As an officer in the Int Corps, what is the likelihood of experiencing combat?

Hi Jon.

Thanks for the question mate. So although it isn't our role to fight, we are all soldiers first and will deploy very close to the 'Forward Line of Troops'. You are correct in that it is typically our soldiers who are attached down to Infantry Company level, but as an Officer it would be very common for you to be in either the Brigade Headquarters or Battlegroup Headquarters. If the intelligence staff are in contact with the enemy, it of course means something has gone wrong. But it does and has happened.

As a caveat and in the interest of fairness, I would say that currently no parts of the conventional Army - infantry or otherwise - are 'experiencing combat' in the sense of an Op TELIC or HERRICK in Iraq and Afghanistan respectively. This could, of course, change in a flash. In the meantime, many of our roles would allow you to conduct real intelligence work against a real enemy in operations short of war.

I hope that answers your question?

Paul