Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Littlejohn | Staff Sgt. Sylvester L. Owens, II, an information technology specialist from...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas - Information technology specialists are considered the networking brains of the Army. Without their contributions to Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE 15.2, the exercise would not be successful.
A dedicated Fort Bliss information technology specialist has been working since April when the exercise started in the Network Operations and Security Center during NIE, and he loves every bit of it.
“Everyday I wake up happy to come to work,” said Staff Sgt. Sylvester L. Owens, II, information technology specialist from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade. “I get to see something new, and I learn something new every single day.”
NIE introduces new and improved pieces of technology every year to the Army for testing and integration. The Army looks to Soldiers to provide essential feedback about the equipment. With all these new goodies for Soldiers to test and evaluate, Owens said it’s like being a kid in a toy store.
“It brings me back to being a child, like when you get something new, and the person that built it says, ‘Hey see if you can break it,'” said Owens. “And if you do (break it), they say, ‘How’d you do it?’ Then, they go and make changes.”
The security center where Owens works is NIE’s backbone. It makes sure all the equipment used is working properly.
Maj. Andre M. Cunningham, network operations branch chief, assigned to Brigade Modernization Command, said Owens and his team bring all of NIE program managers together and troubleshoot problems on the battlefield.
“It’s like you get a new puzzle every day,” Cunningham.
Throughout the years of NIE, the Army reintroduces upgraded pieces of equipment from previous years’ exercises. Owens commends the Army on its updates.
“It seems like every time that it comes back, it’s a little bit better, and a little bit easier,” said Owens. “That shows that the process is working.”
With this being Owens’ fifth stretch at NIE, he hopes to share his knowledge and expertise in the future.
“Overall, I enjoy NIE and I enjoy being here and the impact that this is going to have on the future of the Army,” Owens said.
| Date Taken: | 05.21.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2015 13:13 |
| Story ID: | 170345 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | WILLARD, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 68 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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