Technical Instructor – Cybersecurity & Cloud Technologies
Nathan Allen Craig
MD Technical Solutions DOD
Fort Lee,VA
3
years of professional experience
1
Certification
Accomplished Senior Technical Instructor, Network Systems Engineer, and 20-Year Military Veteran (14 years U.S. Marine Corps, 6 years U.S. Army) with 5+ years of dedicated technical classroom and laboratory instruction across defense and commercial sectors. Formally credentialed military instructor (CFDIC & TRNGCMD-0629) with a documented track record of preparing 200+ enterprise students and defense personnel across 150+ structured courses for mission-critical network deployments and DoD 8570/8140 baseline certifications. Combines deep hands-on expertise in multi-cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP), enterprise Cisco routing/switching, Tier 1/2 SOC analysis, and NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) compliance with modern adult learning methodologies to deliver rigorous, real-world technical training.
Technical education professional with demonstrated experience in instructional design, curriculum development, and classroom management. Strong focus on team collaboration and results-driven methodologies. Proficient in various educational technologies and adept at adapting to evolving needs. Known for reliability and fostering positive learning environment.
Work History
Technical Instructor & Communications Lead
- Directed technical instruction across 150+ structured lessons and practical application workshops for more than 200 communications, data, and systems technicians.
- Built and maintained end-to-end laboratory operational manuals, classroom instructional modules, and standardized technical grading rubrics covering Cisco enterprise hardware deployment, tactical cabling, transmission security (TRANSEC), and routing protocols.
- Supervised high-stakes network fault isolation and disaster recovery practical exams, evaluating technician performance under simulated austere field conditions and hardware failure scenarios.
- Evaluated instructor cadre candidates, ensuring standardized delivery of military communication doctrine and adherence to TRNGCMD pedagogical guidelines.
- Military Service Tenure
Senior Network Specialist & SOC Analyst
- Engineered, deployed, and administered high-availability tactical and base enterprise IP networks to maintain continuous operational readiness for critical mission directives.
- Conducted 24/7 network security monitoring across enterprise enclaves, analyzing firewall, intrusion detection, and host logs to triage alerts, intercept malicious traffic, and remediate network vulnerabilities.
- Configured, deployed, and maintained multi-layer Cisco switches, enterprise routers, Cisco ASA firewalls, Type-1 cryptographic encryption devices, and tactical satellite transmission platforms.
- Authored Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Incident Response Playbooks, and Disaster Recovery / Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans, minimizing unscheduled network downtime.
- 14 Years of Service
IT Help Desk & Systems Administrator
- Administered user accounts, role-based access control, security groups, and Group Policy Objects (GPOs) within enterprise Active Directory environments supporting both base and deployed tactical users.
- Provided escalated Tier 1 and Tier 2 hardware, OS, and application troubleshooting across enterprise desktops, ruggedized laptops, and peripheral devices.
- Executed mass system imaging, automated patch rollouts, software deployments, and configuration of secure Cisco Voice over IP (VoIP) endpoints.
- 2 Years of Service
Technical Schoolhouse Instructor – Mechanical Systems & Standards
- Led classroom and workshop instruction in heavy powertrain diagnostics, diesel engines, vehicle electronics, and electro-mechanical maintenance systems.
- Standardized course syllabi and designed hands-on performance assessments, directly contributing to measurable reductions in student academic attrition and increased graduation rates.
- Instructed personnel on hazardous material handling, industrial safety compliance (OSHA/military directives), and comprehensive quality assurance (QA) inspection frameworks.
- 3 Years of Instructional Service
Mechanical Specialist
- Performed diagnostic assessments, scheduled preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS), and complex repairs on heavy tactical vehicle platforms and powertrain systems.
- Managed maintenance logs, requisitioned critical parts through the military supply chain, and maintained 100% compliance with fleet readiness metrics.
- 6 Years of Total Service (Including 3 Years as Lead Instructor)
Technical Instructor – Cybersecurity & Cloud Technologies
2 Years 10 Months- Deliver intensive, scenario-driven classroom and virtual technical training covering enterprise cybersecurity fundamentals, SOC analyst workflows, network defense, and multi-cloud operations.
- Instructed 90+ full instructional days over the past 12 months, consistently driving above-average student pass rates for industry baseline certifications, including CompTIA Security+ and cloud security credentials.
- Architected scalable, hands-on virtual cyber range lab topologies that simulate live enterprise and tactical network environments, incorporating real-time threat injection, firewall policy enforcement, and SIEM log analysis.
- Formulate modular course curricula, lesson plans, pacing guides, and practical lab evaluations directly aligned to commercial vendor exam blueprints and DoD 8140/8570 workforce qualification mandates.
- Mentor transitioning military personnel and enterprise adult learners, reinforcing foundational networking concepts, interview-ready troubleshooting workflows, and operational risk mitigation practices.
Education
Common Faculty Development Instructor Course (CFDIC)
Transmissions Chief Instructor Course (TRNGCMD-0629)
Cisco Networking & Systems Specialist Course
Advanced Communications & Networking Coursework
Advanced Diesel Mechanics & Technical Maintenance School
Skills
Cybersecurity & SOC Operations: SOC Tier 1/2 Incident Response
Real-Time Alert Triage
SIEM Monitoring
Network Packet Analysis (Wireshark)
Threat Detection & Mitigation
Vulnerability Management
Log Aggregation.
Network Engineering & Hardware: Cisco Layer 2/3 Switching & Routing
Cisco ASA Firewalls
BGP
OSPF
VLAN Configuration
Subnetting
LAN/WAN Architecture
Tactical SATCOM
Type-1 Cryptographic Systems.
Cloud Architecture & IAM: Multi-Cloud Environments (AWS
Microsoft Azure
Google Cloud Platform)
Hybrid Cloud Integration
Cloud Security Posture Management
Identity & Access Management (IAM) Policies.
Systems Administration & IT Support: Active Directory (GPO
Access Control
User Lifecycle)
Windows Server
Enterprise Patch Management
Automated OS/Hardware Imaging
Cisco VoIP Telephony
Tier 1–3 Technical Escalations.
Governance
Risk & Compliance (GRC): DoD 8570/8140
NIST SP 800-37 (RMF)
NIST SP 800-53 Security Controls
FISMA Compliance
Threat Modeling
Security Assessment & Authorization (A&A).
Instructional Design & Leadership: Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy)
Scenario-Based Training
Practical Lab Topology Design
Curriculum & Syllabus Development
Performance Metrics & Student Remediation.
Certification
- CCISO – EC-Council Certified Chief Information Security Officer
- CEH – EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker
- CCSE – EC-Council Certified Cloud Security Engineer
- CompTIA SecurityX – (Formerly CASP+ / Advanced Security Practitioner)
- CompTIA Security+ (ce) – Systems Security Baseline
- CFDIC – Common Faculty Development Instructor Course
- TRNGCMD-0629 – Transmissions Chief Instructor Course
Personal Information
Title: Senior Technical Instructor | Network & Systems Engineer | Cybersecurity & SOC Specialist
Timeline
Technical Instructor – Cybersecurity & Cloud Technologies
MD Technical Solutions DOD
01.2024 - CurrentRead More
Technical Instructor & Communications Lead
United States Marine Corps (USMC)
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Senior Network Specialist & SOC Analyst
United States Marine Corps (USMC)
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IT Help Desk & Systems Administrator
United States Marine Corps (USMC)
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Technical Schoolhouse Instructor – Mechanical Systems & Standards
United States Army
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Mechanical Specialist
United States Army
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Marine Corps Training Command
Transmissions Chief Instructor Course (TRNGCMD-0629)
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U.S. Marine Corps
Cisco Networking & Systems Specialist Course
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U.S. Marine Corps
Advanced Communications & Networking Coursework
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U.S. Army
Advanced Diesel Mechanics & Technical Maintenance School
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Formal Military Schoolhouse
Common Faculty Development Instructor Course (CFDIC)
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