13X1 Career Guide
13X1: Special Tactics Airman
Career transition guide for Air Force Special Tactics Airman (13X1)
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Top civilian roles for 13X1 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Air Traffic Controller
Skills to develop:
Intelligence Analyst
Skills to develop:
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Technician/Operator
Skills to develop:
Emergency Management Specialist
Skills to develop:
Construction Surveyor
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 13X1 training built — and where they transfer.
Situational Awareness
Maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the battlefield, including air traffic, enemy positions, and environmental conditions, to ensure mission success and safety.
The ability to perceive and understand the surrounding environment and anticipate potential changes or threats, crucial for making informed decisions in dynamic settings.
Rapid Prioritization
Quickly assessing and prioritizing tasks such as air traffic control, target identification, and communication relays under pressure and time constraints.
Efficiently determining the importance and urgency of multiple tasks, enabling effective management of workload and resources in fast-paced environments.
Degraded-Mode Operations
Effectively performing duties and maintaining control of air operations even when equipment malfunctions, communication lines are disrupted, or under adverse environmental conditions.
The ability to adapt and continue functioning effectively when systems or processes fail, ensuring minimal disruption and maintaining productivity under challenging circumstances.
Team Synchronization
Coordinating with aircrews, ground forces, and support personnel to ensure seamless integration of air and ground operations, enhancing overall mission effectiveness.
Orchestrating efforts among team members to achieve common goals, ensuring efficient communication, collaboration, and shared understanding of objectives.
Resource Optimization
Efficiently managing available resources such as aircraft, personnel, and equipment to maximize operational effectiveness and minimize waste.
Strategically allocating and managing resources to achieve the best possible outcomes, balancing competing needs and maximizing efficiency.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 11-9161.00You've been responsible for maintaining situational awareness in chaotic environments, rapidly prioritizing tasks under pressure, and coordinating with multiple teams. This translates directly to managing emergency response efforts, assessing damage, and allocating resources effectively during crises.
Logistics Coordinator
SOC 43-3071.00Your experience in resource optimization and team synchronization makes you an ideal candidate. You've managed complex operations involving multiple moving parts, ensuring that personnel, equipment, and information are in the right place at the right time. This is exactly what logistics coordination entails: planning, organizing, and overseeing the flow of goods and resources.
Intelligence Analyst
SOC 15-2051.00You've honed skills in situational awareness and pattern recognition, which are directly transferable to intelligence analysis. You're adept at gathering and interpreting information, identifying trends, and providing actionable insights to decision-makers. Your military background gives you a unique perspective on analyzing threats and mitigating risks.
Airfield Operations Specialist
SOC 53-2011.00You have direct experience with air traffic control, maintaining the safety and efficiency of aircraft operations. You understand airfield procedures, weather patterns, and emergency response protocols. Your expertise makes you well-suited to manage airfield operations, ensuring compliance with regulations and coordinating activities to keep air traffic flowing smoothly.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Special Warfare Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, TX and various follow-on locations
Topics Covered
- •Air Traffic Control Fundamentals
- •Small Unit Tactics
- •Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)
- •Combat Lifesaver Skills
- •Parachuting (Static Line and Freefall)
- •Close Air Support (CAS) Procedures
- •Reconnaissance and Surveillance Techniques
- •Demolitions
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
FAA regulations, specific ATC equipment operation, and civilian airspace procedures.
In-depth knowledge of information security principles, risk management, security architecture, and legal/compliance issues specific to civilian IT environments.
Civilian airspace regulations, weather considerations for UAS, and specific operational requirements under Part 107.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Joint Fires Observer (JFO) equipment (Laser Target Designators, Radios) | Surveying equipment, handheld GPS, and two-way radios used in construction and surveying |
| AN/PRC-117G Multiband Manpack Radio | Motorola APX series P25 portable radios used by public safety |
| Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers (DAGR, PLGR) | Trimble GPS surveying equipment, handheld GPS devices (Garmin) |
| Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) (e.g., RQ-11 Raven, RQ-20 Puma) | DJI Matrice series drones used in infrastructure inspection, agriculture, and cinematography |
| Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) | Civilian Air Traffic Control Radar Systems |
| Night Vision Devices (NODs/NVGs) | FLIR thermal cameras used in security and surveillance |
| Blue Force Tracker (BFT) | Real-time GPS fleet management systems |
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