Should I stay in the Army or go civilian as a 25B?

Speaking from personal experience. Just like what SGT Romero said it can be hard to find a job right away if all you are going with is that you are a 25B. I have been on both sides of the table before coming back in the military as a 25B I have worked numerous IT jobs. And that is the big difference. An IT job in the civilian world is different from being a 25B in the military. Our MOS only gets you somewhat prepared, especially since so many bases have civilians that do a lot of the work we should be doing. Unless you are planning on going government or specializing in a certain field. You really should be well rounded. Understand all aspects of the IT field. You could become a manager or supervisor of an IT department and that will require you to be able to deal with everything from mobile devices, telecom, networking, security, repairs and so many more things. You might not have to do any of the work yourself but will be expected to have an understanding of it so you can relay it those that you are supervising. As for your education. You are on the right path and should continue on that path. Get as many certifications as you can. But make sure you stay current on them and how the industry changes. It's also not too late to start taking a class or two now. The college part hurts when it comes to negotiating your pay but if you can show your experience and sale your abilities your pay will come as well. I never went to school for anything computer related until I was back in the military or took a college class until this year and was able to beat out other candidates because of my experience and knowledge. A few of the places I have been able to work for with just my experience and being able to interview well are IBM, Department of HUD, Pentagon, Navy Annex, A nuclear company, an international law frim and a construction company in the DC area. I say this just to show you that it is possible to get a good job at this point in your career. You have to also take in account the location you would get out and go back to live and work. How big is the IT field there? How much of a demand is there in that area? What colleges you have in that area and the IT related programs they have at those schools. You will be in competition with recent graduates, seasoned IT professionals and those everyday computer people out there if you go private and not government. With government you can get a preference. Also if you are within 18 months of your ETS date it may not be a bad idea to go to your SFL-TAP briefings. With all this said it is going to come down to want you really want. Is there another MOS you really want to do so you can stay in the military and move up in rank and do 20yrs? How much longer you really want to be in the Army and do all the things that is required of us. If you have a family then you have to think about how it would affect them. Also check out ArmyReenlistment.com for options as it pertains to other MOS's and also make sure you are reading the bottom of your LES. there is always some good information posted on them. This past one had information about a possible change to the medic field for those interested. I think you have been given a lot of good advice from everyone on here but I wanted to talk to you from my personal experience. I am getting out next year and I had the same dilemma in front of me. You have to make the decision that is best for you.

I am a fortune 500 military recruiter and my recommendation is that you test the waters while you are still active duty. What do you mean? I am glad you asked. The best time to look for work is while you are working. So why not attend a SFL-TAP class, learn how to build a resume, create one and start applying for roles and even go on interviews/ How will you benefit:

1) Know what your value is in the civilian marketplace
2) You will get practice interviewing
3) You will build confident

I would not worry so much about NOT having a degree which may be important but focus on your skillset and how you add value to an organization. I personally know someone that is in IT field no degree, work from home and earning close to 70k. But again the best time to test the waters are when you are working that is what you can use your leave for. If you dont take care of yourself you cant expect no one else to take care of you.

That is an interesting question SGT Laura Delgadillo. I think it would make sense for you to looking into how many college credits your military career would provide right now and then see if the military would help you finish a degree while you think about a potential career change.

When you decide to make the transition, remember you will start mostly at the bottom. When I started my CIV IT career after 4 years 25b it took me a few months to start out with 37k/year. I began with A+ Net+ Sec+. Keep in mind Military does not translate into experience as well as certs do. Just my 2c

In 14 years you can get $1500-2500 for the rest of your life, and you will still be young.

I have to echo almost everything I have read in the answers provided. There is GREAT upward mobility for 25D and 17C currently. Being on the Army Reserve side and the contractor side, I see both sides of the coin. If you are contractor side, you must be DODI 8570 compliant (as in, CISSP or CASP). CISSP hold more weight and will get you paid more in the long run. Cert up as much as you can/need to. Some employers require certs/some don't. Just be sure and do you homework when looking at the holistic picture of this and where you want to be.
Regions pay differently. DC pays more, but it takes a lot to live there. CO Springs is decent I hear and it is not too expensive. I live in Huntsville, AL and the pay is awesome and cost of living is low.
If you decide to get out, immediately go Guard or Reserve. They are both standing up/currently have Cyber Teams (all sorts, different flavors) that NEED 25D and 17Cs, so you will find a spot-and it looks really good on a resume, you can get Army to help you get certs/experience, etc.
And if you can, try and land with a good company that will pay for your education. That is what I did. Get the schooling-it only makes you stronger. And look into the SOCAD 2 and 4 year colleges to have your skills transfer to college credits. That is what I did for my Associate's.

Recommend you get your CISSP before you try to find a civilian job. It will open a lot of doors for you - your current quals are help desk level, CISSP would possibly get you out of that mold if that's what you're looking for.

I would say weigh your options carfuly. But with your experience and training, you should be able to find a decent job. I have the same training but no experience and I can't find a job with a degree and those certs. So experience is the game changer.

In all honesty, I would stay in, get college knocked out. Being 25B I would also look at reclass to 25D or 17 series. That is where the skill set is leading and where the needs of the army are heading.

So here is what I recommend provided you get out.
1. Join the Reserves (Benefits for your family is about 330 a month your entire drill pay and civilian insurance doesn't even come close and you can negotiate for more pay/double up on insurance for you).
2. Use Tuition Assistance to attend college. (at minimum get a degree)
3. Sort your resume out. Keep in mind 90% of your next job is dependant on your resume. So get lots of eyes on it have it submitted 3 months prior.
3. Find a MSP (Managed Service Provider) they manage anywhere from 20 companies to 10k companies. (Smaller the company the better) (Work there 1 year.)
4. If you have a hard time finding work you can use the Reserves to supplement your pay.
5. School is not the most important but keep in mind without it you will have issues getting into management.

Like I said before if you have any questions I am always available and have been through it all.