Which of the Armed Forces is Better for IT-Types?

tang asks: "As a Computer Science major who will be graduating this year, I wanted to know the experiences of any slasdotters who have been/are in the military. I'm exploring my options after college, and wouldn't mind serving my country. The question is, which branch of the armed forces? Physical shape is no problem, I just wanted to know which branch would have the most use for a computer programmer. The army seems to have only slightly interesting computer positions, while the navy has some better ones. Will any particular branch give me better training for when I get out?" We've already argued the point of whether it's better to go to college or sign-up, so if one had their heart set on joining, which service is better if you are planning on a career in IT, afterwards?

Navy is the way to go

[Raven667]

While I was in the Air Force and liked many things about the experience (I think that they are the least obnoxiously uptight of the services) what little of the Navy IT system impressed me. I know everyone is going to point out the NT-on-a-ship thing but that story is mostly bogus anyway.

Anyway, what little I had to deal with Navy-built systems I found several examples of them being better designed (from an IT perspective) than our own Air Force stuff. My experience with the AF IT system as an ADPE manager was pretty horrible. The people I met weren't very bright or well trained, constantly understaffed (they only had 12 people, including networking, server, desktop and manager people trying vainly to support over 1500 desktop systems all over base) and had very poor tools (who's bright idea was basing the entire IT infrastructure on MS Outlook and NT (even for secure messaging) anyway!?!!!). The worst part was that they were completely incapable of supporting desktop Windows users, they didn't even have a helpdesk, and everyone had to fend for themselves (including software and hardware purchasing.) Unless things have changed you would find the constant disaster very frustrating.

Oh, and I know everyone already told you this but Don't Trust Recruiters. When they aren't lying to you because they honestly don't know something they are lying to hide the ugly truth. If they tell you that they can't get your name into a slot for a certain job, implore you to select "Open/General" as a carreer and hope for the best don't sign! Get it in writing that your name is in a slot for the job you want before you sign a commitment. Don't cry too hard if the slot closes after you sign, shit happens, but at least they should try. Unfortunately the military isn't going to have you sitting on your butt waiting for annother slot to open up so you will probably be reclassed into something that they need at the time.

any of the above, and none at all

[laslo2]

in any of the services, you might get a guaranteed job as a computer person, and end up working on a computer system that's older than you are. or you might end up pushing buttons. or you might end up doing a job that's directly related to being a civilian. there are no guarantees; the *only* thing a recruiter can guarantee you is that you'll get a certain career field (and only then if you have it *in writing, on the contract you sign*). also consider that many tech jobs are contracted out to civilians, so as a uniformed person you may not get to do the fun stuff anyway. (I'm not trying to talk you out of signing up, just trying to point out that the commercials you see on tv are not necessarily the way things are once you get there.)

note tha if you're going to be an enlisted person, that CS degree won't do anything but look good on the wall, at least to start with. you might ask the recruiters about commissioning opportunities.

another possible option you might consider is the reserve / national guard. being a part timer would allow you to get a foothold as a civilian IT person, plus get some good training and benefits as a military person. later on, if you decide you prefer the military, you can always switch over to active duty status. talk to a guard or reserve recruiter.

good luck, whatever you decide.

Voice of Experience

[sysadmn]

I graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering in the mid-80s. I faced a similar choice as yours - too burned out for grad school, civilian jobs were scarce and uncertain, and the military was desperate for engineers. I chose the Air Force, was commissioned, and served 5 years. Here are my thoughts:

1. If you want to make the military your career, you won't be a programmer for very long (if at all). What the services need are leaders; except for a lucky few (who camp in the research labs or service academies, and usually have PhDs) after your first assignment you'll be directing the work of others, rather than doing it yourself.
2. Ask what your first two or three assignments will be like. If you are interested in graduate studies, ask what the opportunities are. The Air Force runs the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) near Dayton, Oh; the Naval Postgraduate School is in Monterey, CA in Leland Stanford's old mansion. Don't know about Army and Marines opportunities.
3. If someone makes a promise, get it in writing. In the words of Yogi Berra, "A verbal contract ain't worth the paper it's written on"
4. Of all the services I talked to, only the Air Force was able to guarantee that I would be working as an engineer. The best the marines and army could offer was 'commo officer'. That means you run the radios and telephones. On the plus side, you get to do plenty of camping in fun places like Korea and Camp Lejeune. The Navy offered me an engineering officer position. That's running a powerplant, at sea, for months at a time. I grew up a Navy brat, and knew how hard that life is, and couldn't see doing it for 20 years.
5. The pay isn't as good as in the 'real' world, especially compared to high tech jobs. There are some tax breaks and perks that help offset that. It might not be as big a deal just out of college, but as time goes by it could become one. The problem is even worse for techies who are civilian employees of the military, but their job security is better.
6. Did anyone tell you that you have to put in 20 years to draw retirement pay? and that pay maxes out at 30 years at about 50%? Sounds good? Did they mention every few years you come up for promotion? and that if you don't make it twice in a row, you leave the game with nothing?
7. The military are not the only Uniformed Services. Have you considered the Public Health Service, or the National Oceanigraphic and Atmospheric Administration?
8. If you're really sharp, and can pass an extensive background check, consider a career in the intelligence agencies - NSA, NRO, CIA, etc. NSA is even running a program that pays for a graduate degree in exchange for service. On my background check, I had to list every address I had lived in the last 10 years (7 - Navy brat, duh). They even interviewed my neighbors, checked the computerized crime records, and probably ran credit checks.

Don't join for the IT

[A nonymous Coward]

Seriously, the services have nothing to offer IT-education wise. Don't join for that!

Here's my rundown of the 5 branches, and a disclaimer: I was in the Navy, 72-76, on a carrier mostly in Japan and around the far East, and had a great time.

Navy, and at sea, for an adventure none of the others can match. That old slogan really was true (It's not just a job, it's an adventure). Pick a rating which goes to sea on destroyers (radioman, quartermaster, supply, etc) and transfer after two years to a carrier. Get one Pacific ship and the other Mediterranean.

Navy, shore based. A joke. What's the point of joining a sea service and not going to sea?

Navy, if married. Forget it. Sea duty ain't for newlyweds.

Marines. If you want to join the MILITARY, this is it. Again, make sure you at least get one sea tour.

Air Force. I used to think the Air Force would be better technical education wise, but have talked to enough people who knew both and said otherwise. So I personally think the Air Force is just a ho-hum choice; nothing marks it special.

Army. Ditto; nothing to make it special.

Coast Guard. The only one which actually does anything every day other than train. If you want the satisfaction of doing something real every day, like search and rescue, this is it. A plus for many is short sea stays and stateside duty.

To sum it up, if you want to do something you will always remember and will never be able to do after you're married and settled down, join the Navy and make double damned sure you go to sea all four years. Do it for the adventure, not for what you might learn. If you think you might want to make a career of the service, join the Coast Guard. If you simply like military pomp, join the Marines. If you want to join a boring corporation, join the Air Force or Army.

You will never get another chance like those four years, so make the most of it AS AN ADVENTURE.

Think about it: the military has no use for programmers or hardware engineers. That's what industry does. The military is about bodies and weapons, not about IT. Any military job is there to support the guys in trenches.