1B156 Career Guide
1B156: Airfield Systems Specialist
Career transition guide for Air Force Airfield Systems Specialist (1B156)
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Top civilian roles for 1B156 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Avionics Technician
Electronics Technician
Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer
Skills to develop:
Wind Turbine Technician
Skills to develop:
Electrical Engineer
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 1B156 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
Airfield Systems specialists analyze system characteristics, local terrain, and planned base facilities to determine optimal equipment positioning and ensure seamless integration within the existing infrastructure.
This translates to the ability to create and understand complex systems and their interactions, crucial for designing, implementing, and troubleshooting networked systems in various industries.
Procedural Compliance
These specialists adhere to strict maintenance management publications and procedures to ensure the safety and reliability of airfield systems. They enforce safety standards and meticulously follow protocols for installation, repair, and inspection.
This demonstrates a strong commitment to following established procedures and regulations, a valuable asset in fields requiring adherence to industry standards and safety protocols.
Degraded-Mode Operations
Airfield Systems specialists are skilled in maintaining and repairing equipment, using specialized test equipment and software to isolate malfunctions. They can diagnose and resolve issues under pressure to ensure continued operational capability.
This ability to troubleshoot and repair complex systems under pressure is highly transferable to civilian roles where maintaining uptime and resolving technical issues quickly is critical.
Situational Awareness
These specialists maintain a constant awareness of the operational status of airfield systems, interpreting inspection findings to determine the adequacy of corrective actions and ensuring continuous safe operation.
This ability to assess and understand the surrounding environment and operational context is valuable in roles where monitoring and responding to changing conditions is essential.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
SCADA Systems Specialist
SOC 17-3029.08You've been maintaining complex airfield systems. As a SCADA specialist, you'll use your expertise to monitor and control industrial processes, ensuring efficiency and reliability, much like you did with air traffic control systems.
Wind Turbine Technician
SOC 49-9099.01Your experience with installing, maintaining, and repairing electronic and mechanical systems translates perfectly to wind turbine maintenance. You're already skilled in troubleshooting, diagnostics, and working with complex equipment in demanding environments.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic
SOC 49-9041.00You've honed your skills in maintaining and repairing complex systems. Now, you can apply that expertise to ensuring the smooth operation of industrial machinery, using your problem-solving abilities to troubleshoot and fix equipment, preventing costly downtime.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Airfield Systems Apprentice Course, Keesler AFB, MS
Topics Covered
- •Basic Electronics Theory
- •Airfield Navigation Aids (NAVAIDS) Principles
- •Ground-to-Air Radio Systems Maintenance
- •Meteorological Equipment Maintenance
- •Air Traffic Control (ATC) Systems
- •Troubleshooting and Repair Techniques
- •Flight Inspection Procedures
- •Supervisory and Management Principles
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Requires studying specific electronics principles, troubleshooting techniques outside military equipment, and hands-on experience with a wider variety of electronic devices.
Requires study of FAA regulations, aircraft-specific avionics systems (beyond military), and practical experience in general aviation or commercial aviation environments.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| AN/TRN-26 TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation System) | Civilian TACAN equivalents, VOR/DME (VHF Omnidirectional Range/Distance Measuring Equipment) |
| AN/MRN-69 ILS (Instrument Landing System) | Commercial ILS systems used at civilian airports |
| AN/GMD-27 Radio Theodolite System | Meteorological radiosonde systems for weather data collection |
| Airfield Lighting Systems (e.g., ALSF-2, MALSR) | Airport lighting systems and control, FAA standards |
| Digital Airport Surveillance Radar (DASR) | Commercial airport surveillance radar systems |
| NAVWAR (Navigation Warfare) equipment | GPS spoofing and jamming detection/mitigation technologies |
| TMAS (Technical Manual Application System) | IETMS (Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals) or other digital documentation management systems |
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