On November 11, our Nation will pay tribute to our military veterans. Across the U.S., citizens will raise the American Flag to honor our troops.  As a company focused on National Defense, veterans are a big part of who we are. Both NDISAC and our member companies take pride in employing veterans and continuously creating opportunities for veterans in the security field.

Here at NDISAC, we’d like to honor our NDISAC Executive Director, Major Carlos Kizzee, Board Member, Captain Wayne Boline, and Board of Directors Secretary, Captain Mark Ackerman. Thank you for your service to our country!

Major Carlos Kizzee, NDISAC Executive Director, served as a career Marine Corps officer. His initial duties were as an Air Control Officer.  For the latter portion of his career, he served as an attorney; serving as a military attorney Prosecutor, Defense Counsel, Legal Assistance Counsel, and as a Federal Special Assistant United States Attorney in Arizona and in the Southern District of California.  Mr. Kizzee also served as Commander of the Marine Corps’ Headquarters and Services Battalion on Okinawa, Japan.  His final military assignment before military retirement was with the Navy Office of the General Counsel as the Marine Corps Deputy Area Counsel for the Pacific Area in Okinawa, Japan.

Captain Wayne Boline, a member of our Board of Directors, served nearly 23 years in the US Air Force, 13 enlisted and 10 as an officer. He worked in Electronic Warfare maintenance on the A-10 Thunderbolt II, was an Air Force Office of Special Investigations Special Agent performing computer crime investigations, and as a Communications-Computer Systems officer working in network infrastructure and information security.  He served tours in Japan, Italy, the Pentagon, Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico, and Nebraska.  

Captain Mark Ackerman, a member of our Board of Directors, served 21 years (enlisted and officer) in the Air Force. He worked on various assignments with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) including liaison to 8th AF Commander / AFNETOPS Commander (Lt Gen) responsible for coordinating Law Enforcement and Counterintelligence information with AFNETOPS commander; Program Management for HQ AFOSI Computer Investigation & Operations, AFOSI Chief, Washington DC Field Office, Computer Crimes and Operations.

Veterans who have served and protected the Nation are well-positioned to transition into much needed jobs, including roles in cybersecurity. The demand for cybersecurity experts is growing 12 times faster than the current U.S. job market, making cybersecurity one of the most highly sought-after careers in the country according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

NDISAC is excited to offer our veteran members valuable opportunities and resources from DHS, to help them transition into their next mission: a rewarding career in cybersecurity. Click here to download a DHS Cybersecurity Training and Education Guide for Veterans to learn more about FREE training, scholarship opportunities, and other resources to help veterans launch a new career in protecting our nation’s information systems. DHS also recently released the newest version of the Veterans Cybersecurity Education and Training Toolkit. This toolkit outlines education and training resources including scholarships, free on-demand training, and a course catalog tool.

Today, we’d also like to take a moment to honor the Marine Corps as they celebrate their 242^nd birthday on November 10, 2017.  As the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Robert B. Neller stated, “we must remember the past, honor those who are no longer with us, focus on today’s battles, and get ready for tomorrow.” Happy Birthday, Marines! Semper Fidelis.

Thank you for your service!