So forgive my naivete' but comparing an IT to certain CT desinations, what is the major difference besides the clearance level? ...for example between an IT and say a CTO or CTM? Job description-wise they seem very similar in a lot of aspects , CT just seems more compartmentalized? Am I way off base here? Again, no offense- just trying to see if it would be worth it for me to explore the CT world rather than just going back IT.

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Originally posted by dallas996:
So forgive my naivete' but comparing an IT to certain CT desinations, what is the major difference besides the clearance level? ...for example between an IT and say a CTO

One major difference is that the CTO Rating no longer exists

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or CTM?

My opinion on this one is a little biased from my Enlisted days as an FC, but... ITs break the gear where CTMs fix the gear.

A more polite way to say it is ITs operate the equipment while CTMs maintain, troubleshoot, and repair it.

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Job description-wise they seem very similar in a lot of aspects , CT just seems more compartmentalized? Am I way off base here?

You actually are close to the truth on this one. One of the derisive ways that CTOs used to be described was that they were ITs with access to TS/SCI. In fact, now that the CTO rating has been disestablished, ITs that have TS/SCI clearances are becoming part of the standard Direct Support Element when CTs augment various units.

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Again, no offense- just trying to see if it would be worth it for me to explore the CT world rather than just going back IT.

None taken. Hope my answers help.

Thanks LCDR, I appreciate the insight; I totally grep the reference from being a prior active OS...we broke it- ETs and FCs fixed it
I am a prior IT reservist and all of my IT experience is from my post Navy days in the private sector. I had never really looked into the CT community since I had a predisposed notion of what it entailed (which was mostly incorrect). Since I am getting ready to sign back up I thought I would take a quick final look at what my options might be. My best contribution would probably be to stay IT.

What are your goals as an IT? Are you looking at getting into INFOSEC?

To some degree; hopefully working with ONI will allow me to see what my options are going forward. I eventually plan to put in a package for Inactive CWO/LDO and would like to be able to be considered for IWO, though I know it's rare that anyone outside of IS/CT get this as an option. I have quite a bit of private sector experience as well as experience with my last USNR command (SPAWAR).

Not sure ONI is where you would want to go. I'd try for the NNWC watch floor.

It's funny you mention the CWO/LDO package, because I had looked into it myself and from what I remember IT's can/have gone the IWO route.

From what I'm gathering from you it seems like CTN maybe the path that you need to head down. Not to mention I've known a few OS types to go CT(R and N).

What is forgotten a lot of times when the subject of INFOSEC and rate responsibility comes about is that:
A) Everyone who uses NIPR/NMCI is in fact responsible to some degree for it's success.
B) IT's maintain (for the most part) and CTN's punch through networks.

Anyhow good luck in whatever angle you attack this scenario with.

Thanks for the insight! As things stand right now I am billeted with ONI and should be almost immediately gained (which in the Reserves is pretty rare!)

I really don't want to have to lose a chevron to cross rate and at E6 I don't think I am even eligible; plus I know what I know technically and will probably best serve the USNR as an IT until I (hopefully) am able to go LDO/CWO.

As far as that part is concerned, from what I have been reading I get the impression that for Inactive IWO they lean towards CT/IS even though they consider IT ET CT and IS; so that's kind of where I was coming from.

Anyway, I will do my next 3 with ONI and see where it takes me!

Semper Vigilans!!