Military to Cybersecurity: Part one
By: Chase Golden
Tags: Military, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Veterans, Resources

Photo by Jefferson Santos on Unsplash

Hello all,

What I am going to write about in this article is for anyone who is looking to get into the I.T. world. More specifically cybersecurity, but some of this can apply to programming, networking, etc. This is all specifically focused and directed towards the veteran/military member that is transitioning soon or would like to switch careers into the world of cybersecurity. How do I know this? And why should you listen to me? Let me give you a brief who am I introduction. TL;DR included near the end, for those looking to save time.

Who am I? My name is Chase. I am currently in the United States Marine Corps. My job has nothing to do with cybersecurity or computers really. I spent 5 years in the Marine Corps from 2010–2015. Separated from the service to go to college. During that time, I discovered computer science and the cybersecurity field. I knocked out college classes all while job hopping. What I found is what most military members who separate find, and that is not as many people care about your service as you might think. Most Americans do appreciate the servicemember, but when it comes to business, they take experience all day. I started a family and looked at rejoining the military in hopes to get into a cyber related field. I did reenlist back into the Marine Corps and the cyber dreams did not work out, so here I am. Why should you care? I spent several months digging into the resources and opportunities available to me. This article is mainly to share the resources I have found available to veterans and mostly anyone.

The first step is to research. Research is the most important ability to be able to execute. This will help determine a path to take and what kinds of things need to be accomplished along the way. Research the job market. Cybersecurity is a field not a specific job role. There are hundreds of job roles under the cybersecurity field. Digital Forensics, penetration tester, security operations center analyst, information security analyst, etc. Each one of those job roles will require a different set of skills. Youtube has a plethora of channels dedicated to specific kinds of job roles within the community. The cyber mentor, Gerald Auger, Network Chuck, John Hammond, David Bombal, just to name a few. For programming, I would recommend FreeCodeCamp, Tech with Tim, Traversy Media, TokyoEdTeach. There are a ton more, these are just the ones I highly recommend and frequently watch. Get on some of these, figure out what interests you the most and start focusing on that. Again, the first step is to research the field with some of the channels listed or others. Upon narrowing down the range, start researching job postings to understand the requirements and qualifications a company is searching for. This is particularly effective for giving an understanding of what technologies are relevant.

The second step is to start developing a presence within the community. What Do I mean? Social media and I do not mean just a Facebook. From what I have found, twitter is where the most up to date information security information can be found. Establish a more professional account and start interacting and following members. LinkedIn is another big one. LinkedIn is quickly replacing a traditional resume and cold applying to a job. If you do not have a LinkedIn account, you need to create one. Use a professional looking photo and properly fill out the about me section. There are several videos about this topic on some of the above Youtube accounts. Again, do your research. This is your first impression upon an employer. This will also help you research the types of qualifications employers are searching for. I have found LinkedIn is offering military a FREE year of premium membership.

https://www.socialimpact.linkedin.com/programs/veterans/premiumform The wise move would be to save this until about six months out from transition and then activate the membership. LinkedIn does offer a one-month free trial to anyone that can also be used. LinkedIn is key resource to develop a network. Over 50% of jobs are found through networking, the whole who you know, not what you know. This is because it is easier for a recruiter to reach out to someone they know in their network, with the qualifications they seek, rather than filter through interviews and cold calls etc. The other consideration regarding social media is privacy. Most likely, if you are brought into an interview, someone in that room has googled you. Your Facebook account is yours, but I would recommend setting your account to private or deleting not so great posts. https://www.github.com is another great resource to consider. This is a great resource especially for programming. It is great for storing and collaborating projects.

The next resource I would like to highlight is the DoD Skill-bridge program. Some of you might or might not have heard of this amazing resource. This is the programs a servicemember can attend that will “bridge skills” needed for a good career post-transition. They have several of these programs, some of them are related to IT. https://dodskillbridge.usalearning.gov Roughly 500 companies provide opportunities. There are several requirements that must be met, which is one reason I bring this up in the first part of this series. Command approval and being within the 180 day range from your separation are the two big ones. Some commands will easily let a servicemember attend, others have mission-essential requirements and advanced planning might be required. Back to the research, get on the website, explore your options and what options interest you, and start aligning a plan rather than springing it on the command last minute. That LinkedIn profile you made has a huge community of veterans and others that will gladly help with anything related to skill-bridge.

The last resource I wanted to mention in part one is certifications and training. Looking at job postings and doing some research most likely resulted in spotting certifications. Certifications are widely accepted and frequently posted in a job requirement. The most common ones are from CompTIA. The A+, Network+ and Security+. Many individuals have their own opinion regarding the subject and which certifications are recommended. My logic was that to properly secure a network, one would have to understand how a network is supposed to function properly. I would recommend starting with the Network+ first. That is the path I have taken and will be moving on the Security+. The other option to consider when selecting certifications is the DoD 8570 certifications table. This is specifically important for someone looking to enter the government contracting world. https://public.cyber.mil/cw/cwmp/dod-approved-8570-baseline-certifications If you come across a job posting that requires an IAT level II, they are referring to this table. The military most likely offers training for some of these basic certifications free. I know because I attended one. Security+ is a requirement for anyone with escalated privileges on a DoD computer. They train their members to get these certifications. I would ask your help desk, S6 or whoever manages the computer systems for you. https://www.udemy.com is another great resource, however it does cost some money. The Jason Dion courses on those certifications are excellent, highly recommend. Some other ones are great, do some research on reddit to find other reviewed options. These courses sometimes cost upwards of $95, DO NOT pay that price. The courses frequently go on sale for $11.99, wait until that happens. The other great free resource for this is Professor Messer on YouTube.

TL;DR

Resources for Veterans and others looking to transition from a non-cyber role into Cybersecurity or IT in general. Research on your own being the primary key. Developing a presence on social media and specifically LinkedIn, DoD Skill-bridge programs, and intro to certifications.

- Youtube has a plethora of channels dedicated to specific kinds of job roles within the community. The cyber mentor, Gerald Auger, Network Chuck, John Hammond, David Bombal, just to name a few. For programming, I would recommend FreeCodeCamp, Tech with Tim, Traversy Media, TokyoEdTeach.

- https://www.socialimpact.linkedin.com/programs/veterans/premiumform

-https://www.github.com

-https://dodskillbridge.usalearning.gov

-https://public.cyber.mil/cw/cwmp/dod-approved-8570-baseline-certifications

- https://www.udemy.com

Thanks for reading! I hope you found this informational and take advantage of the resources available. This was part one, I plan on writing a part two regarding education, resumes and more so be on the lookout.

Chase Golden is a transitioning servicemember entering the cybersecurity field, technology enthusiast, and part time woodworker. Please feel free to reach out to mention any resources you might have used or would like included. He is on twitter @Chasersx88 or LinkedIn.