Christopher Shrout

Years with MIL: 1

What is important about your work?

The team at MIL is working to help secure infrastructure that is critical to the security of our nation. When it comes time for our country to execute a mission, it is incredibly important that our capability to perform is not diminished or denied. Military and civilian lives depend upon the reliable operation of our military and industrial infrastructure. Our group is doing its level best to keep our armed forces operating at 100%, all of the time.

What are the best aspects about your current job?

I learn new things in this job every day. It is often said that one door leads to many others; nowhere has that been truer than at this job. After being here for a little more than a year, I can firmly say that I have barely scratched the surface. Discovering a new technology or programming language is like turning an unexpected corner on a journey and finding a new, massive vista. It seems daunting at first, but so much possibility lies on this new path to the destination. The sense of discovery is such an exciting aspect of this work. I don’t anticipate a time that I will become bored; there is so much here to learn!

Why do you enjoy working at MIL?

The team that I work with is fantastic. Not only are these some of the sharpest and most capable people I’ve ever worked with, they are also just a wonderful bunch of human beings. Showing up at the office feels less like work and more like going to see a group of my friends. That camaraderie is absolutely critical to the success of our (often stressful) operations. Through time crunches and technical challenges we all remain mindful of one another and keep each other’s interests at heart. A group like this is a rare find and I am enjoying it thoroughly.

What is the best piece of career advice you can offer someone in your field who is either applying to or beginning a career at MIL?

Never stop growing and learning! Figure out how you tick, what motivates you and how you best learn. Construct the world around you to support your efforts to grow. Find ways to work around your weaknesses and use your strengths as best you can. I always try to trick myself into learning new things by helping other people; I run study groups just to force myself to study. If a task is intimidating then that probably means you will grow from it! Don’t turn away from a challenge, instead meet it head on and let it make you stronger.