Forward

Athena WilliamsREBUILDING CONFIDENCEIt has become a difficult reality: Baserealignments and defense cuts lead to areduction in force, leaving many highlytalented service members departing themilitary sooner than they had planned.That is exactly what happened toAthena Williams.After serving 12 years in the Navy,attaining the rank of Petty Officer FirstClass and earning every possible qualification her command offered,the Navy meteorologist found herself facing an uncertain future.“I was a bit devastated at first,” Williams said. “I feared that after spendingthe last 12 years in the Navy that I would be clueless in the civilian sector. Ithad also been 10 years since I had taken any kind of formal schooling, andI was afraid that I would not do very well.”She began attending classes on ECPI’s Virginia Beach campus but wassoon offered a position as a meteorologist in Bermuda. It meant temporarilyleaving her husband and two children for more than a year. But familyfinances forced her hand, and she took the job.“It was hard enough leaving my family, but I did not want to give up onmy education while I was gone,” Williams said. Williams is workingtoward her Bachelor of Science in criminal justice with a concentration inhomeland security.“I have reclaimed the confidence that I once had while serving in the Navy,”Williams said. “I’ve been able to relate so much of what I did in the militaryto my classroom experience. As a meteorologist, I worked hand in handwith military base emergency managers to plan for severe storms. Myinstructors have really helped me to integrate so much of my experiencesinto my education.“ECPI University has bolstered my confidence in my ability to succeedoutside of the military. When I got here, I was a pretty good writer. ECPIhas made me better. In areas where I was less skilled, my instructors wereby my side every step of the way. A little under two years ago, I was scaredto death of what my future might hold. Now, I am truly excited. I have madethe dean’s list and have been accepted into the Golden Key Honour Society.I am 32 years old, and I now know that I have a multitude of opportunitiesin store for me as long as I work hard for them.”David LikensSUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONIn 2003, David Likens did what everymale member in his family has alwaysdone: He joined the military. Soonafter enlisting in the Marine Corps,he learned his battlefield would lie incyberspace. As an IT specialist, thenative of Columbus, Ohio, becamefascinated with network security anddefending the nation against hackersand cyberterrorism. After nine years,he decided to return to civilian life, yet he wanted to continue the fightand began looking at colleges.“Before coming to ECPI, I tried another school, and it just wasn’tfor me,” Likens said. “The classes were heavily focused on theory,and that’s just not how I learn. In the military, everything we learn ishands-on, and that’s why I decided to transfer to ECPI. Once I started,I knew I was in the right place. It was all about ‘this is how you buildit – this is how you make it secure.’ They really seem to understandthe military mindset.”As an active member and former treasurer of the Virginia BeachStudent Veterans of America chapter, Likens displayed the sameleadership skills that he developed as a Marine. Studying networksecurity, Likens completed his Associate degree in April 2012 and wasquickly hired by Hewlett-Packard. Recently, the U.S. Department ofDefense hired him as an Incident Handling Specialist.“Whenever there’s a security incident – whether it’s a breach or avirus – we work with the command to make the problem go awayand ensure that it does not come back,” Likens said. “The work isinteresting and always challenging. You really have to get inside themind of a hacker and think like he or she does.”Recently married, Likens is committed to a path of lifelong learning.He hopes to eventually become part of what’s called a penetrationteam, used to expose weaknesses in the nation’s computer defenses.But no matter where he goes or what he does, he always embodies themotto of the Marines: semper fidelis – always faithful.NOVEMBER 2013 | 28