Colonel, Naval Aviator/Naval Flight
Officer.
Marine Corps 9907 (Colonel, Naval Aviator/Naval Flight Officer). 240 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $110K–$200K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 9907 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
The gap, named.
What 9907 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
- 01Aviation Safety and Survival training→ Understanding of risk management and safety protocols in software development and deployment.
- 02Crew Resource Management→ Team leadership and collaboration in software engineering teams.
- 03Rapid Prioritization→ Agile project management and incident response.
- 04AN/APG-73 Radar→ Understanding of data processing and signal analysis.
- 05Tactical Data Link (Link 16)→ Knowledge of secure data communication and networking.
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
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 →Where your code lands.
Aerospace Engineering Manager
$165K- — Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
- — Familiarity with civilian aerospace regulations (FAA)
- — Advanced knowledge of specific engineering software (e.g., ANSYS, MATLAB)
Aviation Safety Inspector
$120K- — FAA certifications relevant to inspection specialty
- — In-depth knowledge of FAA regulations (FARs)
Operations Manager
$110K- — Supply chain management knowledge
- — Lean Six Sigma certification
- — Experience with civilian business operations software (e.g., SAP, Oracle)
Management Consultant
$150K- — MBA or relevant business degree
- — Consulting experience through internships or projects
- — Industry-specific knowledge (e.g., healthcare, finance)
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 9907 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Rapid Prioritization
As a Colonel and Naval Aviator/Flight Officer, you're constantly making split-second decisions under immense pressure, prioritizing threats and mission objectives in dynamic, high-stakes environments.
This translates to an exceptional ability to quickly assess complex situations, identify critical priorities, and make decisive choices, even when facing ambiguity and limited information.
Situational Awareness
Commanding air operations requires maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the battlespace, including aircraft positions, environmental factors, and potential threats, enabling proactive decision-making.
Your heightened situational awareness allows you to anticipate potential problems, identify opportunities, and maintain a clear perspective amidst chaos, a valuable asset in any leadership role.
Team Synchronization
Leading flight crews and coordinating with ground support necessitates precise communication, clear delegation, and seamless integration of individual efforts to achieve mission success.
You excel at building cohesive teams, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that everyone is working in concert towards a common goal, vital for achieving complex objectives.
Resource Optimization
Managing aircraft, personnel, and fuel involves efficient allocation of resources to maximize operational effectiveness while adhering to strict budgetary constraints.
You have a proven ability to optimize resource allocation, streamline processes, and identify cost-saving measures, ensuring maximum efficiency and return on investment.
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Hospital Administrator
SOC 11-9111.00You've been orchestrating complex operations under pressure, managing diverse teams, and prioritizing critical resources – skills directly transferable to overseeing the daily operations of a hospital, ensuring efficient patient care and resource allocation.
Adjacent · MatchEmergency Management Director
SOC 11-9161.00You've been expertly handling crisis situations, coordinating responses, and making rapid decisions under duress. This makes you ideally suited to develop and implement emergency preparedness plans, ensuring community safety and resilience during natural disasters or other emergencies.
Adjacent · MatchLogistics Manager
SOC 11-3071.04You've been managing complex supply chains and coordinating the movement of personnel and equipment across vast distances. Your expertise in logistics and resource management makes you an ideal candidate to oversee the flow of goods and materials for a large organization.
Adjacent · MatchWhat you trained on.
Naval Flight Officer/Aviator Qualification and Refresher Training
Various Naval Air StationsVaries by platform and specific curriculum, but may include recommendations in aviation management, leadership, and flight operations.
- Aviation Safety and Survival
- Flight Regulations and Procedures
- Airspace Management
- Advanced Navigation Techniques
- Crew Resource Management
- Tactical Flight Operations
- Weapons Systems Employment
- Leadership and Command Responsibilities
- Certified Manager (CM)60%
Requires study of general management principles, human resource management, and business communication, likely focusing on aspects outside direct flight operations.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)50%
Requires focused study on project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall), tools, and techniques as formalized by PMI, plus a PMP exam prep course.
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)Adjacent
- Certified Aviation Manager (CAM)Adjacent
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) CertificateAdjacent
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| AN/APG-73 Radar | Advanced Weather Radar Systems (e.g., used in commercial aviation) | Signals |
| Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) | Augmented Reality (AR) Headsets (e.g., Microsoft HoloLens, DAQRI Smart Helmet) | Operations |
| AN/ALQ-165 Airborne Self-Protection Jammer (ASPJ) | Cybersecurity intrusion detection and prevention systems | Operations |
| Tactical Data Link (Link 16) | Secure Data Communication Networks (e.g., used in financial transactions) | Operations |
| Advanced Mission Planning System (AMPS) | Airline Flight Planning Software (e.g., Jeppesen, Lido Flight) | Operations |
| Global Positioning System (GPS) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) | High-Precision GPS Receivers with Anti-Jamming Capabilities (e.g., used in surveying and critical infrastructure) | Operations |
| IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) | ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) | Operations |
Translate 9907 into a resume that ships.
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