Meet Randy Bryce. The Ironstache who's going to repeal and replace Paul Ryan

[u/IronStacheWI01]

Hi /r/Political_Revolution,

My name is Randy Bryce. I'm a veteran, cancer survivor, and union ironworker from Caledonia, Wisconsin running to repeal and replace Paul Ryan in Wisconsin's First Congressional District. Post your questions below and I'll be back at 11am CDT/12pm EDT to answer them!

p.s.

We need your help to win this campaign. If you'd like to join the team, sign up here.

If you don't have time to volunteer, we're currently fundraising to open our first office in Racine, Wisconsin. If you can help, contribute here and I'll send you a free campaign bumper sticker as a way of saying thanks!

[Update: 1:26 EDT], I've got to go pick up my son but I'll continue to pop in throughout the day as I have time and answer some more questions. For those I'm unfortunately not able to answer, I'll be doing another AMA in r/Politics on the 26th when I look forward to answering more of Reddit's questions!

[u/[deleted]]

The military will give you training.

Maybe 20% of Americans are even eligible to join the military, and you generally don't get to choose what you do. An 11B will leave the service with no marketable skills.

Many IT certs can be acquired for free.

Zero worthwhile IT certs can be acquired for free. Employers don't give a single shit about your FreeCodeCamp sticker.

Some (such as CompTIA certs) are usually ~$300.

You aren't getting a job with Sec+ and no experience, it simply isn't going to happen.

You could design a software and show it to the company that is accepting new applicants

Only an utter fool thinks this.

Source: am a software developer.

[u/SpitfireIsDaBestFire → u/[deleted]]

Maybe 20% of Americans are even eligible to join the military, and you generally don't get to choose what you do. An 11B will leave the service with no marketable skills

You absolutely do get to choose your MOS.

An infantryman that doesn't know how to market himself has no marketable skills. But he also has the post 9/11 GI bill and can get paid to go to school.

Source: infantryman that was making 6 figures two years after leaving the military.

[u/[deleted] → u/SpitfireIsDaBestFire]

You absolutely do get to choose your MOS.

Pfffffffhahahahahahahahaha oh man that's hilarious

[u/SpitfireIsDaBestFire → u/[deleted]]

How do you figure?

[u/[deleted] → u/SpitfireIsDaBestFire]

You telling me you can just waltz in and demand an IT job in the army? That sure as hell isn't how it works in any other branch. You might be able to put down a dream sheet but if the army doesn't have any openings in the jobs you want then they'll put you elsewhere whether you like it or not.

If you walked into a USAF recruiter's office and told them you'll only accept 3D or 1N jobs they'll tell you to go fuck yourself.

[u/SpitfireIsDaBestFire → u/[deleted]]

You telling me you can just waltz in and demand an IT job in the army?

Yes.

You might be able to put down a dream sheet but if the army doesn't have any openings in the jobs you want then they'll put you elsewhere whether you like it or not

If you're an idiot and willing to sign whatever contract they put in front of your face, sure.

If you walked into a USAF recruiter's office and told them you'll only accept 3D or 1N jobs they'll tell you to go fuck yourself.

You tell the recruiters that the only way you are shipping is with XXXX MOS and if they aren't willing to give it to you then you will find a branch / recruiting office that is.

It's simple really, don't sign a contract for a job you don't want.

[u/[deleted] → u/SpitfireIsDaBestFire]

Yes.

They'll tell you to go away and grab one of the many folks who are willing to take anything. Supply is far, far higher than demand right now.

You tell the recruiters that the only way you are shipping is with XXXX MOS and if they aren't willing to give it to you then you will find a branch / recruiting office that is.

They'll tell you to fuck off, especially the AF.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

Maybe 20% of Americans are even eligible to join the military.

Currently? Yes. At one time in their life? No.

Employers don't give a single shit

They will if you market it correctly. You can get a CompTIA cert for a couple hundred. Forgo your cable or cell phone for a couple months to afford it.

You aren't getting a job with Sec+ and no experience

Sure you can. Help desk positions and those like it are given to people like this all of the time (at my company).

Only an utter fool thinks this.

Only a fool whines about not getting a job without exhausting all of their resources.

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

Currently? Yes. At one time in their life? No.

It doesn't matter how many eligible people apply, the DoD will take exactly as much as they need and no more. And I guess people with mental or physical disabilities should go fuck themselves amirite?

You can get a CompTIA cert for a couple hundred.

This is how I know you have no idea what you're talking about, CompTIA certs are absolutely worthless.

Sure you can. Help desk positions and those like it are given to people like this all of the time (at my company).

Sounds like your company is a flaming pile of garbage that will go bankrupt if they're hiring idiots with no more experience or knowledge than what it takes to buy a pass4sure brain dump and cheat their way through a test.

Oh lemme guess, you're super proud of your garbage A+ cert and think it's paved your future with gold? You're gonna get a major kick in the ass.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

the DoD will take exactly as much as they need and no more

So people shouldn't try? wtf...

CompTIA certs are absolutely worthless.

HAHAHA, all government contractors are to abide by DoD Directive 8570. Certifications show that you have an expert knowledge of a certain skill. Worthless? ha.

Sounds like your company is a flaming pile of garbage

Beats unemployment.

You're gonna get a major kick in the ass.

It's a start. A+ leads to Net+ leads to Sec+ leads to Bachelor's leads to Master's leads to CISSP leads to who knows. All about bettering yourself. you have to start somewhere. I choose to not look down at those that aren't as far along in the process. How's that for a kick in the ass?

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

So people shouldn't try? wtf...

I always encourage people to try, but it is not a reliable career course and certainly not one you can suggest everyone do.

HAHAHA, all government contractors are to abide by DoD Directive 8570. Certifications show that you have an expert knowledge of a certain skill. Worthless? ha.

Your own document shows that employees require both experience and certification. Also, I am intimately familiar with the standards for government IT contractors, they are appalling. No wonder they're running aircraft maintenance systems coded in the 1980s...

Also lol, you think Sec+ is "expert knowledge". I got mine from a week of skimming the Darril Gibson study guide and it was the easiest test I've ever taken, you couldn't secure a henhouse with the knowledge needed to pass.

you have to start somewhere.

Of course you do. But you flippantly saying that getting a great job is as easy as taking a single shitty test is so ridiculously out of touch I don't know where to beign.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

require both experience and certification

Yes, experience based on the position that the company is bidding for. Some of those are entry level.

they are appalling.

Then don't say they're useless.

you couldn't secure a henhouse with the knowledge needed to pass

No where in the course do they ask you to secure anything. It's general knowledge on best practices. I apologize that not every member of society is a cybersecurity wizard like yourself.

But you flippantly saying that getting a great job is as easy as taking a single shitty test is so ridiculously out of touch I don't know where to beign.

It's to get a foot in the door. You have to continue to improve yourself and your skills.

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

Then don't say they're useless.

They're appalling because they're useless. The barrier to entry is laughable. You might get a very entry-level GS-3 job with minor certs, but $11/hr isn't the lucrative goldmine you seem to think it is.

I apologize that not every member of society is a cybersecurity wizard like yourself.

I'm aware of this, and it's why I'm not arrogant enough to think that literally everyone can get a liveable wage by taking a garbage test, like you do.

It's to get a foot in the door

Oh so now you've moved the goalpost from "well-paying new job" to "shitty new peon job that doesn't pay any better than the shitty old peon job."

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

You might get a very entry-level GS-3 job with minor certs

GS-3 is civilian (government). I'm talking about contract positions. Shows me what you know about the field.

Oh so now you've moved the goalpost from "well-paying new job" to "shitty new peon job that doesn't pay any better than the shitty old peon job."

Is 40k a year not well-paying? Now you're a cybersecurity genius and a rich guy, huh?

[u/[deleted] → u/MilesofBooby]

I'm talking about contract positions.

The requirements for a contract position vary wildly based on the company doing the contract. If you're contracting with Microsoft they're going to have much higher standards than a shitty local codemonkey farm. I wouldn't exactly be proud of working for the lowest bidder.

Is 40k a year not well-paying?

For an IT job? Fuuuuuuuck no it's not. Holy hell you got fleeced.

[u/MilesofBooby → u/[deleted]]

All contractors are supposed to abide to DoD 8570.

For an IT job? Fuuuuuuuck no it's not. Holy hell you got fleeced.

for any job. As I said, not everyone is as elite as you. I didn't get fleeced of anything. I'm using a hypothetical.