9985 Career Guide
9985: Information Management Officer
Career transition guide for Marine Corps Information Management Officer (9985)
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Real industry tech roles your 9985 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Data Analyst
Data
Your experience with Marine Corps Information Management (IM) Principles, Knowledge Management (KM) Concepts, and Data Management and Analysis directly translates to the responsibilities of a Data Analyst. You're skilled at understanding information requirements, managing data, and delivering focused knowledge, which are essential for analyzing data and providing insights to support decision-making. Your familiarity with tools like Global Command and Control System - Joint (GCCS-J) which is similar to data aggregation and visualization platforms (Tableau, PowerBI) further strengthens this alignment.
Typical stack:
Computer Systems Analyst
Customer / Field
As an Information Management Officer, you're adept at understanding organizational information needs and translating them into effective information systems. Your experience in developing and coordinating knowledge, using collaborative planning tools like SharePoint, and ensuring accurate information delivery aligns perfectly with the role of a Computer Systems Analyst. Your background with Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) and other systems gives you a solid foundation for analyzing and improving computer systems.
Typical stack:
Technical Program Manager
Product
Your experience coordinating processes between staff sections, managing requests for information (RFI), and ensuring timely information delivery makes you well-suited for a Technical Program Manager role. Your team synchronization skills, developed through collaborative planning and interaction with various warfighting functions (intelligence, fires, maneuver, logistics, C2, and force protection), are highly valuable in managing complex technical projects and aligning teams towards common goals. Your background with enterprise systems like MCEN gives you a head start in understanding complex IT landscapes.
Typical stack:
Security Engineer
Security
Your background includes Information Security and Access Control. While you may need to develop additional expertise in areas like network security and threat analysis, your understanding of security principles and access control makes this a reachable goal. Your experience with Tactical Chat systems gives you some familiarity with secure communication protocols. Your situational awareness skills will allow you to quickly grasp security concepts.
Typical stack:
Skills You Already Have
Concrete bridges from 9985 experience to tech-industry practice.
- Marine Corps Information Management (IM) Principles→ Data governance and information lifecycle management
- Knowledge Management (KM) Concepts→ Knowledge base development and content management systems
- Collaborative Planning Tools (SharePoint, etc.)→ Experience with collaboration platforms (SharePoint, Confluence, etc.)
- Data Management and Analysis→ Data collection, cleaning, and preliminary analysis
- Requests for Information (RFI) Management→ Requirements gathering and documentation
- Global Command and Control System - Joint (GCCS-J)→ Experience with data aggregation and visualization platforms (Tableau, PowerBI)
- Information Dissemination Management→ Content delivery network (CDN) design and implementation
- Situational Awareness→ Quickly grasping complex situations
- Rapid Prioritization→ Effectively managing competing demands
- System Modeling→ Analyzing complex systems
- Team Synchronization→ Effectively coordinating teams
Skills to Learn
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not generic.
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code accelerates the parts we teach — software engineering fundamentals, web development, AI tooling. For everything else above, the path is doable independently with the resources we link to.
See VWC ProgramsCivilian Career Pathways
Top civilian roles for 9985 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Business Intelligence Analyst
Skills to develop:
Project Manager
Skills to develop:
Knowledge Manager
Skills to develop:
Management Consultant
Skills to develop:
IT Systems Analyst
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 9985 training built — and where they transfer.
Situational Awareness
As an Information Management Officer, you were responsible for maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the operational environment, including the unit's information needs, the capabilities of available tools, and the flow of information across different staff sections and commands.
This translates directly to your ability to quickly grasp complex situations, identify key factors, and anticipate potential problems in a business environment. You can see the big picture while also understanding the nuances of the details.
Rapid Prioritization
You constantly assessed incoming information, identified critical items, and ensured that timely and focused knowledge was delivered to facilitate decision-making. You understood the commander's critical information requirements and quickly adjusted to changing priorities.
This skill allows you to excel in fast-paced environments where you need to quickly sort through large amounts of data, determine what's most important, and act accordingly. You can effectively manage competing demands and ensure that the most critical tasks are addressed first.
System Modeling
You developed and maintained knowledge management systems to enable command and control functions. This required you to understand the relationships between different elements of the organization and how information flowed through them.
This skill means you can analyze complex systems, understand how they work, and identify areas for improvement. You can visualize processes, create models, and use them to predict outcomes and optimize performance.
Team Synchronization
You coordinated processes between staff sections, ensuring accurate and focused information was delivered in a timely manner. You interacted with various commanders and staff officers across different warfighting functions, promoting collaboration and shared understanding.
This translates to your ability to effectively coordinate teams, facilitate communication, and ensure that everyone is working towards a common goal. You can build consensus, resolve conflicts, and create a cohesive and productive work environment.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Business Intelligence Analyst
SOC 15-2051You've been trained to gather, analyze, and disseminate critical information to support decision-making. As a Business Intelligence Analyst, you'll use those same skills to help companies understand market trends, identify opportunities, and make data-driven decisions.
Emergency Management Director
SOC 11-9161You've excelled at maintaining situational awareness and coordinating responses in dynamic environments. As an Emergency Management Director, you'll leverage those skills to prepare for and respond to disasters, ensuring the safety and well-being of communities.
Management Consultant
SOC 13-1111You've demonstrated your ability to quickly grasp complex systems, identify problems, and develop effective solutions. As a Management Consultant, you'll apply your analytical skills to help organizations improve their performance and achieve their goals.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Information Management Officer Course, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Topics Covered
- •Marine Corps Information Management (IM) Principles
- •Information Dissemination Management
- •Knowledge Management (KM) Concepts
- •Collaborative Planning Tools (SharePoint, etc.)
- •Commander's Critical Information Requirements (CCIR)
- •Requests for Information (RFI) Management
- •Information Security and Access Control
- •Data Management and Analysis
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
The IMO role aligns with project coordination. Study the full project lifecycle, budgeting, and resource allocation as defined by CompTIA.
While the description doesn't explicitly focus on security, information management requires a baseline understanding. Study all domains, especially access control, security assessment and testing, and security operations.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) | Enterprise network infrastructure (Cisco, Juniper) with IT service management (ITSM) platform (ServiceNow) |
| SharePoint (MarineNet) | SharePoint, Confluence, or other collaborative document management and intranet platforms |
| Global Command and Control System - Joint (GCCS-J) | Data aggregation and visualization platforms (Tableau, PowerBI) connected to multiple data sources |
| Command and Control Personal Computer (C2PC) | Geospatial information systems (GIS) software (ArcGIS, QGIS) for mapping and situational awareness |
| Tactical Chat (e.g., mIRC in a tactical environment) | Secure messaging and collaboration platforms (Slack, Microsoft Teams with enhanced security features) |
| Video Teleconferencing (VTC) Systems (e.g., Cisco TelePresence) | Video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex) with secure communication protocols |
| Marine Corps Common Hardware Suite (CHS) | Ruggedized laptops/tablets and mobile devices for field operations (Panasonic Toughbook, Dell Latitude Rugged) |
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