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Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (PR): Career Profile

Are you the type of person that is very responsible and pays attention to even the smallest details as you work?

Then you may be a perfect fit to take up a career as a Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman.

Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman are tasked with maintaining parachutes and other survival gear that are essential for the safety of the Navy personnel that count on them.

Here are some of the duties that are required of a Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman:

  • Inspect, maintain and repair survival equipment, flight gear, and high-altitude protective clothing (such as anti-gravity suits)
  • Operate, adjust, maintain and repair heavy capacity sewing machines
  • Repair, pack and rig several different styles of parachutes
  • Troubleshoot, repair, and test oxygen systems, oxygen regulators and liquid oxygen converters that have been removed from aircraft.
  • Operate and maintain carbon dioxide transfer and recharge equipment
  • Equip and pack lifesaving rafts
  • Be able to manufacture various types of fabric work and webbing assemblies that will be used to repair all different types of survival equipment
  • Supervise the operation of and maintain parachute lofts and other survival equipment work centers
  • Conduct scheduled and random inspections of survival equipment

Being a Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman is a demanding job that requires extreme precision but it can also be rewarding and fun at the same time.

Related ArticleNavy Operations Specialist (OS): Career Details

Check out these YouTube videos if you want a little more detail about what an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman does:

Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Requirements and Qualifications

Here is what it takes to qualify to start training to become an enlisted Aircrew Survival Equipmentman in the US Navy.

Educational Requirements

  • High School Diploma
  • GED

ASVAB Requirements

  • Minimum combined ASVAB Score of 185 on Verbal Expression, Auto and Shop Information, Arithmetic Reasoning and Math Knowledge.

-OR-

  • Minimum combined ASVAB Score of 140 on Auto and Shop Information, Assembling Objects, and Math Knowledge.

Additional Qualifications

  • Be between the ages of 17 and 34 unless in possession of a waiver
  • Not required to be a United States Citizen
  • Normal color perception is required
  • Possess good manual dexterity skills
  • Successful completion of 8 weeks of Navy Basic Recruit Training held at Great Lakes Naval Training Center which is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, close to Chicago. (Not required of those with prior military experience or training)
  • Depending on their duty assignment, may be required to complete a current Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) that will allow that enlisted person to obtain a Secret level or higher security clearance

Training and Career Path to Become an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman

Here are the training requirements that must be completed before any Seaman can be considered a competent Aircrew Survival Equipmentman.

Navy Technical Training Information

The Class “A” Technical School for Aircrew Survival Equipmentman training takes place at the Navy Technical Training Center in Pensacola, Florida.

This course lasts slightly longer than 3 months.

During this period a Seaman is taught the fundamentals of what it takes to perform his or her duties as an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman.

On the Job Training

Navy parachute riggers (PR) inspect a jump master. Image: Wikimedia.org

At their first duty assignment, a Seaman recruit can expect to go through an extensive on the job training regimen.

The length of this training period will depend on how quickly a Seaman shows proficiency at handling the basic duties that are required of an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman.

How Much Are Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Paid?

Aircrew Survival Equipmentman pay is based on an enlisted member’s current rank and the amount of time they have spent in the military.

An Aircrew Survival Equipmentman that has no prior military experience will start out at the pay grade of Seaman Recruit (E-1).

Those that have job applicable skills or schooling may start out with the initial rank of Seaman Apprentice (E-2) or Seaman (E-3).

Here is the current pay table for Navy enlisted based on rank and time in service:

InsigniaPay Grade RankAbbreviation2023 Minimum Monthly Pay
N/AE-1 +4 monthsSeaman RecruitSR$1,917.60
E-2Seaman ApprenticeSA$2,149.20
e-3 navy seamanE-3SeamanSN$2,259.90
petty officer third classE-4Petty Officer Third ClassPO3$2,503.50
petty officer second classE-5Petty Officer Second ClassPO2$2,730.30
petty officer first classE-6Petty Officer First ClassPO1$2,980.50
chief petty officerE-7Chief Petty OfficerCPO$3,445.80
senior chief petty officerE-8Senior Chief Petty OfficerSCPO$4,957.20
master chief petty officerE-9Master Chief Petty OfficerMCPO$6,055.50
command master chief petty officerE-9Command Master Chief Petty OfficerCMDCM$6,055.50
master chief petty officer of the navyE-9Master Chief Petty Officer Of The NavyMCPON$6,055.50

Advancement through the Seamen ranks (E-1 to E-3) is done simply by time in grade.

To become a non-commissioned officer in the Navy (E-4 and above), a Seaman will need to achieve a good test score that is combined with their current time in grade to advance to the next rank.

Miscellaneous Pay, Allowances, and Incentives

Here are some other pay additions that may be given due to a Seaman’s current location or specific job assignment.

These include:

  • Housing allowance for those that live off base (BAH)
  • Subsistence allowance (Food – BAS)
  • Temporary duty pay
  • Hazardous duty pay
  • Sea duty pay (Separation pay)
  • 100% paid healthcare
  • Tuition reimbursement

Related Article: BAH Calculator (and 6 Common Questions About BAH)

What’s Life Like as a Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman?

There is a wide variety of working environments that an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman may be asked to perform their assigned tasks in.

This can be assigned to a ship, a naval air station or attached to a specific Navy air squadron.

With each type of assignment come somewhat different lifestyles.

Those assigned to ships or navy air squadrons will be gone from home for long periods of time and this may make it difficult for those Aircrew Survival Equipmentman that have families.

For those that want to see the world, this is a great navy career to choose.

An Aircrew Survival Equipmentman can expect to spend at least half of their time on active duty assigned to shipboard duty or assigned to a Navy air squadron that rotates out to sea on a regular basis.

Work settings involve everything from spacious facilities when working on a base to much smaller confines when working on a ship.

In peacetime, all Navy active-duty personnel are allowed shore leave, weekly days off, and 30 days of paid leave each year.

Job Reviews

Here is what some enlisted members who served as a US Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman had to say about their experiences on the website Indeed.com:

Those who like to travel and did not mind some long working days at times seemed to enjoy their time spent as an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman.

Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Civilian Career Opportunities

Although there are not an abundance of jobs in the civilian world that can use the skills of an Ex-Navy Survival Equipmentman, there certainly are some decent paying civilian alternatives that come with this type of Navy training.

Here are some examples of civilian companies that hire Ex-Navy Survival Equipmentman:

  • Complete Parachute Solutions, Inc. – Coolidge, AZ
  • TRAX International – Dyess AFB, TX
  • PAE Government Services Inc. – Fallon, NV
  • TRAX Test Services – Yuma Proving Ground, AZ
  • Airborne Systems – Santa Ana, CA
  • Lockheed Martin Corporation – San Diego, CA
  • Augustine Consulting Inc. – Fort Bragg, NC
  • S&K Global Solutions – Kāne‘ohe Bay, HI
  • Kay and Associates – Camp Pendleton, CA
  • Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. – Niceville, FL

There is also a shortage of people that know how to pack parachutes and maintain aircraft safety equipment in the military too.

So many times these jobs are given out to civilian contractors.

Related Article: 9 Common Private Military Contractor Jobs (and 3 uncommon ones)

That means there are opportunities for Ex-Navy Survival Equipmentman to work for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Air Force Reserve in government contracting positions.

If an Ex-Navy Survival Equipmentman worked in a capacity where they were given a Secret or better security clearance, that security clearance has value and may lead to even more civilian employment opportunities.

References:

navydads.ning.com

Navy PR Rating Card

Navy COOL Summary – PR

Craig S.
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