2887 Artillery Electronics Technician

The fire control radar is showing azimuth drift. The gun crew cannot fire until you clear it. You pull the calibration data, set up the boresight equipment, and run the alignment procedure. You find the sensor offset, correct it, run verification, and hand the system back to the fire direction center. The howitzer section is back in the fight. That is MOS 2887. You are the technician who keeps Marine field artillery accurate, and accuracy in artillery is the difference between fire support and a catastrophic error.

Job Role and Responsibilities

The 2887 Artillery Electronics Technician performs organizational-level and intermediate-level maintenance on fire control computers, ballistic computation equipment, inertial navigation systems, meteorological stations, and related electronics used by Marine Corps field artillery units. You diagnose electronic faults, repair and replace components and assemblies, calibrate systems to exacting accuracy standards, and restore fire control capability to operational readiness. This role sits at the intersection of electronics maintenance and the artillery community.

Daily Tasks

Work in an artillery battalion maintenance assignment includes:

• Performing scheduled preventive maintenance on fire control computers and ballistic computation equipment
• Diagnosing and isolating faults in fire control electronics using test equipment and technical manuals
• Calibrating sensors, targeting systems, and electronic components to specified accuracy tolerances
• Replacing faulty circuit cards, modules, and assemblies per technical manual procedures
• Running boresight and alignment procedures on digital fire control systems after maintenance
• Maintaining maintenance records and equipment readiness reporting for the battery
• Coordinating with artillery operators and the fire direction center to understand system performance issues
• Supporting field exercises and live-fire training by keeping fire control systems in ready status

MOS Codes

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

Mission Contribution

Artillery fire is only as accurate as the electronics that calculate firing data. A fire control computer with calibration drift or a sensor fault does not just affect one round; it affects every round until someone corrects it. The 2887 technician is responsible for making sure that never happens. In a field artillery battalion, that makes you a direct contributor to the battery’s ability to support the ground scheme of maneuver. The operators pull the lanyard; you make sure the round goes where they intend it to go.

Technology and Equipment

2887 technicians work with artillery-specific electronics, including:

• Digital fire control computers for howitzer systems
• Inertial navigation and positioning systems used with self-propelled artillery platforms
• Ballistic meteorological stations feeding fire control computation data
• Gun display units and data processing terminals
• Electronic boresight equipment and precision calibration tools
• Test and measurement instruments for electronic fault isolation at the component level

Equipment changes as the Marine Corps modernizes its artillery systems. Technicians receive follow-on training when new fire control systems are fielded.

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 2887.

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 between years 8 and 12.

Work-Life Balance

Artillery electronics technicians work standard duty hours in garrison, but artillery units train in the field frequently. Your work schedule is tied to the battery’s training cycle, which means more field time than some other maintenance billets. Deployments follow the parent battalion’s rotation schedule. Leave accrues at 2.5 days per month (30 days per year), with a maximum carryover of 60 days.

This field time is not a small detail. Marine field artillery units are among the more training-intensive formations in the Corps. The 10th Marines at Lejeune and 11th Marines at Pendleton conduct regular field exercises, combined arms events at MAGTFTC in 29 Palms, and live-fire training that requires sustained field presence. As the 2887 technician, you are expected to be in the field with the battery, not back in garrison. If your fire control system develops a problem during a live-fire exercise, you fix it in the field, not in a comfortable shop environment.

The tradeoff is that the work is genuinely important in a visible way. Artillery units notice and remember who keeps the fire control systems green. That reputation, built over field exercises and deployments, is what drives strong FITREPs and career advancement in this billet. Marines who embrace the field-heavy tempo of an artillery unit generally find the 2887 MOS deeply satisfying. Marines who expected a purely garrison maintenance experience will need to adjust that expectation.

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). The precision calibration work in this MOS makes strong math and measurement aptitude especially relevant; fire control systems are calibrated to tight tolerances, and the technician needs to understand what the numbers mean.

Color vision is screened at MEPS because fire control electronics maintenance requires identifying color-coded wiring, indicator light states, and component markings. A failed color vision screening can disqualify you from OCCFLD 28.

Use the ASVAB prep guide to understand how EL and other composites are calculated and what subtests to target. The PiCAT is available as an unproctored prescreen before your MEPS appointment.

Application Process

1. Contact a Marine Corps recruiter and express interest in electronics maintenance or artillery-related technical fields
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 can discuss artillery electronics maintenance contract options
5. Background investigation for a Secret clearance begins at accession
6. Complete Boot Camp, then Marine Combat Training (MCT), then MOS schooling

Selection Criteria

Selection is based on EL composite score, physical qualification, and billet availability in artillery electronics assignments. Prior math or electronics coursework is useful preparation. The billet places you in an artillery battalion, so an interest in fire support missions (not just electronics maintenance) is relevant to your fit in this role.

Service Obligation

Standard first-term enlistment is four years on active duty. Confirm exact contract terms with your recruiter before signing.

Work Environment

Setting and Schedule

2887 technicians work in electronics maintenance shops within artillery battalions and in the field during training exercises. Artillery units train in the field more often than many other Marine Corps formations. At 29 Palms, the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MAGTFTC) is the home of combined arms exercises where artillery fires in support of infantry and aviation, and where fire control systems must perform. Expect regular time in the field, not just in a garrison shop.

Some fire control system schooling may involve interservice courses where combined-arms training agreements apply. Confirm current training venues and any interservice school requirements with your recruiter before signing a contract.

Leadership and Communication

You work within the artillery battalion’s maintenance element and report to the electronics maintenance shop chief or warrant officer. Artillery operators, the fire direction center Marines, and battery leadership are your primary customers. You communicate system readiness status to the battery commander and coordinate with unit supply for repair parts. Feedback is mission-tied and direct; if the fire control system is degraded, the battery knows immediately, and so do you.

Team Dynamics

The 2887 often works as the sole electronics technician in a battery or in a small maintenance team at the battalion level. You are the technical authority for fire control electronics in that formation. Building effective working relationships with the artillery operators you support is not optional; their ability to describe system behavior accurately helps you diagnose faults faster. When they describe the fire control computer behaving unexpectedly, you need to be able to ask the right questions to get the information you need.

Job Satisfaction

Marines in this MOS describe satisfaction from the precision nature of the work and the direct connection between good maintenance and artillery effectiveness. Working in an artillery battalion means you are embedded with the shooters, not isolated in a rear-area shop. You see the operational consequence of your work directly. Marines who want to stay in a controlled shop environment may find the artillery battalion’s field tempo more demanding than expected, but Marines who want to see how their maintenance affects the mission report strong career engagement.

Training and Skill Development

Initial Training Pipeline

MCCES at 29 Palms covers electronics theory and builds the technical manual proficiency you need to work independently on fire control systems. Artillery electronics involves more precision calibration work than general electronics maintenance, and developing real proficiency takes sustained repetition in a unit. The classroom gives you the foundation; the battalion gives you the skill.

Advanced Training

After initial MOS qualification, 2887 technicians can pursue:

• Advanced fire control system courses at MCCES as systems are updated and replaced
• Manufacturer-provided training when new fire control platforms are fielded to units
• Electronic warfare adjacent courses tied to the artillery mission
• Warrant officer programs (MOS 2802) after meeting service and experience requirements
• Formal instructor billets at MCCES for experienced technicians

Fire control systems update as artillery platforms modernize. Technicians who stay current through follow-on training are more competitive for promotion and warrant officer selection.

The 2887 MOS has a narrower training pipeline than the broader 2862 code, which means your technical depth on fire control systems will be greater, but your breadth across other electronics types will be more limited. Marines who plan on a career in this field should actively pursue cross-training opportunities when they present themselves; attending a course on ground navigation systems or meteorological equipment during a slack period builds versatility that pays off when competing for the warrant program or lateral-move opportunities.

Calibration is the defining technical skill for this MOS. Developing genuine proficiency at it requires time and repetition beyond what MOS School provides. In your first unit assignment, look for every opportunity to perform calibration procedures under supervision before you are ever asked to do them alone. The tolerance standards for fire control systems are tight, and the technician who can execute those procedures confidently and accurately earns a reputation quickly in a battery where everyone knows when the guns are shooting straight and when they are not.

Career Progression and Advancement

Career Path

OCCFLD 28 Marines follow standard enlisted promotion timelines. Technical expertise, proficiency and conduct marks (junior enlisted), and FITREPs (SNCOs) drive advancement.

Specialization

Experienced 2887 Marines can apply for warrant officer designation as MOS 2802 Ground Electronics Maintenance Officer, the same warrant pathway available across OCCFLD 28. The fire control electronics background of the 2887 is a strong differentiator in the warrant selection process. Confirm current program requirements with Marine manpower guidance.

LATMOVE

Marines seeking a MOS change can apply through LATMOVE. The electronics and fire control technical background supports lateral moves to communications, ordnance electronics-adjacent fields, or other technical specialties. Confirm current availability with your career planner.

Performance Evaluation

Junior enlisted Marines receive proficiency and conduct marks. NCOs receive marks that factor into promotion composites. SNCOs receive formal FITREPs. Technical performance on fire control systems, equipment readiness contributions, and leadership of junior Marines factor into evaluations. In a small unit like a battery, a technician who keeps systems green consistently earns a reputation that follows them.

Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations

Physical Requirements

Artillery units are more physically demanding environments than purely garrison-based maintenance shops. 2887 technicians work in the field with the battery, handle equipment in field conditions, and operate at the pace of an artillery battalion’s training schedule. PFT and CFT standards apply to every Marine.

Verify current standards against official Marine Corps fitness publications.

Daily Physical Demands

Daily demands in an artillery unit include working in field conditions, carrying and positioning heavy system components, maintaining readiness while supporting extended training operations, and keeping pace with a battalion that trains hard outdoors. The physical demands are meaningfully higher than in a purely garrison-based electronics shop. You are not just a bench technician; you are part of a firing battery.

Medical Evaluations

Color vision screening is required at MEPS. Hearing is screened at entry and monitored periodically throughout service; artillery environments involve sustained high-noise exposure from firing operations, and hearing protection is a routine requirement when the guns are working. Technicians working near fire control electronics and high-voltage test equipment need to follow RF and electrical safety procedures consistently. Secret clearance reinvestigations occur on the standard cycle. Fire control systems and associated ballistic data may carry higher classification requirements depending on the specific system and platform.

Deployment and Duty Stations

Deployment Details

2887 technicians deploy with their parent field artillery battalion. Deployment timelines follow the battalion’s cycle, which may differ from MEU rotation patterns. Artillery units supporting the MAGTF deploy on MEU and UDP rotations depending on the regiment and component. Pacific-oriented artillery units operate with deployment patterns centered on Okinawa and other forward Pacific locations. Expect a field-heavy environment during both deployed and non-deployed periods.

Primary Duty Stations

Artillery electronics billets are concentrated at the installations that host Marine field artillery regiments. This limits location flexibility compared to OCCFLD 28 codes with broader unit distribution, and it is worth discussing with your recruiter before signing a contract.

Life at 29 Palms

29 Palms is both the training capital of the Marine Corps for combined arms exercises and one of its most isolated duty stations. The Mojave Desert environment means extreme summer heat; temperatures routinely exceed 110 degrees during peak summer months. The nearest major city is roughly 40 miles away. Families stationed there deal with a limited civilian job market and a smaller school district than Pendleton or Lejeune offer. The base has the standard Marine Corps support infrastructure, and the MAGTFTC training environment is genuinely excellent for a 2887 who wants to see their work used in realistic combined arms operations. But the isolation is real, and families should discuss it honestly before accepting orders.

Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations

Job Hazards

Working in an artillery unit as an electronics technician involves a specific combination of hazards:

• Noise: Artillery firing operations produce extremely high noise levels. Consistent use of hearing protection during live-fire exercises is not optional. Cumulative hearing loss from inadequate protection is one of the most common service-related disabilities among artillery veterans.
• High voltage: Fire control electronics and associated test equipment operate at voltages that can cause serious injury. Lock-out/tag-out procedures must be followed before working on energized assemblies.
• Calibration safety: Fire control systems that are improperly calibrated and returned to service are a safety risk for the entire unit and any forces in the target area. Every calibration must be verified against specification before sign-off.
• Field and environmental hazards: Desert heat at 29 Palms and cold weather at other field locations add environmental hazards on top of the electronics-specific risks.

Safety Protocols

Technical manuals specify every safety procedure for fire control electronics maintenance. Artillery range safety protocols govern all work near live-fire operations. Hearing protection is mandatory during any firing activity. Lock-out/tag-out is required before working on energized systems. PPE requirements for each system are outlined in the applicable technical manual. Skipping these procedures is both a safety failure and a disciplinary issue.

Security and Legal Requirements

A Secret clearance is standard for OCCFLD 28. Some fire control billets require access at a higher level depending on the specific system. Clearance obligations include reporting foreign contacts and financial problems. Losing a clearance affects billet access across the field. Fire control systems and ballistic computation data may carry classification requirements above the standard Secret level; confirm specific requirements for your billet with your command security officer.

The background investigation process for a Secret clearance reviews your complete personal history and takes several months to complete. An interim clearance typically allows you to begin working while the full investigation is ongoing. Periodic reinvestigations follow throughout your career. The self-reporting obligation is continuous; any significant life event that might affect your trustworthiness must be reported proactively to your command security officer. This includes foreign travel, new relationships with foreign nationals, financial difficulties, and any law enforcement contact.

For fire control electronics specifically, there is also the matter of calibration accountability. When you certify that a fire control system is within specification and return it to service, you are creating a formal maintenance record. If that system later performs outside specification during a live-fire event, the maintenance record is reviewed. The 2887 technician takes on professional accountability for the accuracy of every system they certify. That is not a bureaucratic detail; it is the core of why precision matters in this MOS.

Impact on Family and Personal Life

Family Considerations

MOS School at 29 Palms puts you in the desert for four to five months after Boot Camp and MCT. After graduation, the main artillery duty stations are Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune, both of which are established military communities with full family support infrastructure.

Camp Pendleton’s proximity to San Diego gives families access to one of the most appealing major metro areas in the country. Camp Lejeune serves Jacksonville, which is a dedicated military town with a strong support network but a more limited civilian economy. Okinawa-based tours are typically accompanied for the appropriate rank and time in service.

Artillery battalion training schedules are more field-intensive than garrison-only billets. Expect extended field periods that affect time at home even during the non-deployed cycle. Families who are prepared for that reality adjust well; families who are not can find the operational tempo difficult.

Communication with family during field exercises and deployment is better than it was a generation ago, but extended field periods still mean periods of reduced contact. Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) programs specifically support families of Marines in high-tempo units, including pre-deployment briefings that help families understand what to expect and how to access support resources while the Marine is in the field or deployed.

Spouses at Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune will find reasonably active military spouse communities with employment resources and childcare infrastructure. The San Diego metro area accessible from Pendleton has a particularly active veteran and military spouse professional community, which is relevant for spouses seeking civilian careers during what can be a three-year tour. Housing costs near Pendleton are higher than the national average, and BAH is set accordingly, but the local rental market can be competitive.

Support Systems

• Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) provides family readiness resources 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
• Marine Corps Community Services Japan supports families at Okinawa-area installations

Relocation

Artillery electronics billets are concentrated at Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, and Okinawa. Expect to serve at one or two of these locations across a first enlistment and follow-on service. Geographic flexibility is more limited in this field than in OCCFLD 28 codes with broader unit distribution.

Marine Corps Reserve

Component Availability

Artillery electronics technician billets exist in the Marine Corps Reserve at reserve artillery units. Billet availability depends on the unit’s assigned equipment and mission. Not every reserve region has active artillery electronics 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. Artillery reserve units conduct field exercises that often involve more field time than typical reserve weekends. Annual Training frequently includes live-fire or fire control system exercises, making the commitment more demanding than a non-combat reserve billet.

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

Fire control electronics and precision calibration experience is valued in defense contracting for weapons system manufacturers, government laboratories, and federal agencies supporting artillery and fire control system development. Companies that manufacture artillery systems, guided munitions, and fire control radar actively hire technicians with military fire control maintenance experience. A Secret clearance adds market value for cleared positions. Reserve service maintains the skill set and clearance currency while you build civilian employment simultaneously. USERRA protections apply to all reserve Marines.

Post-Service Opportunities

Transition to Civilian Life

Artillery electronics maintenance background translates to civilian roles at defense contractors who build and support fire control systems, weapons electronics, and precision measurement equipment. The fire control specialization of this MOS creates a niche but consistent civilian market, narrower than a general electronics MOS, but with higher compensation potential for experienced technicians with clearances and fire control system credentials.

The Transition Readiness Program (TRP) provides job placement assistance, resume help, and interview coaching 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. Several major defense prime contractors have specific SkillBridge partnerships targeting veterans with cleared fire control electronics backgrounds.

Civilian Career Prospects

Salary data is approximate. Verify current figures at BLS.gov before making decisions based on these numbers.

Defense prime contractors building systems like the M777 howitzer digital fire control kit, the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS), and associated sensor systems specifically recruit technicians with hands-on fire control maintenance experience. These positions often command salaries in the $75,000 to $110,000 range for experienced technicians with active Secret clearances and documented fire control system qualifications. Government civilian positions at Army and Marine Corps arsenals and depots that support artillery system logistics also hire from this background.

For Marines who want to extend their education after service, engineering technology programs at community colleges and universities build directly on fire control electronics foundations. Precision measurement and calibration technology is a recognized academic specialty, and some programs offer transfer credit for military MOS school training. The combination of a technical degree and a clearance positions veterans for mid-level contractor and federal civilian roles with compensation well above the entry-level civilian range.

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

Ideal Candidate

This role is a strong match if you:

• Enjoy precision technical work where accuracy has direct operational consequences
• Score well on the math and electronics subtests of the ASVAB
• Are comfortable working in an artillery battalion field environment, not just in a garrison shop
• Want a defined path toward warrant officer rank or defense contractor work in fire control
• Can work independently as the sole technician or in a small team supporting a firing battery

Potential Challenges

This is not the right fit if you:

• Want primarily physical combat arms work with minimal technical maintenance
• Are impatient with precision calibration and the methodical diagnostic procedures that fire control systems require
• Struggle with math or electronics concepts
• Do not pass color vision screening at MEPS
• Prefer a purely garrison-based shop environment over the field tempo of an artillery battalion

Career and Lifestyle Fit

The 2887 MOS places you in a technically demanding role within a combat arms unit. The warrant officer pathway (MOS 2802) is accessible and well-defined for Marines who build strong fire control technical credentials. The civilian defense contracting market for fire control electronics technicians is niche but consistent, and experienced technicians with clearances command competitive pay. Marines who commit to precision and maintain technical currency throughout their artillery career typically transition well into cleared defense electronics work.

The lifestyle question for the 2887 is different from the other OCCFLD 28 codes. You will be living the artillery battalion tempo, not a quieter maintenance unit schedule. That means more field time, more time away from family during the non-deployed cycle, and a physical and operational environment that is more demanding than a rear-area shop. If you want to be embedded with a combat arms unit and see your technical work matter directly to the mission, this MOS offers that in a way few other electronics jobs do.

If you are not comfortable with that tempo, a different OCCFLD 28 code may be a better fit; the 2862 provides similar technical development with broader unit placement options and generally less field intensity. Talk honestly with your recruiter about the artillery battalion environment before committing to a 2887 contract.

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, billet availability, and artillery electronics contract options.

Explore more OccFld 28 Ground Electronics Maintenance careers such as 2831 Microwave Equipment Technician and 2862 Ground Electronics Systems Maintenance Technician.

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