86M0 Career Guide
86M0: Airfield Management Operations
Career transition guide for Air Force Airfield Management Operations (86M0)
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Top civilian roles for 86M0 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Training and Development Manager
Skills to develop:
Emergency Management Director
Skills to develop:
Management Analyst
Skills to develop:
Compliance Officer
Skills to develop:
Business Continuity Planner
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 86M0 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
As an 86M0, you developed comprehensive models of complex military operations, understanding the interplay of various units, equipment, and personnel to predict outcomes and optimize strategies.
This translates directly into the ability to create and analyze business models, financial forecasts, or logistical systems, allowing you to predict potential issues and identify areas for improvement in a corporate setting.
After-Action Analysis
You rigorously analyzed the effectiveness of training programs and operational exercises, identifying areas of strength and weakness, and recommending specific corrective actions to improve future performance.
This skill is invaluable in any role requiring continuous improvement, such as quality assurance, process optimization, or project management. You can bring a data-driven approach to identifying bottlenecks and implementing solutions.
Situational Awareness
You maintained a high level of awareness regarding the status of operations, potential threats, and available resources, enabling you to make informed decisions under pressure and adapt to changing circumstances.
This heightened awareness makes you an asset in dynamic environments like crisis management, risk assessment, or even sales and business development, where you can anticipate challenges and capitalize on opportunities.
Rapid Prioritization
You were constantly required to assess competing priorities and make quick decisions regarding resource allocation and task management in order to achieve mission objectives.
Your ability to rapidly prioritize competing demands is highly valuable in fast-paced civilian roles like project management, emergency management, or even in entrepreneurial ventures, where you need to quickly assess situations and decide where to focus your efforts.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Business Continuity Planner
SOC 13-1199.00You've been developing operational plans and programs, managing tactical activities, and providing assessments of operations effectiveness in the military. This background perfectly aligns with the responsibilities of a Business Continuity Planner, who develops and implements strategies to ensure business operations continue with minimal disruption in the event of a disaster or emergency.
Management Consultant
SOC 13-1111.00You've been interpreting policy, developing operational concepts, and monitoring plans and programs to implement operations. As a Management Consultant, you can leverage your analytical and problem-solving skills to help organizations improve their performance and efficiency by analyzing their operations, identifying problems, and recommending solutions.
Emergency Management Director
SOC 11-9161.00You've been planning, executing, evaluating, and critiquing base-wide emergency and contingency exercises, developing exercise objectives, and debriefing participants. This makes you well-suited to becoming an Emergency Management Director, where you would plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, providing disaster preparedness training, and developing emergency response plans.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Airfield Management Operations Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX
Topics Covered
- •Airfield inspections and safety procedures
- •Airfield pavement evaluation and maintenance
- •Airfield lighting systems and maintenance
- •Emergency response procedures on the airfield
- •Aircraft movement control and ground handling
- •Airfield construction and obstruction management
- •Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) and Air Force Instructions (AFIs) related to airfield operations
- •Hazardous material handling on the airfield
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Emergency planning phases, disaster recovery, and continuity of operations planning (COOP) beyond a military context. CEM also requires significant experience in civilian emergency management.
Formal project management methodologies (PMBOK), stakeholder management, risk management, and project lifecycle knowledge specific to civilian projects. Requires documented project management experience.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Joint Operation Planning and Execution System (JOPES) | Project Management Software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana) |
| Air Force Training Management System (TMS) | Learning Management Systems (LMS) (e.g., Canvas, Moodle) |
| Contingency Operations/Mobility Planning and Execution System (COMPES) | Emergency Management Software (e.g., Veoci, Juvare) |
| Automated Civil Engineer System (ACES) | Facility Management Software (e.g., IBM Maximo, Archibus) |
| Global Decision Support System (GDSS) | Business Intelligence (BI) and Data Analytics Platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) |
| Joint Automated Deep Operations Coordination System (JADOCS) | Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Platforms (e.g., Esri ArcGIS, Google Earth Engine) |
| Theater Battle Management Core System (TBMCS) | Air Traffic Management Systems (e.g., Thales TopSky, Indra Aircon) |
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