When I first joined the military, I never imagined my career would one day lead me to cybersecurity. Now looking back, the connection between the two feels almost inevitable. My journey from an All Source Intelligence Analyst in uniform to leading cyber recovery operations at Fenix24 has shown me that the traits that define military service, such as discipline, adaptability, and composure under pressure, are the same qualities that make someone successful in cybersecurity.
From Intelligence Analysis to Incident Response
During my time in the military, I served as an All Source Intelligence Analyst across multiple commands. The core of that work was about developing deep technical and operational knowledge, understanding how adversaries think, move, and act, so we could disrupt their operations before they could disrupt ours.
When I later transitioned to a Systems Engineering role supporting the U.S. Department of Defense, my mission evolved to enabling intelligence operations through reliable and redundant systems. But even then, security was never far away. The DoD environment teaches every IT professional that uptime, resilience, and security are inseparable.
What started as a focus on redundancy and availability naturally grew into a focus on defense and recovery. That evolution ultimately led me to cybersecurity, specifically to threat intelligence and response. Today, I apply many of the same principles I learned in the military to help organizations recover from ransomware and other large-scale incidents.
Recommended CyberTech Insights: Are You Afraid of the Dark (Web)?: How the Widespread Adoption of Agentic AI Creates New Cyber Nightmares for Enterprises
Operating Under Pressure
In both intelligence and cybersecurity, time is rarely a luxury. The military trains you to act quickly and decisively with imperfect information, something that directly translates to incident response.
When a ransomware attack hits, environments go dark, data is inaccessible, and decisions must be made swiftly. In those moments, you can’t wait for perfect clarity. You have to rely on your training, assess what’s in front of you, and take action. That ability to stay composed and mission-focused under pressure is second nature to many veterans, and it’s one of the most valuable assets they bring to cybersecurity teams.
Parallels Between Military Intelligence and Cyber Defense
The similarities between military and cyber intelligence run deeper than people might expect. Both rely on the same process of gathering information, analyzing adversary behavior, and using that intelligence to inform operations.
In the broader cybersecurity industry, threat intelligence focuses on identifying and categorizing threat groups, their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), to strengthen long-term defense strategies. Today, I use that same intelligence to guide real-time recovery operations. The higher-level understanding of a threat actor informs how I approach an incident, what data I prioritize for forensics, and how decisions are made in the heat of the moment.
Cybersecurity as a Natural Fit
Veterans are uniquely equipped for this kind of work. The military instills a mission-first mentality, the ability to think clearly amid chaos, and the discipline to see a problem through to resolution. Those same traits are invaluable in cybersecurity, particularly in crisis response, risk management, and intelligence-driven roles.
However, these strengths don’t always translate on a résumé. The terminology might be different, but the underlying capabilities — situational awareness, leadership under stress, and strategic thinking — are directly transferable. Organizations that recognize this are often rewarded with employees who excel in complex, high-stakes environments.
Recommended CyberTech Insights: CMMC Compliance: Is Your DoD Revenue at Risk?
Attracting and Empowering Veteran Talent
Companies can do more to bring veterans into cybersecurity, and it starts with recognizing the value of their experience. Job descriptions that emphasize degrees or narrow technical qualifications can unintentionally exclude candidates who have the right mindset and transferable skills.
Recruiters and hiring managers should focus on identifying the traits veterans already possess, such as discipline, adaptability, teamwork, and a focus on mission execution, and provide the technical bridge through training and mentorship programs. Veteran-specific upskilling initiatives, such as Department of Labor apprenticeships or programs like VetSec and Hire Our Heroes, are helping close that gap, but more companies should take an active role in building those pathways internally.
Advice for Veterans Considering Cybersecurity
For those transitioning out of the military and exploring cybersecurity, my biggest advice is to treat it like any new mission. Start by building a broad foundation and understand networking, systems, and security fundamentals before diving deep into a specialty that resonates with you.
Then, pursue an area to master until you can teach it to others. Certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or GIAC are helpful milestones, but what matters most is cultivating expertise and curiosity. Cybersecurity is constantly evolving so staying adaptable and eager to learn will set you apart.
The discipline, commitment, and teamwork that make veterans effective in uniform are the same traits that make them invaluable in defending against digital adversaries. As organizations face an increasingly complex threat landscape, veterans bring not just technical potential — but a proven ability to protect, persevere, and lead under fire.
Recommended CyberTech Insights: Shai-Hulud: Defending Against the Latest NPM Supply Chain Attack
To participate in our interviews, please write to our CyberTech Media Room at info@intentamplify.com
