Is 25C (Radio Operator-Maintainer) a Good MOS?

AIT / Training

12 weeks

Training Location

Fort Eisenhower, GA

Career Field

Signal

What the Recruiter Says

You'll operate and maintain Army tactical radio systems from squad-level to brigade — SINCGARS, Harris Falcon III, AN/PRC-117, and the satellite-capable systems that keep units connected when commercial infrastructure doesn't exist. Radio operators are embedded at every level from platoon upward, so you'll work closely with leadership and develop a broad tactical picture. CompTIA Network+ and Security+ certifications complement the Army training and accelerate the transition to civilian IT and telecommunications jobs. Every infantry and armor battalion needs 25Cs.

What It's Actually Like

You operate radios. Specifically, you operate SINCGARS, AN/PRC-117, AN/PRC-152, AN/PRC-163, and whatever other radios your unit has been issued, supplemented by whatever radios have been 'acquired' through channels your S6 doesn't need to know about. The communication plan for any operation is your domain, and when the net goes down during an operation, you are the person everyone looks at while also talking at you simultaneously to tell you the net is down, which you know, and asking why, which you are currently determining. PMCS on communication equipment is thorough but the equipment is generally more reliable than other Army systems because people have been motivated to maintain it. The ruck weight that comes with being the comms soldier — radios, batteries, antennas, crypto fills — is its own exercise program. Your civilian translation requires some effort: Ham radio licensing, CompTIA Network+, and telecommunications technician roles are accessible paths. The federal contractor market for cleared comms specialists is real. The trick is translating 'I operated SINCGARS' into language a civilian hiring manager understands, which is where a veteran-focused resume writer earns their fee.