USAF Jan 1994 - May 1998, 3C0x2 in the AF Pentagon Communications Agency. I was 19 when I joined & 23 when I got out.
I’m glad I joined, but I’m glad I got out too.
That would have been a good guess… my screen name is a nickname given to me as a teenager because I was a quiet kid… taken from the movie, ‘Run Silent, Run Deep.’
US Air Force for five and a half years, starting in May of 2000, ending in January 2006: 62E3H, “Developmental Engineer”.
Served three years at Wright-Patterson analyzing the capabilities of foreign ICBMs. The best perk of that job, besides the clearances, was this: a smartypants at a party was holding forth on what Russian ICBMs can and can’t do; I corrected him politely and got the question, “what, are you some kind of rocket scientist?” I smiled, paused, and said, “Well… yes, actually. I am a rocket scientist. And foreign ICBMs are my specialty.” Dead silence in the room, then laughter. I also got to serve several mid-shifts in an analysis cell in support of the beginning of the Iraq War.
Now I’m buying the next generation of polar-orbiting weather satellites in a joint venture between the Air Force and NOAA. Lots of politics and wrestling and arguing, but I’m learning a lot. Things like “requirements definition,” “configuration management,” “buzzword compliance,” and “when to shut up.” Lots of program management – not much actual engineering experience. Getting to see Congressional and Senate offices to tell them about budget and schedule is pretty cool; I don’t know any 27-year-olds who get to represent their office to Congress, so it’s pretty damn cool. Nonetheless, I gotta get out.
…so if anyone in the Laurel, MD / Columbia, MD / Baltimore / Philly area is looking for a cleared systems engineer who happens to possess a Doper’s curiosity and energy, give me a holler.
Army, Arabic linguist/electronic warfare master:
Jammer. All hail the mighty TLQ-17A! You cannot hide, you cannot hear, you cannot speak! We hide in your back yard and give death your name and address and muffle your cries for help!!!
Best damned job I ever had.
Sheesh! ACR…not ACU.