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New CTM aboard!
Hi all,
Just signed my contract last week and currently in DEP as a CTM - I was hoping for a CTN slot to open but CTM was my second choice. It was the LONGEST wait of my life waiting for the intel shop's call to give me the green light on the rate! I ship out in January - however my recruiter said I could possibly ship sooner. Are there any materials I should look into prior to my A school? I understand the Navy will teach me what I need to know but I'm wondering if there maybe some general things out there that I can read/learn up on beforehand that's related to my rating. |
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/r CTT1 |
Sorry for the late reply and thank you for the info CTT1!
I've been trying to search for anything on CTM's but it seems theres less information out there for the M-branchers than the other CT rates... or maybe it's just my selective reading :) If you are able to disclose - will CTM's work on software as well or is it just physical components? I found the Navy Cryptology Facebook page but very few on captions with CTM's in it. (I'm just trying to connect it with the civilian world) |
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You'll work with any aspect that involves keeping the gear running and running the way it needs to be. Get used to answers that are too short to tell you anything; it's kind of our hallmark haha Sorry! /r CTT1 |
Congrats Spooty!! I wish you the best and I hope that you get through school without any issues. I know it would be ideal to know some stuff before getting to A-school, but it is extremely vital that it stays "dark."
Im excited to see if I could possibly join the ranks of the spooks, but we shall see :) |
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I'm just super happy to be a future-part of the CT community. I was wanting the CTN rate however it wasn't open at the time. I hope the CTM is able to cross-rate to a CTN later on in my career... but who knows, I might actually love the M-branch more. I have a degree/certs in network admin and cybersecurity hence I'm holding on to the idea of working on software side of things. I did see some NEC's for +E-5 CTM's that may work on network configs(9302) so it looks like I might not be stuck on just connecting wires and plugging/unplugging stuff. Quote:
I found this site to be informative in terms of what rates were available: https://www.navycs.com/blogs/2015/04...uarter-fy-2015 CTI and CTM were open at the time I was in MEPS as well as the others listed, though that may have just been by chance. |
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Navy Vet Unique Situation
Hello CTT1,
I have a little bit of a unique situation. I am a prior enlisted AE3 that HYT out of the Navy back in 2013. Right before I got out, I retook the ASVAB and my line scores (246) qualified me for the rate that I wanted (CTN). Now, I am attempting to enlist into the reserves as a CTN3 (550% overmanned, as of now). I have been playing the waiting game for CTN3 to open up. I have the options of going SELRES through either the PRISE-R program or DPEP. Most people don't know what DPEP is. Depending on the deciding authority, I'd be able to go into the reserves as a CTN3 or an IT3 solely base off of work experience, certifications, and college credits that apply directly to CT operator work. I know that you may be partial to CT ratings but chances are, I might not get CTN3 because it's CREO3. Would it be worth the extra wait to get CTN? The reason behind me HYTing out was due to the fact that I kept getting overmanned rates. PS (AD)>AE (FTS). Also, if by some miracle I do have a chance at CTN, would I get disqualified due to the fact that I was very briefly married to a Jamaican girl who isn't a citizen? This wasn't a deep situation. Just young and really, really dumb. Mind you, this was 8 years ago. |
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First off, cleaver user name ;) I see you there haha So on the CTN/IT side of things, have you contacted the SELRES community managers yet? There's two sides to the story: what the paperwork says and what the situation actually is in the force. Seeing as CTN2 and IT2 are both CREO 1, I would expect room to open up below that as most of those guys should move up at some point. A good place to inquire would be the SELRES community managers for those rates. Their entire job is to help manage these things and usually they are very approachable and willing to answer questions. The contact number for Technical Advisor (TECHAD/Community Managers) is (901) 874-4338. Give them a call and they can put you in contact with the CTN and IT TECHADs respectively. I don't see the Jamaican girl being a huge issue in your investigation process. It's almost out of scope anyway (TS goes back 10 years) and it sounds like you didn't keep contact. The investigators will look at you as a whole, not just one part about your past, when deciding to grant clearance or not. Let me know if you need some further support or clarification!! /r CTT1 |
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You are the bomb! I have been stressing out about this subject for the past 2 years. I am glad to have you there for assistance. If I could write you up a NAM or at least a MOVSM for this, I most certainly would lol. I will contact the Community Managers. I haven't spoken to them since 2013. Hopefully they will have good news for me because all I've been looking at is what was on paper and bouncing it off of what the recruiters has been telling me. Honestly though, if you could see how many tabs I have up on CTN, NECs, ONET, NavyCool, NAVADMINS...it's craziness. In all honesty, CTN is what I want to do with my life. I've finished about 3/4 of my BS from Drexel and I am IAT II. JCAC would be exhilarating for me because most of what may be taught there, I've already learned or do for work. All I can say now is "Wish Me Luck." I'll keep you updated as to my situation. Oh and thanks for noticing my username lol. Just a nod, and to let them know that I am about this life lol |
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The reduction in rate bit is pretty common for priors coming back, but with the IDCRC (Reserve CTs) making a push into cyber, I can't imagine it would be difficult making rank again. It's not as hard to stand out in a reserve unit if your prior active and have some motivation. On the rate aspect, especially in the reserves, CTs cross pollinate quite a bit. Especially CTRs in terms of cyber/non-cyber work; they can go between easily. Currently for our cyber reservists we have a handful of CTTs, a couple CTRs, and a CTNSN. So just getting your foot in the door as a CT in the reserves can open that door up for you, and having that background will make you a strong candidate to fill that position. It sounds like you're more concerned with just being able to serve in that role rather than the rank and recognition aspect, so if that's the case I would say just push for the soonest available spot to get into the IDCRC. Once you're in, there's also the possibility of an RC-to-RC rate conversion. Which wanting to go into cyber and being qualified, shouldn't be a huge issue as a CT. /r CTT1 |
I just want to put this out there for the Deppers though.
The ECM is not somebody you need to be contacting. They're there for currently serving personnel or if there's some kind of problem that isn't getting worked out via the chain of command. They're not there to help deppers because there's nothing they can do for you with you not even being in the Navy yet. So DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT contact the ECM as a depper. Just some procedural advice in case anyone gets confused. I'd hate for someone to piss off their rate's senior enlisted sailor before they even get into the rate. /r CTT1 |
Thanks CTT1 !
Sorry to keep buggin ya but if I could ask a few more Q's: As a CTM, would you know what type of ship I would most likely be going to? (is this just up in the air or are CTM's more likely to be sent to a specific ship) Also, just reading other forums and other Q&A sites I've come across people that have said to "avoid NIOC MD or Norfolk" and "Hawaii is where CTM's come to die/Hawaii is the blackhole" I know to take things with a grain of salt and maybe they've had bad experiences there but are you able to shed some light as to why they would say those things? EDIT: can CTM's be assigned to a sub as well? |
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Subs: So CT's don't get directly assigned to subs like you would if you were part of the crew (what we call Ships Company). CTs go under the waves as part of what we call "Direct Support" aka DIRSUP. As a DIRSUP guy, you basically get sent to the boat when they need you for your part of the mission. It's great because you get to go to all kinds of different boats, but kind of shitty sometimes because you're not part of the crew and sometimes they'll give you a hard time for being a "rider" (someone who's there but isn't a full time crew member). CTMs have various NECs that get them onboard subs as technicians for the spooky gear. So yes, in short it's totally doable to do subs as a CTM. Submarine duty is volunteer only, so if that's your plan then make it known immediately at A-school that's where you wanna go and hopefully they can track down a spot for you. /r CTT1 |
CTT1,
Just spoke to a recruiter today and was told that there are 44 reservations for CTN (reserves). No reservations for the PRISE-R program though. Meaning, I can utilize the DPEP and have CTN school tailored to what I have little to no experience in (i.e. programming) and bypass what I do have experience in. Best of all, I'll be able to take the exam for CTN2 prior to going to school. <<I thought that was weird but it's what normally happens. If all goes well, I'll be drilling down in Maryland. My only concern now is the clearance aspect. I was unemployed for a month and got behind in rent for the first time ever. I'm working on knocking out my debt (which isn't large) right now. Hopefully that doesn't hurt me. |
hehehe.. I'm one of those 44. =)
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Wow, that's 10 years after I graduated from boot lol. Enjoy Great Lakes in January.
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I'm a little curious how you can take the CTN2 exam without being a CTN yet... But I'll let that flush itself out haha Some of those programs can be a little out of process anyway. The investigators are going to look more for maturity than they are at dollar amounts. So keep your bills up to date, keep good records, and have payment plans for whatever debt you owe. If those are your only issues then you should be fine. Looks like things are going in a good direction and I'll be excited to welcome you into the IDC force when you get there! As always, hit me up as needed for whatever. /r CTT1 |
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