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Stephen Whitson

MITRE works closely with sponsors, often on-site. For that reason, MITRE has over 60 sites located around the world. While some staff transfer from other locations, many site staff are hired locally and spend their MITRE careers on site. That is the case with Stephen Whitson, a senior software systems engineer, who started at MITRE's Fort Huachuca site in 1997 before transferring to MITRE's Fort Hood site in 2000.

Originally from Texas, Whitson first learned of a MITRE systems administrator position in Arizona through Mark Marvin, a long-time family friend and an engineer at MITRE's Fort Huachuca site. "At the time, relocating from Texas to Arizona wasn't a problem so I was able to take the opportunity," Whitson says.

After settling in Fort Huachuca and his systems administrator job, Whitson went back to school for more software engineering courses and began working on technical projects. He eventually transitioned to a technical position and became a software systems engineer. Satisfied with his work but feeling a family-related need to relocate back to Texas, Whitson requested a transfer to MITRE's Fort Hood site in 2000. "I didn't want to leave MITRE so when a position opened up in Fort Hood I immediately applied," he says.

"MITRE management at Fort Hood worked hard with me to make the transition as smooth as possible," he adds. "It was a horizontal move for me to another department. At Fort Huachuca I had been working on the network architecture for the Army's First Digitized Division—ironically, a project based out of Fort Hood. However, when I transferred to Fort Hood I went to work on something completely different—a project that focused on interoperability issues for different Army training simulations. Since this type of simulation work was completely new to me, I had a huge learning curve. Fortunately, a number of people at Fort Hood, including one of our government sponsors, helped me tremendously. The mentoring I received during that time was crucial."

MITRE's Fort Hood staff support several Army customers including the Central Technical Support Facility (CTSF).

"I'm now working on a new project that focuses on using a software tool, developed by MITRE, to produce a Department of Defense architecture framework for the Network Enterprise Technology Command," continues Whitson. "I really enjoy my work and am constantly learning new things. Plus, I come from a military family and have a lot of respect for those who serve in the military. I'm proud that the work I do at MITRE is supporting them. I feel like it is a great way for me to serve my country."

Happy to be back in Texas near family and friends, Whitson is grateful for the support and opportunities he has found at MITRE. When asked if he had any advice for staff looking to transfer to another site, Whitson is very encouraging. "Get your management on board immediately. Talk to them and be open about why you want to move," he says. "MITRE is a terrific company with a lot of relocation services available and a lot of unique opportunities. My advice is to be flexible and patient and it will all work out."

MITRE's Fort Hood site is located in central Texas approximately 70 miles south of Dallas and 50 miles north of Austin. The 15 MITRE staff working at Fort Hood primarily support the US Army's Central Technical Support Facility (CTSF), the Operational Test Command (OTC), and the Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM).