Cargo Specialists

Background

The military delivers supplies, weapons, equipment, and mail to United States forces in many parts of the world. Military cargo travels by ship, truck, or airplane. It must be handled carefully to ensure safe arrival at the correct destination. Cargo specialists plan and organize loading schedules. Cargo specialists load and unload military supplies and material using equipment such as forklifts and cranes.

What They Do

Cargo specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

Check cargo against invoices to make sure the amount and destination of material are correct
Inspect cargo for damage
Load equipment such as humvees, trucks, and weapons aboard ships, using dockyard cranes
Load supplies into trucks, transport planes, and railroad cars using forklifts
Pack and crate boxes of supplies for shipping
Plan and inspect loads for balance and safety

Physical Demands

Cargo specialists must lift and carry heavy cargo.

Special Requirements

No information available.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

Interest in working with forklifts and cranes
Preference for physical work

Helpful School Subjects

Helpful school subjects include:

Business math
General office

Helpful Fields of Study

No information available.

Work Environment

Cargo specialists work outdoors on loading docks and indoors in warehouses.

Services offering this career:

Air Force
Army
Marine Corps
Navy

Hiring Practices

To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.

This position is for enlisted personnel.

Wages

The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.

Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay.

Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.

There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.

Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.

Training Provided

Job training consists of two to six weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in loading cargo.

Course content typically includes:

Operation and care of forklifts, power winches, and cranes
Safety procedures for handling potentially dangerous cargo
Techniques for loading and storing cargo
Techniques for planning and scheduling cargo shipments

Further training occurs on the job.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian cargo specialists work for trucking firms, air cargo companies, and shipping lines. They perform duties similar to military cargo specialists. Depending on specialty, they may also be called industrial truck operators, stevedores, longshoremen, material handlers, or cargo checkers.

Related Civilian Careers

Employment and Outlook

In peace time the services have about 6,000 cargo specialists. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new cargo specialists due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, cargo specialists work in teams preparing and loading cargo for shipment under the direction of supervisors. In time, they may advance to become team leaders or supervisors of other cargo specialists. Eventually, they may become warehouse managers.