While the pilots and crew of military planes and helicopters are recognized because they are able to fly and complete their jobs largely in the air, there is a huge group of support personnel needed to allow the aircraft to leave the ground.
This group of people is no less vital to the aviation program in the military, and many of them gain skills and experience that transfer easily to the private sector if they should choose a to leave the military at some point.
For example, air traffic controllers perform a vital function in the aviation sector of the military and the civilian air system.
There are literally hundreds of military aircraft taking off, landing and flying each day , and their movements must be carefully orchestrated so as to be their most efficient they can and to be as safe as possible.
Air traffic controllers guide the travel of planes and helicopters into a landing strip and out of a landing area. They are able to track a plane or helicopter on radar, and often give the pilots instructions by the use of two way radio.
Every civilian airport also needs air traffic controllers, and the transition to civilian life is often a easy one for air traffic controllers.
There is also a need for air traffic control managers, who oversee the operations of many air traffic controllers, and have responsibility for the function of a group in one tower or control center.
This job teaches valuable skills that can be transferred to many industries, not just the private aviation industry.