2 year update on my IT career..

Hey all. I posted two years ago on possibly joining the military to further my IT career. I was very cautious about it, and worried that I might not actually do my job. Here is the forementioned post:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5952

Now, it is 2006, and I am almost at my 2 year mark of serving in the Army, and am currently deployed to Iraq with the Army. I am working at brigade as a network technician, supporting the entire 25th infantry division combat aviation brigade's secure, and unsecure voice, and data. I was quite shocked at how much civilian type work I would end up doing here. I currently work on Windows 2003 Servers (Active directory, exchange 2003, etc), PLENTY..and I mean PLENTY of Cisco routers and switches, and more SNMPc than I ever wanted. I am also going home next month for two weeks, where I'll also take my CCNA exam, with hopes of obtaining that. After returning back to my duty station (Hawaii), I will have two years remaining there, where I'd like to obtain my CCNP.

Anyways, I wanted to say a thank you for the encouraging words I received, and to also say "hello" again, since I plan on hanging around until my pursuit of certifications ends, which should be a while. Joining the military definently sped up my IT career, in being at hardly 20 years old, I'm the go-to guy for most network outages, which feels very good.

I should probably end this, as I'm trying hard to study for the CCNA now! I'll see ya'll around the board.

Mike

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Comments

Slowhand

Good to hear that you're moving forward with your career, (and that you're still in one piece). Good luck on the CCNA, I'm sure you'll do fine if you've been hammering away at those routers and switches. Hopefully, we'll hear back from you again, once you're in Hawaii, studying up for the CCNP.

filkenjitsu

I would hate to have to be in Hawaii studying for a CCNP while being paid by the military.

You have it hard!

Be safe in Iraq, thank you for defending our country.

saddlebags

I wanted to join the Army (British) or RAF and do IT but Ive got Asthma and they wont let me

Good luck with you career and stuff anyway.

Ricka182

Good to hear things are working out for you. Stay safe in Crazyland(or so as I've heard it called...), Iraq. Sounds like you'll get more than enough experience in the Service to set yourself up for a great post-ops career....

Smallguy

keep up your hard work

Mrock4

Thanks guys. My R&R date got pushed back to the 21st instead of the 15th, so my CCNA has to be rescheduled. It's OK though, it just gives me more time to prepare. I'm hoping to take my first CCNP test when I get back to hawaii (in June 07). I know that I've got to pass the CCNA first, but I'm trying to be optimistic.

I gotta jett, because I've got some fun work to do.

Mike

SRTMCSE

Mrock4 wrote:

Thanks guys. My R&R date got pushed back to the 21st instead of the 15th, so my CCNA has to be rescheduled. It's OK though, it just gives me more time to prepare. I'm hoping to take my first CCNP test when I get back to hawaii (in June 07). I know that I've got to pass the CCNA first, but I'm trying to be optimistic.

I gotta jett, because I've got some fun work to do.

Mike

thank you for serving our country, i respect and admire military personnel greatly. you have some dedication, the last thing I'd want to do after getting out of iraq would be sitting for an exam, but more power to ya.

keep safe out there

Mrock4

Once I got to Iraq, I seemed to gain a lot of motivation to get certified and pursue a successful IT career..I mean, what else do I have to do? I can't exactly go to the beach or anything here. Besides, my goal has been to achieve my CCNP before reaching 22 years old. Of course, with my luck I will be deployed before that, but we'll see.

Take care everyone. I gotta read up on my book a little more. Been using the CCNA CBTNugget.com kit plus the Cisco press CCNA set, and Preplogic practice exams. I hope I pass because I have a lot invested to fail!

Mike

filkenjitsu

Did you pass??

dynamik

Yea Mrock, what's the deal? It looks like you're overdue for your next two-year update.

Dingdongbubble

LOL you guys actually think that the Iraq war is defending your countries? LOL you seriously need to look outside IT books and listen to less of Fox News or whatever the news channels and media feed you up with.

Anyways do you get t study there properly with all the stress you might have in Iraq?

dynamik

Dingdongbubble wrote:

LOL you guys actually think that the Iraq war is defending your countries? LOL you seriously need to look outside IT books and listen to less of Fox News or whatever the news channels and media feed you up with.

Anyways do you get t study there properly with all the stress you might have in Iraq?

How did you come to that conclusion solely from him saying that he was going to Iraq?

This thread was simply about gaining IT experience in the military. It had nothing to do with politics until you chimed in.

networker050184

Not the place for political conversations. You should keep your opinions to yourself.

1MeanAdmin

Someone's a little jumpy today

LOL you guys actually think that the Iraq war is defending your countries? LOL you seriously need to look outside IT books and listen to less of Fox News or whatever the news channels and media feed you up with.

Serving in the military generally means defending one's country (applies to many countries). In my opinion, SRTMCSE thanked Mrock for serving in the army and NOT specifically for "being" in Iraq.

sprkymrk

Dingdongbubble wrote:

LOL you guys actually think that the Iraq war is defending your countries? LOL you seriously need to look outside IT books and listen to less of Fox News or whatever the news channels and media feed you up with.

WOW, Thanks for the enlightening and encouraging political rant there Dingdong.

I do recall Webmaster being very adamant against politics on HIS website. You need to find another outlet for your opinions on such stuff. Maybe Rosie O'Donnell has a blog.

Aquabat [banned]

Dingdongbubble wrote:

LOL you guys actually think that the Iraq war is defending your countries?

Dingdongbubble

groooooan.

I wasnt addressing the OP. Sorry if you folk misunderstood. I gave that reply to filkenjitsu when he said:

Be safe in Iraq, thank you for defending our country.

Nah it wasnt really a political rant.

Isnt it GOOD that you ahve so many Cisco routers around you? You can take that opportunity and get lots of experience and stuff?

Mrock4

Sorry for the late reply guys...I know, I'm overdue for my update yet again..I like to show to people that although it takes time, you improve your skills and gain experience. When I started posting on these boards, I had no CCNA, and knew absolutely nothing. I'm glad I had enough sense to come to these boards, though. They really humble me, and show me there's always someone who knows more than you do. Great lessons to learn while you're young.

Yes, I passed the CCNA while in Iraq. I took it at a testing center they had set up over there for troops.

I'm scheduled to take my BSCI in April...we'll see how that goes..

My 2 year stint in hawaii is almost at an end (I spent more time in Iraq than in hawaii though..15 months in Iraq, 9 months in hawaii total)..I've been reassigned to Tampa, FL to work with the Defense Intelligence Agency. I used to live in Tampa (briefly), so that won't be too bad.

Still busting my butt. These boards really push me to do better. We'll see how this DIA assignment goes. Should be a nice entry for the resume when I'm done with my service!!! More to come later..I have to go to work...

..I will miss this 70F year-round thing in Hawaii..

snadam

Dingdongbubble wrote:

LOL you guys actually think that the Iraq war is defending your countries? LOL you seriously need to look outside IT books and listen to less of Fox News or whatever the news channels and media feed you up with.

wow, what a biased, opinionated political comment! If you want to talk politics, then go somewhere else, dingdong. Thats the problem with most people, they see one word in a sentence, and base an entire comment, relevant or not, on ONE word; i.e. TUNNEL VISION. Try and use better judgment before giving an irrelevant reply to somebody else's comments.

Dingdongbubble wrote:

Nah it wasnt really a political rant.

Thats exactly what it was...

And BTW, its great to see your progression MRock! Hope all goes well in Tampa. Keep up the good work and you have my respect for serving!

Schluep

I agree with many of the above posters, that is definitely a rant. In my opinon it was even more uncalled for than ever being that it is particularly rude and out of place in this thread especially since Mrock has been "busting his butt" trying to improve himself while serving his Country at the same time.

As for the temperature change going to Florida, I would prefer the 20 degrees and snow I have here over the heat of Florida/Iraq any day.

Thanks again for your service and showing all of us a great example of how discipline and hard work can allow you to continue to get ahead even when you are very busy and have a lot of responsibility. The DIA assignment sounds like it could have potential for some more great experience depending on what you will be doing. Good Luck.

Mrock4

Hawaii = 70F every day almost..it might vary 5F....

Iraq = As cold as 30F in winter, as hot as 125F in summer...but a very, very dry heat..almost no humidity...

Florida = 90F and humid...it's going to be a hard adjustment. I think out of all the above locations, I sweat the most in Florida.

I'm not offended by any "rants". I don't mind people disagreeing with the politicians, as long as they back up the servicemembers. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'd prefer not to have political arguments here, though.

I've gotta get hot on this BSCI stuff, though. I feel the CCNP is the biggest hurdle I face, as I'm so interested in other certs that will follow the CCNP.

Thanks again for the words of encouragement. I really appreciate the support these forums provide. I hope to still be hanging around for a while.

Edit: To the user who asked if I passed the CCNA. I reread the post, and I actually failed that attempt, since I took it while visiting home for 2 weeks from Iraq. I wasn't mentally prepared, and barely missed it. I retook it while in Iraq a few months later, and did pass, however.