“My Job Is To Protect Us”: An Army Intelligence And Counterintelligence Specialist

Ric Romero grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and joined the Army in 1984. He enlisted as an Interrogator and Arabic Linguist, and learned in Arabic with the Egyptian dialect. While on active duty, he served with the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion in the 101st Airborne Division, the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade, and the 5th Special Forces Group. During his time in service, he participated in Operation Desert Storm. He began working as a Department of the Army Civilian in 1996, and participated in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Civilian Excepted Career Program (MICECP) as a Counterintelligence Special Agent/Army Civilian in 1998. Currently he serves as the MICECP Career Program Manager. He is a dual-tracked career MICECP member in CI and HUMINT, as well as an Arabic and Italian linguist. As an Army Civilian, Mr. Romero again served in the 66th and 513th MI Brigades, the 902d MI Group, and the U.S. Army Field Support Center. His various positions included Joint Terrorism Task Forces with the FBI, Force Protection Detachments, Field Offices in Atlanta, Qatar, Kuwait, Detroit, Italy and Germany in investigative, operations, research and technology protection, and management roles. He studied physical chemistry at Michigan State University, and continued his studies in various languages at the Defense Language Institute, University of Detroit-Mercy, and the University of Maryland - University Center. He also earned advanced management and leadership certificates from Harvard Law School and the U.S. Graduate School. In this interview, he explains how the threat to the country has changed over his time in service. He also highlights the passion he feels while serving and protecting U.S. citizens and the nation.