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4E071 Career Guide

Air Force

4E071: Public Health Technician

Career transition guide for Air Force Public Health Technician (4E071)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 4E071 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Environmental Health and Safety Specialist

$75K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

OSHA CertificationsHazard CommunicationEPA Regulations

Food Safety Inspector

$65K
High matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

HACCP CertificationFDA RegulationsFood Safety Auditing

Occupational Health and Safety Technician

$60K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Safety Management SystemsData AnalysisErgonomics

Public Health Educator

$62K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Health Education StrategiesProgram DevelopmentCommunity OutreachGrant Writing

Infection Control Specialist

$80K
Moderate matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

CIC CertificationEpidemiologyData AnalysisAntimicrobial Stewardship

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 4E071 training built — and where they transfer.

Situational Awareness

This role demands constant awareness of environmental conditions, potential health hazards, and the readiness status of personnel. You're continuously monitoring for threats, be they foodborne illnesses, disease outbreaks, or lapses in sanitation standards.

In civilian settings, this translates to a keen ability to perceive and understand the dynamics of complex environments, anticipate potential problems, and maintain a clear understanding of ongoing operations.

Procedural Compliance

Adhering to strict protocols and regulations is paramount in maintaining public health standards within the military. You ensure every inspection, evaluation, and procedure aligns with established guidelines.

This translates to meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to following established protocols and regulations, ensuring consistency and accuracy in all tasks.

After-Action Analysis

Investigating disease outbreaks, food recalls, and occupational illnesses requires thorough analysis to identify root causes and prevent future occurrences. You dissect events, evaluate data, and implement corrective actions.

You're adept at analyzing complex situations, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing strategies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Pattern Recognition

You're trained to spot trends and anomalies in health data, from tracking disease outbreaks to monitoring occupational health trends. This allows for early intervention and proactive prevention strategies.

Your ability to discern patterns from complex information translates into a valuable skill for identifying emerging trends, predicting potential problems, and making informed decisions based on data.

Adversarial Thinking

In food safety and defense, you're always thinking about potential threats, whether intentional contamination or unintentional errors. You're constantly anticipating how things could go wrong to proactively mitigate risks.

This means you can think critically about potential vulnerabilities, assess risks from multiple angles, and develop proactive strategies to protect assets and ensure business continuity.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Compliance Officer

SOC 13-1041

You've been ensuring adherence to stringent regulations in public health. As a Compliance Officer, you'll use your expertise to develop, implement, and monitor compliance programs within organizations, mitigating risks and ensuring ethical conduct.

Health and Safety Manager

SOC 11-9199

You've been managing occupational health programs and ensuring the well-being of personnel. In a similar vein, you'll use your expertise to develop and implement safety policies, conduct risk assessments, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations in various industries.

Emergency Management Specialist

SOC 13-1061

You've been planning and conducting medical readiness programs, preparing for various health-related emergencies. As an Emergency Management Specialist, you will apply your skills to prepare communities and organizations for natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and other crises. You'll develop emergency response plans, conduct training exercises, and coordinate resources to mitigate the impact of emergencies.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Public Health Apprentice Course, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX

560 training hours14 weeksUp to 9 semester hours recommended in applied science or public health.

Topics Covered

  • Food Safety and Defense
  • Sanitation and Hygiene
  • Communicable Disease Control
  • Medical Entomology
  • Occupational Health
  • Preventive Health Assessment and Individual Medical Readiness (PIMR)
  • Medical Readiness Programs
  • Health Risk Communication

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS)70% covered

Requires knowledge of environmental health regulations, water and wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, and potentially a bachelor's degree in environmental health or a related field.

Certified Professional in Food Safety (CP-FS)75% covered

May need to study specific food safety regulations and advanced HACCP principles. Focus on retail food operations if experience is primarily military.

Certified Safety Professional (CSP)30% covered

Requires a bachelor's degree in safety or a related field, plus significant study of safety engineering principles, risk management, and legal/regulatory aspects of safety. Experience in occupational health contributes, but further study is needed.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)Certified in Public Health (CPH)OSHA 30-Hour General Industry or ConstructionCertified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS)Hospital supply chain management systems (e.g., Premier, GHX)
Aerospace Medicine Management System (AMMS)Electronic health record (EHR) systems with occupational health modules (e.g., Epic, Cerner)
Food Risk Assessment Program (FRAP)HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) compliance software
Disease Reporting System internet (DRSi)National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS)
Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)OSHA-compliant audiometric testing and recordkeeping software
Preventive Health Assessment and Individual Medical Readiness (PIMR)Employee health and wellness program management platforms
Entomological Sciences ProgramVector control and pest management software (e.g., PestPac)

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