new job NMCI Help Desk

DrB1986

Fellow IT geeks and nerds,

Anyways long story short, I just decided to work with a company that is hiring for the NMCI help desk, giving me a TS clearance in the process and I just wanted to know about people experiences on the service desk. I was recently working with the experts.inc on the NMCI tech refresh team for 2 years to get more IT experience and though some of it was good, there was some crap I had to deal with that was almost from the shawshank redemption lol, however because of a certain incident you may have heard about and the government shutdown it was time for me to move on and gain some other experience.

My whole purpose is the work at the desk for 6-12 months, and move on using my TS and with the fact I will have Network and Security + I should be able to gain and nice position elsewhere, while going back to school.

- Fellow Tech

DrB1986

I hope it is not something like this lol

"I've been through this Hell before, and know it ALL too well.

I came out of college as a Business Major only because at the time they didnt offer anything other than programming for Comp Sci. I got my first "break" into IT through a private software company HD position.

I could write a novel of the injustices that happened there and only there in the HD. It was the closest thing to Shawshank Redemption I'll ever experience. We had a Band of Brothers things going, hardened group of decent guys that ate s*^t and dealt with it. I made a lot of great (intelligent) friends who all expected to learn and grow but that company was oppressive and if you were good, they didn't promote you because your call volume ability was more important than your skills and advancement.

Forget T2-T3 "advancement", I had those opportunities but refused them as it was obviously those guys are glorified nobodies that get even more heat from management/team leaders.

That being said, HD experience is valued in the industry. After a few months I knew the job was nothing but trouble and I suffered through it. My goal was to get 1yr of XP and get the hell out of there, strictly for resume purposes. I was extremely fortunate to find a job right at the one year mark and leave to my current job, which I really enjoy.

My advice: Get the 1 year of HD XP so you can write it on the resume and get the hell out by any means necessary"

eansdad

Good plan, help desk isn't a bad place to start out. Just make sure that they will get you your TS/SCI. Some companies like to fart around knowing that people will leave in 6-12 months. I worked on the NMCI project 3 yrs during the 1st phase doing deployments then later moving into a permanent role as desktop support. I didn't start my clearance until I was at the desktop position for 6 months. The only thing I had was a NAC-I background check. Good Luck and remember to not get to comfortable as moving up is the goal.

BGraves

eansdad wrote: »

Good Luck and remember to not get to comfortable as moving up is the goal.

^^Ditto this

MrAgent

I thought NMCI was going away and being replaced.

DrB1986

MrAgent wrote: »

I thought NMCI was going away and being replaced.

It is going away in the future being replaced by NGEN, and I was also contacted by AT&T to work on NGEN with them in the next month or two.

Note: just to let you guys know I do have 3 yrs IT job experience so I am not a newbie to the IT field:D, just wanting the TS clearance, but here is my linkedin profile, and if anyone wants it I can send you my resume.

Darnell Brown | LinkedIn

DrB1986

eansdad wrote: »

Good plan, help desk isn't a bad place to start out. Just make sure that they will get you your TS/SCI. Some companies like to fart around knowing that people will leave in 6-12 months. I worked on the NMCI project 3 yrs during the 1st phase doing deployments then later moving into a permanent role as desktop support. I didn't start my clearance until I was at the desktop position for 6 months. The only thing I had was a NAC-I background check. Good Luck and remember to not get to comfortable as moving up is the goal.

What company were you with, and what DS's were you working with back then.

eansdad

DrB1986 wrote: »

What company were you with, and what DS's were you working with back then.

Worked mostly with Qualxserv for most of the deployments (Lakehurst, Northeast Philly, Quantico) and AbTech or Adecco for a short job at Ft. Dix. When I went to desktop support I was with IDS. I had offers for deployment at Crystal City and Willow Grove but turned them down.

Verities

DrB1986 wrote: »

Fellow IT geeks and nerds,

Anyways long story short, I just decided to work with a company that is hiring for the NMCI help desk, giving me a TS clearance in the process and I just wanted to know about people experiences on the service desk. I was recently working with the experts.inc on the NMCI tech refresh team for 2 years to get more IT experience and though some of it was good, there was some crap I had to deal with that was almost from the shawshank redemption lol, however because of a certain incident you may have heard about and the government shutdown it was time for me to move on and gain some other experience.

My whole purpose is the work at the desk for 6-12 months, and move on using my TS and with the fact I will have Network and Security + I should be able to gain and nice position elsewhere, while going back to school.

- Fellow Tech

Usually they do an SSBI and keep it at Secret. It can be upgraded to TS, but chances are highly unlikely you'll be dealing with those kind of systems. I don't work on the NMCI service desk, but let's just say you are watched 24/7 and you'll be scrutinized at every turn.

On a lighter note, congratulations on securing the position, sounds like you have a solid path planned out for yourself, just remember to stay on it.

CodeBlox

I wish I saw this sooner. I worked on the NMCI HelpDesk back in 2011 - 2012 for 11 months. First 6 months were alright but beyond that the job made me miserable and I wasn't learning anything new. Overworked, calls ALWAYs in queue every minute of the day, strict timeframes for lunches and breaks, verbal abuse from customers, forget about advancement, slow computers, the list goes on and on. I don't think I will ever go back to NMCI for any job. The contact is ending in 2015 if I remember correctly and currently they still refer to it as NMCI for branding purposes but it's really "COSC" (Continuity of Service Contract).

dmoore44

CodeBlox wrote: »

The contact is ending in 2015 if I remember correctly and currently they still refer to it as NMCI for branding purposes but it's really "COSC" (Continuity of Service Contract).

The system name is NMCI (Navy/Marine Corps Interchange), but the contract name is COSC. There's a difference in vernacular depending on who you're speaking with (i.e. IT folks and customers will refer to it as NMCI, but contracts and business folks will most likely refer to at as COCS).

DrB1986

UPDATE,

Thought I would update this post with what is going on with the position so far. Anyways looks like everything is going fine, currently in a 5-6 week training class and I am learning a lot, admin wise for I do not have alot of experience on the job with RDC, remote assistance, AD, and some other stuff so its going fine. A big plus is the ppl I have been dealing with whether it be sub-k or hp have been peaceful with us, as long as you show up on time, bus your ass and learn your good, no A-Holes here thank god and this is coming for a dude that was on the NMCI Tech Refresh team where I hated certain ppl there.

So far I have an Interim TS for the next 6-7 months but I think I'll be sticking here for a long while, and learn all I can plus I expect to get my Net + and Sec + soon and Ill be going back to college hopefully next semester.

1Bstyln

Good to hear.

I just got picked up for NMCI, started training at the beginning of this week, and pretty much am using it as a stepping stone as yourself. It won't be too bad. It's just like any other job, if you do what you are suppose to do and do it well, then everything should be fine.

cknapp78

Saw this thread and had to respond...

God I feel old. I was part of the original team that built out the datacenters and NOCs on the west coast back in 2000 and 2001 when NMCI was implemented the first time. Still have a lot of friends and former teammates working the projects out in San Diego and Lemoore.

Good times.

Corey

CodeBlox

DrB1986 wrote: »

UPDATE,

Thought I would update this post with what is going on with the position so far. Anyways looks like everything is going fine, currently in a 5-6 week training class and I am learning a lot, admin wise for I do not have alot of experience on the job with RDC, remote assistance, AD, and some other stuff so its going fine. A big plus is the ppl I have been dealing with whether it be sub-k or hp have been peaceful with us, as long as you show up on time, bus your ass and learn your good, no A-Holes here thank god and this is coming for a dude that was on the NMCI Tech Refresh team where I hated certain ppl there.

So far I have an Interim TS for the next 6-7 months but I think I'll be sticking here for a long while, and learn all I can plus I expect to get my Net + and Sec + soon and Ill be going back to college hopefully next semester.

Lets see what your opinion is 6 months from now. I was really enthusiastic in the beginning but had to move on. The job literally drove me nuts and I took voluntary time off at the first chance.

manifest3r

As a former NMCI employee, don't get comfortable and absorb as much information as you can. You'll hate it, but it's only temporary. I was in a contractor position for 9 months, then moved on to my current job as Desktop Support/Jr. Admin. Best of luck!