0681 Career Guide
0681: Information Security Technician
Career transition guide for Marine Corps Information Security Technician (0681)
Translate Your 0681 Experience Now
Get a personalized AI-powered translation of your military experience into civilian resume language.
Start Free TranslationTech Roles You Could Aim For
Real industry tech roles your 0681 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Security Engineer
Security
Your experience as an Information Security Technician, managing COMSEC, PKI, and EKMS, directly translates to security engineering roles. You're familiar with key management systems, hardware security modules, and incident response – all critical in cybersecurity. Your training in COMSEC incident reporting and EAP development aligns with security incident handling and disaster recovery planning.
Typical stack:
SOC Analyst
Security
Your background in monitoring and maintaining secure communication systems, along with your experience in COMSEC incident reporting, makes you a strong candidate for a SOC Analyst. Your situational awareness skills and ability to rapidly prioritize incidents are crucial in a security operations center environment.
Typical stack:
Governance, Risk & Compliance Analyst
Security
Your work developing COMSEC SOPs, managing keying material, and ensuring procedural compliance aligns well with the responsibilities of a Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Analyst. Your attention to detail and commitment to following protocols are essential in maintaining regulatory compliance.
Typical stack:
Systems Administrator
Infrastructure
Your experience operating and maintaining Electronic Key Management Systems (EKMS) and Secure Voice Products (SVP) provides a foundation for systems administration. Your system modeling skills and ability to understand complex system interdependencies are valuable in managing and troubleshooting IT infrastructure.
Typical stack:
Skills You Already Have
Concrete bridges from 0681 experience to tech-industry practice.
- Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) Operation→ Key Management Systems (KMS) administration
- COMSEC Incident Reporting→ Security incident handling and response
- Procedural Compliance→ Adherence to security policies and regulations
- Situational Awareness→ Threat detection and risk assessment
- Emergency Action Plan (EAP) Development for COMSEC→ Disaster recovery and business continuity planning
Skills to Learn
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not generic.
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code accelerates the parts we teach — software engineering fundamentals, web development, AI tooling. For everything else above, the path is doable independently with the resources we link to.
See VWC ProgramsCivilian Career Pathways
Top civilian roles for 0681 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Information Security Analyst
Skills to develop:
Cryptographer
Skills to develop:
Compliance Officer
Skills to develop:
Network Security Engineer
Skills to develop:
IT Security Consultant
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 0681 training built — and where they transfer.
Procedural Compliance
Adhering to strict Communications Security (COMSEC) regulations and protocols for handling sensitive cryptographic materials and equipment. Ensuring every action, from installation to destruction, follows precise guidelines.
Meticulously following established protocols and regulations to ensure accuracy, security, and compliance in highly regulated environments. Maintaining detailed records and demonstrating unwavering commitment to process integrity.
Situational Awareness
Maintaining constant vigilance over the status of COMSEC materials, potential security breaches, and system vulnerabilities. Proactively identifying and addressing potential risks to safeguard critical information.
Staying keenly aware of surroundings and potential threats to quickly recognize and address risks, vulnerabilities, and unusual activities. Anticipating problems and taking preventative measures to ensure safety and security.
System Modeling
Understanding the intricate architecture of Electronic Key Management Systems (EKMS) and Secure Voice Products (SVP) to troubleshoot issues, implement updates, and maintain overall system integrity. Visualizing data flows and dependencies to optimize system performance.
Developing a deep understanding of complex systems and their interdependencies to identify potential issues, implement improvements, and optimize performance. Analyzing data to create models that predict system behavior and inform decision-making.
Rapid Prioritization
Quickly assessing and prioritizing COMSEC incidents or Practice Dangerous to Security (PDS) situations. Taking immediate action to mitigate risks and prevent data breaches, even under pressure.
Evaluating incoming tasks or incidents and quickly determining the order of importance to ensure critical issues are addressed first. Making sound decisions under pressure and efficiently allocating resources to maximize impact.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Compliance Officer
SOC 13-2000You've been entrusted with safeguarding highly sensitive materials. Your meticulous adherence to procedures and ability to identify vulnerabilities make you a perfect fit for ensuring companies comply with regulations.
Fraud Investigator
SOC 13-2011You've been trained to recognize and report security incidents, indicating a keen eye for anomalies. You can leverage this skill to investigate fraudulent activities and protect assets for businesses or government agencies.
Data Center Technician
SOC 15-1231You've developed a strong understanding of electronic systems and security protocols. You can leverage this knowledge to maintain the physical and digital security of data centers, ensuring data integrity and availability.
Logistics Coordinator
SOC 43-3051You have experience with managing and tracking sensitive COMSEC material, which translates well to managing supply chains and inventories for various industries.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Information Security Technician Course, Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, Twentynine Palms, CA
Topics Covered
- •Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) Operation
- •Communications Security (COMSEC) Procedures
- •COMSEC Incident Reporting
- •Key Management Infrastructure (KMI)
- •Secure Voice Products (SVP) Management
- •Emergency Action Plan (EAP) Development for COMSEC
- •Local Management Device/Key Processor (LMD/KP) Suite Operation
- •Data Transfer Device (DTD) Operation
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
While the 0681 role covers many aspects of information security and key management, studying broader IT security concepts, risk management, and compliance frameworks would be beneficial.
The 0681 role provides a foundation in security operations. Filling gaps in enterprise security architecture, governance, risk management, and compliance is needed.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) | Key Management Systems (KMS) for data encryption |
| Local Management Device/Key Processor (LMD/KP) | Hardware Security Modules (HSM) |
| Data Transfer Device (DTD) | Secure USB drives with encryption |
| Secure Telephone Unit (STU)/Secure Telephone Equipment (STE) | Encrypted VoIP Phones |
| FORTEZZA Card | Smart Cards / PKI Authentication Tokens |
| Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) | Digital Certificate Management Systems |
Ready to Translate Your Experience?
Our AI-powered translator converts your 0681 experience into ATS-optimized civilian resume language.
Translate My Resume — Free