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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 >1 y ago
Responses: 12
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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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For networking AIT I think it would make sense for each soldier to pass a Security exam SPC(P) (Join to see)
When I first saw you discussion I thought it was more general. I went through 12B AIT in January 1975 long before networks were available in anything but scientific research laboratory settings and select government agencies.
When I first saw you discussion I thought it was more general. I went through 12B AIT in January 1975 long before networks were available in anything but scientific research laboratory settings and select government agencies.
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PFC Alexander Oliveira
i have to disagree. but only because it would make more sense if any to get a networking cert instead of a cyber security cert for a networking position. I enlisted as a 25B and never saw anything to do with cyber security but did everything networking related. it would've been nice to get the army to pay for it though, that's for sure
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As a 25N you won't get to certify in AIT however your unit can choose to send you to the 2 week course with a voucher if you pass the course to take the exam.
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As far the 25B course, we're taught the concepts of Security+, but the material was 301 based.
If you scored 80% or higher and the instructor/SGT recommends you, you get a voucher to take the exam. Sadly, the material that the class covers is not enough and you'll need to do a lot of self study to make up. We had a high fail rate, I had to read a few books on my own time to pass.
The same goes for CCENT, A+, and Net+.
If you scored 80% or higher and the instructor/SGT recommends you, you get a voucher to take the exam. Sadly, the material that the class covers is not enough and you'll need to do a lot of self study to make up. We had a high fail rate, I had to read a few books on my own time to pass.
The same goes for CCENT, A+, and Net+.
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I did not in AIT (08) . As far as being mandatory I don't think it should. NET+ I think should be mandatory for all 25 series. I can verify 25A do sec+ net+.
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
I had a buddy that took the N+ and S+ in Uniform school, little bummed we didn't take it
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It is mandatory, in most positions as a 25N or 25B. You will be sent to the course by your unit. The 405 test is a beast, so start studying.
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Security+ is mandatory to be an administrator on any DoD network.
The problem is that in AIT numbers are all important. Soldiers will not be taught the security+ materials properly and testing practices will degrade for the instructors to 'make numbers'. Thus the certification, over time, will become useless. CompTIA has very strict testing practices specifically for this reason. In my experience (A+/Net+/Sec+/CCENT/CCNA) no private sector certification should be given during AIT. There are plenty of opportunities to pursue the certification after AIT in a better environment. Too many Soldiers are getting comfortable with knowing if they go to get a certification the instructor will walk them through the exam with a silver spoon in their mouths. This is partially the reason there are so many Soldiers with certifications which show they should be able to perform certain tasks yet they lack the skills and intelligence to do so.
Edit:
Also the Security+ certification should not be given in AIT more so because many Sodliers lack the experience in the computer networking/network security field.
The problem is that in AIT numbers are all important. Soldiers will not be taught the security+ materials properly and testing practices will degrade for the instructors to 'make numbers'. Thus the certification, over time, will become useless. CompTIA has very strict testing practices specifically for this reason. In my experience (A+/Net+/Sec+/CCENT/CCNA) no private sector certification should be given during AIT. There are plenty of opportunities to pursue the certification after AIT in a better environment. Too many Soldiers are getting comfortable with knowing if they go to get a certification the instructor will walk them through the exam with a silver spoon in their mouths. This is partially the reason there are so many Soldiers with certifications which show they should be able to perform certain tasks yet they lack the skills and intelligence to do so.
Edit:
Also the Security+ certification should not be given in AIT more so because many Sodliers lack the experience in the computer networking/network security field.
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