Why Military Personnel Make the Best IT Pros

Nerval's Lobster writes Every year, approximately 250,000 military personnel leave the service to return to civilian life. When the home front beckons, many will be looking to become IT professionals, a role that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is among the fastest growing jobs in the country. How their field skills will translate to the back office is something to ponder. With the advent of virtualization, mobile, and the cloud, tech undergoes rapid changes, as do the skill sets needed to succeed. That said, the nature of today's military—always on the go, and heavily reliant on virtual solutions—may actually be the perfect training ground for IT. Consider that many war-fighters already are IT technicians: They need to be skilled in data management, mobile solutions, security, the ability to fix problems as they arise onsite, and more. Military personnel used to working with everything from SATCOM terminals to iPads are ideally suited for handling these issues; many have successfully managed wireless endpoints, networks, and security while in the field. Should programs that focus on placing former military personnel in civilian jobs focus even more on getting them into IT roles?

Comments

Re:Some would be well suited.

[RingDev]

Up until 2001 the USMC had computer programmers (MOS 4067) and IT Specialists (MOS 4066). We built our own networks, pulled our own cables, congifured our own servers, wrote our own SQL, built our own apps, cursed at IBM for the pain and suffering that was Lotus Notes, ripped on the old Chief Warrant Officers that were still writing green-screen crap. The whole nine yards.

Most of the guys/gals in those fields were actually pretty smart, creative, and had no problems converting to civilian life.

Unfortunately, Clinton started, and Bush Jr finished privatizing all of the 4067s and the vast majority of the 4066s (I think the handful of positions kept were lat moved into a new MOS in admin).

One of the guys I worked with, a Cpl, got out making $14.4k a year (base pay for an E4 in 2000), got hired by a contracting firm and started back up at HQ MC, in the exact same role and desk and his pay rate was $140k a year (bill rate was probably $200k+ per year).

So massive money savings move there...

I think the Air Force still has enlisted/officer software and network techs though. If I hadn't gotten out, I would have transferred that way.

-Rick

Re:Some would be well suited.

[RingDev]

Spray and Pray (not Prey) wasn't an trained approach to firearms use in the Marine Corps. Taking headshots with an M-16 on iron site at the 500 yard line on the other hand, that is some attention to detail.

We did use covering fire, but the intent there isn't to kill, it's to get people to keep their heads down while your buddy is advancing to a position where he can get a better shot.

-Rick

Re:Some would be well suited.

[TWX]

I've known plenty of former military people both in and out of IT work that had no interest in learning beyond the minimum. I think that you're projecting.

My admittedly anecdotal observation is that the ratios are about the same, being former-military does not give a boost.