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First JBLM soldiers graduate from Microsoft IT Academy

Microsoft trains veterans for tech jobs

Col. Charles Hodges Jr., commander of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, addressed the crowd at the Microsoft IT Academy graduation. Photo credit: Gail Wood

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First, Col. Charles Hodges Jr. thanked the soldiers for their service.

Then the commander of Joint Base Lewis-McChord did the unexpected Monday at an achievement ceremony for 22 soldiers who are transitioning to civilian life. He gave the 22 servicemen who had completed a 16-week Microsoft IT certification program one final order.

"You are now ambassadors of all of us who remain in uniform," Hodges said. "You're breaking ground. You're the trendsetters. You're the first in going out there and saying look at us."

Now, Hodges wanted them to lead, to set the example and prove that soldiers were up to the task.

It was a commemorative challenge for a landmark moment.

These 22 JBLM servicemembers were the first graduates from the Microsoft IT Academy, a cooperative pilot program with Microsoft, Saint Martin's University and JBLM. The 90-minute awards ceremony at SMU was also the culmination - and a launching point - for a federal law that pledged support to the military as they transition to the private sector.

Sen. Patty Murray, a longtime state senator and a sponsor of the federal legislation called Vow to Hire Heroes Act, was at the ceremony, celebrating the moment.

"We were patting our veterans on their backs and thanking them for their service," Murray said. "But then we just sent them out into the job market alone without the help they needed and it showed."

When the nation's unemployment figure reached nine percent two years ago, the unemployment rate for retired military was more than 12 percent. Murray said because of the Vow Act, the unemployment rate for retired military has dropped.

"The Vow Act created ways to transition from the battlefield to the working world," Murray said. "It required for the first time job training for every service member as they leave the military."

Of the 22 servicemen who completed the Microsoft IT class, 11 were offered entry-level jobs by the Microsoft or Launch Consulting, the technology-consulting firm administering the program. The course was an intense 16 weeks, meeting four times a week from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The classes - which included web design, coding and stats - were upper college level and prepared them for careers like developer, application engineer and IT project manager.

Hodges commended the 22 service members for their success, first as soldiers and then as students.

"They raised their right hand and they said they're going to serve the nation," Hodges said. "Then they said, ‘I'm going to try something new, I'm going to be adventurist. I'm going to break new ground. I'm going to be the first and I'm going to join this program.'"

Initially, as it often is with pilot programs, there was some uncertainty about the program. There were questions about its direction, impact and outcome.

But Hodges said the 22 soldiers' response, based on their performance in the military, was predictable. They signed up.

"That kind of guts, innovation, risk taking, is what made our nation great," Hodges said. "You're taking a risk again. Joining something you had no idea which direction it was going to take you. Again I thank you for that. You volunteer for your nation and now you volunteer for a program that we didn't know was going to work or not, but it has worked successfully."

Bernard Bergan, who served as an information technology specialist with the 3rd Battalion, was one of several soldiers who spoke, both thanking and giving testimonials.

"The American soldier does not give out trust freely," Bergan said. "When asked to trust one more time and be a part of this amazing academy I have to admit I was very skeptical. You mean to tell me Microsoft, THE Microsoft, is going to hire me after 16 weeks of training?"

Bergan doubted, but he took and passed the course.

"Those parameters fit my too good to be true scenario," Bergan said. "I was like every one else - scared of leaving our military careers behind. But Microsoft Academy created a bridge - a bridge of trust, from one incredible career to another. For that, thank you."

The 22 soldiers to graduate from the first Microsoft IT Academy were Josiah Benoit, Bergan, Adam Citterbart, Jason Cross, Joshua Gray, Lahai Josiah, Sailesh Kafle, Jason Keefer, Justin Mayer, Eric Mendis, Srinivas Nagampet, Tara Overfield, James Ray, Sanat Regmi, Chad Townes, Ronald Wochner, Krishna Ailneni, Subash Acharya, Deepesh Ale, Teja Kavuri, Matthew Shaffer and Kyi Zin. 

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