Soldiers receive certificates from academy

By Amber Avalona-Butler
Paraglide

	Photo by Amber Avalona-Butler/Paraglide Specialist Dior Rhinehardt, left, adds a bit of flair to the traditional “greet and shoot” at the Wounded Warrior Project Transition Training Academy graduation with Lt. Col. Terrence McDowell, Warrior Transition Battalion commander, Friday.

Soldiers and spouses graduated from the latest computer technology course in a ceremony Friday honoring their efforts with the Wounded Warrior Project Transition Training Academy.
The ceremony, held at the Soldier Support Center, began with an address by Lt. Col. Terrance McDowell, Warrior Transition Battalion commander, and ended with a refreshment party.
The 38 graduates received their certificates and posed for photographs with the commander, who expressed his gratitude for the men and women continuing to serve their country with enthusiasm.

“The Army spends a lot of money throughout our careers to get us to the point where we can stay in uniform,” said McDowell.

Participants benefitted from the computer technology course, a program providing real-world solutions for Soldiers transitioning into civilian careers or revamping their military job descriptions. Some spouses attended the course too, a reminder that education is a Family pursuit.

The two-month course consisted of eight classes covering skills such as basic computer operation, social networking sites and the legalities of copying music or movies. The students also learned technical issues such as security protection, mobile computing and navigating Microsoft Office Suite to complete the graduation requirements.

The series lasted from April 4 through May 28, with weekly, two-hour sessions led by certified instructors. In addition, Soldiers completed online exercises and tests before earning the title of computer technology graduates.

“Certifications hold a tremendous amount of weight because if you’re certified in something, you’re the subject matter expert,” said Charles McKellar, former Soldier and independent contractor with the Wounded Warrior Project.

“As a Soldier, just giving the basics isn’t good enough. You want to give them the best,” said McKellar.

The WWP Transition Training Academy will soon select 15 graduates to enter the A+ Certification Program, a 16-week course that guides Soldiers through the realm of hardware and software technologies.

Specialist Joseph Gorham, 1st Battalion, 252nd Armor Regiment, a National Guard unit based in North Carolina, praised the program’s computer-centric training. “(It was great) the way it was presented to us so we could learn – it was put to us in a fun manner and a way that we could remember what we learned in class,” he said.

Gorham, who plans to pursue a career in computer forensics, said he anticipates blocking hackers and combating identity theft. He hopes to attend the upcoming A+ Certification Program before enrolling in a degree-granting institution such as the University of Phoenix. Gorham said he appreciates the recognition but looks forward to the real reward of a job.

“I’m doing something I like,” he said. For Gorham, that will be the best part.

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