Also called: Air Force 1W0, Army Staff Weather, Navy AG rating
Enlisted forecaster who observes and forecasts weather for flight operations and missions.
Weather specialists release weather balloons, read radar, and brief pilots before takeoff. Some deploy with special forces. Civilian careers: National Weather Service technician, broadcast or aviation meteorology.
Regular military compensation (RMC = base pay + housing and food allowances + their tax advantage) for typical E-1 to E-6 ranks, 2026 estimate. Cash in hand is lower early on because junior troops often live in free barracks and eat in dining halls. Enlistment bonuses can add thousands.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0.5 years after high school. High school diploma, then ~6 months of weather training. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Meteorology, Atmospheric Science.
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Automated stations and AI forecasts do most routine observing; fewer forecasters brief pilots.
Classes: Earth science, Physics, Algebra.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.