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Air ForceTechnical / CyberRank #30 of 101 by 4-year cost
1C6X1

Space Systems Operations

38-week pipeline · BMT + Technical Training + Mission Qualification Training · Vandenberg SFB, CA / Schriever SFB, CO
Training Pipeline
$72K
38 weeks
Annual MILPERS
$66K
E-4/E-5, 3 years service
Equipment Burden
$5K
per year (amortized)
4-Year Total Cost
$355K
DoD investment
4-Year Cost Breakdown
Training Pipeline
$72K20%
Military Personnel (MILPERS × 4yr)
$263K74%
Equipment Burden (× 4yr)
$20K6%
Training: 20% · MILPERS: 74% · Equipment: 6%= $355K
By the Numbers

Space operators control assets worth more than most countries' military budgets. The GPS constellation alone generates $1.4 trillion per year in global economic value.

One GPS satellite: $500M to build. Annual operating cost per operator: ~$70K. The leverage ratio is extraordinary.

Training Pipeline
Duration
38 weeks
Type
BMT + Technical Training + Mission Qualification Training
Location
Vandenberg SFB, CA / Schriever SFB, CO
Pipeline Cost
$72K

1C6X1 operators command and control military satellites worth $500M–$2.8B each. A single GPS satellite — operated by these specialists — supports billions of users worldwide and enables precision munitions guidance for all U.S. forces.

Equipment & Annual Burden
Assigned Equipment
  • ·Satellite Command & Control Consoles
  • ·Mission Planning Systems
  • ·Encrypted Communications Terminals
  • ·Space Situational Awareness Tools
Annual Equipment Burden
$5K/yr
Mission system consoles share amortized
Military Personnel Cost (Annual)
Grade BenchmarkE-4/E-5, 3 years service
Base MILPERS$63K/yr
Specialty Pay(Space Operations Duty Pay)+$2K/yr
Total Annual MILPERS$66K/yr
Specialty pays account for $2K annually (4% of total compensation).
Force Structure Context
Annual Accessions~800
Avg Career Length7 years
Annual Training Bill$57.6M
Total Force 4yr Cost$284.1M
Read 1C6X1 Reviews →← All MOS ProfilesAverage Per-Soldier Cost →
Other Air Force Profiles
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Cryptologic Language Analyst
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4-year total
1C4X1
Tactical Air Control Party (TACP)
$498K
4-year total
1A8X1
Airborne ISR Operator
$481K
4-year total

Cost estimates derived from DoD Comptroller per-soldier analysis, RAND Corporation military personnel studies, CBO military compensation reports, service-specific training cost testimony, and published equipment unit costs. Error margin ±15%. Individual costs vary by duty station, assignment, and deployment tempo. This is Phase 3 of the Honest MOS DoD Budget Intelligence Roadmap.