Historian

What does the Historian career field do?

Performs and manages historical activities, programs, and functions. Provides historical research and reference services. Performs research, interviews personnel, and prepares analytical historical publications. Assembles and maintains historical document repositories for reference and research. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 157000.

Duties and responsibilities

• Performs historical research. Reviews electronic and paper unit files and records. Systematically collects and organizes historical data from correspondence, email, messages, staff studies, background papers, reports, plans, meeting minutes, and other source documents. Attends meetings and briefings to document important deliberations and decisions. Interviews key unit personnel for unique knowledge and insights.
• Writes periodic history reports capturing the official record of unit activities and operations in peacetime and war.
• Deploys to support wartime operational taskings. Assembles and maintains deployment equipment and kit. Participates in unit readiness exercises. Deploys to meet contingency requirements, conduct research, secure significant documentation, and prepare contingency historical reports.
• Prepares historical publications, including studies, papers, and monographs. Determines topics of special interest or importance. Evaluates data for accuracy, objectivity, and pertinence. Writes well organized, fully documented, analytical narratives. Prepares charts, tables, graphs, and statistical summaries of significant information. Uses selected photographs and media to support narrative. Selects, reproduces, and assembles supporting documents. Places proper derivative security markings, downgrading instructions, and administrative caveats on products.
• Provides historical research and reference services. Receives and assigns priority to historical information queries. Uses reference materials, unit knowledge, and research experience to answer queries. Provides historical information.
• Plans, organizes, and manages history activities. Drafts revisions, supplements, and annexes for directives. Coordinates involvement in contingency and wartime operations, and readiness exercises. Develops and implements procedures for preparing historical publications.
• Manages subordinate unit history programs. Conducts periodic visits to assess compliance with policies and directives. Discusses findings and recommends corrective action. Conducts quality assessments of historical products, and rates content, supporting documents, and compliance with security and administrative directives.
• Maintains historical document repository. Collects, organizes, and indexes historical reference and research publications and documents.
• Manages historian functions and activities. Advises on historical and museum program matters. Identifies, plans, and maintains facility, equipment, security, and supply requirements. Maintains publications, and administrative and historical files.

Specialty qualifications

Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: Air Force history, organization, functions, and terminology; English composition and grammar; interviewing techniques; contingency and wartime operational planning; historiography methods and procedures; USAF history and museum program directives; computer systems and word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications; and historical repositories and reference services.

Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school or general educational development equivalency is mandatory. Completion of college-level courses in history, English, speech, statistics, technical writing, and political science is desirable.

Training. The following formal training is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:

• 3H031. Completion of the Historian Apprentice Course.
• 3H051. Completion of the Historian Journeyman Course.
• 3H071. Completion of the Historian Craftsman Course.
• 3H091. Completion of the History Instructor and History of Airpower Courses.

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

• 3H091. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3H071. Also, experience documenting wartime or contingency operations, developing training, mentoring subordinates, and directing and managing historical programs.

Other. The following are mandatory as indicated:

• For entry into this specialty:
• Prior qualification in any AFSC at the 5-skill level or higher (3-skill level if no 5-skill level exists).
• Overall EPR rating of “4” or “5”and/or have “Exceeded some, but not all expectations” and/or “Exceeded most, if not all expectations” on the last three performance reports.
• Outstanding military bearing and conduct.
• No previous convictions by courts-martial; punishment under the provisions of Article 15, UCMJ in the previous 6 years; or convictions by a civilian court except for minor traffic violations and similar infractions listed in AFI 36-2002, Regular Air Force and Special Category Accessions.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.
• Ability to type 25 words per minute.
• Ability to speak clearly and distinctly.
• Commander’s recommendation following a face-to-face interview.
• See attachment 4 for additional entry requirements.
• Specialty requires routine access to Tier 5 (T5) information, systems, or similar classified environments. For award and retention of AFSCs 3H0XX, completion of a current T5 Investigation IAW DoDM 5200.02, AFMAN 16-1405, Air Force Personnel Security Program, is mandatory. NOTE: Award of the entry level without a completed T5 Investigation is authorized provided an interim Secret security clearance has been granted according to DoDM 5200.02, AFMAN 16-1405 and T5 is submitted within 90 calendar days of award.
• For award and retention of these AFSCs, must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.

Civilian career paths

Comparable civilian careers for this field pay roughly $28,730–$97,270 per year (median salaries; varies by role and location):

• Anthropologists and Archeologists: $66,130
• Archivist: $56,760
• Art Directors   $97,270
• Curators: $56,990
• Document Management Specialists: $92,870
• File Clerks: $34,090
• Historians: $63,100
• Human Resources Specialists: $63,490
• Interviewers: $36,170
• Librarians and Media Collections Specialists: $60,820
• Library Assistants, Clerical: $28,730
• Library Technician: $37,010
• Museum Technicians and Conservators: $45,710
• Office Clerks, General: $35,330
• Public Relations Specialists: $62,810
• Set and Exhibit Designers: $58,180
• Training and Development Specialists: $62,700