The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) is an alphanumeric

Alphanumeric

Alphanumeric is a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters, and is used to describe the collection of Latin letters and Arabic digits or a text constructed from this collection. There are either 36 or 62 alphanumeric characters. The alphanumeric character set consists of the numbers 0 to...

 code used by the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 to identify an Air Force Specialty (AFS). Officer

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...

 AFSCs consist of four characters and enlisted AFSCs consist of five characters. A letter prefix or suffix may be used with an AFSC when more specific identification of position requirements and individual qualifications is necessary. The AFSC is similar to the Military Occupational Specialty

United States military occupation code

A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code , is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used...

 (MOS) used by the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 and the United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 or Ratings used by the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 and the United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...

.

History

After the Air Force separated from the Army in 1947, it retained the Army's system of MOS occupation codes, modifying them in 1954. These were 5-digit codes; for example a maintenance data systems specialist was 39150 and a weather technician was 25170. In October 1993, the Air Force implemented a new system of AFSCs, aligning occupations with the forcewide restructuring that was implemented under Merrill McPeak. These reduced officer AFSCs from 216 to 123 and enlisted AFSCs from 203 to 176.

Enlisted AFSCs

The enlisted AFSC consists of five alphanumeric characters:

• Career group (Numerical)
  1. Operations
  2. Logistics
  3. Support
  4. Medical
  5. Professional
  6. Acquisition
  7. Special Investigations
  8. Special Duty Identifiers, typically used for Airmen chosen for specialized jobs
  9. Reporting Identifiers, typically used for Airmen in transitive status: trainees, awaiting retraining, prisoner, etc.
• Career field (Alpha, different for each)
• Career field subdivision (Numerical, different for each)
• Skill level
  • 1 – Helper (recruits or retrainees in technical school)
  • 3 – Apprentice (technical school graduates applying and expanding their job skills)
  • 5 – Journeyman (experienced Airmen functioning as front-line technicians and initial trainers)
  • 7 – Craftsman (Airmen with many years of experience in the specialty, responsible for supervision and training)
  • 9 – Superintendent (Airmen in the grade of Senior Master Sergeant
    Senior Master Sergeant
    Senior Master Sergeant is the eighth enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Master Sergeant and below Chief Master Sergeant and is a senior non-commissioned officer ....
    
     and above, with at least 14 years of experience, responsible for broad supervision)
  • 0 – Chief Enlisted Manager (CEM) (Airmen in the grade of Chief Master Sergeant
    Chief Master Sergeant
    CMSgt ChevronChief Master Sergeant is the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Master Sergeant, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The official term of address is "Chief Master Sergeant" or "Chief".Attaining the rank of Chief Master Sergeant is the...
    
     responsible for policy and direction on a broad scale, from the individual squadron to HQ USAF levels)
• Specific AFSC (Numeric, specialty within career field subdivision)

For example, in the AFSC 1N371:

• The career group is 1 (Operations)
• The career field is N (Intelligence
  Military intelligence
  Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
  
  )
• The career field subdivision is 3 (Cryptologic
  Cryptography
  Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
  
   Linguist
  Linguistics
  Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
  
  )
• The skill level is 7 (Craftsman)
• The specific AFSC is 1 (Crypto-Linguist Specializing in a Germanic
  Germanic languages
  The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
  
   Language)

For some specialties, an alpha prefix is used to denote a special ability, skill, qualification or system designator not restricted to a single AFSC (such as "J" for an aircrew position). Additionally, an alpha suffix (a “shredout”) denotes positions associated with particular equipment or functions within a single specialty (an Afrikaans specialist in the Germanic linguist field would have an "E" shredout). Using the above example, the AFSC J1N371E would refer to a Germanic Cryptologic Linguist who is aircrew qualified and specializes in Afrikaans.

Here is an extended listing of AFSC groups. Most categories have numerous actual AFSCs in them.

Operations

• 1A - Aircrew
  Aircrew
  Aircrew are the personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of the crew depends on the type of aircraft as well as the purpose of the flight.-Civilian:*Aviator** Pilot-in-command** First officer** Second officer** Third officer...
  
   Operations
  
  • 1A0X1 - In-Flight Refueling
    Aerial refueling
    Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
    
    
  • 1A1X1 - Flight Engineer
    Flight engineer
    Flight engineers work in three types of aircraft: fixed-wing , rotary wing , and space flight .As airplanes became even larger requiring more engines and complex systems to operate, the workload on the two pilots became excessive during certain critical parts of the flight regime, notably takeoffs...
    
    
  • 1A2X1 - Aircraft Loadmaster
    Loadmaster
    A Loadmaster is an aircrew member on military transport aircraft. Loadmasters serve in the Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Navy of many nations...
    
    
  • 1A3X1 - Airborne Mission Systems
  • 1A4X1 - Airborne Battle Management Systems
  • 1A6X1 - Flight Attendant
    Flight attendant
    Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
    
    
  • 1A7X1 - Aerial Gunner
    Air gunner
    An air gunner a.k.a. aerial gunner is a member of an air force aircrew who operates flexible-mount or turret-mounted machine guns or autocannons in an aircraft...
    
    
  • 1A8X1 - Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst
  • 1A8X2 - Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
    ISTAR
    ISTAR stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managing the information they gather.Information is collected on...
    
     Operator
• 1B - Cyberspace Defense
  • 1B4X1 - Cyberspace Defense
• 1C - Command and Control Systems Operations
  
  • 1C0X2 - Aviation Resource Management
  • 1C1X1 - Air Traffic Control
    Air traffic control
    Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
    
    
  • 1C2X1 - Combat Control
  • 1C3X1 - Command Post
  • 1C4X1 - Tactical Air Control Party
    Tactical Air Control Party
    The Tactical Air Control Party, commonly abbreviated TACP, is a small team of Army, Marine or Air Force personnel who provide airspace deconfliction and terminal control of Close Air Support at battle group level or below...
    
     (TACP)
  • 1C5X1 - Command & Control Battle Management Ops (1C5X1D Weapons Director)
    
  • 1C6X1 - Space Systems Operations
  • 1C7X1 - Airfield Management
• 1N - Intelligence
  Intelligence (information gathering)
  Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
  
   
  
  • 1N0X1 - Operations Intelligence
  • 1N1X1 - Geospatial Intelligence
  • 1N2X1 - Signals Intelligence Analysis
  • 1N3X1 - Cryptologic Language Analyst
  • 1N4X1 - Network Intelligence
    Network intelligence
    Network Intelligence is a technology that builds on the concepts and capabilities of Deep Packet Inspection , Packet Capture and Business Intelligence...
    
     Analysis
• Aircrew Flight Equipment
  • 1P0X1 - Aircrew Flight Equipment
• Safety
  • 1S0X1 - 1S - Safety
• Aircrew Protection
  • 1T0X1 - Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)
  • 1T2X1 - Pararescue

• Unmanned Aerospace System
  Unmanned aerial vehicle
  An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
  
   (UAS)
  • 1U0X1 - Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Sensor Operator
• 1W - Weather
  • 1W0X1 - Weather
  • 1W0X2 - Special Operations Weather

Maintenance/Logistics

• 2A - Aerospace Maintenance
  • 2A0X1 - Avionics Test Station and Components
  • 2A3X1 - A-10, F-15, & U-2 Avionics Systems
  • 2A3X2 - Integrated Avionics Systems (Attack/Special)
  • 2A3X3 - Tactical Aircraft Maintenance
  • 2A5X1 - Aerospace Maintenance
  • 2A5X2 - Helicopter/Tiltrotor Maintenance
  • 2A5X3 - Integrated Avionics Systems (Heavy)
  • 2A6X1 - Aerospace Propulsion
  • 2A6X2 - Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE)
  • 2A6X3 - Aircrew Egress Systems
  • 2A6X4 - Aircraft Fuel Systems
  • 2A6X5 - Aircraft Hydraulic Systems
  • 2A6X6 - Aircraft Electrical and Environmental Systems
  • 2A7X1 - Aircraft Metals Technology
  • 2A7X2 - Nondestructive Inspection (NDI)
  • 2A7X3 - Aircraft Structural Maintenance
  • 2A7X5 - Low Observable Aircraft Structural Maintenance
• Fuels
  • 2F - Fuels
• Logistics Plans
  • 2G - Logistics Plans
• Missile Maintenance
  • 2M0X1 - Missile and Space Systems Electronics Maintenance
  • 2M0X2 - Missile and Space Systems Maintenance
  • 2M0X3 - Missile and Space Facilities
• Precision Measurement
  • 2P - Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory
• Maintenance Management
  • 2R0X1 - Maintenance Management Analysis
  • 2R1X1 - Maintenance Management Production
• Material Management
  • 2S - Material Management
• Transportation & Vehicle Management
  • 2T0X1 - Traffic Management
  • 2T1X1 - Vehicle Operations
  • 2T2X1 - Air Transportation
• Vehicle Management
  • 2T3X1 - Vehicle and Vehicular Equipment Maintenance
  • 2T3X2 - Special Vehicle Maintenance
  • 2T3X7 - Vehicle Management and Analysis
• Munitions & Weapons
  AMMO (U.S. Air Force)
  The Munitions Systems Specialist career field , commonly referred to as AMMO, is the munitions and weapons branch of the U.S. Air Force.-Career Field Description:...
  
  
  • 2W0X1 - Munitions Systems
  • 2W1X1 - Aircraft Armament Systems
  • 2W2X1 - Nuclear Weapons

Support

• 3D - Cyberspace
  Cyberspace
  Cyberspace is the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.The term "cyberspace" was first used by the cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson, though the concept was described somewhat earlier, for example in the Vernor Vinge short story "True...
  
   Support (activated on 1 November 2009, merging 2EXXX, 3AXXX, and 3CXXX)
  • 3D0X1 - Knowledge Operations Management
  • 3D0X2 - Cyber Systems Operations
  • 3D0X3 - Cyber Surety (IA
    Information Assurance
    Information assurance is the practice of managing risks related to the use, processing, storage, and transmission of information or data and the systems and processes used for those purposes...
    
     and COMSEC
    Communications security
    Communications security is the discipline of preventing unauthorized interceptors from accessing telecommunications in an intelligible form, while still delivering content to the intended recipients. In the United States Department of Defense culture, it is often referred to by the abbreviation...
    
    )
  • 3D0X4 - Computer Systems Programming
    Computer programming
    Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
    
    
  • 3D1X1 - Client Systems
  • 3D1X2 - Cyber Transport Systems
  • 3D1X3 - RF Transmission Systems
  • 3D1X4 - Spectrum Operations
  • 3D1X5 - Ground Radar Systems
  • 3D1X6 - Airfield Systems
  • 3D1X7 - Cable and Antenna Systems
• 3E - Civil Engineering
  Civil engineering
  Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
  
   
  
  • 3E0X1 - Electrical Systems
  • 3E0X2 - Electrical Power Production
  • 3E1X1 - Heating, Ventilation, AC
    HVAC
    HVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
    
    , and Refrigeration
  • 3E2X1 - Pavements and Construction Equipment
  • 3E3X1 - Structural
  • 3E4X1 - Water and Fuel Systems Maintenance
  • 3E4X3 - Pest Management
  • 3E5X1 - Engineering
  • 3E6X1 - Operations Management
  • 3E7X1 - Fire Protection
    Firefighter
    Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
    
    
  • 3E8X1 - Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • 3E9X1 - Emergency Management
• Historian
  Historian
  A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
  
  
  • 3H - Historian
• Services
  • 3M - Services
• Public Affairs
  Public affairs (military)
  Public Affairs is a term for the formal offices of the branches of the United States Department of Defense whose purpose is to deal with the media and community issues. The term is also used for numerous media relations offices that are created by the U.S. military for more specific limited purposes...
  
   
  
  • 3N0X1 - Public Affairs
  • 3N0X2 - Broadcast Journalist
  • 3N0X4 - Still Photography
  • 3N1X1 - Regional Band
    Musical ensemble
    A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
    
    
  • 3N2X1 - Premier Band
• Security Forces 
  
  • 3P - Security Forces
• Mission Support
  
  • 3S0X1 - Personnel
  • 3S1X1 - Equal Opportunity
    Equal opportunity
    Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
    
    
  • 3S2X1 - Education and Training
  • 3S3X1 - Manpower

Medical

• Medical
  • 4A0X1 - Health Services Management
  • 4A1X1 - Medical Material
  • 4A2X1 - Biomedical Equipment
  • 4B0X1 - Bioenvironmental Engineering
    Bioenvironmental Engineering
    Bioenvironmental Engineering comprises four general areas: radiation, industrial hygiene, environmental protection and emergency response.During th 1970s the US Air Force saw a need to implement the measures to protect the health of personnel. It took elements of Military Public Health and spun off...
    
    
  • 4C0X1 - Mental Health Service
  • 4D0X1 - Diet Therapy
  • 4E0X1 - Public Health
    Public health
    Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
    
     
    
  • 4H0X1 - Cardiopulmonary Laboratory
  • 4J0X1 - Physical Medicine
  • 4M0X1 - Aerospace and Operational Physiology
  • 4N0X1 - Aerospace Medical Service
  • 4N1X1 - Surgical Service
  • 4P0X1 - Pharmacy
    Pharmacy
    Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
    
    
  • 4R0X1 - Diagnostic Imaging
  • 4T0X1 - Medical Laboratory
  • 4T0X2 - Histopathology
    Histopathology
    Histopathology refers to the microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease...
    
    
  • 4V0X1 - Opthalmic
    Optometry
    Optometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
    
    
• Dental
  Dentistry
  Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
  
  
  • 4Y0X1 - Dental Assistant
    Dental assistant
    Dental assistants assist the dental operator provide more efficient dental treatment, by preparing the patient for treatment, sterilizing instruments, passing instruments during the procedure, holding a suction device, exposing dental radiographs, taking impressions, and fabricating provisional...
    
    
  • 4Y0X1H - Dental Hygienist
    Dental hygienist
    thumb|right|300px|Dental hygienist holding a scalerA dental hygienist is a licensed dental professional who specializes in preventive oral health, typically focusing on techniques in oral hygiene. Local dental regulations determine the scope of practice of dental hygienists...
    
    
  • 4Y0X2 - Dental Laboratory
    Dental laboratory
    Dental laboratories manufacture or customize a variety of products to assist in the provision of oral health care by a licensed dentist. These products include crowns, bridges, dentures and other dental products...
    
    

Professional

• Paralegal
  Paralegal
  Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
  
  
  • 5J - Paralegal
• Chaplain Assistant
  United States Air Force Chaplain Corps
  The Chaplain Corps of the United States Air Force consists of enlisted chaplain assistants and clergy who become commissioned Air Force officers, endorsed and ordained by their particular religious organization...
  
  
  • 5R - Chaplain Assistant

Acquisition

• Contracting
  • 6C - Contracting
• Financial
  FINANCIAL
  FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...
  
  
  • 6F - Financial Management & Comptroller

Special Investigations

• 7S - Special Investigations
  Air Force Office of Special Investigations
  The Air Force Office of Special Investigations , is a Field Operating Agency of the United States Air Force that provides professional investigative services to commanders throughout the Air Force...
  
   (OSI)

Special Duty Identifiers

• 8A100 - Career Assistance Advisor
• 8A200 - Enlisted Aide
• 8B000 - Military Training Instructor
  Drill instructor
  A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer or Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in the armed forces or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. In the U.S. armed forces, they are assigned the duty of indoctrinating new recruits entering the military into the customs and...
  
  
• 8B100 - Military Training Leader
• 8B200 - Academic Military Training NCO
• 8C000 - Airman & Family Readiness Center RNCO
• 8D000 - Linguist Debriefer
• 8E000 - Research Analysis and Lessons Learned
• 8F000 - First Sergeant
• 8G000 - Honor Guard
  United States Air Force Base Honor Guard
  The United States Air Force Honor Guard is the official ceremonial unit of the United States Air Force. The Honor Guard's primary mission is to represent the Air Force at all public and official ceremonies within the National Capital Region and abroad when directed by the Military District of...
  
  
• 8H000 - Airman Dorm Leader
• 8M000 - Postal
  Mail
  Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
  
  
• 8P000 - Courier
• 8P100 - Defense Attaché
• 8R000 - Enlisted Accessions Recruiter
• 8R200 - Second-Tier Recruiter
• 8R300 - Third-Tier Recruiter
• 8S000 - Missile Facility Manager
• 8T000 - Professional Military Education Instructor

Reporting Identifiers

• 9A000 - Awaiting Retraining-Reasons beyond Control
• 9A100 - Awaiting Retraining-Reasons within Control
• 9A200 - Awaiting Discharge/Separation/Retirement for Reasons Within Their Control
• 9A300 - Awaiting Discharge/Separation/Retirement for Reasons Beyond Their Control
• 9A400 - Disqualified Airman, Return to Duty Program
• 9C000 - CMSgt of the Air Force
  Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
  The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Air Force. The holder of this rank and post represents the highest enlisted level of leadership in the Air Force, and as such, provides direction for the enlisted corps and represents their interests,...
  
  
• 9E000 - Command Chief Master Sergeant
• 9F000 - First Term Airmen Center
• 9G100 - Group Superintendent
• 9J000 - Prisoner
• 9L000 - Interpreter/Translator
• 9P000 - Patient
• 9R000 - Civil Air Patrol (CAP)-USAF Reserve Assistance NCO
• 9S100 - Technical Applications Specialist
• 9T000 - Basic Enlisted Airman
• 9T100 - Officer Trainee
• 9T200 - Pre-Cadet Assignee
• 9U000 - Enlisted Airman Ineligible for Local Utilization
• 9U100 - Unallotted Enlisted Authorization
• 9W000 - Potential Wounded Warrior
• 9W100 - Reserved for Future Use
• 9W200 - Wounded Warrior
• 9W300 - Wounded Warrior-Returned to Duty
• 9W400 - Wounded Warrior-Limited Assignment Status (LAS)
• 9W500 - Wounded Warrior-Retired/Discharged
• 9W600 - Reserved for Future Use
• 9W700 - Reserved for Future Use
• 9W800 - Reserved for Future Use
• 9W900 - Reserved for Future Use

Officer AFSCs

The officer AFSC consists of four alphanumeric characters:

• Career Group (Numerical)
  • 1 (Operations)
  • 2 (Logistics)
  • 3 (Support)
  • 4 (Medical or Dental)
  • 5 (Legal or Chaplain
    Chaplain
    Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
    
    )
  • 6 (Acquisition or Finance)
  • 7 (Special Investigation)
  • 8 (Special Duty Identified)
  • 9 (Reporting Identifier)
• Utilization Field (Numerical, different for each)
• Functional Area (Alpha, different for each)
• Qualification Level
  • 0 – Qualified commander (when used in conjunction with “C” in the 3rd position)
  • 1 – Entry (any AFSC)
  • 2 – Intermediate (is only used for pilots
    Aviator
    An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
    
    , bomber
    Bomber
    A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
    
     navigators, and missile
    Missile
    Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
    
     launch officers)
  • 3 – Qualified (any AFSC)
  • 4 – Staff (relates only to the level of functional responsibility and is restricted to positions above wing
    Wing (air force unit)
    Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
    
     level; it does not denote additional specialty qualifications)

For example, in the AFSC 11A4:

• The career group is 11 (Pilot)
• The functional area is A (Airlift
  Airlift (military)
  An airlift is the organized delivery of supplies or personnel primarily via aircraft.Airlifting consists of two distinct types, strategic and tactical airlifting...
  
  )
• The qualification level is 4 (Staff)

For example, in the AFSC T63A3

• The career group is 63 (acquisition manager)
• The functional are is A (all 63 officers are "A")
• The qualification level is 3 (fully qualified)
• The prefix "T" designates a formal training instructor (other pre-fixes are available for other specialty positions)

As with enlisted AFSCs, prefixes and suffixes may be applied to make the AFSC more specific.

Operations

• 10C0 - Operations Commander
• 11BX - Bomber Pilot
• 11EX - Experimental Test Pilot
• 11FX - Fighter Pilot
  Fighter pilot
  A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
  
  
• 11GX - Generalist Pilot
• 11HX - Helicopter
  Helicopter
  A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
  
   Pilot
• 11KX - Trainer Pilot
• 11MX - Mobility Pilot
• 11RX - Recce/Surv/Elect Warfare Pilot
• 11SX - Special Operations Pilot
• 11UX - Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Pilot
• 12BX - Bomber Combat Systems Officer
• 12EX - Experimental Test Combat Systems Officer
• 12FX - Fighter Weapons Systems Officer (WSO)
• 12GX - Generalist Combat Systems Officer
• 12KX - Trainer Combat Systems Officer
• 12MX - Mobility Combat Systems Officer
• 12RX - Recce/Surv/Elect Warfare Combat Systems Officer
• 12SX - Special Operations Combat Systems Officer
• 12UX - Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Pilot
• 13AX - Astronaut
  Astronaut
  An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
  
  
• 13BX - Air Battle Manager
• 13DX - Control and Recovery
• 13LX - Air Liaison Officer
• 13MX - Airfield Operation
• 13SX - Space & Missile
• 14NX - Intelligence
  Intelligence
  Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
  
  
• 15WX - Weather
  Weather
  Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
  
  
• 16FX - Regional Affairs Strategist
• 16GX - Air Force Operations Staff Officer
• 16PX - Political-Military Affairs Strategist
• 16RX - Planning & Programming
• 17C0 - Cyber Operations Commander
• 17DX - Cyberspace Operations
• 18AX - Attack Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot (18X established in Oct 2009)
• 18GX - Generalist Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot
• 18RX - Recce Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot

Logistics

• 20C0 - Logistics Deputy Group Commander
• 21AX - Aircraft Maintenance
• 21MX - Munitions and Missile Maintenance
• 21RX - Logistics Readiness Officer (LRO)

Support

• 30C0 - Support Commander
• 31PX - Security Forces
• 32EX - Civil Engineer
  Civil engineer
  A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
  
  
• 35BX - Band
  Musical ensemble
  A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
  
  
• 35PX - Public Affairs
  Public affairs (military)
  Public Affairs is a term for the formal offices of the branches of the United States Department of Defense whose purpose is to deal with the media and community issues. The term is also used for numerous media relations offices that are created by the U.S. military for more specific limited purposes...
  
  
• 38FX - Force Support

Medical

• 40C0 - Medical Commander
• 41AX - Health Services Administrator
• 42BX - Physical Therapist
• 42EX - Optometrist
• 42FX - Podiatrist
• 42GX - Physician Assistant
  Physician assistant
  A physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
  
  
• 42NX - Audiology
  Audiology
  Audiology is the branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Its practitioners, who treat those with hearing loss and proactively prevent related damage are audiologists. Employing various testing strategies Audiology (from Latin , "to hear"; and from Greek , -logia) is...
  
  /Speech Pathologist
• 42PX - Clinical Psychologist
  Psychologist
  Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
  
  
• 42SX - Clinical Social Worker
• 42TX - Occupational Therapist Biomedical Specialists
• 43AX - Aerospace & Operational Physiologist
• 43BX - Biomedical Scientist
• 43DX - Dietitian
  Dietitian
  Dietitians supervise the preparation and service of food, develop modified diets, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits. The goals of dietitians are to provide medical nutritional intervention, and to obtain, safely prepare, serve and advise on...
  
  
• 43EX - Bioenvironmental Engineer
• 43HX - Public Health
  Public health
  Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
  
  
• 43MX - Medical Entomologist
  Entomology
  Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
  
  
• 43PX - Pharmacist
  Pharmacist
  Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
  
  
• 43TX - Biomedical Laboratory
• 44AX - Chief, Hospital/Clinic Services
• 44BX - Preventive Medicine
  Preventive medicine
  Preventive medicine or preventive care refers to measures taken to prevent diseases, rather than curing them or treating their symptoms...
  
  
• 44DX - Pathologist
• 44EX - Emergency Services Physician
• 44FX - Family Physician
• 44GX - General Practice Physician
• 44HX - Nuclear Medicine
  Nuclear medicine
  In nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
  
   Physician
• 44JX - Clinical Geneticist
  Geneticist
  A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a researcher or lecturer. Some geneticists perform experiments and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of skills. A geneticist is also a Consultant or...
  
  
• 44KX - Pediatrician
• 44MX - Internist
• 44NX - Neurologist
  Neurologist
  A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
  
  
• 44PX - Psychiatrist
  Psychiatrist
  A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
  
  
• 44RX - Diagnostic Radiologist
• 44SX - Dermatologist
• 44TX - Radiotherapist
• 44UX - Occupational Medicine
• 44YX - Critical Care Medicine
• 44ZX - Allergist
• 45AX - Anesthesiologist
  Anesthesiologist
  An anesthesiologist or anaesthetist is a physician trained in anesthesia and peri-operative medicine....
  
  
• 45BX - Orthopedic Surgeon
• 45EX - Ophthalmologist
• 45GX - OB/GYN
• 45NX - Otorhinolaryngologist
• 45PX - Physical Medicine Physician
• 45SX - Surgeon
  Surgeon
  In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
  
  
• 45UX - Urologist
• 46AX - Nurse Administrator
• 46FX - Flight Nurse
• 46GX - Nurse-Midwife
• 46MX - Nurse Anesthetist
• 46NX - Clinical Nurse
• 46PX - Mental Health
  Mental health
  Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
  
   Nurse
• 46SX - Operating Room Nurse
• 46YX - Privileged Advanced Practice Nurse
• 47BX - Orthodontist
• 47DX - Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist
• 47EX - Endodontist
• 47GX - Dentist
  Dentist
  A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
  
  
• 47HX - Periodontist
• 47KX - Pediatric Dentist
• 47PX - Prosthodontist
• 47SX - Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
• 48AX - Aerospace Medicine Specialist
• 48GX - General Medical Officer (GMO), Flt Surg
• 48RX - Residency Trained Flight Surgeon
  Flight surgeon
  A flight surgeon is a military medical officer assigned to duties in the clinical field variously known as aviation medicine, aerospace medicine, or flight medicine...
  
  
• 48VX - Pilot-Physician

Acquisition

• 60C0 - Program Director
• 61AX - Operations Research
  Operations research
  Operations research is an interdisciplinary mathematical science that focuses on the effective use of technology by organizations...
  
   Analyst
• 61BX - Behavioral Science/Human Factors Scientist
• 61CX - Chemist
  Chemist
  A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
  
  /Biologist
  Biologist
  A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
  
  
• 61DX - Physicist
  Physicist
  A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
  
  /Nuclear Engineer
• 62EX - Developmental Engineer
• 62S0 - Materiel Leader
• 63AX - Acquisition Manager
• 63G0 - Senior Materiel Leader
• 63S0 - Materiel Leader
• 64PX - Contracting
• 65AX - Auditor
• 65FX - Financial Management
• 65WX - Cost Analysis

Special Duty Identifiers

• 80C0 - Commander, Cadet Squadron, USAFA
• 81C0 - Training Commander, OTS
• 81T0 - Instructor
• 82A0 - Academic Program Manager
• 83R0 - Recruiting Service
• 84H0 - Historian
  Historian
  A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
  
  
• 85G0 - USAF Honor Guard
• 86M0 - Operations Management
• 86P0 - Command and Control
• 87G0 - Installation Inspector General
  Inspector General
  An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
  
  
• 88A0 - Aide-de-Camp
  Aide-de-camp
  An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
  
  

Reporting Identifiers

• 90G0 - General Officer
• 91C0 - Commander
  Commanding officer
  The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
  
  
• 91W0 - Wing Commander
• 92J0 - Nondesignated Lawyer
• 92J1 - AFROTC Educational Delay-Law Student
• 92J2 - Funded Legal Education Program Law Student
• 92J3 - Excess Leave Law Student
• 92M0 - Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) Medical Student
• 92M1 - Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences Student
• 92M2 - HPSP Biomedical Science Student
• 92R0 - Chaplain Candidate
• 92S0 - Student Officer Authorization
• 92T0 - Pilot Trainee
• 92T1 - Navigator/Combat Systems Officer Trainee
• 92T2 - Air Battle Manager Trainee
• 92T3 - Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Pilot Trainee
• 92W0 - Potential Wounded Warrior
• 92W1 - Reserved for Future Use
• 92W2 - Wounded Warrior
• 92W3 - Wounded Warrior-Returned to Duty
• 92W4 - Wounded Warrior-Limited Assignment Status
• 92W5 - Wounded Warrior-Retired/Discharged
• 92W9 - Warrior Care
• 93P0 - Patient
  Patient
  A patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, veterinarian, or other health care provider....
  
  
• 94N0 - Nuclear Weapons Custodian
• 95A0 - Non-Extended Active Duty AFRC or ANG USAFA Liaison Officer or CAP Liaison Officer
• 96D0 - Officer not available in awarded AFSC for cause
• 96U0 - Unclassified Officer
• 96V0 - Unallotted
• 97E0 - Executive Officer
• 99A0 - Unspecified AFSC

Additional information

During the course of their Air Force careers, Airmen sometimes switch jobs and receive multiple AFSCs to denote training in multiple specialties. A Primary AFSC (PAFSC) is the designation for the specialty in which the individual possesses the highest skill level and is, therefore, the AFSC that he or she is best qualified to perform. The Duty AFSC (DAFSC) reflects the actual manpower position the Airman is assigned to. The Control AFSC (CAFSC) is a management tool to make assignments, assist in determining training requirements, and consider individuals for promotion. Often an enlisted Airman's PAFSC will reflect a higher skill level than his or her CAFSC since the CAFSC skill level is tied to rank while the PAFSC skill level is tied to performance and education.

Usually, the PAFSC, DAFSC, and CAFSC will be the same. However, situations such as retraining, special duties, or Air Force-level changes necessitate these distinctions. Additionally, Airmen that have retrained into multiple specialties will have several Secondary AFSCs (2AFSC, 3AFSC, etc.).

Special Experience Identifiers (SEIs) are established to identify special experience and training. The Air Force Enlisted Classification Directory (AFECD) contains the complete list of authorized SEIs and includes designation criteria and authorized AFSC combinations. (AFI 36-2101)

See also

• Badges of the United States Air Force
  Badges of the United States Air Force
  Badges of the United States Air Force are military awards authorized by the United States Air Force that signify aeronautical ratings, special skills, career field qualifications, and serve as identification devices for personnel occupying certain assignments...
  
  
• List of United States Army careers
• List of United States Marine Corps MOS
• Military education and training
  Military education and training
  Military education and training is a process which intends to establish and improve the capabilities of military personnel in their respective roles....
  
  

External links

• AFI 36-2101, Classifying Military Personnel (Officer and Enlisted) (PDF)
• https://gum.afpc.randolph.af.mil/cgi-bin/askafpc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=7504&p_created=1147807502&p_sid=BDB3V-ak&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTYsMTYmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PUFGRUNE&p_li=&p_topview=1&rstr_flag=1U.S. Air Force Officer Classification Directory (AFOCD) and U.S. Air Force Enlisted Classification Directory (AFECD)] - Only accessible to military personnel