Telecommunications Specialist; Radio Tech

Job Title

Preventative Maintenance Technician

Runs the preventative maintenance program for all tactical and commercial off the shelf radio equipment assigned to the Joint Forces Headquarters. This includes HF radios assigned to the state headquarters that participate in the National Guard Bureau Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) net, Disaster Incident Response Emergency Communications Team (DIRECT) equipment, or Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC) equipment or future equivalent systems.

Maintains emergency communications response equipment assigned to the J6/G6 such as communications trailers and command vehicles. Performs routine maintenance on commercial off the shelf radio equipment installed at armories across the state or territory for the purpose of emergency communications. Monitors national preventative maintenance bulletins and works with state level electronics maintenance shops to identify common maintenance issues and disseminates findings to units.

Maintains appropriate documentation in accordance with military regulations and publications regarding performed maintenance. Assists the DSCA Communications Planner with maintaining emergency communications cached equipment. Lead maintainer for National Guard owned communications towers and commercial off the shelf (COTS) repeater systems. Responsible for building and maintaining Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) load sets, SINCGARS load sets and hop sets, Land Mobile Radio code plugs, and Mission Critical Push to Talk (MCPTT) configurations.

Ensures armory radio-based emergency communications systems are maintained and regularly tested. This includes but is not limited to High Frequency (HF), Single Channel Ground Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS), Land Mobile Radio (LMR), satellite (military and civilian), Mission Critical Push to Talk (MCPTT), and microwave systems. Ensures unit communications personnel are trained and proficient in radio operations and maintenance. Maintains keys to state and regional government trunked systems and programs National Guard radios for operation on those systems.

Ensures the quality of unit radio training programs remains high by leading train the trainer classes and by producing written and video-based training materials for units to utilize. Identifies quality training materials from vendors and other states and ensures their dissemination to units. Helps plan communications exercises and routine armory communications checks to ensure unit readiness for tactical and emergency employment of assigned systems.

Manages statewide National Guard radio nets, to include those on High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF), and trunked systems. Provides guidance and assistance to subordinate and interagency activities operating radio nets, to include civil government and Military Auxiliary Radio Service (MARS) nets. Manages unit callsign registrations with the Department of Homeland Security's Shared Resources (SHARES) HF program. Deconflicts callsigns with and between units in the state and territory.

During a Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) event involving National Guard forces, serves as a Communications Technician (COMT) under the Incident Commander's Communications Leader (COML) to ensure the successful application of the COML's communications plan as it applies to the assigned National Guard forces. May serve as a member of a Disaster Incident Emergency Response Team (DIRECT) or Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC).

Serves as a subject matter expert for radio cross banding involving National Guard owned systems. Advises the command on procurement issues involving COTS radios. Ensures compliance with Department of Defense Instruction (DODI 4650.10) as well as compatibility with NORTHCOM and NGB programs. Coordinates with installation directorates and tenant organizations to ensure that radio dependent equipment (example: mass notification alert systems, handheld radios, and paging systems) being developed or procured for use on the installation are fully supportable and interoperable.

Performs other duties as assigned.