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63A2 Career Guide

Air Force

63A2: Acquisition Manager

Career transition guide for Air Force Acquisition Manager (63A2)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 63A2 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Program Manager

$140K
High matchHigh demand

Project Manager

$120K
High matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

PMP Certification

Management Consultant

$150K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

MBAIndustry-specific knowledge

Logistics Manager

$100K
Good matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Supply chain management certification

Defense Contractor

$130K
High matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Security Clearance (if required)

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 63A2 training built — and where they transfer.

System Modeling

As a 63A2, you're constantly building and refining mental models of complex acquisition programs, anticipating how changes in one area will ripple through the entire system.

This ability to visualize interconnectedness translates to understanding complex business ecosystems and predicting the impact of strategic decisions.

Resource Optimization

You are responsible for managing program budgets, schedules, and personnel, ensuring the best possible outcome with the resources available.

This means you excel at identifying inefficiencies, streamlining processes, and maximizing ROI – skills highly valued in any business environment.

Rapid Prioritization

Acquisition programs face constant challenges and shifting priorities. You must quickly assess the impact of these changes and adjust your plans accordingly.

This ability to triage urgent matters from important ones allows you to maintain focus, delegate effectively, and keep projects on track under pressure.

Adversarial Thinking

Working in defense acquisition requires constant awareness of potential risks, vulnerabilities, and counter strategies from adversaries that could impact project success.

This translates directly into your ability to stress-test projects, anticipate challenges, and proactively develop mitigation plans, a skill in high demand in competitive business landscape.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Supply Chain Consultant

SOC 13-1199.00

You've been managing the lifecycle of complex systems in the military. As a Supply Chain Consultant, you can apply this knowledge to optimize supply chains for businesses, improving efficiency and reducing costs.

Business Process Re-engineering Specialist

SOC 13-1111.00

You've been identifying and resolving issues in acquisition programs. As a Business Process Re-engineering Specialist, you can use these problem-solving skills to streamline business operations and improve organizational efficiency.

Financial Risk Analyst

SOC 13-2051.00

You've been managing multi-million dollar budgets and predicting risks in acquisitions. As a Financial Risk Analyst, you can apply this experience to evaluate financial risks for companies, providing valuable insights to leadership.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP), various locations

240 training hours6 weeksUp to 6 semester hours in business administration or management recommended

Topics Covered

  • •Defense Acquisition Policy and Law
  • •Program Management Fundamentals
  • •Cost Estimation and Analysis
  • •Contract Management
  • •Risk Management
  • •Systems Engineering
  • •Life Cycle Logistics
  • •Earned Value Management

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Project Management Professional (PMP)70% covered

Requires studying the PMI PMBOK guide, focusing on areas like stakeholder management, communications management, and risk management processes from a civilian project management perspective. Also needs to understand the PMP exam format and practice answering situational questions.

Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM)60% covered

While experience in defense acquisition is valuable, the CFCM requires a detailed understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and related federal contracting laws and procedures. Study the FAR and contract law. Some topics may be new.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM)Program Management Professional (PgMP)Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Technical Systems Translation

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

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Defense Acquisition Management Information Retrieval (DAMIR)Project Management Software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana)
Automated Business Services System (ABSS)Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle)
Comprehensive Cost and Requirements (CCaR) systemCost estimation and analysis software (e.g., SEER, PRICE)
Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS)Requirements Management Platforms (e.g., Jama Software, Helix ALM)
Systems Engineering Management Chart (SEMC)Gantt Charts & Project Scheduling Software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Primavera P6)
Earned Value Management System (EVMS)Earned Value Management Software (e.g., Deltek Cobra, Acumen Fuse)

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