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31V Career Guide

Army

31V: Tactical Radio and Field Wire Repairer

Career transition guide for Army Tactical Radio and Field Wire Repairer (31V)

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Tech Roles You Could Aim For

Real industry tech roles your 31V background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.

Network Engineer

Infrastructure

SOC 15-1241
High match

Your experience troubleshooting and repairing tactical radio and field wire equipment directly translates to diagnosing and resolving network issues. Training on systems like AN/PRC-150 and SINCGARS provides a foundation for understanding network protocols and hardware. Your knowledge of COMSEC procedures is also valuable for network security.

Typical stack:

TCP/IP fundamentalsRouting protocols (BGP, OSPF)Firewall and VPN configurationCloud networkingCisco or Juniper hands-on

Systems Administrator

Infrastructure

SOC 15-1244
Good match

Your responsibilities included supervising the operation of integrated communications systems, which involved managing various system elements and coordinating resolutions. This experience aligns with the duties of a systems administrator, who manages and maintains computer systems and servers. Field Wire Installation and Maintenance experience is valuable.

Typical stack:

Linux and/or Windows ServerScripting (Bash, PowerShell, Python)Backup and DR practicesMonitoringPatch management

Security Engineer

Security

SOC 15-1212
Moderate match

Your training in Communication Security (COMSEC) procedures and experience with TACCOM (Tactical Communications Security) lay a foundation for security engineering. Your understanding of Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN) equivalents helps in securing VoIP and other communication systems.

Typical stack:

Networking and OS internalsCryptography fundamentalsThreat modelingCloud security (IAM, VPC)Code review for security

IT Support Specialist (Help Desk)

Infrastructure

SOC 15-1232
Good match

Troubleshooting and repairing radio and wire equipment involves similar problem-solving skills used in IT support. Your experience providing technical assistance and supervising equipment maintenance is directly applicable to assisting users with technical issues and maintaining IT systems.

Typical stack:

Windows and macOS troubleshootingActive Directory basicsTicketing systemsCustomer communicationDocumentation

Skills You Already Have

Concrete bridges from 31V experience to tech-industry practice.

  • Troubleshooting and repair of tactical radio systems→ Network troubleshooting and diagnostics
  • Communication Security (COMSEC) procedures→ Network security protocols and practices
  • Field Wire Installation and Maintenance→ Cabling and network infrastructure
  • System Modeling→ Understanding of complex system interactions
  • Rapid Prioritization→ Incident response and issue triage
  • Resource Optimization→ Efficient allocation of network resources
  • AN/PRC-150(C) HF Radio System→ Knowledge of radio communication principles
  • Tactical Communications Security (TACCOM)→ Understanding of encryption and secure communication methods

Skills to Learn

The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not generic.

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certificationLinux system administration fundamentalsCybersecurity fundamentals (CompTIA Security+)Help desk ticketing systems (e.g., Jira Service Management, Zendesk)Cloud computing basics (AWS, Azure, or GCP)Scripting with Python or Bash

How VWC fits

Vets Who Code accelerates the parts we teach — software engineering fundamentals, web development, AI tooling. For everything else above, the path is doable independently with the resources we link to.

See VWC Programs

Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 31V veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer

$65K
High matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Vendor certifications (e.g., Cisco, Juniper)Experience with specific telecom technologies (e.g., fiber optics, VoIP)

Electronics Engineering Technician

$72K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Associate's degree in Electronics TechnologyProficiency with circuit design software (e.g., Altium, Eagle)Knowledge of advanced testing and measurement equipment

Network and Computer Systems Administrator

$88K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or similar certificationExperience with network security protocolsKnowledge of cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure)

Field Service Technician

$60K
High matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Customer service skillsSpecific product knowledge (depending on the industry)A+ Certification

Technical Trainer

$75K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Instructional design principlesExcellent communication and presentation skillsSubject Matter Expertise in area of instruction

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 31V training built — and where they transfer.

System Modeling

You developed a deep understanding of how communication systems function, identifying dependencies and potential points of failure in tactical radio and field wire equipment systems.

This translates to an ability to understand complex systems, predict outcomes based on inputs, and identify areas for improvement or potential risks.

Rapid Prioritization

When communication systems fail in the field, you quickly assess the situation, identify the most critical issues, and allocate resources to restore functionality as quickly as possible.

This demonstrates the ability to triage situations, make quick decisions under pressure, and focus on the most important tasks when facing multiple demands.

Degraded-Mode Operations

You're skilled at maintaining communications functionality even when equipment is damaged or resources are limited, finding creative solutions to keep systems running.

This highlights your ability to adapt to challenging circumstances, find workarounds when things don't go as planned, and maintain operational effectiveness despite setbacks.

Team Synchronization

Coordinating with various elements of an integrated communications system and resolving communications difficulties showcases skill in synchronizing efforts.

This exemplifies experience ensuring all parts of a complex process operate in harmony to achieve the desired outcome, a key skill in many collaborative environments.

Resource Optimization

Determining and coordinating logistics requirements for communication systems, monitoring maintenance programs, and managing supplies demonstrates the ability to efficiently allocate resources.

This highlights proficiency in making the most of available resources, managing budgets, and ensuring that essential equipment and supplies are available when needed.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Disaster Recovery Specialist

SOC 15-1299.08

You've been trained to maintain critical systems under pressure and restore communications in challenging environments. Your experience in degraded-mode operations and rapid prioritization makes you ideally suited to develop and implement disaster recovery plans for businesses and organizations.

Logistics Analyst

SOC 13-2081.00

Your experience in coordinating logistics, monitoring maintenance programs, and managing supply chains within communication systems directly translates to logistics analysis. You've been optimizing resources and ensuring efficient operations, skills crucial for analyzing and improving supply chain performance in a civilian context.

Technical Trainer

SOC 25-9044.00

You've developed and directed training programs to increase communications systems reliability. You possess the technical expertise and communication skills needed to design and deliver technical training programs for various industries, enabling others to master new technologies and improve their skills.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Signal Support Systems Specialist (31V) Advanced Individual Training (AIT), Fort Gordon, GA

910 training hours23 weeksUp to 6 semester hours recommended in telecommunications and electronics technology.

Topics Covered

  • •Basic Electronics Theory
  • •AN/PRC-150(C) HF Radio System
  • •AN/PRC-117F/G Multiband Manpack Radio
  • •AN/PRC-152 Handheld Radio
  • •AN/VRC-90 Series Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS)
  • •Field Wire Installation and Maintenance
  • •Troubleshooting Techniques
  • •Communication Security (COMSEC) Procedures

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

CompTIA Network+70% covered

Some coverage of networking concepts, but needs more focus on network design, security, and troubleshooting in a modern enterprise environment.

Certified Electronics Technician (CET)60% covered

Requires a deeper understanding of general electronics theory, specific testing procedures, and advanced troubleshooting techniques beyond military-specific equipment.

Recommended Next Certifications

CompTIA Security+Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)Project Management Professional (PMP)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
SINCGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System)Two-way radio systems with encryption (e.g., Motorola MOTOTRBO with AES encryption)
AN/PRC-150 HF RadioHF amateur radio systems with digital modes and encryption software
AN/PRC-117G Multiband Manpack RadioHarris Falcon III series or similar multiband software defined radios
Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN)Secure VoIP phone systems with dedicated encryption hardware
KY-100 secure voice terminalSTE/STU secure telephone units
AN/GRA-39 Radio Wire Integration Kit (RWIK)Radio-telephone interconnect devices
Tactical Communications Security (TACCOM)Commercial encryption and key management software/hardware

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