Separating from Active Duty, seeking counsel!

I'm 28, I've been in the Coast Guard for 8 years, looking at a June out-date. I've always had an interest in computers, I've been building my own gaming rigs since middle school. I joined the CG to work on engines and aux equipment with the thought of keeping my computer interests a hobby (didn't work out, got burned out of this job pretty quick). This road is coming to an end.

I plan on getting out of the service and back in to school. I've got a pretty good understanding of the certification ladder from lurking on these forums for awhile. I'm just getting overwhelmed with the thought of not having a definite direction and the option to really do anything/go anywhere. I spend hours upon hours researching schools, IT job growth in select states, and multiple job boards to get ideas.

I'm currently working on A+ and CLEP tests. I think i'm about ready to test out A+, maybe picking up Security+ next to go along with my Secret clearance to keep the government job door open.

I guess all I'm asking is some general opinions on schools and locations. I know there are some veterans on these boards, and I always value an opinion with experience. I'm looking at Colorado, Washington, Northern Arizona, maybe Virginia again. I'm in Maine right now, not many jobs in any field up here (maybe snow removal?) I'm trying to find schools with a decent internship program. I really don't have any skills I think qualify to put on a resume geared towards IT jobs (really want that A+ to start!).

After reading this over a couple times, I don't know what I'm asking. I think i'm just seeking affirmation.

Thanks

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Comments

Polynomial

I'll shamelessly plug my own company. We're having a VetForce event in the Boston office later this month if you're interested in Salesforce.

VetForce - Salesforce Foundation

Moongoon762

I've been weighing the WGU route vs. B&M I think I would benefit more from a B&M (GI Bill will pay me more for housing). BUT, If I were to be accepted in to WGU, I imagine I would get more on the job experience. I did a couple classes with AMU and just haven't been too impressed with online education. There's too many options and I want to make this GI Bill count.

and thanks for the reply Polynomial! I'll check it out

anhtran35

Certifications + Clearance =

Security+ CE is mandatory for DOD compliance. = Darril Gibson book and Professormesser.com
A+ will get you in the door as a help desk technician. Professormesser.com

So I would say get these 2 certifications for 2015.

Does your base have an IT department? Can you talk to the manager and see if you can intern or get a job there? That experience will allow you to plug it into your resume. Once you are able to get a help desk job I advise sticking with it for 2 years and then jumping ship to an IT field of your interest =

Network Administration.
System Administration.
Database Administration.
InfoSec.
Programming.

Once you figure out your interest then you will need to get the certs pretaining to your interest.

In terms of a college degree, I know many ex military guys go to WGU.

overthetop

Since you mentioned governement SKIP A+ and just go straight to Security+ CE. Buy the Mr. Gibson book study for 30-45 days and let us know you passed. You already have a clearance, at the minimal most Gov jobs require a clearance Security+CE at the bare minimal entry level position.

Since you mentioned BAH. Go to Virginia specifically Northern Virginia/DC. BAH is $2200. Don't ask me how i know

. The cost of living isn't bad for single individuals. You can easily find a 1 bedroom for 1200-1500, and where does that extra money go? In your pocket. I was at a females house a few weeks ago and she stays on Connecticut Ave NW in DC and her rent is around 1200 and this wasn't the bad side of town. People talk about the cost of living is high in DC regularly, if 1200-1500 is high.. you must not be making that much money (no offense)

A+ is good for foundational knowledge, you can get A+ knowledge without certifying. On my team NOBODY has A+...and not to brag but we all are getting paid pretty damn well. Not sure if anyone in the building has A+ ...Just FYI

Another Certifications:

For the future, I would suggest CEH only to meet different government requirements and could boost your $.

anhtran35

GI Bill? You can move to VA. Get your instate tuition. Apply to NOVA community college then head to GMU. You can do a roommate situation for $500 a month. A+ certification is usually an entry in if you don't have experience. But if you got someone to hook you up with a help desk job then more power to you.

hellolin

Polynomial wrote: »

I'll shamelessly plug my own company. We're having a VetForce event in the Boston office later this month if you're interested in Salesforce.

VetForce - Salesforce Foundation

Hi Mark! I am a former navy vet that is about to graduating from college with a 4 year degree and some interning experience in IT. Any suggestions on how can I apply for a job at salesforce.com?

Moongoon762

I'm stationed on a cutter in a pretty remote location, I get plenty of time to read though. I'm leaning towards the InfoSec right now, but I'm going to wait and try to experience a little bit of everything before I commit (made that mistake in the Coast Guard).

A lot of schools are trying to bring veterans in by giving them in-state tuition. I think I even remember seeing possible legislation on this in the works?? I visited CO Springs a couple months ago and really liked the mountain situation

I saw some internships with Lockeed Martin out that way too. I like the 2200 a month - makes a strong crutch for the transition.

I'm really open to everything. Thanks for reminding me on the Security+ book, I just placed the order

BlackBeret

I can say that I enjoy San Antonio. Lots of cyber jobs with all of the military bases and NSA-T here. UTSA has a newly upgraded CS/Cyber security program and is working with NSA-T. The BAH rate for E5 w/dependent (GI Bill rate) is $1599/month and the housing is a LOT cheaper than NOVA/DC. I ended up in a good paying job in network security with no job experience, Sec+ and CEH.

It looks like you have PM's disabled, but if you want more info send me a message and I'll give you a recruiter to contact. Also, check out clearancejobs.com

hellolin

BlackBeret wrote: »

I can say that I enjoy San Antonio. Lots of cyber jobs with all of the military bases and NSA-T here. UTSA has a newly upgraded CS/Cyber security program and is working with NSA-T. The BAH rate for E5 w/dependent (GI Bill rate) is $1599/month and the housing is a LOT cheaper than NOVA/DC. I ended up in a good paying job in network security with no job experience, Sec+ and CEH.

It looks like you have PM's disabled, but if you want more info send me a message and I'll give you a recruiter to contact. Also, check out clearancejobs.com

Just sent u a PM!

RogueJD

MoonGoon - It's so very refreshing to see someone get out with a plan. I saw so very many of my Soldiers leave the service with little more than, "I'll just go live with my mom and work at Steak-n-Shake."

I can very much relate to your situation - I was in the Army for nine years. Just got out last year. I actually used my GI bill while I was still in so that I could "hit the ground running" when I entered the civilian workforce. Sure, I sacrificed a buttload of BAH to do it, but I went from nothing to a Master's degree in IT: Info Sec by the time I got out (online - not sure if I'm allowed to say through whom - but it wasn't WGU).

I was in a non-IT related field, but have a lot of transferrable skills - as many a former Service Member can say. I too, have an active Secret clearance, and have been approached by many DoD contractors for IT positions. I purposefully avoided them for my own reasons (just done with government work), but even a relatively inexperienced person with a level head on their shoulders, an active secret clearance, andsome form of IT background (whether academic or practical), can come out of the gate making $40-45k starting.

A lot of the advice above is spot-on. I don't know how to put it modestly, but you're five steps ahead of most others just joining the IT field due to your military experience, security clearance, and the fact that you won't be burdened with student loans. At the very least, don't just get an A+. Certainly don't flaunt an A+ as a shining achievement. You're simply above it. I know that sounds elitist, but on-paper, you've got some solid "bullet points" on a resume already; every one of them is much more valuable than an A+. An A+ is not as much a certification, but little more than a "membership card" to the IT field. Everyone's got one - or something like it (whether another cert or practical experience).

Info Sec (or any specific 'discipline' in IT) should be something you aspire to. There are very specific focuses, and often require one to make some key decisions in their IT career path. You can play the field to try and find what you like, but that will take some time. If you do some research, and make goal-oriented academic and career decisions, you'll be even further ahead than others just entering the IT job field.

Above all, this is my recommendation for you; pick a discipline and work out that discipline's career path before you start your career search. Use your opportunities with the GI Bill to experience the various fields within IT. Work whereever you like as an undergrad, but before you get a Bachelor's you'd be better off having a long-term goal. Don't waste career time trying to find a fit. You're already so far ahead of the pack. Taking too long to figure out what you want to do with IT will bring you back to a level playing field, or worse.

One final thought - online vs. brick & mortar; well, there's threads devoted to debating this. Even though I earned my Master's solely online, I am a very strong believer that B&M is WAY better for those that have the resources to do it. Even though I went through a reputable regionally-accredited institution, I only learned enough to know that I didn't know jack. We once had to research, then write forum post on how Herzberg's Motivation-Hygeine Theory applies in the workplace. Each student posted their paper, then discussed the other students' papers. One person wrote two pages about how she felt motivated to work "when my hair is done, and my nails is did." Not sh---ing you. She went on to earn her Master's.

I've known hiring managers to go both ways. Some think all Masters' are the same (often the older ones, in my experience). Some prefer B&M over online. I've never known a hiring manager to prefer their candidates have online over B&M.

Polynomial

hellolin wrote: »

Hi Mark! I am a former navy vet that is about to graduating from college with a 4 year degree and some interning experience in IT. Any suggestions on how can I apply for a job at salesforce.com?

Salesforce admins make waaaaaay more than entry level IT help desk type roles. What Salesforce does is give vets the entire slew of trainings for free. I'd definitely sign up for VetForce and take a look around. We host VetForce events at hub offices all the time. Getting your Salesforce Certified Admin isn't too bad.

hellolin

Polynomial wrote: »

Salesforce admins make waaaaaay more than entry level IT help desk type roles. What Salesforce does is give vets the entire slew of trainings for free. I'd definitely sign up for VetForce and take a look around. We host VetForce events at hub offices all the time. Getting your Salesforce Certified Admin isn't too bad.

I just registered, is the whole trainning online, and for free? I did see a progression type of learning plan on vetforce, what's the whole process if I do decide to do the trainning?

Polynomial

If you're a vet all the Salesforce training is free yeah. I could probably put you in touch with someone involved with the program if you're looking to learn more about it. PM / email me.

hellolin

Going though the initial courses right now, excited! Hopefully I can get into one of those trainnings soon!

Khaos1911

The UTSA website is confusing the heck out of me. So do they have a Cyber Security graduate degree program or just MBA's where you can concentrate in Information Assurance, etc?

mistabrumley89

Legislation did pass. As of January 1, 2015 veterans get in-state tuition.

hellolin

mistabrumley89 wrote: »

Legislation did pass. As of January 1, 2015 veterans get in-state tuition.

I wish that was passed after I got out in 2011, I would have choose to live in Texas instead of coming back here in high cost of living Cali!

rcsoar4fun

The stuff above is good advice. +1000 on San Antonio area. Tons of *.mil related jobs, good weather and fairly inexpensive place to live.

One key thing is to figure out what part of IT you really want to be in. I used to do desktop support. It was horrible but I know people that love it. Personally I love the networking side. Something to keep in mind about infosec, it isn't all roses. It involves enforcing unpopular policies. You have to be a pain in the butt or you are not doing your job. Want to learn things about your coworkers that you never wanted to know? Infosec can be that place.

A couple of other thoughts. What kind of power plants to do you work on? Air Force, Navy and Army have aviation related activities in south Texas. Navy is in Kingsville/Corpus, AF in San Antonio and Army in Corpus Christi. Might not be a bad way to pay your living expenses while going to school.

Something to keep in mind. Your clearance is administratively suspended when you separate. It is fairly easy to reactivate within 6 months, after that the process largely starts over. If you want to use it, use it now and transfer into a job that requires it.

Should you decide to strike out in the commercial sector, make sure you know how to sell yourself. People like yourself that have been in service for a while tend to be a known quality. In my experience the branches are all different but the people within those branches tend to be pretty similar (Don't get me started on Navy chiefs

). As a general rule you can show up on time and can take direction without too much trouble. A clearance means you are at least mostly not an idiot as well. Employers hate to make an offer to someone then fine out they cannot hire you because you have creditors after you and you have 10 DWIs. Sell those points.

hellolin

rcsoar4fun wrote: »

The stuff above is good advice. +1000 on San Antonio area. Tons of *.mil related jobs, good weather and fairly inexpensive place to live.

One key thing is to figure out what part of IT you really want to be in. I used to do desktop support. It was horrible but I know people that love it. Personally I love the networking side. Something to keep in mind about infosec, it isn't all roses. It involves enforcing unpopular policies. You have to be a pain in the butt or you are not doing your job. Want to learn things about your coworkers that you never wanted to know? Infosec can be that place.

A couple of other thoughts. What kind of power plants to do you work on? Air Force, Navy and Army have aviation related activities in south Texas. Navy is in Kingsville/Corpus, AF in San Antonio and Army in Corpus Christi. Might not be a bad way to pay your living expenses while going to school.

Something to keep in mind. Your clearance is administratively suspended when you separate. It is fairly easy to reactivate within 6 months, after that the process largely starts over. If you want to use it, use it now and transfer into a job that requires it.

Should you decide to strike out in the commercial sector, make sure you know how to sell yourself. People like yourself that have been in service for a while tend to be a known quality. In my experience the branches are all different but the people within those branches tend to be pretty similar (Don't get me started on Navy chiefs ). As a general rule you can show up on time and can take direction without too much trouble. A clearance means you are at least mostly not an idiot as well. Employers hate to make an offer to someone then fine out they cannot hire you because you have creditors after you and you have 10 DWIs. Sell those points.

When I was going though my CISSP and computer forensics courses, that's exactly how I felt. It wasn't the technical part of the infosec that's hard, it is the politics part of the job that's hard. Per CISSP, half of a company's infosec department should reside within the HR department! But is that even happening in at least half of the fortune 100 companies? Nope!

overthetop

rcsoar4fun wrote: »

The stuff above is good advice. +1000 on San Antonio area. Tons of *.mil related jobs, good weather and fairly inexpensive place to live.

One key thing is to figure out what part of IT you really want to be in. I used to do desktop support. It was horrible but I know people that love it. Personally I love the networking side. Something to keep in mind about infosec, it isn't all roses. It involves enforcing unpopular policies. You have to be a pain in the butt or you are not doing your job. Want to learn things about your coworkers that you never wanted to know? Infosec can be that place.

A couple of other thoughts. What kind of power plants to do you work on? Air Force, Navy and Army have aviation related activities in south Texas. Navy is in Kingsville/Corpus, AF in San Antonio and Army in Corpus Christi. Might not be a bad way to pay your living expenses while going to school.

Something to keep in mind. Your clearance is administratively suspended when you separate. It is fairly easy to reactivate within 6 months, after that the process largely starts over. If you want to use it, use it now and transfer into a job that requires it.

Should you decide to strike out in the commercial sector, make sure you know how to sell yourself. People like yourself that have been in service for a while tend to be a known quality. In my experience the branches are all different but the people within those branches tend to be pretty similar (Don't get me started on Navy chiefs ). As a general rule you can show up on time and can take direction without too much trouble. A clearance means you are at least mostly not an idiot as well. Employers hate to make an offer to someone then fine out they cannot hire you because you have creditors after you and you have 10 DWIs. Sell those points.

It is inactive for 2 years and I am 100% sure. A company picking up someones clearance takes about 2 minutes.

Xavor

Line up a job to keep your clearance active and go to online or night school. There are computer operator positions which are computer related and offer on-the-job training for what you need to do.

A clearance with Sec+ should score a job quickly.

bc901

Check out this Veterans program from Syracuse University and JPMorgan. I've only heard great things about it.

Career Transition | IVMF

Attend TAPs more than once if you can and best of luck shipmate!!!