Avionics Technician
$75KGood match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA certification
- — Specific avionics systems training
Live · Guide v1.016D · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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ARMY · 16DCareer Guide · Maintenance · VWC.CG.16D.R.04
16D · ARMY · EnlistedAir Defense Missile System
Air Defense Missile System
Repairer.
Army 16D (Air Defense Missile System Repairer). 680 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $50K–$78K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours680DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 15 semester hours recommended in electronics technology and military leadership
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage3/6direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 16D background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Sort · Match descending
/ 02 · Skill Bridge
The gap, named.
What 16D training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have07
- 01HAWK Missile System Maintenance→ Systems troubleshooting and repair
- 02Electronic Principles and Troubleshooting→ Debugging and diagnostics
- 03System Modeling→ Understanding complex system interdependencies
- 04Rapid Prioritization→ Incident response and resource allocation
- 05Air Defense Command and Control Systems→ Networked system management
- 06Supervisory and Leadership Skills→ Team coordination and project management
- 07Procedural Compliance→ Adherence to security protocols and standards
To learn10
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Linux system administration+Network security principles+Cloud security fundamentals+Python for security automation+AWS/Azure/GCP certifications+Configuration management tools (Ansible, Chef, Puppet)+Networking fundamentals (CCNA level)+Cloud networking (VPC, VPN, Direct Connect)+Scripting with Bash and Python+Windows Server administration
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →/ 03 · Civilian Pathways
Where your code lands.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic
$60KGood match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — PLC programming
- — Hydraulic/pneumatic systems
Quality Control Inspector
$50KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Six Sigma certification
- — Quality assurance methodologies
First-Line Supervisor of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
$78KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Project management certification
- — OSHA safety standards
Technical Trainer
$65KModerate match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Instructional design
- — Curriculum development
- — Excellent communication skills
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 16D training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
System Modeling
This role requires understanding how different components of the HAWK and PATRIOT missile systems interact and affect each other, which is critical for troubleshooting and maintaining operational readiness.
Transfers to
The ability to understand complex systems and their interdependencies translates to the civilian world as the ability to analyze and improve processes, identify bottlenecks, and predict system behavior.
Rapid Prioritization
In a high-pressure environment, this role demands quick assessment of situations to determine which tasks need immediate attention to maintain operational effectiveness and safety.
Transfers to
Quickly assessing urgency and importance allows you to manage crises effectively, allocate resources optimally, and meet critical deadlines in a fast-paced civilian setting.
Procedural Compliance
Adherence to strict protocols and procedures is vital for the safe and effective operation of missile systems, ensuring consistency and minimizing errors during critical operations.
Transfers to
Your experience following detailed procedures ensures accuracy, safety, and reliability, making you an ideal candidate for roles requiring meticulous attention to detail and adherence to regulations.
Team Synchronization
Supervising a team and coordinating their actions to ensure seamless operation of missile systems requires precision and synchronization to achieve mission objectives.
Transfers to
Your ability to orchestrate team efforts ensures that projects are completed efficiently, resources are utilized effectively, and overall goals are achieved cohesively.
Situational Awareness
Monitoring the environment, understanding potential threats, and reacting to changes in real-time are essential for maintaining security and operational readiness.
Transfers to
Your heightened awareness allows you to anticipate potential issues, adapt quickly to changing circumstances, and maintain a proactive approach in dynamic civilian environments.
/ 05 · Non-Obvious Matches
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Logistics Coordinator
SOC 43-3071You've been managing complex systems, teams, and procedures related to missile operation. Now, you can apply these skills to ensure the efficient flow of goods, resources, and information in a company. Your experience with prioritization and situational awareness will be invaluable in optimizing supply chain operations.
Adjacent · MatchTechnical Trainer
SOC 25-9041You've honed your expertise in missile systems and supervisory skills. You can now utilize your experience to train others on the technical aspects of equipment, processes, or software. Your detailed understanding of procedures and ability to synchronize teams will make you an effective instructor.
Adjacent · MatchCompliance Officer
SOC 13-1041Your adherence to stringent protocols and standards in maintaining missile systems directly translates into ensuring regulatory compliance within a company. You've been following procedures and maintaining a safe environment, and you can bring that experience to the civilian world.
Adjacent · MatchEmergency Management Specialist
SOC 29-9011You've had experience in high-pressure, quick-thinking environments. Emergency Management requires the same, and would allow you to use the skills you have acquired for resource optimization and situational awareness.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Air Defense Enhanced Operator/Maintainer (16D) Training
Fort Sill, OK680hHours
17wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 15 semester hours recommended in electronics technology and military leadership
Topics · 8
- HAWK Missile System Maintenance
- PATRIOT Missile System Operation
- Radar Systems Theory and Maintenance
- Missile Assembly and Launch Procedures
- Electronic Principles and Troubleshooting
- Air Defense Command and Control Systems
- Supervisory and Leadership Skills
- Maintenance Management
Partial coverage · 3
- Certified Electronics Technician (CET)60%
Requires studying specific electronics troubleshooting techniques, industry standards, and civilian equipment maintenance procedures.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)40%
Requires studying the PMBOK guide, formal project management methodologies, and gaining experience leading civilian projects.
- CompTIA Network+50%
Requires studying civilian networking technologies, protocols, and troubleshooting techniques.
Recommended next · 03
- Certified Senior Electronics Technician (CST)Adjacent
- Six Sigma Green BeltAdjacent
- Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) FoundationAdjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| HAWK Missile System | Surface-to-air missile defense systems | Weapons |
| PATRIOT Missile System | Advanced air defense systems | Weapons |
| AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel Radar | Air surveillance radar systems | Signals |
| Tactical Airspace Integration System (TAIS) | Airspace management software | Operations |
| Joint Air Defense Systems Integrator (JADSI) | Integrated air defense platform | Operations |
| Air and Missile Defense Workstation (AMDWS) | Command and control software for air defense | Weapons |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 16D into a resume that ships.
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.