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General Info
All civilian air traffic controllers are governed by the same regulations, regardless of agency. However, there are slight differences between the various agencies for certain things. This section will try to highlight areas where there are differences from the FAA, or between the different branches. For ATC purposes, the DoD consists of the Air Force, Army, and Navy.How do I apply for a DoD job?
The DoD advertises vacancies on USAjobs.gov just like the FAA. Unlike the FAA, they do not hire those without previous ATC experience. The qualifications needed to apply for a vacancy vary by individual facility, and sometimes by military branch.What is the hiring process like?
After applying, qualified applicants applications are sent to the selecting official, who ranks the applicants and submits selections to HR. Typically, there are more names submitted than vacancies, so if one person declines, another will be offered the position. HR will send a temporary offer to the selectee, and upon acceptance will vet the individuals documents, and process any needed clearances. A firm offer will then be made, and a start date agreed upon. The process is typically much faster than the FAA, taking only a few months from announcement to start date.Having copies of your medical paperwork (flight physical, drug tests, etc.) will expedite the process. If you're already in a federal agency and have a security clearance, they will likely be able to access that information, but if you have paperwork for it, that may be helpful also.
How much does a DoD controller make?
DoD controllers fall under the GS Pay scale, and are GS-10 - GS-12 positions. The vacancy will specifically state which GS band it is, and any promotion potential there may be. There is no "promotion" to a higher GS scale in a position, unless stated in the announcement. Pay increases happen within the steps (1-10), normally in annual or bi-annual increments.Besides the pay scale (AT for FAA, GS for DoD), there are some differences in pay between the FAA and DoD.
Special Salary Rate (SSR)
There are two SSR tables, 25% - used for non-radar ATC positions, and 30% for radar positions. The higher of locality or SSR will be added to basic pay to determine base pay. All Army, Air Force, Marine, and as of March 2018, Navy controllers get SSR.
ATC Premium Pay
There is an optional 5% premium pay for DoD controllers. It is currently authorized.
Overtime
For air traffic controllers, the hourly overtime rate is 1.5 times the employee's hourly Basic Pay rate.
On the Job Training Pay
5 U.S. Code § 5546a (d)(1) allows for OJTI pay, but it is not currently authorized.
Total pay is computed as: Basic pay + (higher of SSR or locality) + ATC Premium pay.
SSR Pay Tables
The following tables are the 2023annual salaries for the with SSR included. The 5% (of basic pay) ATC premium would be added to this to get the final salary.25% Table (Non-radar) [source]
Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | $67488 | $69738 | $71988 | $74238 | $76488 | $78738 | $80988 | $83238 | $85488 | $87738 |
11 | $74149 | $76620 | $79091 | $81563 | $84034 | $86505 | $88976 | $91448 | $93919 | $96390 |
12 | $88874 | $91836 | $94799 | $97761 | $100724 | $103686 | $106649 | $109611 | $112574 | $115536 |
30% Table (Radar) [source]
Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | $70187 | $72527 | $74867 | $77207 | $79547 | $81887 | $84227 | $86567 | $88907 | $91247 |
11 | $77115 | $79685 | $82255 | $84825 | $87395 | $89965 | $92535 | $95105 | $97676 | $100246 |
12 | $92429 | $95510 | $98591 | $101672 | $104753 | $107834 | $110915 | $113996 | $117077 | $120158 |
