2862 Ground Electronics Systems Maintenance Technician

The navigation system on the assault vehicle is throwing position errors. The meteorological station feeding fire support data to the battery is outputting garbage readings. The range instrumentation equipment at the training range is down and nobody fires today until it is back up. Three different systems, three different fault signatures, and the unit needs all of them fixed before the exercise continues. That is a normal Tuesday for MOS 2862. You maintain the broad baseline of electronic ground systems that make everything else in the MAGTF work.

Job Role and Responsibilities

The 2862 Ground Electronics Systems Maintenance Technician performs organizational-level and intermediate-level maintenance on a wide range of Marine Corps ground electronics systems: navigation equipment, meteorological stations, range-finding devices, sensor systems, and other electronics that do not fall under a more specialized OCCFLD 28 code. You diagnose faults, repair and replace components and assemblies, calibrate systems to specification, and restore operational readiness using technical manual procedures and electronic test equipment.

Daily Tasks

Work varies by unit assignment and the systems on hand. In a typical maintenance environment you can expect to:

• Perform scheduled preventive maintenance on assigned navigation, meteorological, and sensor systems
• Diagnose and isolate equipment faults using oscilloscopes, multimeters, signal generators, and circuit card test sets
• Replace faulty components, modules, and assemblies per technical manual procedures
• Calibrate systems to specification and verify accuracy post-maintenance
• Maintain equipment maintenance records and track system readiness status
• Coordinate with unit supply for repair parts and track open work orders
• Brief unit leadership on equipment status and timelines for return to readiness
• Transport, set up, and troubleshoot systems at field exercise locations

MOS Codes

Additional NMOS and AMOS designations are available through follow-on training and system qualifications. Confirm current options with your career planner.

Mission Contribution

Marine units depend on accurate navigation, precise meteorological data, and functional sensor systems to execute their mission. When these systems fail, a unit loses a capability it may have no substitute for. The fire support coordinator cannot get accurate Met data to the howitzer section. The assault amphibious vehicle is navigating on dead reckoning because its GPS system is down. The 2862 is the technician who restores those capabilities in the field, and the breadth of the MOS means your contribution spans more mission types than a narrowly specialized code would allow.

Technology and Equipment

The system portfolio for a 2862 varies by unit assignment, but common equipment categories include:

• Inertial navigation and GPS-based positioning systems for ground vehicles
• Ground-based meteorological stations and weather equipment feeding fire support data
• Range safety and range instrumentation electronics at Marine Corps training areas
• Ground sensor systems and electronic warfare support equipment at the organizational maintenance level
• Calibration and precision measurement equipment
• Electronic test equipment including spectrum analyzers, frequency counters, and component-level test sets

The Marine Corps modernizes equipment on an ongoing basis, and technicians in this MOS receive new equipment training throughout their career.

Salary and Benefits

Base Pay

All active-duty Marines receive the same base pay regardless of MOS. The table below shows 2026 monthly base pay for the enlisted grades most relevant to a first-term and mid-career 2862.

Source: DFAS 2026 pay tables. Figures reflect the 2026 pay raise.

Additional Benefits

• Healthcare: Active-duty Marines and their dependents receive TRICARE Prime at no cost, with no enrollment fees, deductibles, or copays at military treatment facilities.
• Housing: BAH is paid when living off base. The rate varies by duty station ZIP code, pay grade, and dependent status.
• BAS: Monthly BAS for enlisted Marines is $476.95 (2026 rate per DFAS).
• Education: Federal Tuition Assistance covers up to $4,500 per year for approved coursework on active duty. Post-9/11 GI Bill covers full in-state tuition at public schools and up to $29,920.95 per academic year at private schools (AY 2025-2026 cap).
• Retirement: The Blended Retirement System combines a 20-year pension (40% of high-36 average basic pay) with TSP matching beginning at the third year of service and a mid-career continuation pay option.

Work-Life Balance

Ground electronics maintenance technicians work standard duty hours in garrison with predictable field exercise cycles. Shop work is paced by maintenance schedules and equipment readiness requirements. Deployments shift tempo to mission-driven timelines. Leave accrues at 2.5 days per month (30 days per year), with a maximum carryover of 60 days.

The balance between garrison routine and field tempo depends heavily on the parent unit. Marines assigned to combat service support formations tend to have more predictable garrison schedules and less frequent field time than those attached to ground combat element units. A 2862 supporting a ranging and survey section in an artillery regiment will see more field time than one assigned to a rear-area maintenance support unit. Understanding which type of unit you are assigned to during the accession process is worth asking your recruiter about; the 2862 MOS spans a wide enough range of unit types that the work environment can differ significantly between billets.

Shop duty hours in garrison typically follow normal working hours. On maintenance exercise days, the day ends when the maintenance is done. Technical issues do not respect duty hours, and on-call rotations are common at some billets. The overall picture is a job with more predictability than infantry or artillery, but more variability than a purely administrative role.

Qualifications and Eligibility

Basic Qualifications

The primary ASVAB composite for OCCFLD 28 is the EL (Electronics Repair) line score. EL is calculated as: General Science (GS) + Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) + Mathematics Knowledge (MK) + Electronics Information (EI). A strong Electronics Information subtest score is the most directly relevant to this field.

Color vision is screened at MEPS because electronics maintenance requires identifying colored wire insulation, indicator light states, and component markings. Resistors are color-coded. Circuit card status indicators use colored LEDs. A failed color vision screening can affect your eligibility for OCCFLD 28 entirely.

The ASVAB prep guide explains how EL and other composites are calculated and what subtests you should concentrate on. The PiCAT is available as an unproctored prescreen option before your MEPS appointment.

Application Process

1. Contact a Marine Corps recruiter and express interest in electronics or ground systems maintenance
2. Take the ASVAB or PiCAT, focusing on Electronics Information, Mathematics Knowledge, and Arithmetic Reasoning
3. Complete the MEPS physical, including color vision and hearing tests
4. If your EL score qualifies, your recruiter submits you for a ground electronics maintenance contract
5. Background investigation for a Secret clearance begins at accession
6. Complete Boot Camp, then Marine Combat Training (MCT), then MOS schooling at MCCES

Selection Criteria

OCCFLD 28 selection is based on EL composite score, physical qualification, and billet availability. Higher EL scores improve your options within the field. Prior coursework in electronics, physics, or mathematics is useful preparation. The broad systems portfolio of the 2862 MOS means you will be learning new equipment types throughout your career; an interest in varied technical work is an asset.

Service Obligation

Standard first-term enlistment is four years on active duty. Some technical contracts may include additional service requirements. Confirm exact terms with your recruiter before signing.

Work Environment

Setting and Schedule

2862 technicians work in electronics maintenance shops, vehicle-mounted maintenance facilities, and field locations depending on the exercise or deployment. Garrison work involves bench maintenance, preventive maintenance scheduling, and equipment inspections. Field exercises take the work outdoors and into forward operating locations where you may troubleshoot systems in the open air, inside a tent, or from the back of a vehicle.

The 2862 MOS places you at units across the MAGTF (from combat service support groups to ground combat element formations), which means your specific work environment depends heavily on your billet. Some 2862 technicians spend most of their career in garrison-heavy billets; others find themselves attached to infantry or artillery formations with a much heavier field schedule.

Leadership and Communication

You work under a maintenance shop chief or warrant officer, typically a 2802. Technical work is reviewed because errors affect equipment readiness and can have downstream operational consequences. Feedback is direct, technically grounded, and tied to maintenance outcomes. As you advance in rank, you supervise and review the work of junior technicians and become the technical authority in your shop.

Team Dynamics

Ground electronics maintenance combines individual technical competence with unit coordination. You are often the technical expert in the shop, expected to make independent diagnostic decisions. At the same time, you work closely with operators and unit leadership to prioritize repairs and communicate readiness status. Being able to explain equipment problems clearly to Marines who do not have your electronics background is part of the job, and a skill that sets strong technicians apart from adequate ones.

Job Satisfaction

Marines in this MOS describe satisfaction from solving difficult technical problems with real operational stakes. The broader equipment coverage of the 2862 MOS means you build a wider technical foundation than a more specialized code provides, which pays off in promotion competitiveness and civilian career transition. Marines who prefer physical or kinetic work over shop-based technical maintenance may find the field less engaging, but Marines who genuinely like electronics report strong career satisfaction.

Training and Skill Development

Initial Training Pipeline

MCCES at 29 Palms is the entry point for all OCCFLD 28 training. Your MOS School covers electronics theory, analog and digital circuit fundamentals, fault isolation methodology, and the procedures for specific systems in the USMC inventory. Course length and content vary by curriculum cycle and equipment generation. After formal schooling, unit-level work builds the system-specific proficiency that MOS School can only introduce.

Advanced Training

Opportunities after initial qualification include:

• Advanced electronics maintenance courses at MCCES tied to specific system updates
• System-specific manufacturer training when new equipment is fielded
• Electronic warfare adjacent courses tied to the ground electronics mission
• Calibration and precision measurement courses for specialized billet requirements
• Formal instructor billets at MCCES for experienced technicians
• Warrant officer programs (MOS 2802) after meeting service and experience requirements

Technicians who stay current as systems update are consistently more competitive for promotions and warrant officer selection.

The 2862 MOS benefits from its breadth. You are not locked into a single platform or system type. When a new piece of navigation equipment is fielded, you get trained on it. When a meteorological station is replaced, you learn the replacement system. That breadth builds a technical vocabulary that transfers well to both the warrant officer program and civilian defense contracting. Marines who treat every new system as a learning opportunity rather than an inconvenience build significantly stronger careers in OCCFLD 28 than those who only master the systems already in the shop when they arrive.

In the first enlistment, most of your development happens at the unit level rather than in formal schools. Find the most experienced technician in your shop and learn from them. Offer to work on systems you have not been trained on yet; supervised learning on unfamiliar equipment is how the 2862 technical range actually expands in practice. Marine Corps career planners can also help identify available school seats for follow-on courses; not every Marine in this field proactively requests them, which means the seats often go to those who ask.

Career Progression and Advancement

Career Path

OCCFLD 28 Marines follow standard enlisted promotion timelines. Technical skill, proficiency and conduct marks (junior enlisted), and FITREPs (SNCOs) are the primary drivers.

Specialization

Experienced OCCFLD 28 technicians can apply for the warrant officer program as MOS 2802 Ground Electronics Maintenance Officer. The 2802 pathway is accessible from any OCCFLD 28 MOS, and the broad systems background of the 2862 is a strong foundation for a warrant career that involves managing diverse electronics maintenance programs. Confirm current warrant officer program requirements with Marine manpower guidance.

LATMOVE

Marines seeking a MOS change can apply through LATMOVE. The electronics and systems technical background from OCCFLD 28 supports lateral moves to communications, SIGINT-adjacent fields, or other electronics-related specialties. Confirm current availability with your career planner.

Performance Evaluation

Junior enlisted Marines (E-1 through E-3) receive proficiency and conduct marks. NCOs receive marks that factor into promotion composites. SNCOs receive formal FITREPs. Equipment readiness contributions, technical accuracy, and leadership of junior Marines are the central evaluation factors in this field.

Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations

Physical Requirements

Ground electronics maintenance requires more physical activity than a desk job. Equipment is heavy. Shop spaces require lifting and moving system components. Field exercises involve working in demanding environmental conditions: desert heat at 29 Palms, cold and rain on the East Coast, and the physical demands of setting up and recovering maintenance sites in the field. PFT and CFT standards apply to every Marine in this field.

Verify current standards against official Marine Corps fitness publications.

Daily Physical Demands

Daily demands include lifting and positioning equipment, running cables through vehicles and buildings, working inside vehicle-mounted systems in tight spaces, and transporting tools and test equipment on foot during field exercises. Ergonomic demands from sustained bench work add to the physical picture. Field exercises add load-bearing and extended outdoor work that is more physically demanding than garrison routine.

Medical Evaluations

Color vision screening is required at MEPS; this is a gating requirement for OCCFLD 28. Hearing tests are conducted at entry and periodically throughout service. Technicians working near high-power electronics and test equipment are exposed to RF fields and electrical noise that make routine hearing monitoring relevant. Some 2862 billets involve systems with TEMPEST requirements (controlled electromagnetic emissions for classified systems), which carry additional access and security requirements. Secret clearance reinvestigations occur on the standard cycle.

Deployment and Duty Stations

Deployment Details

2862 technicians deploy with their parent command. The specific deployment pattern depends on the parent unit; MEU rotations run six to seven months, while unit deployment programs (UDP) follow different timelines. Electronics maintenance Marines support the MAGTF, which means billets in both ground combat element and combat service support formations, each with different deployment rhythms. Okinawa-based assignments provide forward Pacific presence without formal deployment orders.

Primary Duty Stations

OCCFLD 28 Marines are distributed across the Corps’ major installations. The 2862 MOS in particular places you at a wide range of unit types, which means the duty station picture is broader than for fields tied to a single platform or formation.

Life at 29 Palms

29 Palms is one of the Marine Corps’ most distinctive duty stations. The Mojave Desert setting is dramatic and the training areas are excellent, but the isolation is real. The nearest major city is about 40 miles away. Families there deal with a limited civilian employment market and smaller school options than at Pendleton or Lejeune. The base has the standard Marine Corps facilities, but it is not Pendleton. If you have a family and draw 29 Palms orders, talk honestly about what that environment means before you sign. Marines who embrace the desert and the training opportunities often find it a rewarding tour; Marines who expect a major-metro lifestyle will struggle.

Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations

Job Hazards

Ground electronics maintenance involves several hazards that require active management:

• High voltage: Electronic systems at the organizational and intermediate maintenance level include power supplies, transmitters, and amplifiers operating at voltages that can cause serious injury. Lock-out/tag-out is mandatory before working on energized assemblies.
• RF radiation: Some systems in the 2862 portfolio produce RF fields during operation. Safety standoff distances specified in technical manuals are not optional.
• Field hazards: Extreme heat at desert training areas and cold and wet conditions at East Coast bases add environmental hazards to the field maintenance picture.
• Hearing: Working near high-power electronics and test equipment in extended sessions requires hearing protection as a routine practice.

Safety Protocols

Every technical manual specifies lock-out/tag-out procedures for energized systems. RF safety distances are defined per system and must be observed. PPE requirements for high-voltage and RF work are outlined per technical manual. Some 2862 billets involve systems with TEMPEST (controlled electromagnetic emission) requirements, meaning maintenance on those systems occurs in controlled environments with specific procedures to prevent classified signal leakage.

Security and Legal Requirements

A Secret clearance is standard for OCCFLD 28. Some billets require Top Secret or higher access. Clearance obligations include reporting foreign contacts, financial delinquency, and security-relevant incidents. Losing a clearance affects your billet access across the entire field. TEMPEST-related systems carry additional legal accountability requirements; unauthorized access or improper handling of those systems is a serious violation.

The security investigation process starts when you enlist. An interim clearance is typically granted while the full investigation is ongoing, allowing you to access classified material once you are assigned to a unit. Periodic reinvestigations occur throughout your career at intervals determined by the classification level of your access. The key obligation is continuous self-reporting; if something changes in your life (a foreign relationship, financial difficulty, a legal issue), you are required to report it to your security officer. Failure to report is treated as a separate, aggravating issue beyond the underlying event itself.

Some 2862 billets also involve export-controlled technical data and equipment. Specific maintenance procedures for those systems carry legal restrictions on who can perform them and what information can be shared outside approved channels. Your command security officer will brief you on the specific requirements when you arrive at a billet that involves controlled technical data.

Impact on Family and Personal Life

Family Considerations

MOS School at 29 Palms places you in a remote desert environment for four to five months after Boot Camp and MCT. After graduation, duty station quality improves significantly. Camp Pendleton sits near Oceanside and is within reasonable commuting distance of San Diego, giving families access to a major metro area. Camp Lejeune serves Jacksonville, a mid-sized military town with a wide range of housing options.

If you receive Okinawa orders, that tour is typically accompanied for the right rank and time in service. The Okinawa community is established and supportive of military families, though the distance from the continental U.S. is a real factor for families with ties back home.

Support Systems

• Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) provides family readiness and pre-deployment preparation
• Military OneSource offers free counseling and financial planning services to active-duty families
• Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) operates at all major Marine installations with recreation, education, and family support programming

Relocation

OCCFLD 28 Marines typically move two or three times across a first enlistment and follow-on service. The major maintenance and communications installations are Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, 29 Palms, and Okinawa. The broader unit coverage of the 2862 MOS means billet options are distributed across more formation types than a narrowly specialized code.

Permanent Change of Station moves come with a travel entitlement, but the actual cost of moving a household (including any gap between housing availability at the gaining and losing installation) falls partly on the Marine. Families benefit from researching housing wait times, school enrollment windows, and spousal employment options at the gaining base before the PCS orders arrive. Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune both have established military family communities with spouse employment networks and school districts experienced in handling student transitions. Okinawa tours add the complexity of overseas shipping and pet restrictions but come with a cost-of-living adjustment and a supportive installation community.

Marine Corps Reserve

Component Availability

OCCFLD 28 MOS codes are available in the Marine Corps Reserve. Billet availability depends on the unit mission and assigned equipment. Not every reserve unit maintains active ground electronics maintenance billets. Contact a reserve recruiter to confirm current options near you.

Drill Schedule

Reserve Marines commit to one weekend per month and two weeks per year for Annual Training. Electronics maintenance reserve units may conduct field training exercises tied to equipment readiness beyond the standard drill weekend. Annual Training often includes system-specific maintenance work on unit-assigned equipment.

Part-Time Pay

An E-4 Corporal with over two years of service earns $3,303.00 per month on active duty. Reserve drill pay is based on the active-duty daily rate per drill period. A standard reserve weekend of four drill periods puts a Corporal at roughly $440-$509 for the weekend depending on years of service.

Active Duty vs. Marine Corps Reserve Comparison

Civilian Career Integration

Ground electronics systems experience pairs well with civilian careers in defense contracting, federal agency systems maintenance, IT hardware support, and telecommunications. A Secret clearance adds real market value for cleared contractor positions. Reserve service keeps your technical proficiency current while you build civilian employment in parallel. USERRA protections apply to all reserve Marines called up for federal service.

Post-Service Opportunities

Transition to Civilian Life

The broad technical foundation of the 2862 MOS creates a wider civilian career transfer range than a narrowly specialized code. Ground electronics maintenance experience applies to defense contracting, federal systems maintenance, industrial electronics, and IT infrastructure roles. The Transition Readiness Program (TRP) provides job placement support, resume help, and interview preparation in the final months of active duty. SkillBridge programs let you work for a civilian employer in the last 180 days of service while still drawing military pay.

CompTIA certifications (A+, Network+, Security+) align with the systems work in this MOS and are widely recognized by civilian employers. The DoD Skillbridge program also has partner programs with defense contractors specifically looking for cleared electronics technicians coming off active duty.

Civilian Career Prospects

Salary data is approximate. Verify current figures at BLS.gov.

The breadth advantage of the 2862 MOS matters most at the point of transition. A technician who can speak credibly about navigation systems, meteorological equipment, and range instrumentation (rather than a single platform) is more useful to a defense contractor building a mixed portfolio of government systems. Federal civilian hiring at agencies like the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), the Department of Energy national laboratories, and DHS components also looks favorably on technicians with broad electronics backgrounds and active clearances.

For Marines who want to use their GI Bill after service, engineering technology degree programs build naturally on the OCCFLD 28 technical foundation. Many community colleges and four-year programs offer credit for military electronics training. The combination of a degree and an active Secret clearance positions veterans well for mid-level defense electronics positions with significant compensation potential above the entry-level contractor range.

Is This a Good Job for You? The Right (and Wrong) Fit

Ideal Candidate

This role is a strong match if you:

• Enjoy electronics, troubleshooting, and working systematically through technical documentation
• Score well on the math and electronics subtests of the ASVAB
• Want technical breadth across multiple system types rather than deep specialization in one
• Are patient with methodical fault-isolation procedures; some faults require working through many steps
• Want a clear path toward warrant officer rank or civilian defense electronics work after service

Potential Challenges

This is not the right fit if you:

• Prefer purely physical or kinetic work over technical maintenance
• Are impatient with diagnostic procedures that require working through steps in sequence
• Struggle with math or electronics concepts
• Do not pass color vision screening at MEPS
• Want daily variety in physical environments over a shop-based technical routine

Career and Lifestyle Fit

The 2862 MOS delivers technical breadth that pays dividends in promotion competitiveness and civilian career transition. Marines who build genuine expertise across multiple system types consistently find strong civilian demand after service. The warrant officer pathway (MOS 2802) is well-defined and accessible. Marines primarily motivated by physical challenge or action-oriented roles may find the field less satisfying, but Marines who like solving technical problems with real operational stakes consistently report strong career engagement.

The lifestyle this MOS creates is one of technical problem-solving in a structured military environment, with garrison periods that allow for a reasonably predictable schedule and field periods that break that routine. If you are comfortable with the idea that some days involve bench maintenance and paperwork and other days involve diagnosing an unfamiliar system in the field with the unit waiting on you, this MOS matches that reality. Marines who stay curious, keep learning, and build relationships with the operators they support will find OCCFLD 28 a genuinely rewarding career, both while in the Corps and after.

This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Marine Corps or any government agency. Verify all information with official Marine Corps sources before making enlistment or career decisions.

More Information

Contact your local Marine Corps Recruiting Station (RSS) or visit marines.com for current EL score cutoffs, school seat availability, and OCCFLD 28 contract options.

Explore more OccFld 28 Ground Electronics Maintenance careers such as 2831 Microwave Equipment Technician and 2887 Artillery Electronics Technician.

Need score context? Review the ASVAB guide and the PiCAT guide before publishing permanent MOS content.