Common Ground Station Operator (96H)
- Enlisted
- Active Duty
Without radar devices, aircraft and missiles would be impossible to track, ship positions would be all but invisible and weather forecasting and navigation assistance would cease to exist. Members of the radar operations team, such as the Common Ground Station Operator, usually monitor sophisticated radar equipment and normally specialize in radar.
The Common Ground Station Operator is primarily responsible for supervising or participating in detecting, locating and tracking ground targets, ships, missiles and aircraft. Some of your duties as a Common Ground Station Operator may include:
- Plotting and recording data on status charts and plotting boards
- Setting up and operating radar equipment to direct artillery fire
- Monitoring early warning air defense systems
- Sending and receiving messages using radios and electronic communication systems
- Analyzing radar imagery data
- Analyzing softcopy imagery
- Drafting and distributing intelligence messages to tip off other intelligence collectors in support of the commander’s requirements
- Performing maintenance on the prime mover and the CGS mission equipment
Training:
Job training for a Common Ground Station Operator consists of nine weeks of Basic Training, where you’ll learn basic Soldiering skills, and 20 weeks of Advanced Individual Training and on-the-job instruction, including practice operating radar equipment. Part of this time is spent in the classroom and part in the field. Some of the skills you’ll learn are:
- Operation and maintenance of various types of radar equipment
- Identification of ships, aircraft and missiles
- Computation and recording of aircraft or missile speed, direction and altitude
Helpful Skills:
Helpful attributes include:
- An interest in geometry, algebra and science
- An ability to concentrate for long periods
- An interest in working with electronic equipment
Advanced Responsibilities:
Advanced level Common Ground Station Operators supervise and train other Soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level Common Ground Station Operator, you may be involved in:
- Supervising imagery ground station shift operations
- Performing reconnaissance and imagery ground station site selection
- Performing intelligence preparation of the battlefield in support of imagery ground station mission planning
- Reviewing incoming/outgoing messages
- Conducting post-mission analysis
- Preparing situation briefings based upon the imagery ground station collection
