What is a “hackathon”? To the uninitiated (like my team was), the term comes off as slightly intimidating. What will we be hacking? Foreign elections? Were we going to create and disperse competitive phishing emails? The word always paints a picture in my head of a bunch of greasy, red-eyed programmers sitting around furiously clicking away at a keyboard until someone does something that I assume is good. Then, everyone gets up and claps, and said person walks off into the sunset, a hero. Honestly, this was relatively close to what happened with our team, Vaxx Overflow™, just on Zoom.

It was the closing of week 8 in Code Platoon, meaning we were in the crawl, walk, run phase of learning how to develop full-stack applications from scratch. I would put most of us at the level of an embryo that just developed a detectable heartbeat. Brenden Schumacher, a member of Code Platoon’s November cohort, put out a beacon to assemble a team to participate in this year’s Fall-In Veteran’s Hackathon. 

I won’t get into the details of how the six-person team was created but try to imagine a montage similar to the formation of The Avengers, including the adoption of a talented UI/UX designer named Michael Stedman, whom we met just before kickoff. 

The hackathon weekend began with a ceremonial beer shared among the team and a bunch of ideas being tossed around until eventually, one stuck – a platform for Covid-19 vaccine providers to recycle canceled vaccine appointments by tapping into a database of eager Covid-19 vaccine seekers. People looking for a vaccine are prioritized by health, age, and location. Then, if an appointment is canceled, the approved individual can claim it at a moment’s notice. With that, the first order of business with any successful app is a great name, cue Vaxx Overflow™.

With the idea in hand, we got to work. 

Surprisingly, and without much prompting, everyone gravitated toward some facet of the VO’s development. The app was built with Django on the backend and React on the frontend, including a functioning text notification system. Luckily for us, we had gotten our hands dirty with Django for a couple of weeks and just wrapped up our first week on React, so you could call us pros by this point. 

The flow and visual design of the app was designed almost entirely by our MVP, Stedman, and the backend and frontend programming was split between different members of the group. Eventually, we came to a final product that met every requirement we set out to hit. In addition, the app featured a provider interface, and a patient interface, both of which are easy to navigate and nice to look at! But we weren’t finished yet, as this was a competition. 

Next up was a presentation of the app to a panel of judges (See video below). With 12 teams in total competing in the Fall-In Hackathon, we had to make sure we didn’t have any hiccups if we wanted to stand a chance. 

Now, I am new to this feeling, but I think it’s common among developers. The one where you finish some app or feature and you go to push it off to the next phase, and it feels like you finished constructing a house of cards. But then, you think, “Ok, if I just step back slowly and don’t breathe on it too hard, everything will be fine. It will all work out ok”. That was the feeling we all had leading up to the presentation. 

I had notes written to guide me from beginning to end, and for about an hour leading up to the presentation, we obsessively clicked through the app and checked it for any bugs or issues. Everything looked good! But this is the real world, and the presentation ended up being a barrage of ‘likes’ and ‘ums’ and 30 seconds (which felt like an eternity) lost to navigating around a broken link that we somehow missed during our final preparation. 

We waited through the rest of the presentations and gauged our competition. When all was said and done, the judges unveiled the winners, and to our surprise, it showed Vaxx Overflow in 1st place! So what had started with a beer and a good idea ended with a new friend (shout out to Stedman), some new skills, and $1000 prize money…and another ceremonial closing beer. 

Over a gritty two days, a group of Veterans scattered all over the country participated in a hackathon only HALF-WAY through a coding Bootcamp and managed to create a functioning application with an actual use case, AND WON! Not only does this speak to the level of talent coming out of Code Platoon, but the quality of education in software engineering that anyone can get from the program. I implore any Veteran or military spouse to apply themselves and join Code Platoon today!

Michael Orland is an Army veteran, nurse, and mechanical engineer transitioning into a career in software engineering. He is a member of the November Platoon cohort at Code Platoon.

Some career transitions make more of a logical evolution than others. Going from a dietician to a registered nurse has its obvious connections, or moving from working on oil rigs to installing solar panels. It’s pretty apparent to most employers that military members hold a slew of transferable skills that can make them stand out in nearly any field of work.

But what do making music and programming have in common? According to Kyle Nagel, an Army Band member who is training with Code Platoon’s November Platoon, both disciplines require grit and perseverance.

“I think that one of the big crossovers between making music and creating code is that both of them start hard, and they kind of stay hard for a long time,” Kyle said. “They don’t become easy quickly. And so it’s really easy to give up on them or to doubt yourself on succeeding.” 

“In the beginning, I knew it was going to be hard, but I committed to the program, trusting in the process that it will become easy at some point. There is a benefit to having done other things that have that difficult component to them, acknowledging that I’m going to suck at this for a long time. But eventually, I won’t suck at it.” 

Just as no one becomes a rockstar overnight, becoming a software engineer takes time and dedication to the craft. Kyle knew that before going in. What he didn’t know was where to begin. 

Kyle took it upon himself to research his options. He discovered Code Platoon on Course Report. After further digging, he found a way to pay for Code Platoon that would not tap into his education benefits – the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program. 

Skillbridge allows service members In the last 180 days of their service contract to participate in an apprenticeship, internship, or specific industry training – with no cost – to prepare for their civilian career. 

“A lot of Army service members are unaware of the Skillbridge program,” Kyle said. “I wanted to be able to pass my education benefits to my daughter, so I was looking for options that allowed me to avoid digging into my G.I. Bill.” 

Kyle was accepted into other coding programs, including the Army’s Career Skills Program. But after some thorough research, he concluded that Code Platoon was his best option. 

“Code Platoon gives you the support of others who had a military background instead of just getting thrown back into civilian life. Serving in the military changes you and requires an adjustment to return to civilian life.” 

“During week three of training, I was basically in a total blackout. The winter storm caused the power and internet to go off and on for more than a week. Without internet, it was impossible to join my classmates in our virtual classroom,” Kyle said, adding the point that finding other internet options was scarce due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Code Platoon has been good, but it’s been a crazy ride due to outside circumstances in addition to just the nature of the course itself.” 

Learning with the various hurdles thrown at him is a testament to Kyle’s diligence and dedication to his work. 

Kyle and the other members of November Platoon are in the final weeks of their 14-week Immersive program. They apply everything they have learned into personal projects and prepare for their last group projects presented at graduation. You can check out Kyle and November Platoon’s group project presentations and graduation on Friday, May 14th at 2 PM. To RSVP for the event Livestream, click here. 

Amanda Michelle Gordon is Code Platoon’s Content Marketing Coordinator. She is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a student of SUNY New Paltz for Journalism and Sociology. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, the outdoors, and turning coffee into copy. You can find Amanda on LinkedIn and Twitter.

So you’ve decided to pursue a career in software engineering and have chosen Code Platoon as your place of learning. Now what?

Just like any top-tier coding Bootcamp, you can’t just walk into Code Platoon off the street with zero knowledge and start day one—you have to have at least some understanding of the fundamentals of Coding. 

So how do you get that understanding, and how long will it take? How far out should you begin preparing for coding challenges and funding issues that may arise? That’s the focus of this blog post.

Let’s start with the application process – more specifically, Part Two of the Code Platoon application.

One of the questions I get regularly is, “why do I need to pass a coding test if I want to go to school to learn to code?” It’s a fair question. Here’s my take on the subject.

Imagine going to a school that had no entrance exam. Without some assessment before the start of classes, two things might happen. Either the first day will be incredibly rudimentary or will be way beyond most students’ skill levels. Whatever the case, it may force everyone into a sink-or-swim situation. 

That’s not going to happen at Code Platoon because of our coding challenges. The Coding Challenges in Part Two of the application process show that all students entering our program have a coding knowledge level that allows them to succeed on day one. That assures our students don’t just walk into the class unprepared for day one.

As I like to tell everyone, imagine if everyone who showed up for Basic Training had already been running two miles a day and what kind of difference that would’ve made for your first week.

But how long does it take to walk that talk in the world of Code Platoon? I’m glad you asked.

Let’s start with the assumption that you are starting at zero. Your only computer experience involves email and possibly looking at music videos – because that is what the internet was invented for (and because MTV robbed us of that decades ago), right? 

Suppose you know more than that, great! It means that everything that follows will be shorter for you than others.

The first place to start is our Intro to Coding program, which is entirely free of charge and self-paced. Intro to Coding is for total beginners with absolutely no coding experience. If you look there, you’ll notice 12 video lectures, the longest of which is just under 28 minutes, and the rest are under 16 minutes. These all come with accompanying practical exercises for students to work through. 

The second place is our Bootcamp Prep, which is also free of charge and self-paced, or you can take a live-online version that offers a sneak peek into how our instructors teach. Although Bootcamp Prep is a little longer, consider that both courses combined have about 8 hours of total video lectures and, when done back-to-back by a complete novice, take somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-50 hours to complete.

How long will  it take you to finish all of this is, of course, individually dependent. Some students can read half a book in a day and ace a test, whereas other students take longer to absorb the information needed. But this isn’t a race—some who take longer to do the same task end up with a more robust understanding of that topic in the long run.

Beyond our application challenges is our deadline for the application itself, which typically occurs three months before the beginning of the actual program. We need time to get you enrolled, ensure all of your VA paperwork is in order, and determine scholarship eligibility  pre-work to complete, enabling students to hit the ground running on Day One of their class starting.

So, when considering all of this, the average student—who has no prior experience and is currently employed—should plan accordingly (at the very least, but earlier is typically better):

• Allow three weeks to complete Intro to Coding and Bootcamp Prep (2hrs/day*3 weeks = 42 hrs). 
• You should set aside at least eight hours to complete the Coding Challenges (Please note: the challenges are not timed and do not need to be completed concurrently). 
• Plan for one day to complete the video and essay submissions from Part Two of the application. 
• Once you are accepted, allow for three months to do pre-work and prepare for the program.
• Total: Approximately four months from the time preparation starts to the time the cohort begins.

These are, of course, approximate times —this can all be done quicker, for sure, but don’t feel like it has to be. You don’t get extra points for being fast; your acceptance to the program is contingent on a solid application. For example, you can triple the number of hours per day you spend on the prep work and complete it in one week, but your scores on the coding challenges are what we evaluate —not the time to finish the prep work. 

It’s good to be early for the sake of enrollment, but not at the cost of submitting solid work on the coding challenges. 

SkillBridge

Students interested in attending Code Platoon through the SkillBridge program should allow time for all of the above in addition to the time it takes to get SkillBridge paperwork completed. Luckily, these things can happen simultaneously. There is no reason why you can’t submit for SkillBridge approval while concurrently completing the Intro to Coding or Bootcamp Prep courses. 

Just keep in mind that SkillBridge approval, like most things in life, takes time. Please don’t assume that you will hand your commander the paperwork and get it signed right then and there. Prepare to take care of approvals well in advance, and recognize that these dates need to line up with your last 180 days of service. 

Code Platoon has extensive experience helping SkillBridge students get what they need. We are here to help. 

Hopefully, all of this helps provide some insight, but as always, if you have more questions, please feel free to email me personally, and I can either answer your questions that way or set up a time to chat. Greg@codeplatoon.org

Greg Drobny is a former Airborne Infantryman, PSYOP Team Chief, political consultant, professional mil blogger, and is Code Platoon’s Student Outreach Coordinator. He holds a BA in history, a Masters of Science in organizational psychology, and is currently pursuing an MA in history. He is married with four children who keep him more than slightly busy and is passionate about helping Veterans find their paths in life and develop the skills needed to pursue their goals.

Military spouses face many of the same struggles that Servicemembers and Veterans endure when transitioning from military service to civilian careers. However, the main difference is that for many spouses, the problems faced have lasted throughout their time tied to the military lifestyle.

One of the significant issues for military spouses is finding steady and meaningful employment. Military spouses face an unemployment rate of upwards of 26%, nearly five times higher than the national average for Veteran unemployment. Military spouses don’t receive the same support as their Servicemember counterparts. Code Platoon, however, is committed to helping those who have supported their spouses on the homefront.  

“Code Platoon recognizes the importance of spouses in the military and seeks to support them as much as we support Veterans,” said Rod Levy, Code Platoon’s Founder and Executive Director. “Our warm, military-friendly environment is designed specifically to serve the needs of military spouses, as well as Veterans. Code Platoon is unique among Coding Bootcamps in offering full, and near full, scholarships for military spouses.” 

“That was what got me interested,” said Krysta Pfeifer, one of three military spouses currently enrolled in Code Platoon’s November Platoon cohort. She learned about the software development program through a friend who was doing a research project on military spouses’ programs. Her husband, who actively serves in the Army, had been transferred to a new duty station, and Krysta says that things had lined up perfectly for her to take the plunge into a Coding Bootcamp. 

“With the scholarship from Code Platoon, it made the Bootcamp financially feasible, and I’m also learning unique and critical skills that apply to many industries,” she said. 

Being able to train for a new career field with little to no financial risk is undoubtedly a win, but Code Platoon provides more than an affordable education to students. The heart of Code Platoon’s mission is to get military members and spouses into careers that offer the means to be independent. Becoming skilled in the field of programming provides the opportunity to work almost anywhere. With those married to Servicemembers where moving around is virtually guaranteed, it’s no wonder that becoming a programmer is a recommended career choice. 

Caitlin Wilson, another military spouse in November Platoon, has made the switch due to being on the move and familiar with the unstable job market. 

“I went to school for digital media production, which is film and television,” Caitlin said. Before meeting her wife, who is in the Marine Corps, she had worked on some films in Pittsburgh and New York City but quickly realized how unstable that world can be. 

“It was a little bit too much for me, not knowing when the next job was going to come or what it was going to be.” 

Caitlin enrolled with Code Platoon with some experience in JavaScript, but she enjoys the challenge. “In a short time, I’ve learned a lot from my fellow students and instructors where they teach things and think differently than I do. I would say I’m already starting to break through that plateau that I was at before I started.”

“I’m definitely out of my comfort zone, but it is pushing me to overcome my anxiety of questions and seeking help,” said Diana Vargas. 

Diane is married to an Army Veteran. They transitioned out of the military in 2019. Still, employment on the outside had been challenging to obtain due to the career gaps that often come with being a Servicemember spouse that the Covid-19 pandemic was forcing a shift to remote working and acknowledging that a change needed to be made, Diana pursued Code Platoon’s Coding Bootcamp to start a new career path. 

“I’ve always been able to do things on my own, but I’m finding that I need to reach out more, and when I do reach out for help, I spend less time on the challenge and can move on to another. So far, the instructors have helped me, and I feel better about my progress. It’s building my confidence and strength to reach out and become a better professional in all the skills that I need to become a software developer. I’m happy that I decided to join this program.”

November Platoon is Code Platoon’s largest cohort to date, It also has the most military spouses participating in a cohort since the program began. We’re confident that these three military spouses will succeed in the Bootcamp and beyond, and we hope that they can help inspire other military spouses to take a chance with Code Platoon in the future. 

If you are or know of a military spouse, we implore you to consider learning more about and applying for Code Platoon today!

Amanda Michelle Gordon is Code Platoon’s Content Marketing Coordinator. She is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a student of SUNY New Paltz for Journalism and Sociology. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, the outdoors, and turning coffee into copy. You can find Amanda on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Over the past five years, Code Platoon has trained some incredible individuals into becoming first-class programmers. Since our first cohort in 2016, over 150 Veterans and military spouses have graduated from our coding Bootcamp and have entered the tech industry. In addition to the training they received through the program Code Platoon, graduates have also become a part of a network of alumni and have access to continued professional growth and career opportunities. 

We checked in with two alumni to see how they are and to showcase their accomplishments since graduating from our programming Bootcamp. 

Jyn Kim is an automated logical specialist with the U.S. Army Reserves. She was part of our second cohort, Bravo Platoon, and was one of our Women in Tech scholarships’ first recipients, allowing her to participate in the program. Since graduating from Code Platoon, the trajectory of her career path continues to move upwards.

Upon graduation, Jyn was part of Code Platoon’s internship program. Graduates of Code Platoon’s Full-time In-Person program compete for three to six-month paid internships with corporate sponsors.

Jyn interviewed with five companies within the Code Platoon network and received an internship with Underwriter Laboratories (UL). Within just a few short months, Jyn joined UL as a full-time software developer. In 2019, Jyn accepted a new job opportunity at ActiveCampaign as a software support engineer. One year later, she was promoted to a full-time software engineer. 

Jyn continues to develop her skills as she is currently learning the React programming language to grow her programming skills. She has also established career and financial security for herself. 

In addition to her career growth, Jyn is giving back to the tech community. She recently received a Fellowship from GET Cities, an initiative designed to accelerate women’s representation and tech leadership. This 9-month fellow program is geared towards women and marginalized genders in tech to help them gain practical skills and navigate building their careers in technology. Fellows learn how to bring new innovative ideas and insights to the table and develop a more dynamic, inclusive work environment within their team and the teams they are yet to be a part of.

Conlin McManus, another graduate of the Bravo Platoon, has also done well in the programming field. Conlin served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Supply Chain and Operations Manager before attending Code Platoon. He excelled in the program, and upon graduation, he secured an internship at Raise, a Code Platoon corporate partner. Over the last three years, Conlin has moved up the company ladder, obtaining a growing technical skillset, professional growth, and financial security. 

Three months into his internship, Conlin was offered a full-time position as a software engineer at Raise. With each successive year, he moved up the ranks to Software Engineer II and is now working in a manager-level role as a Senior Software Engineer Technical Lead where he has nearly doubled his salary. 

Code Platoon helped Jyn and Conlin translate their military skills into a flourishing career in tech. They were able to find jobs in the civilian workforce that they are fervently passionate about. 

Donate and support the Careers of more Veterans like these here.

If you are a Veteran or a military spouse looking to launch into a career in software engineering or programming, you can apply to Code Platoon here. 

Brenna Koss is Code Platoon’s Development and Operations Coordinator. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Greensboro in Political Science and French. In her free time, Brenna loves to travel and spend time with friends and family. Follow Brenna on LinkedIn.