5964 Career Guide
5964: Air Defense Systems Technician
Career transition guide for Marine Corps Air Defense Systems Technician (5964)
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Top civilian roles for 5964 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Air Traffic Controller
Skills to develop:
Emergency Management Specialist
Skills to develop:
Network Systems Administrator
Skills to develop:
Cybersecurity Analyst
Skills to develop:
Technical Support Specialist
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 5964 training built — and where they transfer.
Situational Awareness
As a 5964, you constantly monitor a vast array of data feeds from air, ground, and naval operations, requiring you to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the evolving tactical environment.
This translates to an exceptional ability to quickly grasp the dynamics of complex situations, anticipate potential problems, and proactively adjust strategies to maintain a competitive edge.
Rapid Prioritization
You routinely make split-second decisions regarding the urgency and importance of incoming information, prioritizing communication relays and responses during critical events.
This skill showcases your ability to efficiently manage multiple tasks, assess their relative importance, and allocate resources effectively under pressure. You excel at quickly identifying what truly matters and focusing your efforts accordingly.
Procedural Compliance
Adherence to strict protocols and regulations is paramount when operating communications, detection, and weapons systems. You ensure all actions comply with established guidelines to maintain operational effectiveness and safety.
Your dedication to following established procedures demonstrates your commitment to quality, accuracy, and risk mitigation. You understand the importance of structured processes and consistently adhere to standards to deliver reliable results.
Team Synchronization
Relaying critical communications effectively to air, naval, and ground forces requires precise communication and coordination within a team to ensure smooth operation.
Working in sync with a team to achieve a common goal using clear and concise communication demonstrates an ability to work well with others.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 11-9161.00You've been implementing emergency plans for natural and wartime disasters, so you have direct experience mitigating risk. Your ability to relay command center information translates seamlessly into coordinating disaster response efforts.
Logistics Analyst
SOC 13-2081.00You've been maintaining and relaying critical communications between air, naval, and ground forces, so you excel at managing complex information flows. You're adept at optimizing processes, skills crucial for logistics and supply chain management.
Intelligence Analyst
SOC 27-3091.00You've been monitoring surveillance and detection systems, interpreting tactical situations, and making recommendations, so your analytical skills are top-notch. Your pattern recognition abilities and expertise in data interpretation are highly valuable in intelligence roles.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Air Defense Systems Technician Course, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA
Topics Covered
- •AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR Radar System Operations and Maintenance
- •AN/MPQ-62 Continuous Wave Acquisition Radar (CWIR) Operations
- •Advanced Communication Systems Troubleshooting
- •Missile System Diagnostics and Repair
- •Electronic Warfare Principles
- •Networked Air Defense System Architecture
- •Airspace Management Procedures
- •Live Fire Exercises
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Requires knowledge of enterprise security architecture, risk management frameworks, and security governance principles. Study incident response, business continuity planning, and legal/regulatory compliance.
While familiar with military comms security, needs deeper understanding of network security, cryptography, access control, and vulnerability management in civilian IT environments. Review incident response and risk management.
Needs to learn formal project management methodologies (PMBOK), including initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing projects. Focus on stakeholder management, resource allocation, and risk assessment.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) | Next Generation Air Traffic Control Radar |
| Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) | Integrated Airspace Management System |
| Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) | Automated command and control systems |
| AN/MRC-142 Tactical Radio System | Satellite Communication Systems |
| Joint Automated Deep Operations Coordination System (JADOCS) | Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) platforms |
| Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) | Advanced Long-Range Surveillance System |
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