Fire Control Specialist
$75KHigh match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Civilian-specific fire control systems training
Live · Guide v1.00861 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
Home/Career Guides/0861
USMC · 0861Career Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.0861.R.04
0861 · USMC · EnlistedFire Support
Fire Support
Man.
Marine Corps 0861 (Fire Support Man). 480 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $68K–$95K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours480DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours recommended
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage2/5direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 0861 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Sort · Match descending
/ 02 · Skill Bridge
The gap, named.
What 0861 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have06
- 01Situational Awareness→ Quick assessment of complex systems and environments
- 02Rapid Prioritization→ Effective decision-making in high-pressure environments
- 03Team Synchronization→ Collaboration and coordination within diverse teams
- 04System Modeling→ Understanding and predicting behavior of complex systems
- 05Naval Gunfire Procedures→ Process development and documentation
- 06Target Acquisition→ Data gathering and analysis
To learn09
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+SQL for data querying+Python (pandas) for data manipulation+Data visualization techniques (Tableau, PowerBI)+ITIL framework for IT service management+Cloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, GCP)+Python for test automation+Selenium for web testing+Jira and Confluence for project tracking+Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →/ 03 · Civilian Pathways
Where your code lands.
Surveyor
$68KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Civilian surveying certification
- — Proficiency in specific surveying software (e.g., AutoCAD Civil 3D)
Emergency Management Specialist
$72KGood match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — FEMA certifications (e.g., ICS, NIMS)
- — Knowledge of local emergency response protocols
Construction Project Manager
$95KModerate match
Very high demand
Skills to develop
- — Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
- — Knowledge of construction-specific software
- — Understanding of building codes and regulations
Data Analyst
$80KModerate match
Very high demand
Skills to develop
- — Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Python, R, SQL)
- — Data visualization skills (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
- — Statistical analysis knowledge
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 0861 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Situational Awareness
Fire support men maintain constant vigilance over the battlefield, integrating information from multiple sources (visual, electronic, reports) to understand the disposition of friendly and enemy forces, terrain, and environmental factors. They anticipate how these factors will affect fire missions.
Transfers to
This translates to an ability to quickly assess complex, dynamic environments, understand the relationships between different elements, and anticipate potential problems or opportunities.
Rapid Prioritization
In rapidly evolving combat situations, fire support men must quickly assess the urgency and importance of different fire support requests, prioritizing those that pose the greatest threat to friendly forces or offer the greatest tactical advantage.
Transfers to
This skill allows for quick and effective decision-making in high-pressure environments, enabling you to focus on the most critical tasks and allocate resources accordingly.
Team Synchronization
Fire support men work closely with artillery units, naval gunnery, air support, and ground forces. Coordinating fire missions requires seamless communication, mutual understanding, and the ability to anticipate the needs of other team members.
Transfers to
This demonstrates a strong ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams, coordinate complex activities, and ensure that everyone is working towards a common goal.
System Modeling
Fire support personnel must understand the capabilities and limitations of various weapon systems (artillery, naval guns, aircraft), the effects of terrain and weather on ballistics, and the procedures for requesting and adjusting fire. They build a mental model of how these elements interact to achieve desired effects.
Transfers to
This translates to an ability to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems, identify key variables, and optimize performance through careful planning and execution.
/ 05 · Non-Obvious Matches
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 11-9161.00You've been trained to maintain situational awareness in high-pressure environments. Your skills in rapidly prioritizing tasks and coordinating resources make you exceptionally well-prepared to manage emergency response efforts. You can develop and execute plans to mitigate disasters and ensure public safety, similar to how you planned fire missions.
Adjacent · MatchLogistics Analyst
SOC 13-2081.00You've been trained to understand the capabilities and limitations of various assets. Your ability to quickly assess complex situations, coordinate teams, and understand system modeling make you exceptionally well-suited to analyze and optimize supply chain operations and resource allocation, ensuring efficient delivery of goods and services.
Adjacent · MatchTechnical Trainer
SOC 25-9041.00You've been trained to coordinate teams and understand complex systems. Your experience in system modeling makes you exceptionally well-prepared to translate technical concepts into easily understandable formats for diverse audiences, ensuring that others can operate effectively.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Fire Support Man Course
Fort Sill, OK480hHours
12wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 6 semester hours recommended
Topics · 7
- Forward Observer Procedures
- Call for Fire Procedures
- Naval Gunfire Procedures
- Laser Target Designation
- Target Acquisition
- Fire Support Planning
- Close Air Support Integration
Partial coverage · 2
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP)40%
CSP focuses on broader safety engineering principles, risk management, and regulatory compliance, which require study beyond the specific fire support context.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)30%
PMP focuses on project management methodologies, resource allocation, and stakeholder communication. Military experience provides a foundation in planning and execution, but PMP requires broader project management knowledge.
Recommended next · 03
- Geospatial Intelligence Professional Certification (GISP)Adjacent
- Remote Sensing Professional Certification (RSP)Adjacent
- Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Operations CertificationAdjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| AN/PEQ-1 SOFLAM Laser Marker | Industrial laser target designators and rangefinders | Operations |
| AN/PAS-27A Medium Range Thermal Biocular (MRTB) | High-resolution thermal imaging binoculars for hunting/wildlife observation | Operations |
| Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) | Civilian equivalents include mapping and fire planning software, such as ESRI ArcGIS with military overlay capabilities. | Operations |
| Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR) | Surveying equipment with laser rangefinding capabilities | Operations |
| Joint Fires Observer (JFO) Target Mensuration Tools | Geospatial measurement tools within GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS) or dedicated surveying apps | Operations |
| Precision Fires - Dismounted (PF-D) | Mobile ballistic calculator applications for hunting and long-range shooting | Operations |
| Digital Magnetic Compass (DMC) | Professional-grade handheld GPS devices with digital compass functionality and surveying apps for mapping and navigation. | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 0861 into a resume that ships.
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.