I’ve been a federal government employe for almost exactly 11 months. In that period of time I have been through shutdown scares, notified about the possible cessation of my program three times by senior leaders, and all of this while being a title 10 employee (at will not civil service). Just to be sure the reader understands I like my job a lot. Only in the last two or so months have I let the negative picture get under my skin.
In December I asked the president of the Univesity I work at should I be looking for a job and she said yes. The chancellor has basically said the same thing. The problem is that in many circles these budget battles are considered to just be part of the normal social fabric. My department head is a great guy and he says don’t get scared it will all blow over. I took the job I have for some pretty specific reasons.
- As a DHS/NSA fellow I was required to provide a year of service to the federal government. For that I got $60k in student loans paid off, but I had to leave my tenured job at Purdue Calumet. I don’t think they understand yet at PUC that in forcing me to get a PhD they forced me out the door.
- I broke my back and neck in 1986 and was medically discharged from the Marines. At the time I owed three years to the United States and this new job is about as close as I’m going to get to paying that uniformed military service back.
- There are four faculty at the university I have really enjoy working with over the years and wanted to have more interaction. One quit and went to Mitre, two are retiring in the June time frame, but there are other awesome people to be sure I have met.
- While at my new job I have briefed generals, congressman, foreign dignitaries and heads of state , and I have traveled extensively over seas. I knew this job would expose me to many people. Serving my country has been fun and an honor.
There are a lot of positives and negatives to balance out on a job like this. The new budget is pretty scary and my new university president is the same guy who dismantled large sections of his previous command. I have skills so I’m not so worried about me finding a job in this climate if bad things happen. I’m a PhD with extensive infosec and forensic skills, and about 30 years experience. December starts the academic hiring season so i have some notice to look around. After all in a fit of pique when Purdue Calumet messed with my wife I said who is hiring and this job came along.
I’m concerned for my new friends and colleagues. I had planned on staying three years or more to fulfill the debt I felt I owed. I don’t know if I will be allowed and how fast a tear down would take if it came. If you see me grousing part of it is the uncertainty, part of it is the fear, part of it is a tactical concern for feeding my family. I still own the house in Indianna and though I am financially solvent there ain’t any flex in my budget. I know the grass isn’t always greener, and that things could go from bad to worse. There are some great universities out there to be sure.
I do think it is funny I applied for a DHS job and was told I didn’t qualify. I’m pretty sure the guy I would have been working for is one of my former students. The funniest thing is his boss is the one who asked me to apply. Government is funny to watch if in a kind of black humor. They say there are all these cyber jobs at all levels. Don’t believe it.