AFSC Changes
According to documents given to me by MSgt (Ret) Richard Traufield, who started his career in the ’40s, the various AFSC’s held by him are as follows:
In Nov of 1949, he was known as a “P.E. Specialist” and had an MOS of 59400.
In Jan of 1952, he was upgraded to AFSC 64151 and became a “Unit Supply Specialist.”
In Nov of 1953, his AFSC changed to 92250, “Survival Training & Personal Equipment Specialist.” It wasn’t until mid1950 that the Survival Specialist became 921X0, and he remained a 922X0, P.E. Specialist. In Jan of 1966, our career field was known as both “Personal Equipment and/or Life Support”.
Thanks, Rich, for your contribution to our history. If anyone else has any additional info on this subject, please pass it on to me. To continue with this topic, here is what I know about the changes in 1981, 1993, and 2007:
On Oct 31st, 1981, AFSC 922X0 was re-coded to 122X0 to accommodate a major restructuring of the medical AFSCS (9XXXX) and to more closely align the aircrew life support career field with the functional area it primarily supported, aircrew operations (AFSCS 1XXXX).
In 1993, another AFSC shuffle occurred. Both enlisted and officer AFSCs were changed. Both changes were based on the same career group number. The new AFSCs are 1T1X1 for enlisted Life Support and L11XX or L12XX for Life Support Officers (LSOs). Other changes under our career field ladder are 1T0X1 for Survival Training and 1T2X1 for Pararescue. As you can see, the 1T identifies the career field family, Aircrew Protection.
Finally, Aircrew Life Support merged with Survival Equipment, resulting in another AFSC change. Effective 1 Oct 2007, life support and survival equipment troops begin cross-utilization training to transition to the new AFSC, Aircrew Flight Equipment (1P0X1). The merger applies to all E-7s and below, and to E-8s with the 2A790 fabrication AFSC who have a background in survival equipment. The “P” in the new AFSC stands for “Performance”!
Bob McElwain
The career field is called Aircrew Flight Equipment today, but it wasn’t always called that.
The USAF Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) career field has gone through multiple names, and its AFSC has changed over the decades. Based on authoritative historical sources, here is the complete, documented evolution of the career field and when each change occurred.
The AFE career field has been known by several names since the late 1940s, including Personal Equipment, Survival Training & Personal Equipment, Life Support, and finally Aircrew Flight Equipment. The most recent change occurred on 1 October 2007, when Aircrew Life Support merged with Survival Equipment to form Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFSC 1P0X1).
Below is the Full Historical Timeline of Career Field Names
1940s – Early 1950s
- “P.E. Specialist” (Personal Equipment Specialist)
- MOS 59400 (Nov 1949)
- This was the earliest documented name for the career field.
1952
- “Unit Supply Specialist”
- AFSC 64151 (Jan 1952)
- A temporary designation during early USAF AFSC restructuring.
1953
- “Survival Training & Personal Equipment Specialist”
- AFSC 92250 (Nov 1953)
- Marked the beginning of formal survival‑related duties.
Mid‑1950s
- Survival Specialist
- AFSC 921X0 (mid‑1950s)
- Survival specialists and personal equipment specialists worked side‑by‑side.
1966
- “Personal Equipment” and/or “Life Support”
- By Jan 1966, the career field was officially recognized under both names.
1981
- Aircrew Life Support
- AFSC 122X0 (31 Oct 1981)
- Re-coded from 922X0 to align with aircrew operations (1XXXX).
1993
- Life Support (Enlisted: 1T1X1 / Officers: L11XX or L12XX)
- Part of a major AFSC restructuring creating the 1T Aircrew Protection family.
2007 – Present
- Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE)
- AFSC 1P0X1 (Effective 1 Oct 2007)
- Merger of Aircrew Life Support and Survival Equipment career fields.
- Cross‑utilization training began in 2007 to unify both specialties.
- The AFE career field has evolved from Personal Equipment in the 1940s to the modern, unified Aircrew Flight Equipment profession in 2007. Each name change reflected shifts in mission, technology, and organizational structure — but the core purpose remained the same: protecting aircrew lives.
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