Readers Respond: Experiences in 1C5X1 - AEROSPACE CONTROL AND WARNING SYSTEMS

Responses: 4

By Rod Powers, About.com Guide

Do you have experience in this Air Force enlisted AFSC? Share Your Experience

I was a 276/1C5 for 24 years, I really enjoyed my job. Most of my career was in air defense with a small bit in a TCF in Germany. Intercepted the Soviets on many occasions, worked with all kinds of aircraft and just loved what I got to do. This historically has always been a critical career field, but you learn to make the best of it. Volunteer for all the training you can get and TDY as much as possible to broaden your experience is the way to go. Good luck to all of the current 1C5s
—Guest Steve

I have been a 1C5 for about 4 years now, and have the D shredout. I will say that I love this job. Being a female in the military really limits the intense jobs, but this one always gets my adrenaline going. I was at a CRC (Control and Reporting Center) in Germany for 3 years and loved it. As David said, having the oportunity to train on all the tactical vehicles is awesome. And to have hands-on intel of the world is incredible. But, to put on your headset and check in with your fighter pilot (F-16, F-15, F-22, A-10, etc.) then give them updates of the air picture around them is incredible. To be able to pass coordinates of land-based anti-aircraft artillery systems so the pilots can destroy them, and then give them vectors to adversary aircraft to initiate an air-to-air fight is just breath-taking. I've learned so much about the military and how the different branches work together just by doing this job. But, you have to really want this to stay stay in. Deployments happen often.
—Guest Mica

I have been a 1C5 for a little over 2 years. Some aspects of the job are more enjoyable than others. As the comment above stated if you are in a mobile unit you will deploy on a regular basis. I have yet to deploy anywhere. I do not belong to a mobile unit such as a CRC. I work in an AOC( Air Operations Center). I have also worked in an ACS (Air Control Squadron). So as you can see your experiences will vary. This is a very broad career field.
—Guest Taylor

I have been a 1c5 for 5 years now and I can say I enjoy this job. Were mostly mobile units so we do alot of field deployments(normaly in local area). We get to do some fun stuff alot of jobs in the air force dont see. Also aside from your actual job you will do convoy training ECST training (look it up) will be trained on many differnent tactical vehicles. However the down side is 6 month deployments about 8-12 month breaks. You will deploy in this job so be ready. Just to calm you down we stay inside the wire. Also jobs available for us on the outside are very limited. One more thing we are a critical manned career field so once your in its not easy to get out of it. So we do some cool stuff so wiegh the pros and cons. Im just skimming the surface here but those are the important factors you wont here from a recruiter.
—Guest David