How to become a JTAC in the US Army
JTAC is an Additional Skill Identifier — ASI 1G — appended to an MOS you already hold, so it is not something you can enlist for. DA Pam 611-21 defines it as identifying "select Soldiers that are qualified (certified) Service members who, from a forward position, directs the action of combat aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air operations."
Who is eligible
The restrictions are tight. MOS 13F at skill levels 3 to 4 only, and 13Z at skill level 5 only. Special Forces MOSs 18B, 18C, 18D and 18E at skill levels 3 to 4, 18F at skill level 4, and 18Z at skill level 5. Skill level 3 means sergeant or above, so the ASI is barred to junior soldiers by rule.
The three requirements, all mandatory
Graduate a course accredited by the Joint Fire Support Executive Steering Committee under the JFS ESC Action Plan MOA for JTAC (Ground). Be designated in writing by a commander at O-5 or higher. And not fail an initial or recurring evaluation.
The route
Enlist as 13F, Fire Support Specialist, and complete Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training. Serve and advance to skill level 3 — sergeant or above. Then be selected for and graduate a JFS ESC-accredited JTAC course and receive written designation. Realistically this sits several years into a 13F career, not at entry.
What catches people out
The qualification is revocable by examination. DA Pam 611-21 requires that a soldier must not fail an initial or recurring evaluation "to receive or maintain their ASI" — one of the few Army qualifications you can be stripped of by failing a periodic currency check, which reflects that a current JTAC carries DoD-wide authority to clear live ordnance onto targets.
JTAC salary in the US Army
ASI 1G carries no special pay of its own. Because the identifier requires skill level 3, the realistic floor is E-5 — so the honest way to read the table is that qualifying as a JTAC does not change your pay, it changes what you do. Pay moves with rank and years of service as it does for any 13F.
| Grade | ≤2 yrs | Over 4 | Over 8 | Over 12 | Over 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $2,407.20 | flat | flat | flat | flat |
| E-4 | $3,142.20 | $3,658.50 | $3,815.40 | — | — |
| E-5 | $3,342.90 | $3,946.80 | $4,299.90 | $4,421.70 | — |
| E-6 | $3,401.10 | $4,068.90 | $4,612.80 | $5,043.30 | $5,267.70 |
| E-7 | $3,932.10 | $4,673.10 | $5,135.70 | $5,591.70 | $6,245.70 |
These are basic pay only. They exclude the Basic Allowance for Housing, which varies by duty station and dependants, the Basic Allowance for Subsistence, and any special or incentive pays. Both allowances are untaxed, so total compensation is meaningfully higher than the table shows — comparing a military figure against a civilian salary is not comparing like with like.
Source: DFAS 2026 Basic Pay tables, effective 1 January 2026. $2,407.20 is the E-1 rate after four months of service.
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