Having long been associated with computer networks, the omni-present role of the system administrator is part of the work environment. It appears that the sysop has reached to the furthest reaches of the world of work: every US Marine combat squad will have it’s own system operator (administrator). I am not sure what to make of this advance-except that technology and computers have pretty much reached everywhere.
My suspicion is that it won’t be a highly trained position in terms of the technological/sysop aspects, and that being a Marine systems operator isn’t going to buy you much when they transition into the civilian world.
It’ll probably be something on the order of the Army’s Combat Lifesaver positions- trained, but not anyone’s primary specialty.
Well, it is a named position in the squad, not a secondary training that some people get. But the name! The mental picture of the marine sysop charging over the hill, drones droning and radios blaring, well all those star trek posters on the walls of the computer systems room at work might be replaced with Marine recruiting posters…
It’s an expansion of the radioman’s role into a broader IT role. Tanks used to have a radioman/navigator and we might see that role come back in the form of a crewman who handles the tank’s drones, sensors, countermeasures and networked cooperation with other units.
I also see that they’re switching to 3-man teams. I remember the SAS using 4-man teams in the Falklands and Seal Team 6 using 3-man teams for Bin Laden. What are the factors which would weigh towards one option or the other?
A Sys Admin with a gun is a scary thought. I mean, they think nothing of terminating a file that misbehaves, what would they do to the Private who infected the network with a virus? :0
Freaking love TL. If anyone who never served in a Marine Corps infantry unit is ever curious what day-to-day life is like, read through the Terminal Lance archives.
spoilsport.
I agree, though I know several sysadmin positions where the difference between operator and administrator is vanishingly small…
Except in titles of course. They feel really special to be the administrator.
That tracks with the way signals troops are evolving as well. A good friend spent a few years in the Army as a signals officer, and his role was essentially to be an IT manager for his unit. Most of what he did was network and computer related, with some small part having to do with actual radios.