Avionics Technician
$75KGood match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license
- — Modern avionics systems training
Live · Guide v1.016B · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
Home/Career Guides/16B
ARMY · 16BCareer Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.16B.R.04
16B · ARMY · EnlistedNike-Hercules Missile
Nike-Hercules Missile
Crewmember.
Army 16B (Nike-Hercules Missile Crewmember). 480 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $60K–$85K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours480DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours recommended in electromechanical technology
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage3/6direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 16B 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 16B training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have05
- 01Procedural Compliance→ Following established coding standards and deployment processes.
- 02Team Synchronization→ Collaborating with development and operations teams to achieve common goals.
- 03Situational Awareness→ Monitoring system performance and identifying potential issues.
- 04Degraded-Mode Operations→ Troubleshooting and resolving issues under pressure to minimize downtime.
- 05Rapid Prioritization→ Quickly assessing and addressing critical system vulnerabilities.
To learn10
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Linux command line+Cloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud)+Configuration management tools (e.g., Ansible, Chef, Puppet)+Scripting with Python or Bash+Networking fundamentals+System administration (Windows or Linux)+Cybersecurity fundamentals+Vulnerability scanning and penetration testing basics+Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)+SQL for database querying
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.
Quality Control Inspector
$60KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Six Sigma certification
- — Specific industry quality control standards (e.g., ISO 9001)
Technical Trainer
$70KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Instructional design principles
- — Adult learning methodologies
- — Platform-specific certifications (e.g., CompTIA CTT+)
Maintenance Supervisor
$85KHigh match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — Project management certification (e.g., PMP)
- — OSHA safety standards training
Emergency Management Specialist
$72KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — FEMA certifications (e.g., IS-100, IS-200, IS-700)
- — HAZMAT handling certification
- — Disaster planning experience
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 16B training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Procedural Compliance
Adhering strictly to complex, multi-step safety protocols and operational procedures is paramount when handling missiles and related equipment to prevent accidents and ensure mission success. Lives depend on it.
Transfers to
The ability to consistently and accurately follow established procedures, even under pressure, ensuring safety and operational integrity.
Team Synchronization
Coordinating and synchronizing the actions of a launching section during missile assembly, pre-fire checks, and launch sequences demands precise timing and communication to achieve a unified effort.
Transfers to
The capacity to orchestrate team efforts by aligning individual contributions with overall objectives through clear communication and coordinated action.
Situational Awareness
Maintaining constant awareness of the status of equipment, environmental conditions, and potential threats to react effectively to changing circumstances and make informed decisions.
Transfers to
The ability to perceive and understand the environment and predict its future state, allowing for proactive decision-making.
Degraded-Mode Operations
Quickly identifying malfunctions during missile firings (or misfires) and implementing emergency shutdown procedures requires clear thinking and calm execution to mitigate potential hazards and prevent damage.
Transfers to
Maintaining effectiveness and making critical decisions under stress or when systems fail.
Rapid Prioritization
Quickly triaging and prioritizing tasks during missile assembly and launch preparations ensures efficient resource allocation and on-time execution of critical operations.
Transfers to
Effectively assessing the urgency and importance of tasks to allocate resources and focus efforts on the most critical objectives.
/ 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 rigorously trained to handle high-stakes situations requiring precise execution and adherence to protocol. That experience directly translates to planning and coordinating responses to natural disasters and other emergencies, where lives depend on your ability to manage complex operations under pressure.
Adjacent · MatchIndustrial Safety Engineer
SOC 17-2111.00Your experience in enforcing safety standards and managing hazardous materials in a high-risk environment makes you an ideal candidate to design and implement safety programs in industrial settings. You've already mastered the art of preventing accidents and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Adjacent · MatchLogistics Coordinator
SOC 43-3071.00You've honed your expertise in coordinating complex logistical operations in the military, including the transportation, storage, and maintenance of sensitive equipment. Your proven ability to manage resources efficiently and ensure timely delivery makes you an excellent fit for overseeing supply chains and coordinating shipments.
Adjacent · MatchNuclear Technician
SOC 19-4051.00Given your experience with complex systems and strict safety protocols, you're well-prepared to monitor radiation, operate specialized equipment, and ensure regulatory compliance in nuclear facilities. You understand the critical importance of precision and accountability, making you a valuable asset in this field.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Air Defense Artillery Missile Crewmember Training
Fort Sill, OK480hHours
12wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 6 semester hours recommended in electromechanical technology
Topics · 8
- Nike-Hercules Missile System Overview
- Missile Assembly and Disassembly Procedures
- Warhead Handling and Safety
- Launcher Operation and Maintenance
- Firing Panel Operation and Maintenance
- Pre-Fire Checks and Adjustments
- Emergency Procedures (Misfire, Shutdown)
- Emplacement and March Order Operations
Partial coverage · 3
- Certified Electronics Technician (CET)60%
Requires study of current electronics theory, troubleshooting methodologies, and specific civilian electronic systems not covered in the military training. Could require hands-on practice with modern electronic equipment.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)40%
Requires formal project management training, understanding of PMBOK guidelines, and experience applying project management principles in a civilian context.
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry50%
Requires specific knowledge of OSHA regulations and standards relevant to general industry, hazard recognition, and safety management systems. Focus on areas outside of military-specific safety protocols.
Recommended next · 03
- Certified Manager (CM)Adjacent
- Lean Six Sigma Green BeltAdjacent
- Associate Safety Professional (ASP)Adjacent
/ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nike-Hercules Missile System | Surface-to-air missile systems, similar to Patriot or other defense systems | Weapons |
| AN/MPQ-4A Radar | Long-range early warning radar systems | Signals |
| Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) | Air traffic control or emergency management command centers | Networking |
| Missile Launching System | Automated industrial robotics for handling hazardous materials | Weapons |
| AN/TRC-29 Radio Set | Long-range radio communication systems | Operations |
| Technical Manuals (TMs) | OEM equipment operation/maintenance manuals and diagnostic tools | Operations |
| Missile Assembly and Disassembly Tools | Precision hand tools and power tools | Weapons |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 16B 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.