BAMBERG, Germany -- When doctors recommended Sgt. Jonathan Moreno to be assigned to Warrior Transition Unit, he wasn't sure what direction he wanted to pursue.
He knew his military specialty as a combat engineer was a good job skill to have, but he wanted to expand his marketability.
After several months of training and hard work with computer technicians at Warner Barracks, he now feels his transition to the civilian world will be a successful one.
"WTU is what you make of it," Moreno said. "It is a great opportunity if you make it one. The program allows you to be a full-time student, is a great transitioning opportunity and a great place for healing."
According to J.C. Perez, Operations Center director, his boss Lt. Col. Baxter requested he offer a training position to a member of the WTU.
Soon after, Moreno, who has been in the Army for 10 years, was made aware of the training opportunity through his noncommissioned officer.
Having earned an associate's degree and now working toward a bachelor's degree from University of Maryland University College in Information Systems Management, Moreno jumped at the opportunity to earn further certifications and experience.
A full class load has kept Moreno away from his information technician mentors at times, but the employees there have continually worked with and supported his endeavors.
Once assigned to the office he was paired with IT specialist, Gregory Reedy.
Reedy, who was previously a vice president for a U.S. company that trained technicians, has used his expertise in training to greatly benefit Moreno's experience, Moreno said.
As a guide, Reedy has trained Moreno in hardware, software upgrades, troubleshooting and working through daily IT issues on post, including activating and installing LAN lines.
Moreno refers to Reedy as his "mentor", and has relied on his knowledge in shaping his coursework and certification.
"The more hands-on experience he gets," Reedy said, "the more real and alive it becomes in the classroom."
Perez and Reedy have worked to provide Moreno with practical and constructive experience. They have also helped him focus his educational track and earn the necessary certifications to be a competitive prospective IT employee.
"You can have a degree, but without the certifications we've helped Sergeant Moreno attain, he wouldn't be qualified for many IT jobs." Perez said.
Moreno is now certified for a variety of positions in the IT field, including positions as an analyst in Desktop, First-Tier and Help Desk, providing basic support to computer users.
A Help Desk worker he provides phone support for end user desktop/laptop computer questions; a Desktop Analyst works on location handling user desktop/laptop computer programs; a Tier 1 Analyst is capable of dealing with complex Help Desk or Desktop issues at the lower level.
Moreno is assisting the Operations Center migrate computer systems from Microsoft XP to Vista. His combined work and educational experiences at Warner Barracks have prepared him to enter the civilian world with confidence, he said.
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