Information Systems Technician

As an IT, you are primarily stationed aboard ships at sea, while you’ll serve aboard submarines as an ITS. You will also receive shore assignments. Your typical work environment will be a clean, climate-controlled indoor space used to house electronic equipment or computers.

Upon completion of initial training at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes (known as Boot Camp), both ITS and ITs report for specialized training, including:

Class "A" Technical School (24 weeks) in Pensacola, FL (for ITs) or Groton, CT (for ITSs) for training on Microsoft, Cisco and Oracle computer software and hardware fundamentals, automatic data processing, security, and system theory and operation.

After “A” School, Information Systems Technician Submarines (ITS) will also attend submarine training:

Basic Enlisted Submarine School (8 weeks) in Groton, CT, for training in basic submarine systems. Note that this training is only for Information Systems Technician Submarines (ITS).

After completing training, ITs and ITSs will receive their first assignments. ITs may be assigned to a ship, communication station or shore station, while ITSs may be assigned to a submarine, communication station or shore station. Promotion opportunities are regularly available but competitive and based on performance.

Advanced training as an Information Systems Technician may be available during later stages of your career. For those with further leadership aspirations and a college degree, Officer roles may be available, providing opportunities to lead and train others.

Specialized training received and work experience gained in the course of service can lead to valuable credentialing and occupational opportunities in related fields in the civilian world, such as IT and network support, computer programming, web development, and information security.

Beyond offering access to professional credentials and certifications, Navy technical and operational training as an Information Systems Technician can translate to credit hours toward a bachelor’s or associate degree through the American Council on Education .

You may also continue your education through undergraduate degree opportunities like the Navy College Program and Tuition Assistance and the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Serving part-time as a Navy Reserve Sailor, your duties will be carried out during your scheduled drilling and training periods. During monthly drilling, Information Systems Technicians in the Navy Reserve typically work at a location close to their homes.

For annual training, you may serve anywhere in the world, including locations in the U.S., at bases overseas, or in areas where humanitarian needs are great.

Take a moment to learn more about the general roles and responsibilities of Navy Reserve Sailors .

Most of what you do in the Navy Reserve is considered training. The basic Navy Reserve commitment involves training a minimum of one weekend a month (referred to as drilling) and two weeks a year (referred to as Annual Training) – or the equivalent of that.

Information Systems Technicians in the Navy Reserve serve in an Enlisted role. Before receiving the ongoing professional training that comes with the job, initial training requirements must be met.

For current or former military Enlisted servicemembers, prior experience satisfies the initial Recruit Training requirement, so you will not need to go through Boot Camp again.

For those without prior military experience, you will need to meet the initial Recruit Training requirement by attending Boot Camp in Great Lakes, IL. This training course will prepare you for service in the Navy Reserve and count as your first Annual Training.