About This Career

It is the job of the ordnance officer to safeguard the Military's weapons and ammunition supplies. These officers make decisions regarding the purchase, handling, storage, and transport of ordnance. They also oversee teams that maintain, modify, and dispose of ordnance.

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

A person in this career:

• Directs or administers programs for procurement, receipt, storage, installation, distribution, maintenance, and overhaul of various types of weapons
• Establishes techniques and methods to safeguard property and personnel against explosive or industrial accidents
• Advises leadership on the technical aspects of ammunition, missiles, and other explosive items
• Participates in the research, development, test, evaluation, and acquisition of ground and/or air weapons systems
• Participates in product improvement and/or modifications of weapons systems or components
• Prepares technical publications providing information on minimum standards of calibration of special weapons, including mechanical, electrical and nuclear components, test equipment, special design equipment, and commercial equipment
• Directs scheduling, identification, dispatching, marking, loading, and unloading of outgoing and incoming ammunition of all types
• Supervises upkeep of magazines, shell houses, transfer depots, loading plants, and storehouses
• Supervises assembly, testing, reworking, repair, and alteration of mines, mine components, and mine assemblies
• Manages assembly procedures for electrical and electronic, mechanical, and nuclear components of special weapons

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.
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
• 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
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Overnight travel