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0650 Career Guide

Marine Corps

0650: Network Operations and Systems Officer

Career transition guide for Marine Corps Network Operations and Systems Officer (0650)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 0650 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Network and Computer Systems Manager

$160K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Project Management Professional (PMP) certificationAgile methodologies

Information Security Manager

$150K
High matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)Cloud security certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Security, Azure Security Engineer)

Data Network Architect

$145K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Specific vendor certifications (e.g., Cisco, Juniper)Software-defined networking (SDN) knowledge

IT Project Manager

$130K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Project Management Professional (PMP) certificationScaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification

Cybersecurity Analyst

$105K
Moderate matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) toolsIncident response methodologiesCertified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 0650 training built — and where they transfer.

System Modeling

As a network operations officer, you design and manage complex IT systems, requiring you to build mental models of how different components interact and affect overall network performance. You anticipate potential bottlenecks and vulnerabilities by simulating system behavior under various conditions.

This ability to create and manipulate system models translates directly to fields where understanding complex interactions is key, such as financial modeling or supply chain optimization. You can visualize and predict how changes in one area will ripple through the entire system.

Adversarial Thinking

In your role, you're constantly anticipating and countering potential cyber threats. This involves thinking like an adversary, identifying vulnerabilities in your network, and developing strategies to prevent attacks and protect sensitive data. This includes designing and executing Cyberspace Network Operations (CNO) plans.

This proactive, threat-focused mindset is highly valuable in cybersecurity roles, fraud prevention, and competitive intelligence. You're adept at identifying risks and weaknesses before they can be exploited.

Resource Optimization

Managing IT projects and ensuring operational readiness within a CNO commodity section requires you to efficiently allocate resources – personnel, equipment, and budget – to maximize network performance and security. You must make smart choices in order to meet mission objectives under constraints.

This skill is crucial in any role that involves managing budgets, timelines, or personnel. You can analyze resource allocation, identify inefficiencies, and implement strategies to improve productivity and reduce costs.

Situational Awareness

Maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the network environment, including potential threats, system performance, and user activity, is paramount. You constantly monitor the 'battlefield' to detect anomalies and respond effectively to incidents, maintaining cybersecurity and overall IT health.

This heightened awareness translates into an ability to quickly grasp complex situations, anticipate potential problems, and make informed decisions under pressure. It's invaluable in fields like emergency management, risk assessment, and executive leadership.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Business Continuity Planner

SOC 13-1199.00

You've been managing strategic C4 programs and ensuring operational readiness. This makes you a natural at developing and implementing plans to help organizations maintain essential functions during disruptions.

Financial Risk Analyst

SOC 13-2051.00

You've been designing and securing networks. Your adversarial thinking and system modeling skills will allow you to develop risk management strategies, build financial models, and stress-test investment portfolios.

Supply Chain Manager

SOC 11-3071.00

You've been managing IT projects and optimizing resource allocation. That means you can effectively manage the flow of goods, information, and finances across the supply chain, identifying bottlenecks and implementing improvements.

Emergency Management Director

SOC 11-9161.00

You've been developing Cyberspace Network Operations (CNO) and managing CNO commodity section operational readiness. You possess the situational awareness and rapid prioritization skills required to plan and coordinate responses to natural disasters, security threats, or other emergency situations.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Basic Communication Officer Course (BCOC), Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, Twentynine Palms, CA

480 training hours12 weeksUp to 6 semester hours recommended in Information Technology and Networking.

Topics Covered

  • •Data Network Planning and Design
  • •Cyberspace Network Operations (CNO) Development
  • •Information Assurance Management (IAM) Levels I, II, and III
  • •Strategic C4 Program Management
  • •Network Security Protocols and Implementation
  • •IT Systems Installation and Management
  • •Data Network Architecture Engineering
  • •CNO Documentation and Readiness

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

CompTIA Security+70% covered

While the 0650 role covers network security principles, incident response, and risk management, study the specific Security+ exam objectives related to cryptography, access control, and security assessments.

CompTIA Network+60% covered

The 0650 role covers network design and management. Study the Network+ objectives related to specific networking technologies, troubleshooting, and network security implementation.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)40% covered

The 0650 role touches on many CISSP domains, but requires significant study of all 8 domains, especially legal/regulatory issues, software development security, and business continuity planning.

Recommended Next Certifications

Project Management Professional (PMP)Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)AWS Certified Security – SpecialtyCertified Information Security Manager (CISM)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN)Enterprise network infrastructure (Cisco, Juniper)
Information Assurance Vulnerability Management (IAVM)Vulnerability management platforms (Tenable.io, Rapid7, Qualys)
Host Based Security System (HBSS)Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne)
Automated Security Compliance Assessment Solution (ACAS)Security compliance and auditing tools (Nessus, OpenVAS)
Joint Regional Security Stacks (JRSS)Next-generation firewalls (Palo Alto Networks, Check Point)
Wireless Intrusion Detection System (WIDS)Wireless intrusion prevention systems (WIPS) (Aruba, Cisco)
Marine Corps Integrated Maintenance Management System (MIMMS)IT Asset Management (ITAM) software (ServiceNow, BMC)

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