Dave
Analytics Modernization Specialist
Role in the military and translation to civilian work
Biggest Challenge Leaving the Military & Adapting to Work in the Private Sector
How he looked for jobs after the Army
Advice for people transitioning out of the military
Watch Dave’s Testimonial
Overview
Dave is an Analytics Modernization Specialist. He and his team work with counterparts at NGA to modernize and automate recurring tasks, expedite processes, save time, and free up resources for more focused analysis elsewhere. In the military, he was an Electronic Intelligence Analyst in the Marine Corps.
Key takeaways from his interview include:
- Dave didn’t receive anywhere near the support he needed when he transitioned out of the military. There were very few tools at his disposal.
- He had a security clearance that gave him a leg up and was able to leverage his personal network to get a job with BAE.
- He believes some companies are not actually genuine, and even predatory, in their recruitment of veterans and merely paying lip service.
- Royce Geo is not one of those companies. Dave shared that Royce Geo backs up their words with action and does a great job of connecting veterans internally.
- Dave shared that veterans are really looking for a healthy culture to join when they get out of the military. A culture that fosters that sense of community and purpose. He believes Royce Geo has done a really nice job in that area.
Role in the military and translation to civilian work
“When I was in the Marine Corps, I was in a hybrid role. My MOS was 2631, an Electronic Intelligence Analyst. My focus was radar emissions and tracking vessels in the water, focusing mainly on near peer intelligence.”
“About a third of the way through my career, I shifted gears to be a tactical SIGINT collector. So collecting cell phone communications, Wi Fi, and other signals intelligence at a more tactical level. At that point, I deployed as a team lead for the operational control elements team. From there I worked as a platoon sergeant while maintaining my MOS as an Electronic Intelligence Analyst.”
“That role definitely translates to current work for Royce Geo. Much of what NGA is doing is trying to incorporate work from the other intelligence disciplines. So instead of only working on imagery, also working on Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT). Having such a strong background in both SIGINT and ELINT, I am able to help the imagery analysts fuse those data streams with their imagery analysis. Ultimately, that leads to better, more cohesive products leveraging multiple intel disciplines.”
Transition Process
“When I transitioned out, I was on my own. The military, and specifically my unit, didn’t really have a good transition program. They just tell you, Hey, go to TRS when you’re six months out, and they’ll teach you what you need to know. But I didn’t get a lot of the tools that I needed. For example, I didn’t know I could submit and file my VA claim while I was still active duty. I didn’t know what resources were out there.”
“It’s death by PowerPoint with very general information, not the specifics that would be helpful like go to clearance jobs or if you go to this site, there are vet friendly resources to help you find a job.”
“Being an intelligence analyst, I had more opportunities than most people. I was given a clearance so that opened some more doors for me and I knew the East Coast is the hub of the intelligence community so it made sense for my wife and I to move out here and try to find a job.”
“Honestly, I was stumbling in the dark for a little while. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I got back from deployment and I had three and a half months until my EAS so I didn’t have much. Luckily, BAE at the time was hiring a bunch of positions. It was just an easy kind of swap over with my background and they were really just looking for people with a pulse.”
“It was slightly predatory, honestly. It was a job that I needed at the time to pay my bills. But in reality, they recruit veterans with a sense of purpose and then lock you into a year contract via a 3k bonus that you have to pay back in full, if you leave. There was nothing from the military before you got out that flagged those types of tactics from companies hiring veterans. That would have been helpful.”
Biggest Challenge Leaving the Military & Adapting to Work in the Private Sector
“My biggest challenge when I left the military was trying to find a new sense of purpose. That’s one of the biggest things that the military beats into people is you really like everything you do. You might not agree with it, but it has a purpose. For example, you’re cleaning this weapon so that it doesn’t rust so that way you can return fire. It may seem trivial or you might feel silly, but there is a reason for the things you do.”
“When I left the military, I found myself scrambling to try to find something that mattered. I got a moving job for a little bit. It was a job I needed, but just moving people’s furniture didn’t give me a sense of true purpose like I had in the military.”
“I definitely feel like for a lot of vets, especially myself, when you get out, you’re searching for that sense of purpose, that sense of camaraderie that you had in the military. Obviously, the military has its own drawbacks, but at the same time, nothing gives you that sense of purpose like the military does.”
How he looked for jobs after the Army
“I spent a majority of my time heavily scrolling through Indeed, Clearance Jobs, and GlassDoor. In my experience, the only resource I found valuable was my personal network of fellow vets in my area. My first job after transitioning out, the FMV program with BAE…that was not publicly listed, but I heard they were hiring from someone I deployed with who passed it up, but recommended me for the role. Without him, I never would have known about it.”
Advice for people transitioning out of the military
“I made the mistake of ostracizing myself instead of staying in contact with people still in the military. I could have done a better job of sharing what I had learned as I had transitioned out with others. Just because you are out, does not mean you are alone.”
“Networking is key. Never be afraid to reach out to family and friends. You never know who is hiring or where there might be an opportunity if you aren’t putting yourself out there. Everyone feels alone when they get out, but there are enough resources out there if you aren’t afraid to be social and talk to people.”
Professional adjustments to adapt to private sector
“One of the main things I noticed was like you’re a person again, you’re not just a number. You’re not just a cog in the wheel. If you don’t like something you have a voice you can speak up about it. HR is a real thing and you don’t have to put up with someone if they are belittling you or being inappropriate.”
“When you voice concerns or inappropriate behavior in the private sector, it gets handled swiftly in my experience. In the military, it gets handled, but it takes time. In the military, I wasn’t used to being taken seriously.”
“It was interesting to get into the private sector and see that actions have real consequences. On the flip side, you don’t get punished for the stupidest little things. Your supervisors work with you on ways you should have done something and the proper way to handle situations.
Royce Geo Veteran Community & Perks
“Some companies just pay lip service to veterans. At Royce Geo, they do a great job of actually being veteran friendly and helping you connect with other veterans in the company that have similar backgrounds. They back up everything they say with actions. Not everyone does that.”
“Veterans are really looking for a healthy culture to join when they get out of the military. Fostering that sense of community and purpose. Royce Geo does a really nice job in that area and it’s what makes it a place where veterans like to work.”