New Cohort Starts:

Donate

11GX Career Guide

Air Force

11GX: Airfield Operations Officer

Career transition guide for Air Force Airfield Operations Officer (11GX)

Translate Your 11GX Experience Now

Get a personalized AI-powered translation of your military experience into civilian resume language.

Start Free Translation

Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 11GX veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Airline Pilot

$200K
High matchVery high demand

Flight Instructor

$85K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ratingCommercial Pilot License (CPL)

Airfield Operations Manager

$110K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Airport Management certificationFamiliarity with FAA regulations (Part 139)

Management Consultant

$130K
Moderate matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

MBA or relevant Master's degreeConsulting experience or internshipsIndustry-specific knowledge (e.g., aerospace, defense)

Emergency Management Director

$80K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) certificationFEMA training courses (ICS, NIMS)Local government experience

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 11GX training built — and where they transfer.

Rapid Prioritization

Quickly assessing the urgency and importance of various flying operations, training programs, and budgetary needs to allocate attention and resources effectively.

Swiftly determining the most critical tasks or issues in a dynamic environment, enabling efficient allocation of time, effort, and resources to maximize impact.

System Modeling

Developing comprehensive plans and policies, including contingency plans, by understanding how different elements interact within complex aviation systems.

Creating models and simulations to analyze and predict the behavior of complex systems, enabling proactive decision-making and strategic planning.

Resource Optimization

Preparing and coordinating budgets, analyzing manpower requirements, and developing equipment requirements to ensure efficient use of available resources.

Allocating resources strategically to achieve maximum output or impact while minimizing waste and inefficiency.

Situational Awareness

Monitoring and evaluating flying operations to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the operational environment and identify potential risks or opportunities.

Maintaining a broad understanding of the environment and circumstances, allowing for quick assessment of risk and informed decision-making.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Emergency Management Director

SOC 11-9161.00

You've been developing contingency plans and maintaining situational awareness in high-stakes environments. Your experience in coordinating resources and responding to crises translates directly to managing emergency response efforts at a local, state, or federal level.

Logistics Manager

SOC 11-3071.00

You've been optimizing resources and managing complex operations. Your experience with budgeting, manpower analysis, and equipment requirements makes you ideally suited to manage supply chains and ensure the efficient flow of goods and services within an organization.

Business Continuity Planner

SOC 13-1199.00

You're skilled in developing contingency plans and understanding complex system interdependencies. This translates to helping organizations prepare for and recover from disruptions, ensuring minimal impact on operations.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Airfield Operations Officer Course, Keesler AFB, MS

320 training hours8 weeksUp to 6 semester hours recommended

Topics Covered

  • Airfield Management
  • Air Traffic Control Procedures
  • Base Recovery After Attack
  • Contingency Planning
  • Flight Operations
  • Airfield Safety
  • Airspace Management

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Manager (CM)70% covered

The CM certification requires demonstration of management skills and knowledge. The 11GX role provides significant coverage of planning, policy development, and operational oversight. Gaps include specific business management principles, financial management, and potentially human resources management topics not directly covered in the military role.

Project Management Professional (PMP)60% covered

The 11GX role involves planning, coordinating, and executing operational plans, which aligns with project management principles. Gaps include formal project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall), detailed knowledge of project management tools and techniques, and the specific PMP exam content based on the PMBOK Guide.

SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)40% covered

The role touches on manpower requirements and personnel policies, offering some exposure to HR-related activities. Gaps would primarily be in-depth knowledge of HR functions such as recruitment, compensation and benefits, employee relations, employment law, and HR strategic planning.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Aviation Manager (CAM)Airport Certified Employee (ACE) - OperationsMaster Planner - American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS)Flight planning software (e.g., ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot)
AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR)Advanced Weather Radar Systems (e.g., those used in commercial aviation)
Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL)Real-time data link systems (e.g., used in transportation logistics or emergency response)
Global Air Traffic Management (GATM)Commercial Air Traffic Control Systems (e.g., those managed by the FAA)
Link 16Military-grade encrypted communication networks
AN/ALQ-131 Electronic Countermeasures PodRF jamming and countermeasures technology

Ready to Translate Your Experience?

Our AI-powered translator converts your 11GX experience into ATS-optimized civilian resume language.

Translate My Resume — Free