How to Become an Army Air Traffic Controller

Every day, FAA air traffic controllers direct the flow of the more than 50,000 aircraft that enter the United States' National Airspace System. These air traffic controllers work at airports and control centers around the country and are employed by the federal government. The job requires strong computational skills, poise under pressure and quick decision-making ability. And the good news is that the FAA is hiring: Between 2007 and 2017, the government plans to hire and train nearly 17,000 new air traffic controllers [source: FAA].

In addition to hiring professionally experienced ATCs such as military veterans, the FAA also recruits people with no prior air traffic control experience, as well as graduates of the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative Program, through which the FAA partners with colleges and universities teaching basic courses in air traffic control. Generally, a person without professional air traffic control experience must be younger than age 31 and pass a basic medical examination, background check and pre-employment test called Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT). The AT-SAT is an eight-hour, computer-based exam that tests skills such as reasoning, numeric ability and movement detection [source: FAA].

Army air traffic controllers, on the other hand, direct air traffic at military facilities around the world. ATC opportunities are available to both active duty and Army reserve soldiers. While Army ATCs undergo training necessary for civilian air traffic control, they're also trained in military-specific skills such as setting up and operating tactical air traffic control facilities.

To become an Army ATC, a person must first enlist in the Army or Army Reserve; to enlist, a person must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien between the ages of 17 and 41 and usually (but not always) must have a high school diploma. The person must also be generally healthy, in good physical condition and in "good moral standing." After enlisting, a soldier who wants to become an ATC must meet the Army's Class 4 medical fitness standards, have normal color vision, be able to frequently lift more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms), occasionally lift more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) and pass a technical aptitude test [sources: U.S. Army, U.S. Army Info].

On the next page, learn about the training to become an Army air traffic controller.

Civilian ATC applicants who do not have professional air traffic control training experience undergo paid training (if offered employment by the FAA) at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Academy offers training in both terminal operation -- managing the takeoff and landing of planes at airports -- and en route air traffic control. Training includes classroom instruction and simulated exercises. Courses run about eight and a half hours a day for a number of weeks, depending on the program [source: FAA].

Army ATCs first go through 10 weeks of basic training, the rigorous soldier training program that Uncle Sam says "transforms civilians into Soldiers" and which all Army recruits must complete. The program includes physical fitness and team-building exercises, tactical and engagement skills development and weapons training [source: U.S. Army].

Basic training is followed by 15 weeks of specialized air traffic control training, one of the longest occupational training courses the Army offers, at Fort Rucker in Dothan, Ala. The program combines classroom instruction and fieldwork under simulated combat conditions to develop skills such as takeoff, landing and ground control procedures, aircraft recognition and radar operation. A recently developed program allows Army officers to also earn FAA Control Tower Operators Certification by working in a civilian air traffic control tower for six to eight months while on active duty [source: U.S. Army, American Forces Press Service].

While Army ATCs are charged with managing the flow of air traffic, they nevertheless remain soldiers at all times. On its Web site, the Army cautions recruits' parents that "a soldier's job comes with a certain level of risk...some soldiers are asked to serve in dangerous situations." Many ATCs work in the theater of war, controlling air traffic in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq, and they are trained to perform their duties under combat conditions [source: U.S. Army].

If becoming an Army air traffic controller interests you, the next page offers a few tips to help make your interest a reality.

The U.S. Army's air traffic controller program gives people the opportunity to serve in the military while developing the skills and experience necessary to become an ATC both in uniform and as civilian. It's no surprise the program is competitive, so here are a few tips for becoming an Army air traffic controller.

Not all soldiers become air traffic controllers, but for those who do, the opportunity comes with great responsibility. ATCs are tasked with keeping the skies safe for both military personnel and the hundreds of thousands of people who fly each day. Learn more about air traffic control and life in the U.S. Army by checking out the links on the next page.