About This Career

Weapon repair and maintenance officers manage the activities and personnel engaged in the maintenance and repair of the Military’s weapons, from small arms to nuclear missiles, and their associated equipment. They oversee inspections, inventory, check-out procedures, and shop operations. These officers must have expert knowledge in the design, operation, and safe shipment and employment of military weapons.

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster National Security pathway.

A person in this career:

• Manages activities and personnel engaged in field maintenance and repair of small arms, field artillery, and armament systems
• Supervises or assists in the operation, maintenance and repair of weapons and weapons systems such as guns and mounts, torpedoes, fire control systems, and mines and mine components
• Manages maintenance and modification of conventional munitions, nuclear weapons, and associated equipment
• Formulates maintenance procedures for all munitions and missile systems
• Develops procedures for storing, assembling, delivering, inventory management, and testing conventional munitions, nuclear weapons, and missiles
• Conducts conventional munitions, nuclear weapons, and missile safety training
• Provides technical direction to operational command and/or private manufacturing plant concerning overhaul, reworking, or alteration of weapons
• Advises commanders on technical aspects of missile systems maintenance, support testing, and supply
• Provides coordination between military and industry during development, testing, and fielding of new electronic equipment
• Manages and coordinates maintenance activities to support missile launch readiness operations

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
• Moving the arms, legs and torso together when the whole body is in motion
• Seeing clearly up close
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Overnight travel