Avionics Technician
$75KHigh match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license
Live · Guide v1.024F · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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ARMY · 24FCareer Guide · Maintenance · VWC.CG.24F.R.04
24F · ARMY · EnlistedHawk Fire Control System
Hawk Fire Control System
Mechanic.
Army 24F (Hawk Fire Control System Mechanic). 900 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $60K–$80K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours900DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 15 semester hours in electronics technology
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways5validated
Cert coverage3/6direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 24F 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 24F training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have08
- 01Electronic theory fundamentals→ Understanding of computer architecture and operating systems
- 02Troubleshooting and diagnostics of radars→ Debugging and root cause analysis of software and hardware issues
- 03Interpretation of schematic diagrams→ Reading and understanding code and system diagrams
- 04Supply and requisitioning procedures→ Resource management and cost optimization in cloud environments
- 05System Modeling→ Infrastructure as Code
- 06Procedural Compliance→ Security and Compliance
- 07Degraded-Mode Operations→ Incident Response
- 08Team Synchronization→ Collaboration and Communication
To learn10
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Linux fundamentals+Cloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, or GCP)+Containerization with Docker and Kubernetes+Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Terraform or Ansible+Monitoring and logging tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack)+Scripting with Python or Bash+Configuration management tools (e.g., Chef, Puppet)+Network security principles+Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing+Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems
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.
Electronics Technician
$65KHigh match
High demand
Radar Technician
$80KHigh match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Specific radar system certifications (e.g., marine radar, weather radar)
Field Service Engineer
$78KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Strong customer service skills
- — Specific product knowledge related to the industry
Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer
$60KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Fiber optic cabling and splicing certification
- — Knowledge of telecommunications protocols
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 24F training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
System Modeling
Maintaining Hawk fire control systems requires understanding how individual components interact and contribute to the overall system function. You're essentially building a mental model of the entire system to diagnose and repair faults efficiently.
Transfers to
This ability to grasp complex systems and their interdependencies translates directly into analyzing and optimizing business processes or technical infrastructure.
Procedural Compliance
You meticulously followed technical manuals, modification work orders, and safety protocols while maintaining and repairing highly sensitive and potentially dangerous equipment.
Transfers to
This ingrained adherence to procedures and regulations is highly valuable in fields requiring strict compliance, such as quality assurance, regulatory affairs, or safety management.
Degraded-Mode Operations
Troubleshooting and repairing malfunctions under pressure, often with limited resources or incomplete information, is a core part of your experience. You had to adapt and find solutions when systems weren't working as expected.
Transfers to
This ability to perform effectively in challenging situations and find creative solutions is highly sought after in roles requiring problem-solving under pressure, such as crisis management or technical support.
Team Synchronization
As a Hawk Fire Control Mechanic, you likely coordinated with other technicians, operators, and support personnel to ensure the system's readiness. Coordinating your work with others was essential to mission success.
Transfers to
Your experience in coordinating tasks and collaborating with cross-functional teams translates well into roles requiring project management, team leadership, or process coordination.
/ 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.
Compliance Officer
SOC 13-1041.00You've been trained to meticulously follow procedures and regulations when working with highly sensitive equipment. Your experience translates directly to ensuring a company adheres to industry-specific regulations.
Adjacent · MatchQuality Assurance Analyst
SOC 19-4041.00Your detailed understanding of electronic systems and troubleshooting skills make you an ideal candidate to ensure products meet quality standards. You've been trained to detect flaws and ensure peak performance, a skill directly applicable to QA.
Adjacent · MatchTechnical Trainer
SOC 25-9044.00You have experience assisting with and even leading operator training programs. That makes you uniquely suited to teaching others how to use complex equipment and systems.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Air Defense Artillery School
Fort Sill, Oklahoma900hHours
22wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 15 semester hours in electronics technology
Topics · 8
- Electronic theory fundamentals
- Operation and maintenance of Hawk fire control systems
- Troubleshooting and diagnostics of radars
- Use of electronic test equipment
- Repair and replacement of faulty components
- Interpretation of schematic diagrams
- Supply and requisitioning procedures
- Supervision of maintenance teams
Partial coverage · 3
- CompTIA A+60%
Requires study of current PC hardware, operating systems, networking, security, and troubleshooting common software and hardware issues, as well as soft skills.
- CompTIA Network+50%
Requires study of modern networking concepts, including network security, virtualization, and cloud computing, as well as specific troubleshooting techniques.
- Certified Electronics Technician (CET)70%
Requires study of broader electronics applications outside of military fire control systems, including consumer electronics and industrial electronics, as well as practical skills in troubleshooting and repair.
Recommended next · 03
- CompTIA Security+Adjacent
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)Adjacent
- Project Management Professional (PMP)Adjacent
/ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AN/MPQ-61 Continuous Wave Acquisition Radar (CWACQ) | Long-range weather radar systems | Signals |
| AN/MPQ-62 Illuminator Radar | High-powered radar systems for industrial or scientific applications (e.g., particle accelerators) | Signals |
| Hawk Missile System | Air defense systems | Weapons |
| AN/TPQ-21 Hawk Engagement Simulator | Radar simulation software for training purposes | Operations |
| M1097A2 HMMWV | Heavy-duty utility trucks | Operations |
| Hawk Fire Control Central (FCC) | Industrial control systems for automated processes | Weapons |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 24F 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.