A fire controlman is a specialized naval occupation.
A fire controlman (FC) receives specialized training in an Advanced Electronics Technical Core Course that is taught in Great Lakes, Illinois. His position is one of the two specialized occupations within the Advanced Electronics/Computer field; the other occupation being an electronics technician (ET). As with any military career, a career as a fire controlman can give an individual pride in serving his country as well as financial stability.
Responsibilities
According to the USS Crommelin FFG 37 website, "FCs operate, maintain and repair the electronic, computer and control mechanisms used in weapons systems." A fire controlman is responsible for keeping all weapons-related mechanisms in proper working order and assessing problems with equipment that malfunctions or is inoperable. A fire controlman must also have and be able to execute his knowledge of "computer systems, radars, communications systems and weapons fire control systems such as the Navy's advanced missile system, Aegis."
Qualifications
A fire controlman must accept a 72-month service commitment, be a United States citizen, be able to correctly perceive colors and pass a security clearance. A fire controlman must also possess 20/20 vision with or without the help of corrective lenses. A fire controlman benefits from having self-control, self-discipline, courage, respect for authority and confidence under pressure.
Work Environment
A fire controlman carries out his responsibilities "throughout the Navy's fleet of surface ships including aircraft carriers and Aegis cruisers, and at repair activities ashore." A Navy environment may be strictly regulated, orderly and organized to maintain an expected level of order. A naval career may require a fire controlman to actively participate in wartime activity. A situation such as this may cause an alarming amount of anxiety and stress.
Salary
A fire controlman gets paid according to his pay grade and his accumulated years of military service. Military pay is distributed semimonthly on the first and 15th of the month. A fire controlman earns an E-1 paygrade upon enlisting and is promoted to an E-2 paygrade once he completes recruit training. According to the 2010 US Military Basic Pay Charts, a fire controlman with an E-1 ranking earns $1,447 semimonthly and $1,622 semimonthly with an E-2 ranking.
Considerations
A person interested in becoming a fire controlman does not have to enlist in the U.S. Navy on a full-time basis. An individual enlisted in the Navy Reserve may also work as a fire controlman. According to the America's Navy Reserve website, a fire controlman position falls within the Computers/Electronics/Information Technology field, an occupational area that requires individuals to "install, operate and maintain some of the most sophisticated computer hardware and software equipment in the world."
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