My Journey From the Air Drive to Cybersecurity

COMMENTARY
Once I stepped foot onto Mountain Dwelling Air Drive Base in 2003, I had no approach of realizing how a lot my technical and management abilities would flourish over the course of my profession within the US Air Drive — however I did know I had discovered a bunch of disciplined, mission-driven people who have been all working towards a standard aim. And that was particular. 

When it got here time to transition out of the army final yr, I used to be confronted with not solely leaving the department of service I had devoted my total skilled life to but in addition having to search out who I used to be and what profession path I needed to pursue for myself. That is no straightforward job while you’ve been entrenched in a team-oriented surroundings for years at a time — in my case, 20. I used to be afraid I would by no means discover that sense of group once more … till I discovered the cybersecurity discipline.  

The place It All Started

I attended group faculty for a few yr earlier than I enlisted within the Air Drive and commenced working as a knowledge upkeep technician. I ultimately built-in with the Air Drive’s community crew, the place I received my toes moist in IT. Over the subsequent 10 years, I labored on small clandestine networks as much as enterprise-level, earlier than the army shifted its focus to securing networks.  

The additional I ventured into securing domains, the stronger my ardour grew for that space. Throughout my time stationed at MacDill Air Drive Base, I labored for the Joint Communications Assist Factor (JCSE), and one in every of my supervisors approached me in regards to the Licensed Info Programs Safety Skilled (CISSP) certification from ISC2. He noticed that I had what it took to take a seat for the examination, and I started the method. 

5 Letters and 600 Podcast Episodes Later

The CISSP certification was not solely a testomony to the exhausting work that I had put in all through my profession, however it additionally served as a key to my development within the discipline. It modified my place within the recreation and my accessibility to alternatives. When having a dialog with these extra senior than me, I felt assured and extremely revered with the burden of that CISSP by my identify. 

I consider to at the present time that the CISSP is what led me to with the ability to safe my first job within the company world, and acted as a launching pad for my podcast, “The Different Facet of the Firewall.” That podcast has grown my community monumentally, and having that validation by my identify makes it straightforward to have conversations with everybody from entry-level professionals to CEOs of main corporations. We’re now greater than 600 episodes into the podcast and counting. Nevertheless, the journey to get to the place I’m at present hasn’t all been rainbows and butterflies. 

The Highs and Lows

One of many simpler parts of constructing the military-to-corporate transition was the networking facet. Throughout my time within the army, I had labored with phenomenal shoppers who supported me even after I swapped lace-up boots for a go well with. Even supposing I used to be searching for a job at a traditionally unhealthy time for the tech business (the early 2023 layoff wave), my connections landed me a job at a knowledge privateness and safety firm in Georgia.  

My boss at this firm was a US Marine veteran, who was in a position to lead me by way of what ended up being the toughest a part of my change to company life: the lingo. I needed to study to elucidate how the technical abilities I gained within the army translated to be relevant to the shoppers I used to be working for within the personal sector. Having somebody to information me by way of that transition from the army to the company world who knew the best way to break me out of my army jargon consolation zone was life altering. 

Why Cyber?

I extremely encourage anybody transitioning out of the army and searching for a mission-driven line of labor to discover the cybersecurity discipline. With the speed that rising applied sciences and the menace panorama are evolving, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is at an all-time excessive. It is a mission-driven, significant line of labor that coincides along with your service branches’ targets to guard, defend, and create a safer world.  

Discover entry-level certifications similar to those by way of ISC2, trainings and bootcamps that may make it easier to get a foot within the door, and do not quit if the transition to the company world is not seamless. Cybersecurity is a discipline that gives continued alternatives to extend your abilities, study from these round you, and make adjustments which have a direct impression on securing our more and more digital world. As veterans transition into civilian life and look to search out secure, fulfilling careers, I encourage them to present cybersecurity a shot. It is the place I’ve discovered my tribe once more, and I am without end grateful for the individuals and applications that helped me alongside the way in which.