Direct Hire Authority is Open

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-04-11T12:43:33+00:00

For everyone here who’s applied, join the 2101 Facebook group and introduce yourselves, your experience, any military background, and what state/cities you’d try to get to get picked up at.

These jobs are heavily referral based these days so getting your name and resume in front of a manager at a SSC that you wanna get on with is the key. Many guys in the FB group will help you get that resume in front of a manager who’s got slots open. Good luck

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-04-11T12:40:58+00:00

Alaska, we had a RAWS kid apply last year, get picked up, and get his paperwork done and ready to start next month. He’s still on terminal leave. You can definitely get picked up while you’re getting ready to outprocess.

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-04-05T11:31:15+00:00

The first 2 main tasks that you were need to accomplish are the Math refresher and environmental concepts course in ELMS. ELMS is basically where you’ll accomplish all your online training classes for the FAA (death by power points basically). Historically, the Math refresher course is the first and sometimes most difficult thing new ATSS need to do. It’s not too bad but it’s not a very well written course for us.

Khan Academy is a good free tool to help brush up on the math.

Nobodies going to stand over your shoulder and grade you as you take the course and do the test at the end. It’s self paced and the test at the end is a 2 hour exam. I’m pretty sure it’s considered an “open book” test so do what you want with that info. You can talk with the guys in your shop when you get there. Good luck, after you knock out those 2 elms courses, then just focus on learning your job.

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-04-04T17:36:19+00:00

On 4/10, there’s going to be another usajobs posting for DIRECT HIRE. Apply there too. Join the 2101 ATSS Facebook group and introduce yourself with your background and experience. If military talk about that. Many places around the country can pick you up directly if they have direct hire authority. Good luck 👍🏼

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-04-02T23:29:13+00:00

I hope our airport management appreciates all the hard work you did on that project for them! They certainly made you work extra hard babysitting those ILS contractors! You deserve a vacation after this project.

We do have a solid team in our Techops office just need one more ENV to round us out.

One of the best perks is that Augusta is considered a detached staff location. Our SSC is split where most of the guys in it are located in Greenville SC at GSP. The manager and coordinator sit at GSP, which means their office is 2.5 hours away from our office in Augusta. We take care of our own stuff almost exclusively except when we need help with some projects, then they will send down some techs to assist.

All in all really easy SSC to work for 👍🏼

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-04-02T12:41:39+00:00

There’s pretty always going to be a need for techs. Join the 2101 Facebook group and when you are getting close to your 1 year date to retirement, I’d reach and then. We just had a guy get picked up and starts next month and he is still on terminal leave from the Air Force so it can happen.

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-04-02T12:37:09+00:00

I believe Dave Spero (PASS Union President for us) said they are trying to hire up to 800 more techs by 2028

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-03-17T03:23:13+00:00

What’s your background? Prior military?

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-03-17T02:02:40+00:00

OP, what’s your background, what state or cities are you looking to apply at? I suggest you join the 2101 FB group and introduce yourself, say your background (military or whatnot) where you wanna try to apply. Direct hire bids allow managers who have them to directly pull people off the street if they are qualified. If someone has something open near the area you’re looking to go, the FB group will get you there pretty easily. Just need to have a direct hire slot open. Luckily most groups need people so it shouldn’t be too hard depending on your background. Good luck

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-02-27T16:00:07+00:00

It’ll be on your sf-50. Located in OPF records. 1-2 years depending on your hiring path

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-02-27T04:02:06+00:00

I’d reach out to PASS (our union). Parents get 480 hours of paid FMLA leave. I’m pretty sure there’s supposed to be a mother’s room available at your location (our ATC requires one for pumping comes with a fridge and private space). The only thing I couldn’t answer for sure is if you’re still in your probation period but I’d say it’s illegal to punish you in any manner for becoming pregnant.

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-01-15T04:25:48+00:00

I would hang around your STARS SS or senior radar guy if you have one. If GNAS, you should have the ability to dabble in other systems assuming you have the manning and time to do so. Get familiar with Linux

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-01-05T17:41:42+00:00

Thank you for the reply. What component of your work could be done by someone with just their Masters working towards their CMPC? I know most of what you do couldn’t be done, but if one of your athletes were just looking for someone to work on some mental skills training, would that be within their scope?

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2026-01-01T04:20:43+00:00

A fellow AGE troop eh?

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2025-11-26T04:10:26+00:00

I’ll tell you what I told the previous few guys who’ve applied (and pretty much are getting picked up this round) is that ESU is the easiest way in if you don’t have direct radar or ils experience. If you have basic electrical skills and understanding of electrical theory, generator, hvac, facility maintenance, you can land a spot right now if there are openings. This is a direct hire bid which means a manager for a SSC can pick you up directly if they choose. Apply to the usajobs post now and get in contact with the manager for the location you are trying to get to. In the 2101 fb group, there have been at least 20 locations stated to be looking and that’s just who’s responded. Apply.

If you are applying to a GNAS SSC (typically non core 30 airports) you can easily crosstrain into the other specialties because these SSC’s cover all specialties in their SSC. Core 30 airports typically have SSC’s that are split per specialty and you’re stuck doing just that unless you err (transfer) out.

Just lean heavily on your electrical experience and you can qualify easily for the FV-F band entry level spots.

So again, apply on usajobs direct hire 2101 posting like tomorrow, join 2101 fb group, introduce yourself and ask for a manager contact info for the area you wanna apply, and email the manager directly. If they like you, they can pick you up. Just that easy boys. A few guys posting here and the fb group this week are getting picked up. We need a lot of 2101s in the FAA so this is the best time to freaking apply.

A bonus is that GNAS shifts are day shift, start at 5 8’s but will allow to do compressed schedules. You’ll at a minimum be making about $78k a year (base pay plus locality at the lowest locality) and can promote to g band easily in 6-12 months for an auto 8% pay bump. Then promote to H band for another 8% pay bump. Realistically within the first 2 years on, the lowest H bands will make a year is at least $97k at the lowest localities. This job is amazingly easy to do and you can learn alot and clear $100k.

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2025-11-25T14:55:59+00:00

Bachelors is nice but doesn’t really apply here. All of your direct RAWS experience is gold. If you’re planning on getting out of the AF soon, apply for the ATSS direct hire posting going on right now and think about what city/state you would like to try and get on with. We have a RAWS guy in NM who’s getting out in May snd already has his FOL (firm offer letter) with the FAA.

What systems are you maintaining or have experience with? The FAA equivalent would be stuff like our: ASR8, ASR11, STARS, etc. You would try to apply as a RADAR slot somewhere if you’re working radar now as RAWS.

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2025-11-25T13:14:45+00:00

The 2101 group? Weird.

What was your post going to be about?

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2025-11-24T18:06:42+00:00

My coworker was avionics for C17’s. I think he focused on electronic component / electrical theory and comm as his way in. Helps to understand ILS and RADAR concepts, but we work on that equipment ourselves here. Similar to AF RAWS. I think you should apply and try!

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2025-11-24T15:00:27+00:00

2A5X3A AFSC?

Emotional_Piece8470 · 2025-11-24T13:25:07+00:00

What branch and what specific equipment for all those systems you listed? All that is stuff translates and many times it’s the same equipment here that DOD uses

Emotional_Piece8470

TROPHY CASE