NavyDEP
 

Go Back   NavyDEP > Ratings (Jobs) > Cryptologic/Intelligence (Spooks)

Family Members join our new Facebook group sponsored by NavyDEP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rtcgreatlakes


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-10-2015, 07:30 AM   #1
DGladhill
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Yes
Posts: 32
Rep Power: 9
DGladhill is on a distinguished road
Default CTM info ( yay, another thread! )

Just looking for some basic info to be clarified, in the description of CTM it says:

Quote:
The Cryptologic Technician Maintenance (CTM) branch offers a career in the installation, configuration, diagnosis, and repair of state-of-the-art electronic, computer, and network hardware and software systems.
I just wanted to know abouts how much of the work is software related - is it 60/40 hardware/software or more like 80/20? I'm interested in IT but I'd much prefer to get both hardware and software training, not just one or the other. From what I've heard, CTM seems to be a IT'ish but more specialized in CT specific gear ( aside from CTT gear CTT1 :P ).

Thanks!
- Dave
DGladhill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 08:31 AM   #2
FlyNavy
**Active Duty**
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Secret Secret
Posts: 1,286
Rep Power: 262
FlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DGladhill View Post
Just looking for some basic info to be clarified, in the description of CTM it says:



I just wanted to know abouts how much of the work is software related - is it 60/40 hardware/software or more like 80/20? I'm interested in IT but I'd much prefer to get both hardware and software training, not just one or the other. From what I've heard, CTM seems to be a IT'ish but more specialized in CT specific gear ( aside from CTT gear CTT1 :P ).

Thanks!
- Dave
You won major points with me for that last bit haha

It will really depend on what NEC you go on to get and what job you're actually gonna be doing. Some guys chase wires, some guys manage servers, some do both. It'll all come down to what roles you'll fill in the fleet.

Shipboard IT's get some hands on with the transmitters and antennas, but those belong to the ETs. So it'll depend how much they wanna let you touch them haha

If you wanna do hardware anything, I would recommend CTM over IT. I disagree with your idea that CTMs are more "IT-ish" as they do significantly more hands-on work than an IT would.

/r
CTT1

Last edited by FlyNavy; 09-10-2015 at 01:34 PM.
FlyNavy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 02:44 PM   #3
DGladhill
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Yes
Posts: 32
Rep Power: 9
DGladhill is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CTT1(SW)Griffin View Post
You won major points with me for that last bit haha

It will really depend on what NEC you go on to get and what job you're actually gonna be doing. Some guys chase wires, some guys manage servers, some do both. It'll all come down to what roles you'll fill in the fleet.

Shipboard IT's get some hands on with the transmitters and antennas, but those belong to the ETs. So it'll depend how much they wanna let you touch them haha

If you wanna do hardware anything, I would recommend CTM over IT. I disagree with your idea that CTMs are more "IT-ish" as they do significantly more hands-on work than an IT would.

/r
CTT1
Appreciate the response, I think you read it wrong - I didn't say "more IT'ish", I just said IT'ish! My top three jobs at the moment ( still waiting on my medical records from the archives, #oldpeopleproblems ) are IT, CTM and CTT ( AEF ) so I've been diggin' deep on the spooks forum!

I've been lurking here for a few months now, I caught on to the CTTs working on CTT gear pretty early on!
DGladhill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 02:54 PM   #4
FlyNavy
**Active Duty**
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Secret Secret
Posts: 1,286
Rep Power: 262
FlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DGladhill View Post
Appreciate the response, I think you read it wrong - I didn't say "more IT'ish", I just said IT'ish! My top three jobs at the moment ( still waiting on my medical records from the archives, #oldpeopleproblems ) are IT, CTM and CTT ( AEF ) so I've been diggin' deep on the spooks forum!

I've been lurking here for a few months now, I caught on to the CTTs working on CTT gear pretty early on!
Psh you wanna get knee deep in some hardware, CTT will get you there for sure. I'm not a tech and even I was tearing out system components haha Our tech onboard also got trained to do circuit board repairs as well.

/r
CTT1
FlyNavy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 05:33 PM   #5
DGladhill
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Yes
Posts: 32
Rep Power: 9
DGladhill is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CTT1(SW)Griffin View Post
Psh you wanna get knee deep in some hardware, CTT will get you there for sure. I'm not a tech and even I was tearing out system components haha Our tech onboard also got trained to do circuit board repairs as well.

/r
CTT1
You're definitely part of the reason I'm contemplating CTT ( only AEF! ), I guess it just boils down to what's available when I end up at MEPS. CTM is appealing because it seems to be a bit of both ( CTT / IT ) - which is what I really want in the long run.


- Dave
DGladhill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 03:50 AM   #6
ShotOfWSC
**Active Duty**
 
ShotOfWSC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Down in the dungeon
Posts: 34
Rep Power: 9
ShotOfWSC is on a distinguished road
Default

Ehhh, the only "real" hardware side of being an IT is what your A+ certification allows you to do. Other than that though, the amount of hardware we get into is very limited. The ETs are the ones who rip shit apart from the inside out, lol. ETs mostly fix comms gear (transmitters, amps, antennas, etc.) and RADAR and navigation systems though, they don't normally work on ADP equipment. To piggy back on what CTT1 said, as a CTM you're a tech so you're more geared towards hardware, though you can do some software oriented things. The CTMs on my ship though, don't really deal with software; I manage the servers and they usually don't touch them...if anything, they'll call me up for assistance. If you want both hardware AND software I probably wouldn't recommend IT or CTM though. If you're interested in CTM though, just know you're definitely gonna be more on the hardware side of the house. You can't go wrong with either though.

IT2

Last edited by ShotOfWSC; 09-13-2015 at 04:54 AM.
ShotOfWSC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 01:37 PM   #7
FlyNavy
**Active Duty**
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Secret Secret
Posts: 1,286
Rep Power: 262
FlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond repute
Default

There are software/server opportunities for CTMs at places we can't talk about here. But they do exist for a few CTMs. Though those jobs are specialized and usually they only have you doing that versus both that and hardware.

/r
CTT1
FlyNavy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2015, 10:02 PM   #8
ShotOfWSC
**Active Duty**
 
ShotOfWSC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Down in the dungeon
Posts: 34
Rep Power: 9
ShotOfWSC is on a distinguished road
Default

Yeah, that's true...but as stated, those CTMs are strictly software guys. From what I've seen, when CTMs get software geared NECs, that's kinda where they stay. So even then, you don't really get "the best of both worlds."
ShotOfWSC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2015, 07:40 PM   #9
SpootyPuff
Junior Member
 
SpootyPuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 32
Rep Power: 9
SpootyPuff is on a distinguished road
Default

Are those opportunities you guys are talking about for CTMs available on first tour? Is it something that can be requested out of A school?

I was taking a look at some of the available NEC's for CTMs and some of the more 'in-depth' stuff are E5's and above.
SpootyPuff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2015, 08:27 PM   #10
FlyNavy
**Active Duty**
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Secret Secret
Posts: 1,286
Rep Power: 262
FlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond reputeFlyNavy has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpootyPuff View Post
Are those opportunities you guys are talking about for CTMs available on first tour? Is it something that can be requested out of A school?

I was taking a look at some of the available NEC's for CTMs and some of the more 'in-depth' stuff are E5's and above.
The specialized stuff and spooky programs aren't made available to first tour Sailors. You just wouldn't have the experience yet to be useful in that kind of position.

You can still go for an NEC depending on what the fleet needs at the time though. So you can still end up with specialized training, but the special programs are gonna want you to have some experience first; you wouldn't have time to be learning the basics.

/r
CTT1
FlyNavy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:53 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

vBulletin Optimisation provided by vB Optimise v2.6.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
This site and contents ©2009-2014 NavyFamiles