16S Career Guide
16S: Air Defense Battle Management System Operator
Career transition guide for Army Air Defense Battle Management System Operator (16S)
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Top civilian roles for 16S veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Security Manager
Skills to develop:
Maintenance Supervisor
Skills to develop:
Technical Trainer
Skills to develop:
Emergency Management Specialist
Skills to develop:
Logistics Coordinator
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 16S training built — and where they transfer.
Situational Awareness
As an ADA senior sergeant, you constantly monitor the airspace and battlefield environment to identify potential threats and ensure the MANPADS team is ready to respond effectively.
This translates directly to an ability to maintain a high level of alertness and understanding of your surroundings, crucial for anticipating and adapting to changing conditions in any dynamic setting.
Rapid Prioritization
In high-pressure scenarios, you're responsible for quickly assessing threats, allocating resources, and directing your team's actions in the most effective sequence.
Your experience enables you to efficiently triage competing demands and focus on the most critical tasks first, a skill highly valued in fast-paced civilian environments.
Team Synchronization
You lead and coordinate the MANPADS team, ensuring everyone works together seamlessly to achieve mission objectives under pressure.
This skill demonstrates your proficiency in orchestrating group efforts, fostering clear communication, and ensuring all members are aligned and contributing optimally towards common goals.
Procedural Compliance
Adhering to strict protocols and regulations is paramount in your role, ensuring the safe and effective operation of the MANPADS system.
You're adept at following guidelines and maintaining consistent performance, a valuable asset in industries requiring precision and adherence to established standards.
System Modeling
Your expertise with the MANPADS system allows you to understand its capabilities, limitations, and interactions with other systems, enabling effective planning and decision-making.
This showcases your ability to grasp complex systems and predict their behavior, a skill applicable to various analytical and strategic roles in the civilian sector.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 11-9161.00You've been trained to remain calm under pressure and coordinate resources in high-stakes situations. Your ability to assess threats, prioritize actions, and lead teams makes you exceptionally well-suited for emergency response and disaster preparedness.
Logistics Analyst
SOC 13-2081.00You've been responsible for maintaining and managing complex systems. Your experience in planning, resource allocation, and procedural compliance translates seamlessly into optimizing supply chains and ensuring efficient operations.
Intelligence Analyst
SOC 13-2011.00You've honed your skills in situational awareness and threat assessment. Your ability to gather, analyze, and interpret information makes you a strong candidate for identifying patterns and providing actionable insights in various intelligence-related roles.
Technical Trainer
SOC 25-9041.00You've developed expertise in complex systems. Your experience in instructing and mentoring junior personnel equips you to excel at communicating technical knowledge and ensuring proficiency in others.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Air Defense Battle Management System Operator (16S) Training, Fort Sill, OK
Topics Covered
- •AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel Radar Operation
- •AN/TSQ-73 Missile Minder Operation
- •Air Defense Planning
- •Electronic Warfare Principles
- •Tactical Communications
- •Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) Employment
- •Airspace Management
- •Battle Drills
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Study specific OSHA construction regulations, focus on areas like fall protection, excavation, and electrical safety, which may not be fully covered in military training.
Focus on the five project management process groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing) as defined by PMI, along with the ten knowledge areas. Study the PMBOK guide.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS | Missile defense systems; Infrared homing technology |
| AN/PSQ-23 Grenadier Weapon Sight (GWS) | Advanced targeting systems; Thermal weapon sights |
| AN/PRC-148 MBITR (Multi-band Inter/Intra Team Radio) | Tactical communication radios; Motorola APX series |
| Patriot Air and Missile Defense System | Integrated air defense systems; Raytheon Missiles & Defense products |
| Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) | Satellite data processing systems; Real-time data analysis platforms |
| Air and Missile Defense Workstation (AMDWS) | Airspace management software; ATC systems |
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