1A791 Career Guide
1A791: Special Missions Aviator
Career transition guide for Air Force Special Missions Aviator (1A791)
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Top civilian roles for 1A791 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Aircraft Mechanic/Avionics Technician
Skills to develop:
Aerospace Engineering Technician
Skills to develop:
Quality Control Inspector
Skills to develop:
Program Manager
Skills to develop:
Security Specialist
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 1A791 training built — and where they transfer.
Situational Awareness
As an airborne armament systems specialist, you constantly monitor the environment, identifying potential threats and changes in operational conditions to ensure mission success and crew safety.
This translates to a keen ability to assess complex situations, anticipate potential problems, and maintain a comprehensive understanding of your surroundings, crucial in dynamic environments.
Rapid Prioritization
During flight operations, you make split-second decisions about which tasks to address first, especially when dealing with malfunctions or changing mission objectives. This is critical for maintaining operational effectiveness and safety.
You excel at quickly assessing competing priorities and making critical decisions under pressure, ensuring the most important tasks are addressed efficiently and effectively.
System Modeling
You develop a deep understanding of how airborne armament systems function, including their components and interactions. This knowledge enables you to troubleshoot issues, optimize performance, and predict potential problems.
You can visualize and understand complex systems, predict their behavior, and identify potential points of failure, making you adept at optimizing processes and solving technical challenges.
Procedural Compliance
You adhere to strict protocols and procedures for inspecting, operating, and maintaining armament systems to ensure safety and operational readiness. Your ability to follow procedures minimizes risk and ensures consistent performance.
You demonstrate a strong commitment to following established procedures and guidelines, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and safety in all tasks.
Team Synchronization
Working as part of an aircrew, you coordinate your actions with pilots, navigators, and other specialists to achieve mission objectives. Effective communication and cooperation are essential for success.
You are skilled at collaborating with others, communicating effectively, and coordinating efforts to achieve shared goals, making you a valuable asset in any team-oriented environment.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 29-9099.00You've been rigorously trained to assess threats, prioritize responses, and maintain situational awareness under pressure. Your experience with complex systems and rapid decision-making translates directly to managing emergency situations and coordinating disaster response efforts.
Logistics Analyst
SOC 13-2081.00You've mastered the intricacies of armament systems, including maintenance, operation, and troubleshooting, providing you with an innate understanding of logistics. Your ability to model systems, optimize resources, and adhere to procedures makes you exceptionally well-suited to analyze and improve supply chain efficiency.
Compliance Officer
SOC 13-1041.00You've demonstrated meticulous adherence to procedures and regulations throughout your military career. Your experience inspecting and maintaining complex systems, combined with your commitment to safety, makes you an ideal candidate to ensure organizations comply with industry standards and legal requirements.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Special Missions Aviator Course, Lackland AFB, TX and various follow-on locations
Topics Covered
- •Aircrew duties
- •Aircraft and airborne armament systems inspection and troubleshooting
- •Scanning duties and NVG operations
- •Safe and effective weapon employment
- •Aircrew training and evaluation procedures
- •Program management fundamentals
- •Configuration management
- •Integrated logistics support
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Knowledge of FAA regulations (14 CFR Parts 65, 91, 121), meteorology, navigation, aircraft performance, and dispatch resource management. Practical application of these areas to flight planning and monitoring.
Formal business management training, financial management, human resources, and marketing within an aviation context. Deeper dive into safety management systems (SMS) and regulatory compliance.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| M240 Machine Gun | Equivalent caliber (.308/7.62mm) semi-automatic rifles for hunting/sport shooting |
| GAU-21 Machine Gun | Heavy machine guns used in industrial or security applications |
| AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) | High-end commercial night vision equipment for surveillance, search and rescue, or nature observation |
| AN/ARC-210 Radio | Advanced aviation VHF/UHF communication radios used in commercial aircraft |
| Airborne Mission Management System (various platforms) | Integrated flight management and mission planning software used in civilian aviation |
| ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispensing System | Similar dispensing systems for agricultural spraying or controlled release of materials |
| Blue Force Tracker (BFT) | Real-time GPS fleet management systems for logistics and transportation |
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