In these days of sophisticated technology, computer systems are a primary tool for the majority of businesses. The Army is also a business…A very large business for that matter. The United States Army uses many types of computer systems for a variety of tasks and duties. These computers store information that cannot fall into the hands of America’s enemies.
There is an Army Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) that has many responsibilities in guaranteeing the United States Army’s computer systems are in proper working condition, and they make sure that the information on those systems cannot be accessed by anyone other than the personnel who have the credentials to view that information.
In today’s post, we are going to take a look at Army 255A Warrant Officer: Information Services Technician. I will provide a brief job description, and tell you this job’s duties and responsibilities. I will also explain the prerequisites to become an Army 255A Warrant Officer. I will also explain the training needed to attain this MOS.
Army 255A Information Services Technician Job Description
The Army 255A manages the Army’s information systems that deal with:
Local Area Networks (LAN)
Internet Protocol (IP)
and Automated Information Systems (AIS)
The Army 255A’s area of job responsibilities entail a wide zone. I will explain more in their duties and responsibilities of this MOS. The Army 255A Warrant Officer is a part of the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Army 255A Duties and Responsibilities
As I stated earlier, the duties and responsibilities of the Army 255A are quite wide. Some of their prime responsibilities include:
Establish and maintain cyber information systems within the United States Army. This will include processes for collection of data, storage of data, data processing systems, data security, data retrieval processes.
Enabling “those who have proper clearance” to have access to required data, and keeping all others out of that data.
The development of policy recommendations and technical guidance for commanders and their staff for the management of Army, as well as joint, intergovernment, and multinational information systems and services.
Supervising, train and manage all facets of operation centers to ensure efficient storage, compilation, retrieval and distribution of information in relation to combat operations.
Management of personnel in regards to planning, installing, administration, maintenance, operating, integrating, securing and troubleshooting Army information systems and services.
Create and manage programs that will protect information from destruction, disruption or denial of services.
Much more.
Essentially, Army 255A Warrant Officer: Information Services Technician makes sure that all Army computer systems are working the way they were designed to. They are the “Geek Squad” of the Army. When a Commander is having a computer issue and cannot find the data he or she needs to properly perform their responsibilities, the Army 255A will be the one who helps them find that information.
Requirements To Become An Army 255A Warrant Officer
The requirements and prerequisites to become an Army 255A Warrant Officer are quite strict. They must be because the person in this position will have access to information that could be used. The primary requirements are:
Must be an E5 Sergeant or above
Must be a graduate of the month long Warrior Leader Course.
Must have a letter of recommendation from a senior Warrant Officer CW3 to CW5; preferably from a Signal Warrant Officer.
Must have a minimum of 6 semester hours of college composition from an accredited college or university.
Must have certification for Security Plus.
Must either currently hold or are eligible to obtain Top Secret clearance with special compartmentalized information access. The applicant must initiate the procedures to gain this clearance before selection to the 255A MOS. Failure to do so will automatically disqualify the applicant.
Must have a level A 9/10 in the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). Any applicants with a college degree meet the requirement without taking the TABE.
Must have at least 4 years of documented experience in the administration of information systems. This can be within Cyber Security, Local Area Network or Mission Command system administration. This experience can come through NCO evaluations, and in some cases, civilian employment experience will be considered.
Must have a minimum of 36 months of rated time dated in NCOERs. All NCOERs must be submitted.
The 3 most recent NCOERs must show outstanding performance ratings.
These are the basic requirements. Those who are ALC graduates will have a strong advantage as will those who have 60 or more semester hours of college.
Training To Become An Army 255A Warrant Officer: Information Services Technician
The first step in attaining the 255A MOS is to attend and pass Warrant Officer Candidate School in Fort Rucker, Alabama. This course will teach you the basic principles of leadership since you will become an Army Officer.
After this, you will begin 3 phases of training in information systems and technology. All of this training will be at the headquarters of the United States Army Signal Corps. This is held at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Fort Gordon is home to the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence.
As I researched the training you will receive in information technology, many of those who have passed the courses say it is very intense. You will be learning so much in so little time. They say you cannot just listen and learn. You must take notes and study. There will be times of hands on and times of book learning. You will be learning the technical processes of all systems that are, or may be used within the Army information systems. You will learn Cisco and Microsoft inside and out. This whole process will be at least 6 months of learning, and do know that learning will not stop there; information technology is an ever-changing beast, so you will have to always learn new developments as they come into play.
Theory is a huge aspect of the courses in Information Technology. You will also learn all the little aspects of each manufacturers system such as Linux and Cisco. You will know what language to use in each situation. Yes, computer systems use many different languages, and essentially you will be a translator of those languages.
Final Thoughts
You can view more about this position in the reference links I am installing at the end of this post. The position of Army 255A is a wise job to attain in the U.S. Army. This is a position that will be needed more and more within the military, as technology just keeps growing.
The experience you get with this Warrant Officer job can set you up great for your after Army career too. Almost every company and corporation uses information technology, and they also need people to manage and maintain those systems for them. Or, you could even start your own IT consultation business. The possibilities are endless.
We would love to hear from any of you who are 255A Warrant Officers. Please tell us more about the job you do (yes, I know, much of it is Top Secret) whatever you can share would be much appreciated.
If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please post them in the comment section below. Thanks for visiting.
Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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