With the need for cybersecurity professionals reaching all-time highs, thousands of military veterans are entering this emerging and important field. Veterans and employers alike are beginning to see the benefits of this transformation. In doing so, they are coming to understand the unique skills and experiences that former service members possess. Like James Murphy, director of veterans & families with the Forces Employment Charity, stresses the importance of matching compatible employers to ex-forces personnel. He observes that education is quickly spreading on how much these people enrich our communities.
Mo Ahddoud is a perfect example of this trend. A veteran of a decade in the Royal Artillery, he had served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Germany. He departed the armed forces in 1999. Since then, he’s made a successful transition to serving as the interim chief information security officer. His military training informs his approach to cybersecurity, illustrating how skills developed in the armed forces can be directly applicable in civilian roles.
The Forces Employment Charity’s TechVets program which is training veterans for careers in tech, works to make this transition as easy as possible. Each month, it enables 15-20 people to find gainful employment. Remarkably, 40 to 60% of these individuals get hired into the cybersecurity workforce. Today, employers are appreciating the kind of experience and resilience that veterans show up equipped with. This trend is endangering their effectiveness, particularly in high-stress environments.
According to LT Harper’s associate director Catherine Burn, one of the appealing aspects of veterans is their collaborative spirit. She adds that they are often truly excellent team players who are able to keep their cool in high-pressure environments. Here’s where Palmer says most of these scenarios are not only disasters. This further emphasizes the chaotic reality of military operations and complexity of cyber threats.
Crystal Morin is another inspiring example of a veteran who is winning in cybersecurity. She started her Arabic training right at the start of the Arab Spring. As her expertise developed, she moved from counter-threat finance to counter-terrorism to cyber terrorism and eventually to cyber threat intelligence. Morin credits her military training with being very practical and directly applicable to her day-to-day job now.
“All of my training has been hands on,” – Crystal Morin
Morin appreciates the adrenaline-fueled environment of cybersecurity. She states that a Security Operations Center (SOC) operates similarly to security fields she was involved in during her military career. She clarifies that it isn’t just “about peace, it’s about fighting the bad guys,” as she puts it. Morin acknowledges that she misses the immediate outcomes of her military work, but feels rewarded in her current position.
“I do miss being able to take down the bad guys and defend the world… I can’t so much put folks in jail anymore.” – Crystal Morin
Ahddoud’s rallying cry to prepare for the unknown rings true in many other ways, too. At the same time, he points out that his military experience has prepared him with a problem-solving, agile warfighter’s mindset. “You have to work and be agile around it because it never plays out how you expect it to,” he notes, reflecting on the unpredictability both fields share.
“That mindset was always around the process. How do you fix it?” – Mo Ahddoud
James Murphy shines a light on just how employers can benefit from hiring our veterans. He asserts that once an employer recruits a member from the ex-Forces community, they often seek to hire more due to their proven capabilities.
“Once an employer picks up someone from the ex-Forces community, they will want to come back for another one.” – James Murphy
This may be due, at least in part, to a recognition from employers of the value veterans bring to the table that goes beyond technical skills. They are frequently precursors of leadership, resilience in the face of adversity and teamwork skills that pivot entire workplace cultures.
Today, the TechVets program remains a key resource as a bridge for veterans who are entering the cybersecurity arena. Beyond the training and job placements, it gives participants a sense of community and ownership. Murphy describes a fulfilling work environment as one where individuals look forward to going to work each day, feeling impactful within their teams.
“Where you get up in the morning and you’re already looking forward to going to work, and you’re working in a team where you feel you belong, where you feel you’re having an impact.” – Catherine Burn
Veterans such as Mo Ahddoud and Crystal Morin represent the potential of leveraging military experiences to build careers in the expanding field of cybersecurity. Their experiences demonstrate that former service members are not just capable employees; they are assets who can thrive under pressure, adapt quickly to new challenges, and contribute meaningfully to their organizations.
Employers are finally wising up to the fact that veterans bring with them skills employers can’t afford to lose today. Consequently, more people with military experience will go on to successful careers in cybersecurity. We believe this shift serves not just veterans but the cybersecurity workforce as a unit, too.