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I want to become an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) in the US Air Force and I have some questions.

1. To become an ATC, do I need to simply enlist, or do I need to go to ROTC or the Air Force Academy?

2. What training is required to get the job?

3. Do you think that computers and other machines will soon make the job more automatic?

4. What are some tips that can help someone on the job?

5. Do you need to know how to fly in order to be good at the job?

military aviation pilot air-force rotc air-traffic-controller
Thank you comment icon Awesome! Great careers. If I had to go back I'd definitely go for it. Jordan Rivera, Admin COACH
Thank you comment icon Hi, Kirill! These are fantastic questions. In the future, please post only one question at a time so that it is easier for Professionals to respond. Also, we edited your question a bit just to clarify some of the acronyms. Thanks so much for posting! Alexandra Carpenter, Admin
Thank you comment icon Do you want to become an ATC or ATC in the Air Force? FAA has a general hiring window coming up in June. Every few months the FAA hires 'off the street' and little to no experience is needed....although helpful. Randall DeHaan
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Clayton’s Answer

Those are good questions. The best person to ask is an Air Force Recruiter. You can live chat from the airforce.com website with a recruiter and they will answer all of your questions. The website address is:

https://www.airforce.com/find-a-recruiter?gclid=Cj0KCQjwma6TBhDIARIsAOKuANy83tLw_J_twvu7yrK-G7exWi_G9NlYmPJEH2w36MRTrkdrBINJ5osaArgTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
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Rich’s Answer

The most important thing going into the military is to have a guaranteed job (in writing before you commit) such as Air Traffic to start training once boot camp is over. If not, all you will have is promises and may end up in a very remote part of the world doing something you have no interest in.
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Hassan’s Answer

https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/air-traffic-control list the requirement and you can apply there. You may also want to look into civilian FAA ATC training and https://www.faa.gov/jobs/students/schools has details

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/air-traffic-controller-usaf-enlisted-job-descriptions-3344252 has a bit more detail as does https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/air-force-air-traffic-controller-1c1x1/

https://www.indeed.com/cmp/U.S.-Air-Force/reviews?fcountry=ALL&fjobtitle=Air+Traffic+Controller has some employee reviews.

"Recruits will complete basic training (boot camp) and Airmen's Week, then head to your technical school for 72 days of formal job training. For this specialty, that means the air traffic control operator course at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi."

Yes computerization and AI will help make this job easier but I'm not sure that human oversight will ever go away. I'd assume that it will take fewer people as technology improves.

Flying experience may help you put yourself in pilot's shoes but isn't required for the job. I'd assume any related experience would help your chances to get the job.

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Ron’s Answer

Excellent questions. Personally, I'd rather see all your questions as you asked them, easier to answer in one place. As Clayton said, the best person to talk with would be a recruiter. Just remember, recruiters are salespeople. So be careful what you buy. I was at Keesler, and none of the ATC people I associated with knew how to fly. If you simply enlist, you will get the job the Air Force wants to give you. All jobs in all branches are dependent on how you score on your ASVAB. They're not going to provide a job that requires greater knowledge to a recruit who barely passes the test. On the flip side, if you score high, you may be surprised at some other opportunities available. There are practice ASVAB tests available on the internet to give you an idea.

Good luck on your adventure.
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