Expeditionary Airfield Systems Technician

You are the hands and back of expeditionary airfield operations — stringing cable, laying lighting, rigging arresting gear, and pumping fuel in conditions that would shut down a civilian airport. Nobody briefs you on the big picture; you learn by doing it right or getting corrected.

Set up and strike SALS-J approach lighting sequences and portable taxiway/runway edge lighting under NCO supervision. Rig and tension BAK-12/BAK-14 arresting gear purchase tapes and energy absorbers, learning hook engagement geometry by feel before you understand it on paper. Operate FARE equipment — connecting hoses, priming pumps, conducting FSII and specific gravity checks on aviation fuel before it ever touches an aircraft. Carry, position, and secure portable airfield marking panels. Work 12-on/12-off rotation during field exercises and deployments; everything you own lives in a pack or a connex.

• 01FARE fuel system assembly and operation, FSII/SG contamination testing, BAK-12/BAK-14 rigging and tensioning, SALS-J light sequencer setup, portable runway marking placement, hand-receipt accountability for sensitive items

• —TM 11275A-OI/2 (SALS-J), NAVAIR 51-40ADB-2 (BAK-12), NAVAIR 51-40ADC-2 (BAK-14), MCWP 3-21.1 (MWSS operations)

• —Fuel contamination checks IAW NAVAIR 00-80T-109 — no aircraft fueled on a failed sample. Arresting gear tensions within published tolerances before any aircraft trap. Lighting sequences verified operational and in correct configuration before airfield opens.

• —Skipping the second FSII check because the first passed. Not tracking purchase tape wear and assuming it's good because it looks fine. Rushing SALS-J phasing checks when the pressure is on to open the strip. Forgetting to bleed air from FARE hose assemblies before flow.

A LCpl who can set up the FARE system, run contamination checks, and accurately document results without being told to check twice. They know where every piece of their gear is, they ask questions about the why behind arresting gear geometry instead of just following steps, and they never sign for equipment they haven't physically inventoried.

You are a team leader in everything but name — responsible for the Marines working next to you, the quality of their work, and the equipment they're touching. The gear doesn't care about your rank; a misrigged arresting system will take an aircraft off the deck regardless.

Lead a 2-4 Marine working party through installation, operation, and recovery of SALS-J, FARE, and BAK-series arresting gear systems. Conduct and document pre-operational checks on all assigned equipment, identifying discrepancies before they become operational holds. Supervise fuel contamination testing, verify results, and make the go/no-go call on fuel quality. Enforce rigging procedures and purchase tape inspection criteria on arresting gear. Maintain hand receipts, perform PMCS, and submit equipment deadlines through the maintenance chain. Begin teaching junior Marines the principles behind what they're doing — not just the steps.

• 01Team leadership in field conditions, arresting gear pre-op inspection and documentation, fuel quality determination authority, PMCS execution and deadline reporting, training junior Marines on system fundamentals, expeditionary logistics accountability

• —NAVAIR 51-40ADB-2, NAVAIR 51-40ADC-2, TM 11275A-OI/2, ATP-56 (NATO arresting gear compatibility), unit SOP for MWSS field operations

• —Every pre-op check documented before equipment is placed in service. Fuel test results logged with time, tester, and result — no verbal pass/fail. Arresting gear rigging verified by Cpl or above before the strip opens. Zero unaccounted-for gear at end of field exercise.

• —Delegating fuel tests entirely to junior Marines without verifying results personally. Allowing purchase tape to be reinstalled without measuring remaining wear indicator. Not documenting a discrepancy because it was fixed on the spot — if it broke once, it goes in the log.

A Cpl whose junior Marines can explain why they're doing each step, not just how. Their equipment is always pre-opped and documented before the platoon commander asks. When they find a problem, it's already written up and in the maintenance chain before the Staff Sergeant hears about it second-hand.

You are the technical conscience of the section — the person who knows the systems well enough to catch what the manuals don't fully explain and who is accountable when the airfield opens or doesn't. Your name is on the pre-op documentation; own that.

Manage the installation and operation of a complete expeditionary airfield package — FARE, SALS-J, BAK-12/BAK-14 arresting systems, and tactical marking — as the section chief or senior technician. Conduct operational risk assessments before fielding equipment in degraded or austere conditions. Verify arresting gear hook engagement geometry calculations are being applied correctly for aircraft types expected on the strip. Coordinate with aviation units on fuel type, quantity, and quality requirements. Train and evaluate junior Marines and Corporals on all MOS tasks. Write and maintain section SOPs. Track equipment readiness and forecast maintenance requirements to the platoon commander.

• 01Expeditionary airfield system integration, arresting gear engagement geometry application, cross-functional coordination with aviation units, ORM for austere airfield operations, section-level SOP development, maintenance forecasting and readiness reporting

• —ATP-56, NAVAIR publications (BAK-12/14, FARE), MCWP 3-21.1, MWSS METL standards, applicable NATOPS for hook engagement clearances

• —Airfield systems validated operationally before first aircraft movement — no exceptions for time pressure without explicit command authorization and documented risk acceptance. All training events formally evaluated and documented in individual training records.

• —Applying arresting gear tension settings without verifying aircraft type and gross weight against published tables. Trusting fuel contamination results from an untrained tester without re-running the check. Opening the strip on a verbal "good to go" when the pre-op sheet isn't complete.

A Sgt who briefs the airfield package status to the Skipper without prompting, with every system's readiness status and any open discrepancies already documented. Their section doesn't need to be told to re-check their work — they built the standard. When a visiting unit asks a hard technical question about arresting gear compatibility, the Sgt already has ATP-56 cross-referenced.

You are the platoon's operational backbone — technically expert enough to troubleshoot any system in the package, experienced enough to know what goes wrong under deployment pressure, and mature enough to develop the Sergeants who will run this section after you leave.

Lead the expeditionary airfield systems section at the platoon level, managing personnel, equipment readiness, and operational planning for the airfield package across the MWSS mission set. Plan section employment for exercises and deployments — task-organizing teams, managing equipment connex loads, and integrating with MWSS platoon and aviation combat element timelines. Mentor Sergeants on technical mastery and small-unit leadership. Review and approve pre-op documentation before systems go operational. Identify training gaps and build the section training program. Participate in MWSS operational planning and advise commanders on airfield systems employment and limitations.

• 01Section-level planning and task organization, expeditionary logistics integration, commander's technical advisor role, Sergeant mentorship and development, training program management, MWSS operational planning participation

• —MCWP 3-21.1, MWSS employment concept, applicable NAVAIR and ATP-56 standards, MCO on MOS qualification and training requirements

• —Section training plan published and executed quarterly. All Corporals and below MOS-qualified to the standards their rank requires. Airfield package employment plan integrated with MWSS CONOPs before any field operation. Equipment readiness above unit threshold at all times.

• —Becoming the answer man instead of developing Sergeants who can solve problems independently. Letting equipment deficiencies slide because the unit is in a high-op-tempo period. Failing to push back when commanders want to open an airfield before the pre-op is complete.

An SSgt who walks into the operations brief with a complete airfield systems readiness picture, accurate to the hour, and who can articulate the risk of every open discrepancy in plain language. Their Sergeants make decisions without calling up for permission because they were trained to the standard, not just trained to follow steps.

You are the technical authority for expeditionary airfield systems across the MWSS and the senior enlisted leader who keeps the section's institutional knowledge from walking out the door every PCS cycle. Commanders make airfield employment decisions based on what you tell them.

Serve as the SNCOIC for the expeditionary airfield systems section or in a staff role advising the MWSS commanding officer and operations officer on airfield systems employment. Develop and maintain section training programs, qualification standards, and SOPs. Lead technical inspections of all airfield systems and certify readiness for operational employment. Advise on equipment serviceability waivers, maintenance prioritization, and capability gaps affecting MWSS mission execution. Represent the section's technical requirements in operational planning and logistics coordination. Develop subordinate SSgts for increased responsibility and screen NCOs for career-broadening opportunities.

• 01Technical authority across full airfield systems package, SNCOIC leadership in MWSS structure, operational planning advisory role, waiver and risk acceptance advisory, institutional knowledge preservation, senior leader development

• —MWSS organizational publications, NAVAIR and ATP-56 standards, Marine Corps training and readiness manual for MOS 7011, MCDP 1 applied to expeditionary aviation support

• —Section maintains full MOS qualification current for all assigned personnel. Technical inspections completed on published cycle. No airfield systems employment waivers submitted without GySgt endorsement and documented risk analysis.

• —Allowing qualification currency to lapse during high-op-tempo periods by treating training as optional. Giving commanders optimistic readiness pictures to avoid difficult conversations. Failing to document institutional lessons learned so they transfer to the next generation of the section.

A GySgt who has personally trained the SSgts who run the section and whose lessons-learned library means the section doesn't repeat the same mistakes after each PCS cycle. When the commanding officer asks whether the airfield package is ready for a no-notice tasking, the answer is accurate — not aspirational.

You are the senior enlisted voice for expeditionary airfield operations across the Marine Wing Support Group or higher — responsible not just for one section's competence but for the health of the MOS across the force.

Serve as the MWSS Sergeant Major, MWSG-level 7011 technical authority, or career management and accessions advisor for the MOS. Advise commanding generals and wing-level commanders on expeditionary airfield systems capability, readiness, and employment doctrine. Engage with NAVAIR, MARCORSYSCOM, and USMC aviation commands on equipment modernization, fielding timelines, and training program adequacy. Shape MOS training requirements and qualification standards. Identify systemic shortfalls in personnel, equipment, or training and bring them up the chain with documented analysis and recommended solutions. Mentor GySgts on technical mastery and senior leadership. Represent enlisted equities in MWSS operational and programmatic decisions.

• 01Wing and MWSG-level advisory role, equipment modernization and requirements development, MOS health and manpower analysis, systemic training gap identification, senior leader mentorship, inter-agency coordination with NAVAIR and MARCORSYSCOM

• —Marine Corps aviation and MWSS capstone doctrine, NAVAIR acquisition and fielding processes, USMC Training and Education Command publications, applicable joint ATP and NATOPS standards

• —MOS qualification rates and training throughput reported accurately to wing leadership. Equipment modernization inputs submitted on time with technically sound rationale. Systemic problems documented and elevated — not managed quietly at section level.

• —Optimizing for current-cycle metrics while the underlying MOS training pipeline atrophies. Allowing doctrine to lag behind equipment changes because writing publications is nobody's primary duty. Insulating senior commanders from hard readiness truths because the news is uncomfortable.

A SgtMaj who can walk into a MWSG readiness brief, identify a pattern of qualification lapses across multiple squadrons, and trace it back to a specific gap in the training pipeline — then deliver a solution up the chain, not just a problem statement. The 7011s who came up under their watch know why the systems work, not just how to make them work.