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Military Career: Communications Equipment Operators

 

Overview

The ability to relay information between air, sea, and ground forces is critical in the military. The military has sophisticated communications systems that use a variety of technologies and telecommunications equipment such as radios, telephones, antennas, satellites, and complex security and network devices. Communications equipment operators use these systems to transmit, receive, and decode messages at military locations throughout the world.

What They Do

Communications equipment operators in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Transmit, receive, and log messages according to military procedures
  • Encode and decode classified messages
  • Operate different types of telephone switchboards, satellite communications terminals, and network switches
  • Set up and operate communications equipment and security equipment
  • Monitor and respond to emergency calls

Branches of the Military

Army
Navy
Air Force
Marine Corps
Coast Guard

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include English and speech. Helpful attributes include:

  • Ability to remain calm in an emergency
  • Interest in working with codes
  • Interest in working with communications equipment

Training Provided

Job training consists of 9 to 22 weeks of instruction, including practice with equipment. Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses. Course content typically includes:

  • Installation and usage of various types of communications equipment
  • Communications security
  • Message encoding and decoding

Work Environment

Communications equipment operators may work either indoors or outdoors, depending on the specialty. They may be assigned to ships, aircraft, land bases, or mobile field units.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian communications equipment operators work in airports, harbors, police stations, fire stations, telephone companies, telegraph companies, and many businesses. They may also work aboard ships. Their duties are similar to those of military communications equipment operators. They may be called radio operators, telephone operators, communication center operators, or switchboard operators, depending on their specialty.

Below is a list of similar civilian occupations:

Data Entry Keyers
Dispatchers
Telephone Operators

Opportunities

The military has about 40,000 communications equipment operators. Each year, the services need new operators due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, they prepare and send messages under supervision. With experience, they work more independently. In time, they may become supervisors of communications centers.


Source: U.S. Department of Defense, Washington D.C.