Ooo, don’t float operation names on here. So it is not as uncommon as you think. If that stuff is what you want to do, then the fastest way to do it really is do your PL, XO, Co Command, and KD time at a combat brigade. Then when you reach senior Captain, you can kind of go two ways: strat or tactical. If you go tactical, your future is brigade S2, Division ACE, up to Corps. Then you move from there to things like joint intelligence stuff until you make LTC in which case you can go Div G2, MI BN Commander, etc. the other way you can go is Strat, in which case there will be slots for things that you are talking about here. Now if you are a LT, which I’m assuming you are, you can go to the TIBs. Through the TIB, I got attached to SOF in Afghanistan, did some DOS stuff, and worked with DIA and NSA. However, if you stay TIB for too long, it can negatively affect your chances of promotion to major. Because when the major board sees your file, they know nothing about what a “joint intelligence cell OIC” at DIA does, but they definitely chime in on “S2 to 1-16 infantry battalion” or “MICO company commander.” That’s kind of why I’m saying it’s good to do the tactical stuff until you reach senior captain and move from there. There is also another avenue you can go at your level, but that takes you away from the “conventional Army” and we can’t really discuss that here.