Why Military Personnel Make the Best IT Pros 299
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?
Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Interesting)
In my field (systems engineering,) discipline, troubleshooting skills and attention to detail are pretty critical. I would think an ex-military person would be the ideal antidote to the cowboy sysadmins you see at a lot of places. Those guys get a lot done, but can cause a lot of damage by not thinking through things to their full conclusion. Good military people (and I'm not one) aren't just rule-followers -- they're good at seeing where they fit in a bigger picture, something that really is lacking in a lot of folks' skill sets.
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't think that having been military or not really gives much of a sign of how one will work out.
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Insightful)
After this comment, there is no further need for discussion.
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Insightful)
After this comment, there is no further need for discussion.
The article is dumb. It is asking "why" something is true, yet providing no evidence that it actually is true. I have worked with lots of ex-military, and am one myself, but I have never seen any reason to believe they are better or worse than anyone else at anything. I haven't even found them to be particularly good at "following orders". Well, I suppose I could beat most of my co-workers at field stripping a machine gun, but that is not a useful skill in most civilian occupations.
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Insightful)
The military people I have had trouble with in the past were ones who had really internalized hierarchy and protocol then have trouble when others do not fall into line with their expected behavior and deference.
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The only real problem with military people are those who still have a "command" mentality - who believe they are the be-all-end-all person. Especially when they get to be management and insist on everyone following their way dammit (or drop 20 - and yes, there have been a few that forced their civi
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From my experience, the "military" or command mentality is this:
Follow my orders, questioning things is a sign of subordination, obey my guidance because I am right, just do it, and you don't have enough info to make your own decisions.
We have all worked for those people.
The one thing I have found without a doubt from every person I have met that has some or all of those characteristics is a person that is not truly comfortable with what they are doing. They are afraid of people digging in deeper into the
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This.
Unfortunately, most of the vets that I've interviewed or worked with were NOT well-suited to the types of fast-paced environments I work in. Maybe I've had experience with a bad sample.....
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On the other hand, bad former-military people were cogs in a machine, and don't see past their prescribed task at all.
Sure, generalizations are usually bad. That said, the Military does provide training that Civilians do not get, so what you should be asking is "what does the Military training focus on?"..
I don't think that having been military or not really gives much of a sign of how one will work out.
I'm guessing that you are not former Military and/or lack exposure to veterans (intentionally pluralized), so let me give a few things that all military people will have.
1. Self motivation. If you don't have it, you won't get out of boot camp. There are plenty of people that get out during boot camp under various hard
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While I agree with what you are saying and those skills are necessary to being successful in IT, it doesn't mean that being in the military makes one proficient in the field --- unless they had actual training in IT related assignments. Yes, today's soldier uses a lot more technology than 20 years ago, but then again so do our kids. Just using technology doesn't mean one has the aptitude for an IT job. It is unlikely that all of the 250,000 people leaving military life each year, as mentioned in the arti
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:4, Interesting)
As a soon-to-be retired job seeker, all I want is what's in your last statement. Being military doesn't make me more or less suited for the job. Evaluate me based on my experience, achievements and skills I can bring to the job in question.Just give me a fair chance in the interview so sink or sell myself.
Although this is a crap dice propaganda article and many of the comments scare me, they are enlightening, also. You guys are helping me prepare for interviews.
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Informative)
My admittedly anecdotal observation is that the ratios are about the same, being former-military does not give a boost.
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Given that scenario, I'd lean toward the veteran every time.
Not me. I've hired a large number of people over the years, some from each of the two types you used in your hypothetical. In my experience, simply being a veteran doesn't make you a better employee (or a worse one). It's simply irrelevant. So, to answer your question ("Who makes the better intro level candidate, 22-24 year old veteran or a 22-24 year old with a High School Diploma and maybe a few credits from a Community College?") directly, I would say that they're equally qualified and my decision would
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Military or civilian, the individual would still be evaluated based on skill and culture fit. Period.
If the candidate shows good problem solving skills, aptitude, and knowledge/experience as well as a personality which shows positive signs of communication, teamwork, accepting criticism as well as being able think independently, then they make good candidates.
Many of the traits listed above (1-5) are good traits to have. No argument there. But fitness for one organization does not imply fitness for another
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I'm guessing that you are not former Military and/or lack exposure to veterans (intentionally pluralized), so let me give a few things that all military people will have.
1. Self motivation. If you don't have it, you won't get out of boot camp. There are plenty of people that get out during boot camp under various hardships, they can't handle the training. Self motivation is essential for "good" IT people, we usually call it "self starter" in the civilian sector..
I've been to boot camp, and AIT for the Army Infantry, and you don't need self-motivation, you do what everyone else does when they do it. Self-starters will advance in the military, maybe get squad leader in their training platoon, but basic training itself only weeds out those that really can't handle the military.
2. Perseverance. Same with above, even when things get tough you learn to cope in the military (or you exit). As with above, this means that Military people are less likely to give up on a problem, and will continue debugging for a much longer time.
This is a trait I see more in those that rise in the military, there were many instances where I've seen someone say, "Screw it, good enough for government work."
3. Understanding of Hierarchy and chain of command. No need to teach this to a Veteran, we know what it is and how it works. Give a Military person a flow chart, and be amazed at how they can follow the proper chain of command for any department in your company.they can follow procedures
I agree in general the military
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Which is perfect. Being a cog in the machine is exactly what most businesses want. The only thing better is a cheap easily replaced cog.
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I have had the luxury of dealing with the cogs in the wheel. I am thinking about larger pieces of the puzzle when some of my compatriots are thinking of fixing the task at hand. Many times I would have to follow up with their work to fix problems left behind. After years of work, some of this cog mentality has been worked out of them, but we are talking almost a decade a year later.
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On the other hand, bad former-military people were cogs in a machine, and don't see past their prescribed task at all. I don't think that having been military or not really gives much of a sign of how one will work out.
I think that's the nice way of saying "This article is just wrong."
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Insightful)
In my field (systems engineering,) discipline, troubleshooting skills and attention to detail are pretty critical. I would think an ex-military person would be the ideal antidote to the cowboy sysadmins you see at a lot of places. Those guys get a lot done, but can cause a lot of damage by not thinking through things to their full conclusion. Good military people (and I'm not one) aren't just rule-followers -- they're good at seeing where they fit in a bigger picture, something that really is lacking in a lot of folks' skill sets.
Ah, but how to tell the good military guys from the ones who have had any imagination or scientific rigor beat out of them? I know a lot of good ex-military IT guys, and a lot of so-so ones that simply repeat what's in the manual because hey, it's the manual, it's never wrong (until it is, and then the manual is shredded since it's worthless if it has even 1 minor mistake in it.) If you have a very rules-oriented IT department then military guys can fit right in, just don't ever think about assigning them to supervise any non-ex-military staff, it will blow up like a claymore.
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To be honest I'm skeptical about your "military IT pros" appraisal. Are you referring to people working at the Pentagon or something more like people at a Battalion HQ who kept
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So, you'd call in Batman? I mean, Wayne Manor may be stately, but it's also pretty unconventional.
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Informative)
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
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The problem the employer will have is when they get called back to active service and now your key personnel is gone. As I understand it this especially applies to USMC who are NEVER free from service and can be called back any time.
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Right, so wait 4 years before hiring someone ex-military...
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The number of service members called out of the IRR is extremely low. That's a poor reason to turn away a qualified veteran... not to mention illegal if it can be proven.
Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Interesting)
As I understand it this especially applies to USMC who are NEVER free from service and can be called back any time.
Ex-Marine here. When I left active service ("transferred to the 1st Civ Div" in milspec lingo), I was given an option of converting to reserve, or being completely discharged, free of any future obligation. I chose the reserves mostly because I needed the money (I was going back to college), but also because spending one weekend a month riding helicopters and shooting machine guns didn't seem too bad.
In 1990 my reserve unit was mobilized for Desert Storm. Of the 120 Marines, 119 showed up on the mobilization date. But 18 ex-Marines showed up, because they heard about the mobilization on the local news. We interviewed them, re-enlisted 16 of them on the spot, gave them a haircut, handed them a rifle, and put them on the bus to Camp Pendelton. So we shipped out at 112% strength. When we returned stateside, I decided I was getting too old and was likely to be assigned to a desk job, so I dropped out and became a 100% civilian.
Semper Fi
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Fishy...
What? So you think I wasn't really a Marine? I remember one lazy sunny day in the Indian Ocean about 500 nautical miles east of Diego Garcia, I was sitting with some fellow jarheads in the turret of a 5"/38. The topic came up, that if someone claimed to be a Marine, what one question could you ask that 100% of Marines would be able to answer, but almost no one else. Some suggestions were:
1. What is "duece gear"?
2. What is a "blousing band"?
3. What is a "John Wayne"? (I don't the the MRE generation co
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Re:Some would be well suited. (Score:5, Informative)
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
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Spray-and-pray is a gangster or rebel tactic. Actual soldiers use actual tactics.
Most infantry don't use automatic fire except as suppressing fire - making the enemy keep their heads down while your guys move in close enough for a kill-shot. For a while our main rifle didn't even have full-auto - late-era M16s were single or three-round-burst only. There's some exceptions for urban combat, but for the most part, if they're shooting full-auto, they don't expect to hit you, they're just making it unsafe for y
As in ~erinarian, not as in ~eran. (Score:4, Funny)
Only if you're a vet.
Alternate title (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Alternate title (Score:5, Insightful)
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or Dice Clickbait Cancer
I saw the headline and then moused over the link thinking "Yep .. its a dice click bait story"
Dice a company that runs a market matching candidates and employers, promoting that a large group of people are well suited as employees. And doing so on a website that they own.
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Where are you looking and what are your skills? I have some positions that are about to be posted in software development and project management.
-Rick
PS: Also a former military guy ;)
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~40% of the IT dept where I work is ex-military. We run circles around the other IT depts in our company (where the ex-military % is 0 - 10%).
Military personnel have a different attitude... (Score:4, Informative)
In the military there are no excuses for failure, yes - everyone can get it wrong, but if you're a military man...you don't complain, you get it DONE!
That attitude alone solves a LOT of problems. I've been working in the IT Sector for a LONG time and no matter what field you're in, I could spot a former military man MILES away, because they have a positive go-getter attitude, and I've yet to ever hear an long boring attitude related discussion about an issue with such a man, they listen - and work until the problems are solved.
I'd hire people like that in a heartbeat!
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Re:Military personnel have a different attitude... (Score:5, Insightful)
Systems are delivered ready-to-use, and the military personnel are there to follow the book to keep them running
Not even close. Former Marine, and current defense contractor here. DoD systems need constant work, and work-arounds. Finding ways to get things done, despite the systems provided, is part of daily military life.
Military branches are generally conservative in nature because they must stick with what works
Not in today's world. What worked in the last war won't work in the next one, and everyone recognizes the need to innovate and be flexible.
Theirs is not develop new doctrine, but to follow the existing doctrine until it's replaced for them.
Doctrine is ever changing, and if it doesn't work, it's abandoned.
You clearly have zero experience with the military. We'd all appreciate it if you just kept quiet instead of using your outdated stereotypes and things you've seen in the movies.
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I don't have any experience with the military, but I do have experience working with defense contractors on DARPA projects, and in that context I have not been very impressed.
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I just call them as I see 'em, based on my experiences with about a dozen former-military coworkers. Half a dozen were worth their salt, half weren't. That was about the same ratio as everyone else.
Mechanics making changes to V-22 Osprey ... (Score:2)
Systems are delivered ready-to-use, and the military personnel are there to follow the book to keep them running
Not even close. Former Marine, and current defense contractor here. DoD systems need constant work, and work-arounds. Finding ways to get things done, despite the systems provided, is part of daily military life.
Here's a practical example. Many people would be surprised at the number of changes being made to the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft that are not coming from degreed engineers but rather from a corporal or sergeant who works on the aircraft. Boeing is routinely sending engineers out to get feedback and suggestions the people who fly and maintain these new and incredibly complicated machines.
And to be honest, this is not really something new. There are similar stories going back to the 50s and probably ba
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And the best part is that political struggles are virtually nonexistent: If you show them that one idea will n
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My experience as well. There are some organizations where "they said to do it, so I'm going to do it, I'm going to it as well as I can until the 5PM bell rings, because that's when they said I should leave" works really well.
"But that request is insane."
"Not my call."
"It'll do the opposite of what's intended"
"That's above my paygrade."
are the kinds of conversations I've had.
I've learned over time I'm not cut out for those places, but those places surely do exist.
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"That attitude alone solves a LOT of problems."
solves or bury's.
Which is fine for a crisis, but not for regular work,
"and work until the problems are solved."
mostly work until they get the results you wanted; which is afar cry from fixed.
" I could spot a former military man MILES away"
yeah, and I bet you think you can judge someone on their handshake.
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The most annoying thing about them is a prevailing attitude that if a job isn't done the way they are used to doing it, it's the wrong way to do it. This rigor usually has a good outcome, until they just aren't suited to the task (i.e. if it's too complex) and then shit falls apart in a bad way..
Funny, I'd say the exact same thing about non-military but well educated IT professionals.
But my experience with military personnel is that they'll not quit until the job is done successfully. Normal IT workers are often drama-queens and little princesses, they KNOW they have the knowledge to do it, and they know damn well that they're hired because of this, and there's not a chance that anyone else on the job can get it done, so they can pretty much say anything and get away with it. And they do. I've h
They Don't (Score:2, Insightful)
I haven't had good luck with ex-military I.T. people. They want a manual that they can follow step-by-step for every little thing. "Figure it out" is not something they want to hear.
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I've worked with ex-military people and have had no complaints but you are right on about the military approach to being a technician. Everything is spelled out in minute detail. No thought process is required. You just follow the manual.
There's only so much independent thinking that the military tolerates.
Although IT (as opposed to software development) tends to be a lot less about being creative anyways.
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I spent 7 years in the army. Yes the focus is on following the manual(s) for standard tasks. And we have a LOT of manuals.
Kind of like the ISO 9000 stuff in the civilian world.
But if they are any good then they should be documenting HOW they're doing their job. And following those same procedures every time.
Part of the job is the expectation that you will be replaced. And the job will still need to be done, in the same way, by the next guy.
NOT following the manual means that the next guy will need time to c
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Which is how it should be done i the civilian world. Sadly too many IT people think they are above writing down what they do.
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It's a mixed bag (Score:5, Interesting)
I worked with someone that was former-military that started on the helpdesk like most people in the organization, and workorders were created with descriptions like, "Computer does not start." This description meant everything from the computer wouldn't power on to the user couldn't remember their password to log-in.
I worked with someone else that was a communications cabling specialist that probably forgot more about cabling than I ever knew, and could deal with phones, copper ethernet, and fiber ethernet without batting an eye. So at least there's that.
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As always, troubleshooting capacity comes, primarily, from personality type, not from training. Training can help, but it can't substitute.
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and the circle is complete (Score:2)
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Good attitude but rarely much aptitude (Score:5, Interesting)
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You don't need to be a geek to be good at IT.
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I work with several IT guys that are former military. I DM a D&D game including two of them, and one is also a massive Warhammer geek. They also had basically zero formal IT training (we all went to the same shitty night school, and taught ourselves the actual skills on our own) and yet are fully capable, so they're also big enough computer nerds to teach themselves programming at a professional level.
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I work with several IT guys that are former military. They're good guys and work hard but not one of them is an actual geek... If it isn't something they're trained in they just don't do very well. Small sample size in (my office) but I don't see it.
This echos what I was told by IT military instructors.
The instructors are not allowed to choose their students. So the enlisted man who programs and built a mobile app in his spare time won't be allowed to follow a course on building mobile apps, but the officer who has no technical aptitude whatsoever has to be hand-held all the way through such a course because he will be the only one allowed to build such an app for the military in the first place.
This is not to say that all military men aren't geeks. Li
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The best IT guy I've ever known was an Air Force guy in Saudi Arabia who managed our UNIX servers from a tent on a desert base. I'm embarrassed to admit he could also code circles around me, and often fixed bugs in my code while I slept.
For every anecdote, there's a counter-anecdote.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Tasks in the military can be limited (Score:5, Insightful)
Even if they do train you, that training might not be recognized or valued.
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The guy was injured enough in combat that he receives 100% disability and does-so regardless of another job (ie, it won't be revoked if he starts working elsewhere) and he doesn't feel it's worth the effort. Had they made it easy to transition then he probably would have, but without it being simple he doesn't feel it's worthwhile, and with the disability check I don't really blame him. And with the PTSD it's probably an even easier decision.
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Is "IT" a new buzz word ? (Score:2)
By the same definition, so are every child in the country, always on the edge trying to make their parents desperate by being cutting edge. Uses plenty of software and tech. It would seem "IT" is the new buz word of the employment sector ?
I don't want to discriminate about IT, but there is no worth creation in IT. It is merely a support job like any other, and by using the right argument, you should be able to make a case that former military personnel would make the best mechanics. Yet, being a mechanic wo
Government IT services (Score:3)
A lot of IT positions are with the federal government, and many military members parting from service already possess the security clearances required for those positions. It's often cheaper to train someone that already possess a security clearance to be an IT professional than it is to get an IT professional their security clearance.
Interesting (Score:3, Insightful)
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Any large corporation will have 100+ types of technology.
Yes, the fact that you are used to being abused is helpful for corporations.
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Ugh, no ex-military, thank you (Score:2, Insightful)
It's kind of true (Score:2)
It's kind of true. My job in Army was SATCOM, got out almost 4 years ago, about to finish Bachelor's in CS early next year. SATCOM was pretty much IT in the army. Imaging computers, setting up and maintaining network, running cables, troubleshooting software/hardware, etc. Once I got out I did a few years part time in IT while going to college.
I have to say that all training in the army was kind of half@$$ed. Impossible to fail, short, and not particularly relevant. At least when I went through it around 20
Best Powerpoint Rangers (Score:2)
yes, but... (Score:2)
I think that's a great idea, for a lot of reason. But... I thought you had to live in a hovel on the other side of the world to get a job in IT in the US. I don't see US companies suddenly deciding to reverse that tendency and hire locals as regular employees instead. Would be great if they did, though.
Troubleshooting skills (Score:3)
And they take orders, work late, and are underpaid (Score:3)
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Education still matters (Score:2)
1. The same job they were doing in the military requires a 4 year degree in the private sector.
This is an issue time and again with not having a degree. There is plenty of debate around here about whether a 4 year degree is really beneficial to everyone. However, you cannot debate the minimum requirements for a DoD contractor position. I have seen plenty of people kicked out of a job
Generalizations not helpful (Score:2)
I don't think that anyone had decided that they wouldn't hire ex-military with relevant experience because of where they acquired it. Most organizations require some adjustment from their staff in order to understand and fit into the culture of that place. That is why they still interview potential staff, to see if as a person they would likely fit into the social environment.
YMMV (Score:2)
Makes sense (Score:2)
A decade ago I would have agreed with you... (Score:3)
but at least when it comes to Army IT guys, anyone that went to school after 2005 is a coin-toss.
The dumbing down of specialist fields has been ongoing as the military has switched from custom hardware to COTS (Common/Commercial Off The Shelf) systems. This really accelerated in 2003 and the transformation was almost complete by 2005. Troubleshooting down to the component level and resoldering circuit boards was standard procedure in the old days. Soldiers had to really understand how their systems worked and how they interacted with other things. As the equipment has gotten smarter, the requirements for the soldier have decreased.
I watched the knowledge base drain away while I was in the military. I spent my final three years as an instructor/subject-matter-expert (Brigade level) for all things IT and satellite communications. Every year, the students were less and less prepared for the training. This applied especially to my students from a communications career field. This was expected when it came to my students from non-IT careers, but in the end, the students that should have been the most well prepared for my classes did no better that those that had never seen a satellite dish before.
I spent an additional two years as a contractor in Afghanistan. I did everything from convoys out to remote FOBs to troubleshoot and repair systems, to training, to theater wide Tier-3/Engineering Level satellite support. I worked with hundreds of contractors at all levels and over 95% of them were veterans. The quality of work/knowledge level was a complete crapshoot. There were many that I dealt with that should have been fired or at least not had their contract renewed. One of them was my boss(gross negligence/mismanagement), the other was a CCNP that couldn't even create a basic NAT configuration for a 2800 series router(fired for reasons unrelated to his lack of technical competence). There were the occasional superstars (my replacement boss). There was everything in between.
In the end, I honestly see very few advantages to hiring veterans other than that they have a higher chance of being on time/early than a non-veteran. I see a distinct disadvantage in hiring anyone that was a First Sergeant or Sergeant Major(Don't worry, the ones you need to worry about will let you know they were one). Those are the ones most likely to have internalized the military and demand that those around them do the same.
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I like how you equate everyone in the government with a specific agency withing the government. Its... cute. simple, ignorant, and not too bright, but also cute.
" "creative problem solving" is not exactly a skill set that is developed in the military"
That couldn't be further way from the truth.
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pop quiz, hot shot:
There is a team in the field. They are under fire and need intelligence from the system that just decided to go south. What do you do?
Re:Just what we need in our server rooms (Score:5, Insightful)
so government accessories to murder aka accomplices.
As former military, can I just please have you BLOW ME you ignorant little leech on the ass of my country?
People who go into the military with the idea that they want to meet interesting people AND KILL them usually get weeded out in basic training/boot camp. If not, they get weeded out in AIT (occupational training). People like that simply aren't stable enough to get through training in the modern army.
Nobody else really goes into the military with the notion that they want to go out and kill people.
The military's a place to serve one's country, get some occupational training, and rack up money for college. Maybe even find a lifetime career.
There are over 1.4 million people on Active Duty with another million in Ready Reserve (includes National Guard).
The vast MAJORITY of those troops are in military occupational specialties (MOS) that are NOT front-line combat (infantry).
Nobody wants to have to be out there killing people. That usually means that pretty much every other option for negotiation (other than outright appeasement, and Vichy showed us how well THAT went over), has pretty much FAILED. And, even then, the objective of warfare by modern doctrine is NOT about body count. It's about removing the tools and resources necessary to successfully wage warfare against us.
Does that mean we, eventually, wind up killing people?
Yep!
But better them than us.
If YOU, in particular, don't happen to like it, TOUGH FUCKING SHIT. Find some way to serve this country that minimizes the future need for armed conflict and deployment of soldiers into combat that doesn't involve bending and spreading for a bunch of delusional fanatics. I can GUARANTEE you that the very FIRST people stepping up to thank you for your contributions will be the people you've just put out of a job.
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let me guess... how about in your parent's basement, playing with your network of old [almost free] Sparcs, HPPA and VAX, running all kind of services, because that's utterly fun to do ?
If you need "training" for a job, you probably should continue to look for your passion... or you are just a worthless commute zombie doing it for the money.
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> Many HR people might mistakenly prefer to hire ex military IT people, simply based upon HR's almost universal ignorance of what the field actually entails.
I think we need to push this at least one level up. HR doesn't usually make the final decision -- the hiring manager does. Although HR can influence that decision by choosing which resumes the hiring manager sees.
The sad thing is that the hiring manager, or the people to whom they answer, often doesn't know what IT entails either. And so we get si