A Look at IT Training in Military

See those manuals? Those are some of the free test questions training booklets I used when I was in the Marines. Of course, my MOS (occupational specialty) training booklets were bigger. In fact, I think they were a combination of booklets and 3-ring binders. What were they about? Tactical network administration. Sounds "kind of" cool, right?

Well, get this… During my 6 months of MOS training between 2002 and 2003, the Marine Corps taught me everything I needed to know to setup and maintain a network properly. I was trained on Windows NT and 2000 Server, XP, domain controllers and backup DCs, setting up DNS, DHCP, and Exchange 5.1, as well as basic routing and switching on Cisco equipment, VLSM and subnetting, setting up point-to-point links and remote sites, multiplexing, bulk and line encryption, the various connection mediums, and monitoring with HP Openview.

That's just what I remember off the top of my head. Yeah, I know some of those technologies seem old, but as my enlistment went on and new hardware was introduced, I learned those technologies as well. Over the long haul, it was a massive amount of IT training.

Of course, the military hasn't always been like this. When I joined, my recruiter told me anyone in a computer-related MOS was basically a programmer. I went along with it, and by the time I got through with a+ exam papers boot camp and combat training, that MOS was split up into more granular titles, such Basic Computer Systems Specialist, Advanced Tactical Systems Specialist (err, something like that), among several others. I became a tactical network admin, which is someone who can do everything I mentioned above, plus do it all on the battlefield (aka the Middle East at the time). I was basically a nerd, but a bad-ass, in-shape one with an M-16.

Even though my training material was fairly new in 2002, the combination of classroom instruction and reading was very comprehensive and it set me up for a nice-paying job when I got out. Of course, not everyone has to be a temporary warfighter to get a nice salary. All you really need is some good instruction and hands-on. I took the 4-year military route, but with all the boot camps, tech schools, and online resources out there these days, it's now much easier and takes far less time to start a new career (or revive your current one).

I think the fastest way to get where you want to be is to either find training that suits your learning style or mix it up, like I do. When I start pursuing a new certification or area of knowledge, I use a combination of video tutorials, reading free Microsoft practice tests material to cross-reference specific details, and both test and simulation software (my favorite is GNS3) to apply what I've learned. This combination has given me much success, especially with IT training. What's even more awesome is that I don't have to rely on those rugged training booklets anymore.