In my constant battle to find out what I want to do in the USCG im still thinking I want to go IT. Now with that I ask you, What did you do in the IT field today? Where are you stationed, what rank are you? How do you like your job? What are the best/worst parts about it?

I apreciate any feedback.

Here is what I did yesterday.

I upgraded one of our CACI circuits to the new One Net circuit. I trained a junior IT3 on the proper way to trace out cables. I was trying to get a price quote for a portable container to store computers. I programmed a new cell phone for a new member. I showed a junior IT3 how to use the fluke tool to check the wire map of a Cat5 cable.

I am stationed at ESD San Diego.

I am an E6.

I love my job. I used to be a Telephone Technician. In my oppinion IT is the best rate in the Coast Guard. No other job in the Coast Guard will offer you a greater skill set for when you leave the Coast Guard. If you have a high enough ASVAB score to go IT then do it. You will not regret it. There is so much for you to learn. It is impoosible to learn everything and I guarantee you will find something you like. Not to mention you will have the opportunity to serve with some of the best Coasties out there.

Best of luck to you in what ever choice you make. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email.

Thanks for the input. I apreciate it. My name is going on the list at the end of July or early August.

To start my day I pulled fiber and CAT5 cable to trailers which were relocated on Sector Guam. I terminated the cable with connectors and ran tests to ensure everything was good. Next I programmed new Cisco 3750 network switches and piggybacked them from our main building to each trailer. It was the end to a busy week but a good week. Going IT is probably a smart choice if you want a lot of different kinds of training. You can contact me via email if you have any questions

I'm the supervisor of an ESD and originally a Sonar Tech (been a while) turned ET. I would totally back up the two previous comments and say the the IT rating is an excelelnt choice. I will say one of the biggest challenges of the rating is learning how to handle the complaints from the users. The IT's deal with a lot of this. There are a lot of folks in the coast Guard that still don't understand the concept of standardization and why they have to put in paperwork to deviate from the norm. Still when they don't have a user complaining that their mousepad doesn't work (and I must say many user issues are valid issues) they do get to do somme cool stuff. The network side I personally find pretty cool. Good luck!

Personnely I only chose it to get out and make $. It's got it's up's and down's. Helps to be a people person. I hate people so that makes my job more diffcult. I enjoyed my time as an IT on a ship more than I do on land. There is alot more "meaning" to your job. You see the benefits and consiquicens of your stuff not working on a ship. A Go Fast could get away, peoples emails to loved ones might not go out, no one has internet...

Now that I am going for the full 20 I wish sometimes that I would have chosen a "cooler" job, with more places to go, less people crying for a password reset, and something you can be proud to tell your grandchildren about some day, not I fixed ungrateful cry babies phones and computers for 20 years...

Could also be that being an only IT for to long can get to you... My biggest tip is if your going to be the only IT somewhere do your research and find out as much as you can about it before commiting to it.

If you only joined the Coast Guard and became an IT so people will thank you all the time, you may be in the wrong position. It is nice to be appreciated at times and I admit restoring operation to someone's computer or telephone is not that glamorous, but it is up to you make the job yours. As far as people being "crybabies", I am sure your supervisors and customers will appreciate that comment. If you plan to stay in for 20 years or more, you should hone your people skills. The CG works with civilian and CG customers every day regardless of rank and rate. As a first class and above you will work more and more with people.