Systems Engineer at CRGT
Former Marine and Airman Excels with CRGT Inc.
by Warren Duffie
Rodney Jeter-Hicks enjoys the best of both worlds at his job. The former Air Force staff sergeant spends his days working with Soldiers at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. However, he also enjoys the flexibility and freedom that come with civilian employment. 
“I love that I can still be around the military,” Jeter-Hicks said. “I loved serving my country. But it is nice not to have to wear a uniform every day.”
On The Job
Jeter-Hicks, 30, is a systems engineer with CRGT Inc., a contracting firm serving an array of federal clients, including the Army. He works with nearly 30 military and civilian personnel to maintain and protect computer networks within the Army’s massive service-wide intranet.
“Basically, we create virtual test environments for different computer systems before they go online,” he said. “In these tests, we can point out any problems and resolve them. We deal with a host of domains, servers, firewalls and router switches. I’m in charge of routers, switches and connectors between different servers, making sure they connect smoothly.”
The Company
Founded in 1983 as DataStudy Inc., CRGT provides innovative IT solutions to civilian and federal government customers, including the Department of Defense, Army, Navy, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. CRGT provides comprehensive program management, systems integration, and operations and maintenance services. CRGT has about 250 employees, 50 of whom have military experience.
“CRGT is a small company where you’ll get noticed and rewarded,” said Jeter-Hicks. “That was a big selling point for me.”
CRGT’s areas of expertise and core service offerings include:
- Program management
- Call center operations
- Network management
- Business continuity/disaster recovery
- Enterprise resource planning
- Data warehousing
- Web solutions
- Knowledge management
- Logistics systems analysis and support services
CRGT has a 100 percent customer retention rate. CRGT has been heavily involved with the design and support of the Army Knowledge Online portal (on which Jeter-Hicks is working) – the world’s largest intranet. CRGT also manages mission-critical data and call centers 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the Army.
In addition, CRGT is part of a team that is helping create the Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System (DIMHRS) – the world’s largest pay and personnel system. CRGT also participated in a team implementation of the U.S. Treasury Department’s enterprise resource planning system, HR Connect.
In Uniform
After graduating from high school in 1996, Jeter-Hicks enlisted in the Marine Corps. He served as a logistics supply clerk for two years before suffering a severely pulled groin, which limited his ability to run and resulted in a medical discharge.
For the next two years, he attended college classes and worked several uninspiring jobs. But he missed the military and, luckily, healed up enough to become re-eligible to enlist. He went into the Air Force and was trained as a communications computer operator at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.
Over the next seven years, Jeter-Hicks served in Oklahoma, Arizona and Iraq. His two deployments to Iraq involved installing computer networks and fixing PCs at Camp Victory, and running a computer shop in Kirkuk.
The Transition
In 2007 his old injury resurfaced. “I had to get out of the military again, this time for good. But I was better prepared. I took transition classes, talked to former military friends and read G.I. Jobs.
“I wasn’t really nervous my first day with CRGT,” he continued. “The main adjustment was not being told what to do all the time. As a civilian, you’re on your own and no one is looking over your shoulder. There’s more flexibility and room for creativity.”
Jeter-Hicks’ Advice
Get all the information you can about transitioning. “Attend transition classes, go to the family readiness center, have friends and colleagues look at your résumé.”
Have all of your paperwork up to date. “This is especially true with your health records. Get a physical before you separate and get the results documented for your civilian health provider.”