One of the jobs that are available in the Army is to become a lithographer. A lithographer is a person that is responsible for production of many of the materials that the Army uses, maps, charts, training manuals, booklets, newspapers, and various other printed publications.
An Army Lithographer is an important part of the team that brings all these types of publications to the general public, but also for bringing materials into existence for the Army to use in its missions. Lithographers maintain and operate binding machines, printing presses, and other equipment used in the production of printed material. Army Lithographers operate and maintain:
-Bindery equipment and presses.
-Film and Video processing machines and equipment.
-Printing, binding and photographic printing equipment.
-Duplicator presses, copy machines, and photo copy equipment.
-Plate making and large scale duplicators.
-Layout, printing and plate making design equipment.
Lithographers also are responsible for performing and supervising camera operations, plate and layout, and printing and binding operations that lead to the finished printed project. Some of the duties that a lithographer may perform are: making color proofs, scribe, peel coat images and color key images, production of press operation flats, making contact paper prints, various lithographic film products, and making positives and negative line images.
Being an Army Lithographer can also involve different and interesting equipment maintenance. There are a wide variety of opportunities to be explored as an Army Lithographer. You will learn how a variety of print and media equipment operates, and be responsible for upkeep and operations. There are a variety of printing and offset print processes, which you will be trained in and become proficient in using. Training for a career as an Army Lithographer begins with the standard Basic Combat Training. After Basic training you will attend eighteen weeks of Individual advanced training to become a Lithographer.
You will be able to practice your new skills as you learn, hands on and classroom training is both involved in the advanced training. If you have an interest in printing, media productions, or have had any experience with any area of the printing production field, this may be a career where you could put your job skills to work. Advanced enlisted personnel in the field of Lithography are responsible for entire final produced works, and also are responsible for supervising and directing junior enlisted lithographer personnel.
Being an Army Lithographer will help you pursue a career in civilian life in newspaper production, commercial print work, or a number of other different civilian careers choices.