Which of the Armed Forces is Better for IT-Types?

tang asks: "As a Computer Science major who will be graduating this year, I wanted to know the experiences of any slasdotters who have been/are in the military. I'm exploring my options after college, and wouldn't mind serving my country. The question is, which branch of the armed forces? Physical shape is no problem, I just wanted to know which branch would have the most use for a computer programmer. The army seems to have only slightly interesting computer positions, while the navy has some better ones. Will any particular branch give me better training for when I get out?" We've already argued the point of whether it's better to go to college or sign-up, so if one had their heart set on joining, which service is better if you are planning on a career in IT, afterwards?

Comments

Navy is the way to go

[Raven667]

While I was in the Air Force and liked many things about the experience (I think that they are the least obnoxiously uptight of the services) what little of the Navy IT system impressed me. I know everyone is going to point out the NT-on-a-ship thing but that story is mostly bogus anyway.

Anyway, what little I had to deal with Navy-built systems I found several examples of them being better designed (from an IT perspective) than our own Air Force stuff. My experience with the AF IT system as an ADPE manager was pretty horrible. The people I met weren't very bright or well trained, constantly understaffed (they only had 12 people, including networking, server, desktop and manager people trying vainly to support over 1500 desktop systems all over base) and had very poor tools (who's bright idea was basing the entire IT infrastructure on MS Outlook and NT (even for secure messaging) anyway!?!!!). The worst part was that they were completely incapable of supporting desktop Windows users, they didn't even have a helpdesk, and everyone had to fend for themselves (including software and hardware purchasing.) Unless things have changed you would find the constant disaster very frustrating.

Oh, and I know everyone already told you this but Don't Trust Recruiters. When they aren't lying to you because they honestly don't know something they are lying to hide the ugly truth. If they tell you that they can't get your name into a slot for a certain job, implore you to select "Open/General" as a carreer and hope for the best don't sign! Get it in writing that your name is in a slot for the job you want before you sign a commitment. Don't cry too hard if the slot closes after you sign, shit happens, but at least they should try. Unfortunately the military isn't going to have you sitting on your butt waiting for annother slot to open up so you will probably be reclassed into something that they need at the time.

Voice of Experience

[sysadmn]

I graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering in the mid-80s. I faced a similar choice as yours - too burned out for grad school, civilian jobs were scarce and uncertain, and the military was desperate for engineers. I chose the Air Force, was commissioned, and served 5 years. Here are my thoughts:

1. If you want to make the military your career, you won't be a programmer for very long (if at all). What the services need are leaders; except for a lucky few (who camp in the research labs or service academies, and usually have PhDs) after your first assignment you'll be directing the work of others, rather than doing it yourself.
2. Ask what your first two or three assignments will be like. If you are interested in graduate studies, ask what the opportunities are. The Air Force runs the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) near Dayton, Oh; the Naval Postgraduate School is in Monterey, CA in Leland Stanford's old mansion. Don't know about Army and Marines opportunities.
3. If someone makes a promise, get it in writing. In the words of Yogi Berra, "A verbal contract ain't worth the paper it's written on"
4. Of all the services I talked to, only the Air Force was able to guarantee that I would be working as an engineer. The best the marines and army could offer was 'commo officer'. That means you run the radios and telephones. On the plus side, you get to do plenty of camping in fun places like Korea and Camp Lejeune. The Navy offered me an engineering officer position. That's running a powerplant, at sea, for months at a time. I grew up a Navy brat, and knew how hard that life is, and couldn't see doing it for 20 years.
5. The pay isn't as good as in the 'real' world, especially compared to high tech jobs. There are some tax breaks and perks that help offset that. It might not be as big a deal just out of college, but as time goes by it could become one. The problem is even worse for techies who are civilian employees of the military, but their job security is better.
6. Did anyone tell you that you have to put in 20 years to draw retirement pay? and that pay maxes out at 30 years at about 50%? Sounds good? Did they mention every few years you come up for promotion? and that if you don't make it twice in a row, you leave the game with nothing?
7. The military are not the only Uniformed Services. Have you considered the Public Health Service, or the National Oceanigraphic and Atmospheric Administration?
8. If you're really sharp, and can pass an extensive background check, consider a career in the intelligence agencies - NSA, NRO, CIA, etc. NSA is even running a program that pays for a graduate degree in exchange for service. On my background check, I had to list every address I had lived in the last 10 years (7 - Navy brat, duh). They even interviewed my neighbors, checked the computerized crime records, and probably ran credit checks.