Information Technology (IT) Systems

What does the Information Technology (IT) Systems career field do?

IT Systems personnel can perform three primary work roles: Technical Support, Systems Administrator, and Network Operations. IT systems technicians qualified as Technical Support manage and maintain client devices and accounts as well as routine tasks on network devices and infrastructure to troubleshoot and resolve network connectivity issues. At the intermediate and advanced proficiency levels, Systems Administrators manage and maintain server operating systems and software applications. Network Operations personnel install, support, and maintain network infrastructure devices and systems. Each role requires a unique set of skills and competencies, and IT systems personnel may specialize in one or more of these work roles depending on their expertise, interests, and the position requirements. IT systems manage and perform Warfighter Communications in all environments in support of the overall requirements to survey, secure, protect, defend, preserve, design, build, operate, and extend data, networks, net-centric capabilities, and other designated systems. This Air Force Specialty Code incorporates the use of DCWF codes to tie this specialty to the framework. The DCWF was developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the DoD to establish a common lexicon and model for all cyber work. The DCWF will universalize training and education between academia, industry, and military. It will also enable talent management by ensuring the right Airmen, for the right assignment, at the right time. DCWF work roles associated with this specialty will be listed in the Career Field Education and Training Plan (CFETP).

Duties and responsibilities

• The available duties and responsibilities can encompass:
• Technical Support. IT systems personnel qualified as Technical Support design, build, provision, maintain, and sustain information systems, including warfighter communications, within the Department of the Air Force (DAF). This role is responsible for deploying, sustaining, troubleshooting, and repairing standard voice, data, video network, and cryptographic client devices in fixed and deployed environments. The individual will manage client user accounts and organizational client device accounts and perform, coordinate, integrate, and supervise network design, configuration, operation, defense, restoration, and improvements.
• System Administrator. IT systems personnel qualified as a System Administrator design, build, provision, maintain, and sustain information systems, including warfighter communications, within the Department of the Air Force (DAF)... The individual will install, support, and maintain server operating systems or other computer systems and the software applications pertinent to its operation, while also ensuring current defensive mechanisms are in place. They will also respond to service outages and interruptions to network operations and administer server-based networked systems, distributed applications, network storage, messaging, and application monitoring required to provision, sustain, operate, and integrate cyber networked systems and applications in garrison and at deployed locations
• Network Operations. IT systems personnel qualified as Network Operations, design, build, provision, maintain, and sustain information systems, including warfighter communications, within the Department of the Air Force (DAF This role is responsible for deploying, sustaining, troubleshooting, and repairing standard voice, data, and video network infrastructure systems, IP detection systems, and cryptographic equipment .The individual is also responsible for fabricating, terminating, and interconnecting wiring and associated network infrastructure devices. They will also respond to service outages and interruptions to network operations.
• Expeditionary Communications delivers cyber capabilities in austere and mobile environments. Expeditionary Communications includes all applicable statutes, but specifically datalinks, the building, operating, maintaining, securing, and sustaining of tactical and communications networks when needed to support warfighter requirements, systems employed in austere, mobile, and/or expeditionary environments, to provide command and control in support of Air and Space Force missions.

Specialty qualifications

Knowledge. This specialty requires knowledge principles, technologies, capabilities, limitations, and cyber threat vectors of servers, clients, operating systems, databases, networks and related hardware and software. Cybersecurity principles include national and international laws, policies, and ethics related to operational cybersecurity; operational risk management processes; and specific operational impacts of lapses in cybersecurity. The installation and maintenance management functions include wire transmission principles; electrical and light wave communications; wireless fundamentals, and cable testing procedures.

Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school or general educational development equivalency is mandatory. Additional courses in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are desirable. Associate degree or higher in related fields and/or Information Technology (IT) certification is desirable.

Training. For award of the 1D731X, completion of the suffix-specific initial skills training course is mandatory.

Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:

• There are no specific upgrade requirements for the slick AFSC 1D7X1 not already defined in the training AFI.
• For award of the 1D751, qualification in and possession of 1D731X, and experience in suffix specific functions.
• For award of the 1D771, qualification in and possession of 1D751 and experience in suffix specific functions.
• For award of the 1D791, qualification in and possession of 1D77 and experience managing and directing cyber activities.

Other. The following are mandatory as indicated:

• For entry into this specialty:
• See attachment 4 for additional entry requirements.
• Personnel with prior qualification of attaining and maintaining DoD Cyber Workforce qualifications based on approved cyberspace requirements IAW DAFMAN 17-1305, DAF Cyberspace Workforce Management Program for retraining can request an Exception to Policy (ETP) to waive minimum ASVAB requirements on a case-by-case basis.
• For award and retention of these AFSCs:
• Must obtain or meet DoD Cyber Workforce qualifications based on approved cyberspace requirements applicable for cyberspace tasks required for any position held IAW DoDM 8140.03, Cyberspace Workforce Qualification and Management Program, and DAFMAN 17-1305, DAF Cyberspace Workforce Management Program.
• Must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.
• Specialty requires routine access to classified information, systems, missions, and environments to include but not limited to Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIF), Airborne platforms, Nuclear Command Control & Communications (NC3), and a multitude of emerging mission requirements in a highly contested domain IAW DoDM 5200.01-DAFMAN 16-1405.
• Must be eligible for Top Secret (Tier 5) and maintain security clearance or based on current position requirements.
• Completion of a background investigation according to DoDM 5200.01 - DAFMAN 16-1405, Personnel Security Program Management, is mandatory. NOTE: Award of the 3-skill level without a completed investigation is authorized provided minimum of interim Tier 5 (Top-Secret) clearance has been granted according to DoDM 5200.01 - AFMAN 16-1405.

Civilian career paths

Comparable civilian careers for this field pay roughly $84,810–$116,780 per year (median salaries; varies by role and location):

• Computer Network Architects: $116,780
• Computer Programmers; $89,190
• Computer Systems Analysts: $93,730
• Computer Systems Engineers/Architects: $92,870
• Data Warehousing Specialists: $98,860
• Information Security Analysts: $103,590
• Network and Computer Systems Administrators: $84,810
• Software Developers: $110,140