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I went through the 25N course in Gordon, and we did not take any sort of test for a certification. Should this be mandatory to work on DoD networking equipment?
Posted in these groups: 
25N: Nodal Network Systems Operators/Maintainer
Signal
CompTIA Security+
Education
25N: Nodal Network Systems Operators/Maintainer Signal CompTIA Security+ Education
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 13
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DoD 8570 outlines IAT and IAM certification levels based on Career field. Most require IAT Level II which is Security+. Some may only require A+ or Network+.
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SPC Bernardy,
To answer your title question, I became SEC+ certified as a result of my training at the FA53 school. You will need NET+ or courses in CCNA to grasp fully the SEC+ exam. As to your other question, as you've seen from some of the comments, it would be a great idea for the school house to provide a basic cert as you get out of AIT. As it is, no certs are obtained while at the schoolhouse, unless you go out and get it yourself as a result of your work at AIT. Another SPC above states that your unit can and should provide you with the ability to complete a certification within 6 months of graduating AIT. For me, the natural progression would be A+/Net+ as a junior enlisted, Sec+ as a junior NCO and CCNA as a senior NCO (E6 and above). At that point, if you remain on the network side, you will begin to specialize and either become a staff NCO or move into the Warrant or Officer ranks (should you wish to) doing IA/CND/Networking. As was stated, if you look at DoD 8570.1 you will see the requirements for getting onto our networks and conducting business within your switches and routers as well as Microsoft exchange. Unfortunately, this will be limited to your tactical systems only and your skill set may deteriorate based on your command's reliance/training on their tactical gear.
Here's a link to 8570.1's key diagram for you https://www.isc2.org/dodmandate/default.aspx
Hope this helps and welcome to the Regiment! Good luck!
To answer your title question, I became SEC+ certified as a result of my training at the FA53 school. You will need NET+ or courses in CCNA to grasp fully the SEC+ exam. As to your other question, as you've seen from some of the comments, it would be a great idea for the school house to provide a basic cert as you get out of AIT. As it is, no certs are obtained while at the schoolhouse, unless you go out and get it yourself as a result of your work at AIT. Another SPC above states that your unit can and should provide you with the ability to complete a certification within 6 months of graduating AIT. For me, the natural progression would be A+/Net+ as a junior enlisted, Sec+ as a junior NCO and CCNA as a senior NCO (E6 and above). At that point, if you remain on the network side, you will begin to specialize and either become a staff NCO or move into the Warrant or Officer ranks (should you wish to) doing IA/CND/Networking. As was stated, if you look at DoD 8570.1 you will see the requirements for getting onto our networks and conducting business within your switches and routers as well as Microsoft exchange. Unfortunately, this will be limited to your tactical systems only and your skill set may deteriorate based on your command's reliance/training on their tactical gear.
Here's a link to 8570.1's key diagram for you https://www.isc2.org/dodmandate/default.aspx
Hope this helps and welcome to the Regiment! Good luck!
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
Thank you for your response Sir, I'm actually studying for the CCNP. I've taken the skillport classes, but my unit is too broke to cut me a voucher (this exam is pretty expensive... I might be thinking of the CCIE)...
Thank you again
Thank you again
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LTC (Join to see)
As for the voucher, if your BDE is nearby, get to know some of the NCO's/Junior enlisted in their S6 shop. The Army cuts loose vouchers for just this purpose. However, that's a limited resource and may not make it to your level. The best thing is to be prepared with your skillport classes so that you can engage quickly when seats/vouchers become available. Deployment time is a particularly good time to start pushing for seats/vouchers. If you're at Battalion level with a new LT, they might not be asking their BDE higher for these things, a little respectful bug in the NCOIC/OIC's ear is always helpful. Again, good luck, and at worse save a little money, get yourself certified and when the enlistment contract is up, you're completely employable in the real world.
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Sgt (Join to see)
Thats a hard goddamn course and the USMC is hurting for network operators. Expectation management of the capabilities of our new 18 year olds should say that while a good idea, you really cant expect them to absorb all of CCNA AND Sec+ in their short time at comm school. Should their NCOIC have it? Yes absolutely, and at that point small unit leadership should fill in the knowledge gap.
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LTC (Join to see)
SGT Sanders,
Not all Soldiers or Marines are 18 when they get through basic and AIT (I was 35). A number of them have life skills/experience and should be afforded the opportunity while at the school house to fill the gap you've identified. However, as you'll read above, I really do recommend A+/Net+ for E4 and below...NET+ gets the Soldier/Marine an IAT Level I access...so if we want to split hairs A+ out of AIT then Net+ within the first 6 months to meet DoD guidance for network access (though I think NET+ is doable at AIT)...agreed that Sec+ is not something your typical AIT Soldier/Marine can tackle in AIT but if they come with an IS degree of some sort or other certs, the schoolhouse should support (in my opinion). Leaving FT Gordon (for Soldiers) without a cert is a waste of time and money (again, in my opinion)...perhaps each cert should come with an ADSO and that would help mitigate training these professionals only to see them walk out the door for twice the pay and no deployments.
Not all Soldiers or Marines are 18 when they get through basic and AIT (I was 35). A number of them have life skills/experience and should be afforded the opportunity while at the school house to fill the gap you've identified. However, as you'll read above, I really do recommend A+/Net+ for E4 and below...NET+ gets the Soldier/Marine an IAT Level I access...so if we want to split hairs A+ out of AIT then Net+ within the first 6 months to meet DoD guidance for network access (though I think NET+ is doable at AIT)...agreed that Sec+ is not something your typical AIT Soldier/Marine can tackle in AIT but if they come with an IS degree of some sort or other certs, the schoolhouse should support (in my opinion). Leaving FT Gordon (for Soldiers) without a cert is a waste of time and money (again, in my opinion)...perhaps each cert should come with an ADSO and that would help mitigate training these professionals only to see them walk out the door for twice the pay and no deployments.
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Of course it should be. We barely meet industry standards and they teach next to nothing in AIT. Us green suiters need to be qualified on the equipment we work on.
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
Agreed SFC, in my honest opinion, there was way too much down time in the school house. We were in class for 7-9 hours a day and I can say 2 hours of it was lecture and the other 5-7 hours were alone to us students. Luckily I have a passion for networking, so I do a lot of self study. But I can tell you half my class would fail in the field if they didn't have cut sheets
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