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Army MOS · IT & Cyber

26A Network Systems Engineering

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

A Network Systems Engineering officer leads Soldiers and organizations while planning, engineering, testing, integrating, operating, maintaining, securing, and defending the Department of Defense Information Network. The officer designs reliable and secure network architectures and manages transport layer engineering, assessment, validation, integration, security architecture, technology evaluation, and enterprise systems.

Minimum clearance: TS/SCI

Core Skills

  • Transport layer network assessment and validation
  • Network security architecture and defense
  • Communications technology evaluation and integration
  • Network architecture for multinational operations

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Computer Network Architects

Engineering, integrating, and validating transport networks and designing secure architectures transfer directly to civilian network architecture work.

How to prepare: Build a sample enterprise network design portfolio that includes an architecture diagram, security measures, and a validation test plan.

What the civilian work involves
  • Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
  • Develop and implement solutions for network problems.
  • Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Border Gateway Protocol BGP
  • Ansible software

Information Security Engineers

Securing and defending DODIN networks, including security architecture and network assessment, transfers to engineering and evaluating civilian network security controls.

How to prepare: Create an isolated network lab and document how you monitor for intrusions and test the effectiveness of security controls.

What the civilian work involves
  • Coordinate monitoring of networks or systems for security breaches or intrusions.
  • Assess the quality of security controls, using performance indicators.
  • Scan networks, using vulnerability assessment tools to identify vulnerabilities.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Linux
  • Bash

Training & Development

Choose credentials for your target role. COOL funding markers describe program listings, not a guarantee of eligibility or funding.

Getting Started

  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) · Funded

    Validate network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation knowledge for civilian networking work.

    For: Computer Network Architects

  • CompTIA Security+ · Funded

    Validate core IT security knowledge as a foundation for the security engineering path.

    For: Information Security Engineers

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (6 documents)
  1. Army COOL MOC feed: 26A Network Systems Engineering

    [1] data/authority/army-codes.json entry 26A (OSD COOL feed, fetched 2026-07-25); DB rank officer, authority codeType officer

    Supports: Transport layer network assessment and validation, Network security architecture and defense, Communications technology evaluation and integration, Network architecture for multinational operations, Computer Network Architects (O*NET 15-1241.00), Information Security Engineers (O*NET 15-1299.05)

  2. O*NET: Computer Network Architects

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Computer Network Architects (O*NET 15-1241.00)

  3. O*NET: Information Security Engineers

    [3] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Information Security Engineers (O*NET 15-1299.05)

  4. COOL credential mapping: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

    [4] 26A cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

    [5]Cisco: CCNA certification · How to earn your CCNA, Core exam 200-301 CCNA; updated 31 August 2026, retrieved 23 September 2026

    Supports: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

  5. COOL credential mapping: CompTIA Security+

    [6] 26A cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: CompTIA Security+

  6. CompTIA Security+ exam details

    [7] Exam details, recommended experience

    Supports: CompTIA Security+

Defense contractor jobs for 26A

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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