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Laptop from the exchange. Walmart. Etc one that works and will let me do counseling’s no problem or access jko,ako,alms etc without problems. For active duty army. Disclaimer. I don’t care if you got out and retired and what you did &didn’t have back in the old days because I don’t care and it obviously doesn’t apply to this question.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
My Government Laptop is a Dell, my civilian laptop that I barely use is a HP. It all depends what you want to do with it. Don't get a chromebook, or Mac, because they arent really CAC card friendly, just stay with a windows bassed system.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Well is that all you want to do with it? Then just go to Wal-Mart and get a $80 computer, and be done with it. All of that stuff you listed is password enabled as well as CAC enabled. And you can download all the forms fill them out, print sign, and scan them in. So just saying what systems you want to access are pretty vague.
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Whatever you get make sure it can run Adobe PDF. Almost everything is PDF, excel, or word driven. Most PDFs don’t load or aren’t editable on the mobile or not the full version of the program. A built in CAC reader would come in VERY handy as well. Having to worry about having an external reader can become a nuisance.
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For my duty position I am issued a Dell laptop by the government. However, my personal computer is an HP. I have installed the needed software, such as Adobe and the CAC reader stuff that I am able to access all the websites that I need to, barring those that require a .mil domain for access. Nearly any Windows compliant computer should work for what you have listed there.
Second, your disclaimer, I get it, but have show a little courtesy and perhaps you should have re-worded that to be a little respectful.
Second, your disclaimer, I get it, but have show a little courtesy and perhaps you should have re-worded that to be a little respectful.
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SSG (Join to see)
Appreciate it and the disclaimer I but it because almost any question I’ve asked before seems to get an answer mainly from their service decades ago which does not pertain to the question I’m asking. Respect their service 1000% . But this time I said it a way that everyone can certainly understand.
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MSG (Join to see)
SSG (Join to see) - yeah, I do feel ya on that. "Back in my day Son we had to type with a typewriter that wasn't even powered!"
"That's nothing, we had to carve out orders in stone!"
"Oh yeah, papyrus and pyramids!"
"That's nothing, we had to carve out orders in stone!"
"Oh yeah, papyrus and pyramids!"
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CPT (Join to see)
I tell folks that ask that my first computer was a Crown-Zellerbach. After the blank stares, I explain that it was a #2 Crown pencil with eraser tip, and a pad of Zellerbach-brand yellow note paper, legal size. Some of really young soldiers still don't get it...
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Dell E7250 (12”) or E7450 (14”). Has a built in CAC reader, option for extended battery that lasts all day, option for touchscreen, and can use with dock so at home or office it’s your desktop as well.
No only that but these are pretty rugged and slim/light at the same time and will survive a lot of travel and drops
Buy used from eBay with the options you want and set it up. Usually costs $300-400 max
Yes it may seem like a lot work to get one of these and set it up but once you get one you will thank me.
I’ve used these business model dells for about 10 years and they last a very long time. These are the same model laptops the army issues out for office work.
No only that but these are pretty rugged and slim/light at the same time and will survive a lot of travel and drops
Buy used from eBay with the options you want and set it up. Usually costs $300-400 max
Yes it may seem like a lot work to get one of these and set it up but once you get one you will thank me.
I’ve used these business model dells for about 10 years and they last a very long time. These are the same model laptops the army issues out for office work.
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Dell. They have a military discount, and the "For Business" models (e.g. Latitude 7000 series) often have a CAC reader built in. They aren't the necessarily the cheapest thing out there. If you're looking to get out of there as cheap as possible, hit the exchange, buy whatever they have with a USB port to plug an external CAC reader in to. You don't need anything fancy, just the ability to hit the internet, and a Windows OS (Apple is a pain to use with a CAC and I have no idea if a Chromebook is compatible or not).
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I have used dells, gateway, hp, and Alienware. They have all been at different price points. The OS has been xp, Vista, windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10. All have worked for me until the computer eventually died. Xp and 7 worked the best for me.
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Dell has a military discount program and some of the laptops still have CAC Readers installed, which is a nice plus. I used a hardened version during deployment, but don’t think it is worth the increased price (not sure Dell even offers that model anymore).
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MSG (Join to see)
Sir,
The hardened version looks wicked cool. Have had several on the property books over the years. Looks much better than the Panasonic Tough Book, to be honest.
The hardened version looks wicked cool. Have had several on the property books over the years. Looks much better than the Panasonic Tough Book, to be honest.
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LTC (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see) I agree, the one I had was titanium inside and justifiably expensive, but the screens are all the same, even if they are protected and mine started to go out after a year.
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MSG (Join to see)
Ahh, gotcha. Replacing the screen shouldn't have been very difficult or expensive. The other half of that question is what warranty coverage did you have? And, I don't know if it is still available to the public, but they still have it as the primary laptop for several systems.
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LTC (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see) I never checked. When I deployed I was in the Reserves, and my civilian employer provided it to me. When I got back, they just took that laptop and gave me a new one. Dell does offer a decent warranty and upgrades to the warranty are usually pretty cheap (I think 3 years are included, I know a year is...after 3 years I’m looking at my next upgrade).
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I bought a Chromebook because it was cheap and it does everything I need it to for work and very little else. It reads my CAC fine and has all the proper certs to access all of the above listed sites. I also like how Google Drive is the default on the computer allowing me to start, finish, or edit counselings/projects that are on my computer from my phone. Basically its a cheap computer that does exactly what you need it to and can download apps to view and edit PDFs. I got mine for $150 for that price and used strictly for work its really hard to beat. The normal limitations of a Chromebook only matter if you want specific software. Just my two cent.
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I use a sony, I don't think it matters that much on which actual computer you use so much as the software/programs you put on it to use. I'm constantly updated stuff and making sure I have the correct stuff to use AKO, Enterprise, Iperms, HRC, etc.
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Good morning Sgt. Thompson, for most of my military time i always was around Dell computers, to me they are user friendly and easy to use those apps/websites. To this day i retired and work for FAA and still have use of a Dell Precision 7520 laptop, it has a strong CPU that allows use of Visio, Xcel and Powerpoint, hope that helps.
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