7557 vs 6672
Pilot, VMGR KC-130 Aircraft Commander (USMC) vs Aviation Supply Specialist (USMC)
The Marine Corps promised both of these would "make you a leader." The methods range from "forging in fire" to "death by PowerPoint."
The 7557 experience, unfiltered: the transition from copilot (7556) to AC (7557) takes roughly 18-24 months and is where the job gets real — you own the aircraft, the mission, and the crew. You will fly a LOT — VMGR squadrons have the highest flight hour programs in Marine aviation because everyone needs the Herc. The 6672 experience, equally unfiltered: the supply system is large, bureaucratic, and frequently slow relative to operational demand. The MOS also requires understanding enough about the parts you're tracking to recognize when something is wrong — a component returned from repair that doesn't match the documentation, or a consumable that doesn't match the NSN. Same military. Different realities. Neither was in the brochure. Same oath of enlistment, very different Google search histories about career changes.
After the Uniform
The part the recruiter skips: what each job actually translates to once you're a civilian — and what it pays.
Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. A guide, not a guarantee.
Recruiter vs. Reality
The pitch versus what people who actually did the job report back.
“You'll command the most versatile aircraft in the Marine Corps inventory — the KC-130J Super Hercules. VMGR pilots aerial-refuel fighters and tiltrotors, deliver cargo to expeditionary airfields, insert Marines via paratroop and assault landing, conduct Harvest HAWK armed overwatch, and fly humanitarian missions. No other airframe in the MAGTF does as many different things.”
The KC-130 community is VMGR and it is a different world from the fighter and attack squadrons. The mission set is absurdly broad: one week you are plugging gas into F-35s over the Pacific, the next you are landing on a dirt strip in a country that doesn't officially exist, and the week after that you are dropping Harvest HAWK GPS-guided munitions in support of ground troops. The aircraft is a four-engine turboprop that was designed in the 1950s and is still the most demanded asset in Marine aviation. You will fly a LOT — VMGR squadrons have the highest flight hour programs in Marine aviation because everyone needs the Herc. The quality of life is generally better than the jet community: more predictable schedules, no carrier deployments, and the crew coordination with your loadmasters, navigators, and flight engineers is genuinely collaborative. The transition from copilot (7556) to AC (7557) takes roughly 18-24 months and is where the job gets real — you own the aircraft, the mission, and the crew. Civilian career paths include airlines (the multi-engine turbine time is gold), cargo operators (FedEx, UPS, Atlas), and defense contracting. The KC-130 community has one of the strongest airline placement rates in Marine aviation.
“Marine aviation runs on parts. As an Aviation Supply Specialist, you are the link between the maintenance department and the supply system — the person who gets the right component, in the right condition, to the right technician before NMCS status turns into a cancelled mission. You manage aviation spare parts inventories for Marine squadrons: ordering, receiving, inspecting, storing, and issuing aircraft components and aeronautical consumables. You interface with Aviation Supply Depots, process requisitions for Not Mission Capable Supply aircraft, manage bench stock so routine items are always on hand, and track high-value assets through the supply chain. Aviation supply is not general supply with a different hat — the urgency is real, the documentation requirements are precise, and the consequences of a wrong part or a lost tracking number show up on the flight schedule.”
Aviation supply at the squadron level means you will be the person maintenance chiefs come to — loudly, urgently — when an aircraft has been down for parts for three days and the CO is asking questions. The supply system is large, bureaucratic, and frequently slow relative to operational demand. Knowing how to navigate NALCOMIS, how to escalate a priority requisition, and how to source a part through lateral transfer when the depot pipeline is dry is what separates a good 6672 from one who just processes paperwork. The MOS also requires understanding enough about the parts you're tracking to recognize when something is wrong — a component returned from repair that doesn't match the documentation, or a consumable that doesn't match the NSN. Deployments mean supporting aviation supply in expeditionary conditions with reduced staffing and compressed timelines. The work is administrative at its surface and operationally critical underneath.
The Real Life
Same dimensions, side by side. 7557 on the left, 6672 on the right.
—
Receiving, storing, issuing, and tracking aviation-specific parts and supplies. Operating aviation logistics information systems, managing repairable components, and supporting aircraft maintenance shops with the parts they need. You work in aviation supply warehouses and tool rooms, interfacing between maintenance Marines and the supply chain.
—
The Aviation Supply Specialist Course covers aviation supply procedures, parts identification, hazardous materials handling, and aviation-specific logistics systems. The training is more specialized than general supply — you learn aircraft-specific inventory management and the unique requirements of aviation parts tracking.
—
Moderate. Aviation supply work involves receiving, storing, and issuing aircraft parts — some of which are heavy and require careful handling. Warehouse work and hazmat handling are part of the job.
—
Aviation supply specialists are the enlisted Marines who ensure aircraft maintenance shops have the right parts at the right time. The recruiter won't know what to tell you about this MOS. The honest truth: it's warehouse and logistics work with an aviation specialization that makes it significantly more marketable than general supply. The civilian aviation industry is massive — airlines, defense contractors, MRO facilities, and aircraft manufacturers all need supply chain workers who understand aviation parts. Starting salaries for experienced aviation supply professionals are $45,000-$65,000, with management potential well above that. The work is detail-oriented and the stakes are real — the wrong part on an aircraft can be catastrophic. If you're organized, detail-oriented, and want a career in the aviation industry without being a mechanic or a pilot, this MOS is a solid foundation.
Recent Reviews
Community Takes
Be the first to share your take on 7557 vs 6672
Compare Other MOS
Search by code or title, or browse by branch