Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist

462/2W1

— Air Force Armament Museum —

Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, April 16, 2023

1. Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist Marker

Inscription.

Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist. 462/2W1. The Weapons and Munitions profession in the United States Air Force began long before the invention of aircraft or the Air Force. Special handling and storage of gunpowder are an example dating back. Now it is more sophisticated and the Air Force's Weapons and Munitions career field developed from air components of the United States Army Ordnance Corps. It quickly expanded into an entire profession with many specialties as air power rose in military warfare, especially during World War I. Generally, service people in this profession are enlisted. Their work is highly technical and dangerous, deserving of respect as they handle, load, or perform maintenance actions on nuclear or conventional weapon systems or explosives., The book The Ordinance Department, Planning Munitions for War shows the Pre-World War ll era ordnance profession's 9-month training course, outlining the precursor to the various weapons career fields. Once Word War II started, the Army Air Force split the single ordinance specialist into several Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), such as the 662 Aerial Torpedo Mechanic and 967 Aircraft Loading Technician. These two would later become the 462 series under the Army MOS system, then eventually reclassified under a new system as the 2W1 series. The Army MOS codes were retained by the Air Force until 1954 when the still young Air Force went to a 5 digit system, the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC)., The AFSC 462X0 was changed to 2W1X0 in 1993, when the Air Force implemented a new AFSC system, reducing the 203 enlisted codes to 176. This method assigned a first digit, the Career Group, a second digit, the Career Field, and the third digit, a Subfield to each profession. For the Weapons Profession, 2W1 means the 2 falls in the Logistics and Maintenance Group, the W is for Weapons, and the 1 is for Weapons Loaders. For other 2W AFSC's, a zero stands for AMMO, a 2 stands for nuclear weapons, and so on., Typically a 2W1/462 is referred to as a Weapons Troop and they focus on the support of military operations. They are responsible for maintaining the guns and highly technical launch and release systems for Air Force aircraft. It is up to them to ensure weapons can launch safely and hit an intended target. They make sure that weapons can be deployed without danger to aircraft or fellow troops.

The Weapons and Munitions profession in the United States Air Force began long before the invention of aircraft or the Air Force. Special handling and storage of gunpowder are an example dating back. Now it is more sophisticated and the Air Force's Weapons and Munitions career field developed from air components of the United States Army Ordnance Corps. It quickly expanded into an entire profession with many specialties as air power rose in military warfare, especially during World War I. Generally, service people in this profession are enlisted. Their work is highly technical and dangerous, deserving of respect as they handle, load, or perform maintenance actions on nuclear or conventional weapon systems or explosives.

The book The Ordinance Department, Planning Munitions for War shows the Pre-World War ll era ordnance profession's 9-month training course, outlining the precursor to the various weapons career fields. Once Word War II started, the Army Air Force split the single ordinance specialist into several Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), such as the 662 Aerial Torpedo Mechanic and 967 Aircraft Loading

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Technician. These two would later become the 462 series under the Army MOS system, then eventually reclassified under a new system as the 2W1 series. The Army MOS codes were retained by the Air Force until 1954 when the still young Air Force went to a 5 digit system, the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC).

The AFSC 462X0 was changed to 2W1X0 in 1993, when the Air Force implemented a new AFSC system, reducing the 203 enlisted codes to 176. This method assigned a first digit, the Career Group, a second digit, the Career Field, and the third digit, a Subfield to each profession. For the Weapons Profession, 2W1 means the 2 falls in the Logistics and Maintenance Group, the W is for Weapons, and the 1 is for Weapons Loaders. For other 2W AFSC's, a zero stands for AMMO, a 2 stands for nuclear weapons, and so on.

Typically a 2W1/462 is referred to as a Weapons Troop and they focus on the support of military operations. They are responsible for maintaining the guns and highly technical launch and release systems for Air Force aircraft. It is up to them to ensure weapons can launch safely and hit an intended target. They make sure that weapons

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, April 16, 2023

2. Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist Marker

can be deployed without danger to aircraft or fellow troops.

Erected by Air Force Armament Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 1954.

Location. 30° 27.951′ N, 86° 33.695′ W. Marker is in Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in Okaloosa County. It is at the intersection of Museum Drive and Pinchot Road, on the left when traveling east on Museum Drive. The marker is within the grounds of the Air Force Armament Museum which is located outside the perimeter of Eglin Air Force Base. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Museum Dr, Eglin AFB FL 32542, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the

Paid Advertisement

Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bernard A. Schriever Plaza (a few steps from this marker); B-52 Stratofortress (within shouting distance of this marker); SR-71 Blackbird (within shouting distance of this marker); AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile (within shouting distance of this marker); GBU-43/B MOAB (within shouting distance of this marker); Nurses Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Combat Wounded Veterans (within shouting distance of this marker); Mac Baker (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Eglin Air Force Base.

Also see . . .
1. Aircraft Armament System Systems. (Submitted on April 25, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. Air Force Armament Museum. (Submitted on April 25, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 25, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 2,367 times since then and 221 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 25, 2023, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.