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7210 Career Guide

Marine Corps

7210: Air Defense Control Officer

Career transition guide for Marine Corps Air Defense Control Officer (7210)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 7210 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Air Traffic Controller

$138K
High matchStable demand

Emergency Management Director

$85K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Emergency Management CertificationFEMA Training

Intelligence Analyst

$87K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Data analysis toolsProgramming languages (Python, R)

Logistics Manager

$98K
Moderate matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Supply chain management softwareAPICS certification

Computer Systems Analyst

$99K
Moderate matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Cybersecurity fundamentalsSpecific coding languages

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 7210 training built — and where they transfer.

Rapid Prioritization

Quickly assess incoming threats and allocate resources to the most critical situations while managing multiple engagements simultaneously.

In civilian settings, this translates to effectively managing competing deadlines, triaging urgent issues, and making critical decisions under pressure.

Situational Awareness

Maintaining a constant awareness of the airspace, friendly and hostile forces, and the overall strategic picture to anticipate threats and make informed decisions.

This skill allows you to quickly grasp complex situations, understand the relevant factors, and anticipate potential problems in dynamic environments.

Adversarial Thinking

Anticipating the actions of enemy aircraft and developing strategies to counter their maneuvers and tactics.

This translates to the ability to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities, anticipate the moves of competitors, and develop proactive strategies to mitigate threats.

Resource Optimization

Efficiently allocating and managing available resources (aircraft, missiles, personnel) to achieve mission objectives with minimal waste.

In civilian roles, this involves effectively managing budgets, personnel, and other resources to maximize efficiency and achieve organizational goals.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Emergency Management Director

SOC 11-9161.00

You've been trained to maintain situational awareness under high pressure, prioritize resources effectively, and coordinate responses to rapidly evolving threats. This translates perfectly to managing disaster response and mitigation efforts for a community or organization.

Logistics Manager

SOC 11-3071.00

You've mastered the art of resource allocation, coordination, and strategic planning. As a Logistics Manager, you'll use these skills to oversee supply chains, optimize inventory levels, and ensure the efficient movement of goods and materials.

Business Continuity Planner

SOC 13-1199.00

Your experience in maintaining operational effectiveness during degraded mode operations and anticipating adversarial actions makes you an ideal candidate to develop and implement plans to ensure business operations continue under adverse conditions and anticipate potential disruptions.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Air Defense Control Officer Course, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, CA

480 training hours12 weeksUp to 6 semester hours recommended in military science

Topics Covered

  • Airspace Management
  • Radar Systems Operation and Maintenance
  • Tactical Data Link Management
  • Air Intercept Control Procedures
  • Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) Employment
  • Threat Assessment and Identification
  • Electronic Warfare Principles
  • Command and Control Systems

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

FAA Air Traffic Controller60% covered

Differences in regulations, airspace management, and communication procedures specific to civilian air traffic control.

Project Management Professional (PMP)40% covered

Formal project management methodologies, documentation, and stakeholder management techniques not explicitly covered in air defense control.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)CompTIA Security+GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)

Technical Systems Translation

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

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR)Next Generation Phased Array Weather Radar, Air Traffic Control Radar
AN/TSQ-223 Tactical Air Operations Module (TAOM)Mobile Command Centers, Emergency Response Vehicle Command Systems
Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS)Commercial artillery or weapons planning software
Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S)Air Traffic Control Systems, Flight Management Systems (FMS)
Link 16Military-grade encrypted communications networks
Improved HAWK Missile SystemAir defense systems, missile defense systems

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