Is there any cool jobs in the military that deal with computers?

[keystroker]

What kind of jobs would be cool in the military that are involved with computers or electronics?

 

[ChrisIsBored]

Not for the illiterate!

 

[broon]

All kinds of jobs in electronics. I suggest the Air Force or Navy. However, don't join if you don't want to go to war. The AF is the best if you want a job that is least likely of actually fighting. Go talk to a recruiter but remember that they lie about stuff. But they have books that have all the jobs and descriptions in them. Do you want to be an operator or technician? May I suggest Space Systems Specialist for an operator position. Might not be everything you dreamed of but it's very interesting and can hook you up after you do your four years.

 

[spanky]

go to the army office and tell them u can help improve the army's training by hosting a HUGE red alert lan war.

 

[T2T III]

There's probably some really neat applications to work with. Getting into those areas could be pretty tough, though. I'd be willing to bet that a lot of the great applications are maintained by officers instead of enlisted folks. The recruiter might make you some fabulous "verbal" promises about the applications that you "could" work on. When the day finally arrives, they might put you into an IT group maintaining some accounting application.

I've been through the military. Don't believe what the recruiter says. Only believe what you see on the paper in front of you - and even that can change. Good luck!

 

[broon]

Officers in the AF don't get all the cool stuff (except flying). The enlisted do most of the work. Especially when it comes to fixing things. Officers can't fix anything. Look at the job descriptions.

 

[ROTC1983]

Actually, my dad is in MI and they do a lot with computers, programming, networking, and such.

 

[AvesPKS]

No. None of the five branches of the armed services have computers; only abacuses, and most of those are broken due to budget shortfalls.

 

[keystroker]

here was the job i was looking at

MOS 12B

Major Duties- Combat engineers supervise, serve, or assist as a member of a team, squad, section, or platoon; provide combat engineering support to combat forces; and operate Combat Engineer Vehicles, Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges, and Armored Combat Earthmover.

Entry Level- Performs basic combat construction. Operates various light or heavy engineer wheeled vehicles. Operates or serves as crewmember on a combat engineer vehicle, armored vehicle launch bridge, or an armored combat earthmover while participating in combat mobility, countermobility, and survivability operations. Prepares and installs priming and firing systems for demolition and explosives. Arms, disarms, and installs anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Locates mines by visual means or by using a mine detector. Recognizes and neutralizes booby traps, friendly and threat mines, and firing devices.

Locating mines doesn't sound very cool though. Everything else seems interesting though. I know its not computers, I can learn that in college though.

 

[broon]

Originally posted by: AvesPKS
No. None of the five branches of the armed services have computers; only abacuses, and most of those are broken due to budget shortfalls.

Actually there are only three branches. Air Force, Army, and Navy. The Marines and Coast Guard are part of the Navy.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: keystroker
here was the job i was looking at

MOS 12B

Major Duties- Combat engineers supervise, serve, or assist as a member of a team, squad, section, or platoon; provide combat engineering support to combat forces; and operate Combat Engineer Vehicles, Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges, and Armored Combat Earthmover.

Entry Level- Performs basic combat construction. Operates various light or heavy engineer wheeled vehicles. Operates or serves as crewmember on a combat engineer vehicle, armored vehicle launch bridge, or an armored combat earthmover while participating in combat mobility, countermobility, and survivability operations. Prepares and installs priming and firing systems for demolition and explosives. Arms, disarms, and installs anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Locates mines by visual means or by using a mine detector. Recognizes and neutralizes booby traps, friendly and threat mines, and firing devices.

Locating mines doesn't sound very cool though. Everything else seems interesting though. I know its not computers, I can learn that in college though.

combat engineer? i have a coworker who is one in the reserves, and he says it is the crappiest job (though he likes it) because basically they have the highest death rate since they go in there before everybody else.

 

[keystroker]

Need to do more research

 

[broon]

Also, if you want good living conditions and good food, don't join the Army. You can get adventure in the right jobs in the AF too. Army consists of living in tents, and eating bad food. The AF won't even allow it's service members to stay in the substandard housing the Army uses.

 

[broon]

since they go in there before everybody else

AF is the first in. Combat Controllers go in before anyone else. Even Marines. They are the AF special forces that go in and tell everyone else where to go. They were first in Kuwait. They were also involved in Somalia with the Delta Force and Rangers.

 

[IGBT]

I hear navigational bombing computer programers are in high demand. And GPS nav.programers are the twinkle in many a generals eye as well.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: broon

since they go in there before everybody else

AF is the first in. Combat Controllers go in before anyone else. Even Marines. They are the AF special forces that go in and tell everyone else where to go. They were first in Kuwait. They were also involved in Somalia with the Delta Force and Rangers.

i think he meant everybody else in the army

 

[T2T III]

Officers in the AF don't get all the cool stuff (except flying). The enlisted do most of the work. Especially when it comes to fixing things. Officers can't fix anything. Look at the job descriptions.

You are correct. That was quite the case during my 4-year Air Force career. I was in the 81150/81170 Air Force Specialty Code - Security Police. Besides guarding missile sites, about the only other fun thing was: qualifying marksmanship on the following weapons: M-16 / AR-15, M-203 grenade launcher, M-60 machine gun and the 9 mm pistol - oh and meeting my wife was a definate plus.

 

[rudder]

go to the army recruiter and tell them you killed all the enemies on thier new game. They will really like you.

Seriously though, the military gets the latest and greatest hardware. Tons of "cool" jobs.

 

[UltraQuiet]

The Marines and Coast Guard are part of the Navy.

The Coast Guard is part of the Department of Transportation not the Navy.

If you're interested here's three (of many) of the Navy NEC's(Navy Enlisted Classification) I hold.

NEC-2735
Information Systems Administrator
Design, implement, and monitor microcomputer peer to peer network; microcomputer/mainframe network
integration; microcomputer based video teleconferencing systems. Install network operating and application
software. Implement network connection and conduct preliminary training on access methods. Administer all
aspects of an Information System within the lifelines of the activity and basic understanding of the
information pathways external to the lifeline of the activity, (from data originator to end user).
Manage/maintain internal site networks to include but not limited to NETWARE, UNIX and WINDOWS NT.
Have basic understanding of database management. Manage system Life Cycle and Automated Information
System (AIS) security implementation. Monitor and improve network performance. Maintain and operate
network diagnostic devices. Conduct first level network software and hardware corrective actions.

NEC-2780
Network Security Vulnerability Technician
Recognizes microcomputer operating systems (i.e. MS-DOS, Windows NT, UNIX, and Novell Netware)
vulnerabilities and performs corrective actions to ensure maximum system availability. Assists the
Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM) with the System Security Plan (SSP) and systems accreditation
in accordance with IN-225. Uses commercial off the shelf software and operating system specific tools to
perform virus protection and detection, system backups, data recovery, and auditing functions. Creates,
configures, and maintains user and group accounts across multiple operating systems. Assesses protocol and
proxy service vulnerabilities and their relation to firewalls. Develops and implements solutions, with regard to
protocol and proxy service vulnerabilities, guarding against hostile attempts of compromise or inadvertent

NEC 2781
Advanced Network Administrator
Provides System Administrators with advance knowledge and skills necessary to configure UNIX and Microsoft Windows 2000 family of products to include the printing, disk, network, memory and system functional areas of the Networking Operating System (NOS). Trainees are additionally taught advanced skills needed to install, configure, and operate LAN/WAN Cisco Routers and Microsoft Exchange Server 2000. Additionally, trainees learn advanced network management, network integration, and WAN troubleshooting concepts.

 

[FenrisUlf]

Originally posted by: broon

Originally posted by: AvesPKS
No. None of the five branches of the armed services have computers; only abacuses, and most of those are broken due to budget shortfalls.

Actually there are only three branches. Air Force, Army, and Navy. The Marines and Coast Guard are part of the Navy.

Actually the Coast Guard is part of the Department of Transportation. In time of war the CG can be put under Navy control, but that's pretty rare and limited in scope.

Keystroker - look at the AF in the 3CXXX AFSC (Air Force Service Codes) series of jobs. Those deal primarily with networking and computer systems. The Navy's systems tend to be older and more limited due to having to be deployed on ships (can't be replaced as often, limited space, limited power, limited bandwidth), plus you would have to be in the Navy. AF is the way to go for high tech and computers, they've got the commitment to high tech and the budget to do it. Plus you don't have to wear bell-bottoms. I've got friends who were 3C's and are now earning 120K+ after thier 4 year time in the AF.

 

[propellerhead]

There are less and less actual programming jobs in the USAF. Most of the software is now contracted to private companies. USAF programmers end up becoming network admins. If you like LAN stuff, go for it. The USAF will send you to all the networking schools you can find. Some USAF programmers end up being like QA. They evaluate the software written by private companies for the USAF.

 

[TwoMix]

Im interested in the military as well...does the AF offer as much combat/physical training as the army? Im looking at mos 35j-telecomm terminal device repairer. I want a technical mos but i still want to learn to fight! After bootcamp, while at mos school do enlistees still get drilled/combat training? Thanks.

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: keystroker
here was the job i was looking at

MOS 12B

Major Duties- Combat engineers supervise, serve, or assist as a member of a team, squad, section, or platoon; provide combat engineering support to combat forces; and operate Combat Engineer Vehicles, Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges, and Armored Combat Earthmover.

Entry Level- Performs basic combat construction. Operates various light or heavy engineer wheeled vehicles. Operates or serves as crewmember on a combat engineer vehicle, armored vehicle launch bridge, or an armored combat earthmover while participating in combat mobility, countermobility, and survivability operations. Prepares and installs priming and firing systems for demolition and explosives. Arms, disarms, and installs anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Locates mines by visual means or by using a mine detector. Recognizes and neutralizes booby traps, friendly and threat mines, and firing devices.

Locating mines doesn't sound very cool though. Everything else seems interesting though. I know its not computers, I can learn that in college though.

combat engineer? i have a coworker who is one in the reserves, and he says it is the crappiest job (though he likes it) because basically they have the highest death rate since they go in there before everybody else.

Not really. Depends upon the mission, FEBA + many other variables. The main reason they earn such a moniker is due to the fact of their inherent breaching mission. For mech units, such as a mech inf or armor battalion for example, sappers typically conduct most breaching ops when encountering obstacles. Under most TO&E, a mech bat normally has a sapper platoon or company attached. However, scouts and pathfinders rarely have sappers attached unless mission absolutely dictates.

keystroker: I worked almost all of the last five years of my 20 year career in the Army with Unix and Windows systems. Depends upon which job you choose and also, in situations such as mine, what your unit's mission is. MOS 74B, 74C, 31F and 31W have quite a bit to do with 'puters.

 

[b0mbrman]

Cav platoon I was with had a sapper team...great bunch of guys

 

[Aceman]

keystroker,
If you've talked to an Army Reserve Recruiter about becoming a 12B, pm me with the exact unit you'd be assigned to. Make sure to include if it's Combat Heavy, Combat Corps, Light, Sapper, etc.

In many units a 12B is nothing more than a dumb infantryman (Dumb as in the fact that at least an 11B knows he's gonna be a grunt and a pop up target. A 12B goes in thinking he's gonna build a city and ends up being a pop up target and fodder for a land mine.)

<--------Was a 12B Sapper when he was young, dumb and full of.....