Communications-Computer Systems

You are training to be a Communications-Computer Systems Specialist — the Air Force's primary enlisted IT and communications technician. You will maintain the networks, servers, base communications infrastructure, and information systems that keep Air Force installations connected and operational.

Complete 2E1X1 initial skills training at Keesler AFB, MS. Learn networking fundamentals — TCP/IP, routing, switching, wireless protocols, and the DoD network architecture that governs Air Force information systems. Study server administration (Windows Server, Linux), cybersecurity fundamentals, and the compliance frameworks that govern DoD networks. Learn the specific communications systems that Air Force bases use — voice communications, data networks, base infrastructure, and the specialized equipment that provides communications in deployed environments. Understand that Air Force networks are a contested domain and that maintaining them includes defending them.

• 01Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, routing, switching), server administration, cybersecurity compliance, DoD network architecture, base communications systems, voice communications, Help Desk operations, STIG compliance

• —DoD 8570.01 (Cybersecurity Workforce), AFI 17-1301 (Computer Security), applicable AFMAN and AFPD for communications systems, Keesler AFB 2E1X1 training publications, CompTIA Security+ (baseline certification)

• —Pass 2E1X1 initial training; CompTIA Security+ or equivalent DoD 8570 baseline certification obtained; networking fundamentals demonstrated; server administration basics demonstrated; Help Desk operations qualified; initial unit certifications completed

• —Treating cybersecurity compliance as an obstacle to getting systems working rather than as a non-negotiable operational requirement — a misconfigured Air Force network is not just a technical problem, it is a potential compromise of classified information and a vulnerability to nation-state adversaries who actively target DoD networks.

An apprentice who treats every system configuration change as a potential security event — documenting changes, verifying compliance, and checking impact on network security posture — rather than just making the change that fixes the immediate problem.

You are a qualified Communications-Computer Systems Specialist maintaining the information technology infrastructure that supports Air Force operations at your assigned base.

Perform installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of base communications systems. Support the network operations center or communications squadron on network maintenance, server operations, and Help Desk support. Maintain STIG compliance across your assigned systems. Respond to network outages and system failures. Support exercises and deployments that require communications setup and operations. Develop expertise in specific system types — network infrastructure, server operations, voice communications, or cybersecurity monitoring. Maintain required DoD 8570 certifications for your assigned role.

• 01Network infrastructure maintenance, server operations, STIG compliance enforcement, Help Desk support, outage response and restoration, exercise and deployment communications support, DoD 8570 certification maintenance

• —AFI 17-1301, applicable network and systems technical publications, DoD 8570.01, DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), unit communications squadron operating instructions

• —Systems maintained in STIG-compliant configuration; outages responded to within established timeframes; Help Desk tickets resolved within SLA; DoD 8570 certifications current; exercise communications operational within required windows; documentation complete in relevant ticketing systems

• —Restoring a failed system to functionality without identifying and addressing the root cause — the system that comes back up after a quick restart but crashes again in three days has a real problem that was deferred rather than fixed, and deferring the fix in a production environment creates operational risk.

A SrA who treats every help desk ticket as a diagnostic investigation — documenting not just the resolution but the root cause and any pattern that suggests systemic problems requiring infrastructure-level attention rather than individual incident remediation.

You are a senior Communications-Computer Systems Specialist developing advanced technical qualifications and training the next generation of Air Force IT professionals.

Perform advanced communications and IT systems maintenance. Train junior specialists on network operations, server administration, cybersecurity compliance, and Help Desk best practices. Evaluate trainee performance. Develop toward team lead and senior specialist qualifications. Interface with the Cyber Operations Flight on security events and compliance. Manage specific communication systems or network segments. Pursue advanced DoD 8570 certifications — CompTIA Security+, CISSP, CEH, or equivalent — that increase your value to the unit. Support major exercises and deployments as a senior communications element specialist.

• 01Advanced network and systems administration, junior specialist training and evaluation, Cyber Operations interface, STIG remediation and compliance management, exercise senior communications specialist, advanced DoD 8570 certification development, system segment management

• —AFI 17-1301, DISA STIGs, DoD 8570.01, applicable NIST publications, AFI 17-1302 (Communications System Security), unit cyber security program publications

• —Advanced certifications progressing; junior specialists trained to standard; STIG compliance maintained across assigned systems; Cyber Operations interface professional; exercise communications support effective; system segment performance within standards

• —Managing cybersecurity compliance as a point-in-time activity rather than a continuous process — STIG requirements change as vulnerabilities are discovered and new security controls are added, and the system that was compliant six months ago may have accumulated compliance gaps through normal operations and patching.

An SSgt who maintains a continuous compliance monitoring approach — using automated STIG scanning tools to identify compliance drift in near-real-time rather than discovering gaps during annual reviews or inspection preparation.

You are the Communications-Computer Systems section NCOIC, responsible for the training program, technical standards, and operational effectiveness of the communications squadron's systems operations.

Serve as the section NCOIC for communications systems operations, network operations, or a related function. Own the training and certification program, ensuring specialists maintain required DoD 8570 certifications and develop technical competencies. Brief the communications squadron commander and flight chief on system health, compliance posture, and operational readiness. Coordinate with base units on communications support requirements. Interface with MAJCOM communications directorate on technical guidance and standards. Manage the Help Desk support contract or direct Help Desk operations. Lead the section's response to significant system outages or security events.

• 01Section NCOIC duties, DoD 8570 certification program management, communications squadron leadership interface, base communications support coordination, MAJCOM directorate interface, Help Desk management, security incident response leadership, compliance posture reporting

• —AFI 17-1301, DoD 8570.01, applicable DISA security publications, MAJCOM communications directorate guidance, unit communications squadron operating instructions

• —Section compliance posture maintained; DoD 8570 certifications current for all personnel in required roles; base communications support professional; MAJCOM interface productive; Help Desk SLA met; security incidents responded to within required timelines; training program current

• —Managing communications system readiness based on ticket volumes and resolution times without systematically tracking the infrastructure-level trends that predict outages — the NCOIC who responds to crises without identifying and fixing their root causes builds a reactive section rather than a proactive one.

A TSgt who maintains an infrastructure health dashboard — tracking system uptime trends, STIG compliance scores, certificate expiration forecasts, and capacity utilization — using this data to identify and address developing problems before they become outages.

You are the senior Communications-Computer Systems NCO at the wing or command level, advising commanders on communications infrastructure health and the technical workforce that sustains it.

Serve as the wing communications squadron superintendent or MAJCOM communications NCO. Advise commanders on communications infrastructure readiness, cybersecurity compliance posture, and the technical workforce requirements for sustaining modern Air Force communications. Interface with DISA and MAJCOM cybersecurity teams on compliance and incident response. Manage complex personnel actions in the communications specialist community — including certification tracking and workforce development. Contribute to Air Force communications policy. As 1stSgt, own the welfare and discipline of the communications formation.

• 01Wing/command communications oversight, DISA and MAJCOM cybersecurity interface, compliance posture advisory, workforce certification management, communications policy contribution, complex personnel management, senior enlisted advisory

• —AFI 17-1301, DoD 8570.01, DISA publications, MAJCOM communications directorate publications, applicable DoD cybersecurity policy publications

• —Wing communications infrastructure meeting operational requirements; compliance posture maintaining acceptable risk level; DISA and MAJCOM relationships productive; workforce certifications current and tracked; personnel actions appropriate; policy contributions accurate

• —Measuring communications workforce quality primarily by certification headcount without assessing whether the certified personnel are actually developing and applying the technical skills those certifications represent — a unit full of paper certifications but deficient in practical troubleshooting and administration capability has a skills gap that certifications conceal.

An MSgt who evaluates communications workforce technical quality through practical assessments alongside certification tracking — creating scenarios that require genuine troubleshooting to resolve and using those assessments to identify training gaps that classroom certification preparation does not address.

You are the most senior Communications-Computer Systems enlisted leader, shaping the career field that provides the digital backbone of Air Force operations.

Serve as the MAJCOM or Air Staff communications career field functional manager or senior enlisted advisor. Shape training standards, certification requirements, and the pipeline producing communications specialists for a constantly evolving technology environment. Advise four-star commanders and Air Staff leadership on communications infrastructure readiness, cybersecurity workforce capacity, and the implications of emerging technology on Air Force communications architecture. Interface with DISA, NSA, and Joint Staff on DoD-wide communications policy. Contribute to doctrine for communications operations in contested and degraded environments. Advocate for the training and certification investment needed to maintain technical currency in a rapidly evolving field.

• 01Career field functional management, DISA/NSA/Joint Staff engagement, emerging technology advisory, contested environment communications doctrine, cybersecurity workforce development, four-star advisory, pipeline oversight, training currency advocacy

• —MAJCOM and Air Staff communications publications, DoD 8570.01, DISA and NSA publications, Joint Chiefs communications policy publications, NIST cybersecurity framework publications

• —Career field producing technically current communications specialists; cybersecurity workforce meeting DoD 8570 requirements; contested environment communications doctrine sound; four-star advisory accurate; emerging technology implications assessed and communicated; training investment defensible

• —Allowing the career field's training to lag the commercial technology evolution that Air Force networks depend on — cloud services, zero trust architecture, 5G, and artificial intelligence in network operations are not future concepts, they are current or near-current Air Force infrastructure elements, and the communications workforce needs training in these technologies now, not when they are already fully deployed.

A CMSgt who has built a technology horizon scanning process for the career field — identifying emerging technologies that will affect Air Force communications within 3-5 years, assessing the training implications, and working with AETC to incorporate those technologies into the training pipeline before operational units are expected to maintain them without preparation.