13F Fire Support Specialist
About the Role
Join the Army National Guard as a Fire Support Specialist and become part of an elite field artillery team. You will provide the intelligence needed to support infantry and tank units in combat operations while learning highly sought-after skills that will help you in your civilian career. Also known as the Forward Observer, Fire Support Specialists act as the eyes of an artillery unit and are primarily responsible for target acquisition and relaying that information to artillery units at all levels.
Responsibilities
- Establish, maintain, and operate communications equipment
- Operate laser range finders
- Encode and decode messages
- Assist in preparing and distributing fire support plans
- Determine target locations using computers or manual calculations
- Supervise and train other Soldiers (advanced team members)
- Prepare observer target lists (advanced team members)
- Initiate suppressive fire (advanced team members)
- Select and man observation posts (advanced team members)
Helpful Skills
- Physically and mentally fit to perform under pressure
- Ability to multitask
Qualifications
- Military enlistment in the Army National Guard
- Must be at least a junior in high school, or have a high school diploma or a GED certificate
- Must be between the ages of 17 and 35
- Must be able to pass a physical exam and meet legal and moral standards
- Must meet citizenship requirements (see NATIONALGUARD.com for details)
Training
After 10 weeks of Basic Training, where you will learn fundamental Soldiering skills, you will attend six weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT). AIT includes a combination of hands-on and classroom training, covering target location computation, ammunition handling, system operations, and artillery tactics.
Benefits
- Paid training
- A monthly paycheck
- Montgomery GI Bill
- Federal and State tuition assistance
- Retirement benefits for part-time service
- Low-cost life insurance (up to $400,000 in coverage)
- 401(k)-type savings plan
- Student Loan Repayment Program (up to $50,000, for existing loans)
- Health care benefits available
- VA home loans
- Bonuses, if applicable
Most non-prior service candidates will earn between $200 and $250 per drill weekend, subject to change. Programs and benefits are subject to change. Ask your Army National Guard recruiter for the most up-to-date information. Actual MOS assignment may depend on MOS availability.