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Alumnus Scott Widener, Not Your Ordinary Programmer
Scott Widener graduated from ETSU with a degree in Computer Science, but he doesn’t have just any ordinary job programming computers. Widener is in the Army.
Widener, who graduated in December 2006, was a member of the ROTC program at ETSU. After graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant right after graduation. He said he joined the Army not only because he wanted to serve his country, but also because his father and sister both served in the Army and were both commissioned through the ROTC program at ETSU.
“There were probably higher paying jobs I could have gotten with my degree, but I enjoy the camaraderie with my fellow soldiers and being able to say that I joined of my own free will and no one forced me to do so,” Widener said.
Widener spent 6 months training at Forts Benning and Gordon. He learned basic soldier skills at Fort Benning, and at Fort Gordon, he was taught the skills he needed for his branch of the Army, the Signal Corps.
The Signal Corps sets up and maintains the lines of communication that allows soldiers on the ground to communicate with each other and with base. These lines of communication are not just computers, but radios and satellites, too.
Widener attended Single Officers Basic Course training and graduated in June. In July, he was assigned to the First Brigade Combat Team, 101 Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.
Widener said that normally, a second lieutenant would lead a platoon, but when he arrived, there were no spots open, so he was assigned to the Brigade S6. The Brigade S6 is a staff position that maintains all communication aspects for the Brigade.
Widener was deployed to Iraq in Sept. 2007. He is stationed in the Salah al Din province. When the Brigade first arrived, he helped set up the Brigade servers that would allow soldiers to access Microsoft Outlook for their email, and also Sharepoint to enable file sharing across the Brigade.
Widener said his main job was Brigade Information Assurance Officer. This meant that he kept up with updates to the servers and computers, making sure there were no prohibited materials on the computers and ensuring that the network was set up in accordance to mandated computer policies.
After Widener had been stationed in Iraq about a month, he was transferred to the Brigade S3. The Brigade S3 plans all of the actions and operations that will be conducted by the Brigade. Wideners’ new title is Brigade Orders Manager. He receives orders from the First Armored Division, decides what applies to the Brigade and specifically, what unit, and then issues orders to the lower units.
Widener said no matter what job he does, it’s all about supporting the troops out on the ground carrying a 70 pound pack of gear on their back. He said, “How well I do my job, in either the computer field or operations field, has a direct impact on the outcome of their mission.”
His computer science background and knowledge he received from ETSU helped prepare him for his job in the Army, Widener said. From dealing with troubleshooting a printer to setting up servers when he first arrived in Iraq, Widener said his experience gained from ETSU has made his life a lot easier.
If you would like to contact Widener, email him at scott.widener@us.army.mil.
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