (CWT) – perform a variety of duties associated withcomputer network operationsacross global networks. A combination of technical and analytical computer network skills provides the situational awareness required to plan and executeinformation operations(IO) actions/ counteractions.[5]Initially established as CTN, the rating was replaced by CWT (Cyber Warfare Technician) in 2023.[6]
Rating changes
edit- 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.[1]
- On October 1, 2003,Electronic warfaretechnicians (EW) were merged with CTT.
- On October 1, 2007, CTA merged withyeoman(YN), andlegalman.
- Cryptologic Technician Communications (CTO) cross-rated to CTN and the legacy CTOs merged withinformation systems technician(IT).
- CTM were scheduled to be disestablished in 2008, with certain skill sets converting toelectronics technician(ET) and information systems technician (IT) billets, but this has been set on hold for further planning.
- The CTN rating was disestablished in 2023, replaced by Cyber Warfare Technician (CWT).[6]
Notable cryptologic technicians
edit- CTICSShannon M. Kent
See also
edit- Defense Language Aptitude Battery(The test taken to become a CTI)
- Defense Language Proficiency Tests(The tests taken to assess the skill level of CTIs)
- List of United States Navy ratings
References
edit- ^"US Navy CTI Rating Card"(PDF).Retrieved2 March2017.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
- ^"US Navy CTM Rating Card"(PDF).Retrieved2 March2017.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
- ^"US Navy CTR Rating Card"(PDF).Retrieved2 March2017.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
- ^"US Navy CTT Rating Card"(PDF).Retrieved2 March2017.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
- ^"CWT - Cyber Warfare Technician"(PDF).Navy COOL.August 6, 2024. Archived fromthe originalon February 16, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 1,2024.
- ^ab"Navy Cyber Warfare Technician Rating".Navy Cyberspace.February 6, 2004.RetrievedSeptember 1,2024.
External links
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