Posted: 5/19/2004 5:50:25 PM EDT
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Ok here's my game plan. I want to get a high paying computer networking Army contract like a friend of mine has (he's currently in Iraq making TRUCKLOADS of $$$). It requires a secret clearance. Obviously, the "easiest" way is to join the Army and get a MOS that requires a secret clearance. He reccommended doing reserves and finding something in the Signal Corps. Im not quite sure what the Signal Corps are or do. Does anyone know what the Signal Corps is? Should i say fack it and go full time? How hard is secret or top secret to get? edit: the high paying gig is a contract job, not directly in the Army. So i could do basic/ait and start reserve duty (assuming no deployment) and get the contract gig. |
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Until they activate you and ship you to Iraq. Then you'll be over there doing the work and getting paid as an E-1. That would be sweet irony. Perhaps The Neutral Observer is mistaken, and your motives are honorable. If that is the case, please accept His sincere apology. It sounds, however, like you are joining in the expectation that you will have no responsibility and all benefit. How would you plan to fulfill your reserve commitment while you are working on your contract gig in Iraq? Plus, The Neutral Observer is no legal expert, but this idea has to be against some law somewhere. EDIT: The Neutral Observer apparently misunderstood. You meant a contract job in the future, after being discharged from the service? |
| So called "Secret" clearance is not really that high speed. When I was an enlisted gun bunny, I had a "Secret" clearance, and monkeys could have done my job. Now I am an officer in the Infantry and still have the same clearance. Signal Corps involves fixing and using radios, setting radio procedures, manning re-tran sights, maintaining a units computers and other electric equipment, etc. If you want a high clearance and a job with classified materials, go for Intelligence. They are the analysts and deal with the most classified stuff. |
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If you like the communications gig, check out the Air Force. They get some good training as far as communications systems. 2E1X1 Satellite, Wideband, and Telemetry Systems (SWATS) is what I am currently doing and the training is top notch. A secret clearance is required as a minimum, higher when working with more sensitive satellites and such. Most of our training is here at Ft. Gordon the army's premier signal corps base (the signal corps HQ is here). Nothing against the army comm guys but after talking with a lot of them regularly I can say that our initial training reaches depths that theirs does not and is quite useful in the civilian world. The training is around 7 months (3 electronics principles and 4 SWATS) and is good for about 63 transferrable college semester hours towards an associate degree. There are plenty of Air Guard units out there looking for SWATS technicians and there is no better place to network for those lucrative contractor positions. |
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I started out as Signal (Communications) originally back in `86. I was a 31V(Tactical Communications Systems Operator/Mechanic) Army talk for "I talk on radios and fix the shit when it breaks", more or less. I ended up with a TS/SCI clearance as part of my job involved working on/operating cryptological equipment. The job itself didn't translate into a paying slot when I ETS'd at the end of my 8, but the clearances did. As an FYI, getting a TS isn't too hard as long as you're US born and kept your nose pretty clean. SCI has a year or so waiting list (at least) last time I heard, with the backlog..... |
<standard recruiting disclaimer>Just don't let the recruiter make promises unless they're in writing! Read everything before you sign it, and if it ain't what you want, don't sign. Tell them to call you when they can deliver what you want, IN WRITING. </standard recruiting disclaimer> |
31S (Satellite Communications Systems Operator/Maintainer) here.  Our school was 9 months when I was went through in '96. So with Basic, AIT, and Airborne school, I was in for a year before I got to my permanent station. I finished my 4 years and have been doing contract jobs for the last 2 and half. I've worked with Air Force and Navy commo guys alot. Their basic electronics tech schools were much more in-depth than ours. If you are joining just for the techie aspect of it, I'd say go with the Navy or AF. Does the 74 series still handle the networking stuff in the Army? CHRIS |
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SignalCorps -> military commo tech... You won't get any contracts while in, what your friend is telling you is that after you get some experience it's a good reference for contractor jobs... So after you put enough time in, it makes you more appealing... 'Enough time' -> alot more than the Iraq op will take... |