Army Electronic Warfare 29 Series Career Field

By HQDA, EWO for STAND-TO!March 8, 2011

Army Electronic Warfare 29 Series Career Field

What is it'

The Army Electronic Warfare (EW), 29-series career field is a highly critical career field which was established in 2006 in order to meet the growing demand of EW capabilities necessary to mitigate IED attacks on U.S. and Allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army is currently recruiting Soldiers (officers, warrant officers and enlisted) who are interested in reclassifying to the new EW 29 series career field.

What has the Army done'

The Army has created specialized EW courses at Fort Sill, Okla., that teach both the fundamentals and advanced theory of Electronic Warfare. These courses teach Soldiers not only Army and Joint doctrine, but also maintenance and troubleshooting procedures required when working with Counter Radio-Controlled Electronic Warfare (CREW) operations. These courses are resident courses which range from 9 to 15 weeks. EW courses are open to enlisted, warrant officers and officers with at least a secret clearance. The Army has instituted reclassification bonuses for those who are interested in changing their MOS. Bonuses change frequently, so it is important for those who are interested to check in with their career manager.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future'

In the future the Army will continue its recruiting efforts as these skill sets are built through 2014. The bonuses have been successful in meeting enlisted goals for FY11. However, it is still important for warrant officers and officers to receive training. Therefore the Army is actively assessing warrant officers and officers for immediate training. Going forward, Army is seeking qualified applicants for training in FY11 and FY12. Soldiers should contact their career manager if they would like to learn more about this growing Army field. There are approximately 570 EW positions in the Army now and by 2014 there will be up to 1,700. Careers in EW are available from captain to colonel, W2 to W5 and sergeant through sergeant major.

Why is this important to the Army'

The 29-series career field is important to the Army because the current global operations require a skilled warrior who understands electrons and the application of electrons in spectrum warfare for the foreseeable future. EWOs save lives in combat when applying EW trade. In this era of persistent conflict, this critical MOS will continue to grow in importance.

Resources:

<a href=" http://www.army.mil/standto/archive/2010/01/14/" target="_blank">STAND-TO! Jan. 14, 2010: Electronic Warfare Career Field</a>

<a href="http://www.army.mil/-news/2011/01/27/50936-electronic-warfare-a-new-career-field/" target="_blank">Electronic warfare a new career field</a>

<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/HQ-Department-of-the-Army-Electronic-Warfare-Office/164314256941364"target="_blank">Facebook page for HQ, Department of the Army, Electronic Warfare Office</a>