This guide provides helpful information for those considering to enlist in the Navy Reserve as an Aviation Structural Mechanic—Safety Equipment (AME) in Fiscal Year 2025.
Aviation is unforgiving. Every part, every system, every bolt has to work, especially when lives depend on it.
That’s where Navy Reserve Aviation Structural Mechanics—Safety Equipment come in.
They handle the oxygen systems, ejection seats, and emergency gear that keep naval aviators alive.
If something goes wrong in the air, their work is the difference between survival and disaster.
Reserve AMEs don’t just patch things up—they work to the same high standards as their active-duty counterparts, maintaining equipment that can’t afford a second of failure.
It’s hands-on, high-stakes work that rewards precision and focus.
So how do you get there? What does the job actually look like?
Let’s break it down.
What Is the AME Rating?
The Navy Reserve Aviation Structural Mechanics—Safety Equipment (AME) rating is a specialized branch of the Aviation Structural Mechanic (AM) field. While AMs focus on the overall structure of Navy aircraft, AMEs hone in on life-support systems.
They inspect and service ejection seats, environmental control systems, and fire suppression units—ensuring these mechanisms function flawlessly under pressure.
In the Navy Reserve, AMEs perform similar tasks but with a flexible schedule. They support active-duty counterparts, bolster operational readiness, and may deploy if needed.
Training mirrors that of active-duty personnel, though reserve AMEs often leverage prior experience from civilian aviation or previous full-time service.
Difference Between Active Duty and Reserve AMEs
The distinction between active-duty and Reserve AMEs comes down to time commitment, career trajectory, and deployment expectations.
| Aspect | Active Duty AME | Reserve AME |
|---|---|---|
| Time Commitment | Full-time, stationed worldwide | Part-time, one weekend/month + annual training |
| Training | Boot camp + “A” school + on-the-job training | Same initial training, ongoing qualification maintenance |
| Deployments | Regular deployments with squadrons | Deployable if mobilized, but not routine |
| Career Growth | Promotion within active-duty ranks | Flexibility to balance military and civilian careers |
Reserve AMEs often serve alongside their active-duty counterparts during drill weekends and annual training, reinforcing operational readiness.
They may also take on assignments supporting aviation maintenance facilities.
Why Choose the Navy Reserve AME Path?
For those with prior military aviation experience—or those looking to serve while maintaining a civilian career—the Navy Reserve AME path offers a strategic balance.
Key benefits include:
- Part-time service: Continue working in aviation, defense contracting, or another field while maintaining military status.
- Career flexibility: Apply military skills to civilian jobs and vice versa. Many Reserve AMEs work in commercial aircraft maintenance or aerospace industries.
- Transition opportunities: Veterans can retain their skills and benefits, while new recruits gain hands-on training applicable beyond the Navy.
Serving as a Navy Reserve AME means keeping aircraft safe while shaping a career that doesn’t demand full-time military life.
It’s a role built for those who want both structure and flexibility—because in aviation, safety is never optional.
Responsibilities of Navy Reserve AMEs
Aircraft Safety Equipment Maintenance
A fighter jet hurtling through the sky at Mach 1 isn’t just about speed and power—it’s also about survival. And that’s where AMEs come in.
They handle ejection seats, emergency oxygen systems, and fire suppression mechanisms, ensuring Navy pilots have a way out when things go wrong.
A single overlooked detail in these systems could be catastrophic. There’s no room for error.
Utility Systems Repairs
It’s not just about keeping pilots alive in a crisis—it’s also about keeping them functional during long, demanding flights.
AMEs work on air conditioning, heating, pressurization, and ventilation, controlling the unseen forces that make high-altitude flight possible.
Without them, cockpits would freeze, air would thin, and missions would fail before they began.
Pre- and Post-Flight Inspections
Every takeoff is a leap of faith in the mechanics who signed off on the aircraft minutes before. Every landing is a test of whether their last inspection caught everything.
AMEs are responsible for ensuring all safety and environmental systems are operational before a flight—and diagnosing potential failures when it returns.
There’s a rhythm to it: inspect, repair, confirm, repeat.
Naval Aircrew Opportunities
Some AMEs don’t just maintain aircraft; they fly in them. Qualified AMEs can train as aircrew members, taking their expertise into the sky and earning additional pay for it.
Knowing how a system works on paper is one thing—experiencing it in action at 30,000 feet is something else entirely.
Training and Certification Requirements
Class “A” School (Pensacola, FL)
Every Navy Reserve AME begins at Class “A” School in Pensacola, Florida. Over approximately nine weeks, they train in:
- Aviation structural mechanics fundamentals
- Aircraft safety and emergency systems
- Environmental control system maintenance
It’s the foundation for everything that follows.
Advanced Technical Schools
For those advancing in the field, Navy Enlisted Classifications (NECs) provide specialized training, including:
- 724B – Aviation Maintenance Material Control Master Chief (Logistics and maintenance coordination)
- 770B – Aviation Maintenance/Production Chief (Overseeing aircraft maintenance and production schedules)
These certifications position AMEs for leadership roles in aviation maintenance.
Flight Safety & Survival Training
Naval Aircrew volunteers undergo additional training, including:
- Emergency procedures and crash survival
- Water survival and hypoxia training
- In-flight safety operations
Flying introduces new risks. This training ensures aircrew members can handle them.
Leadership & Professional Development
Technical skills open doors, but leadership skills determine career growth. AMEs can pursue:
- Navy COOL – Credentialing for civilian career opportunities
- Joint Services Transcripts (JST) – Documenting military training for college credits
- Senior Enlisted Academy – Leadership development for high-ranking enlisted roles
Each step moves an AME closer to greater responsibility—and broader career opportunities.
Working Conditions & Assignments
Types of Assignments
Navy Reserve Aviation Structural Mechanics (Safety Equipment) (AMEs) don’t live the full-time, ship-bound life of their Active Duty counterparts.
Their work is part-time but still hands-on, mostly at shore-based aviation units. Instead of constant deployments, they serve in bursts—drill weekends, training periods, occasional mobilizations.
- Naval Reserve Squadrons & Fleet Readiness Centers (FRCs): The core of Reserve AME work—maintaining, inspecting, and repairing aviation safety equipment without the constant churn of Active Duty life.
- Selected Reserve (SELRES) Units: These AMEs balance military service with civilian careers, training monthly to stay mission-ready.
- Fleet Logistics Support Squadrons (VR Squadrons) & Naval Air Stations (NASs): If there’s a hub for aircraft maintenance, there’s probably a Reserve AME ensuring everything stays in working order.
Work Environment
The Navy Reserve gives AMEs a stable home base—most perform their monthly drills at shore-based units rather than aircraft carriers or forward-deployed squadrons.
But that doesn’t mean they never step aboard a ship.
- Drill Weekend Locations: Typically in maintenance hangars, not on the high seas.
- Annual Training (AT): A two-week stint that can take them anywhere from a stateside air station to an aircraft carrier.
- Physical Demands: The job is still a grind—loud hangars, heavy gear, long hours on their feet. Reserve status doesn’t change the physical intensity of aviation maintenance.
Mobilization & Activation
A Reserve AME’s life can be predictable—until it’s not. While most serve part-time, activation orders can come through, sending them into full-time duty for months at a time.
- Deployment Periods: Typically 6-12 months, supporting military operations, humanitarian efforts, or combat deployments.
- Mobilization Locations: Anywhere there’s Navy aviation—fleet squadrons, aircraft carriers, overseas maintenance hubs.
- Voluntary Active Duty Options: Some AMEs take on Full-Time Support (FTS) or Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW), bridging the gap between Reserve and Active Duty life while picking up extra experience (and pay).
The Balancing Act
Being a Reserve AME is a constant juggle. Civilian job one week, wrenching on aircraft the next. Stability most of the time—until mobilization throws everything up in the air.
It’s not Active Duty, but it’s not just a side gig either. It’s readiness in waiting.
Benefits & Incentives
Reserve Enlistment Bonuses
Money talks, and the Navy Reserve knows it. To attract and retain skilled Aviation Structural Mechanics (Safety Equipment), the service offers enlistment bonuses that can make a real financial impact.
- New Accession Training (NAT) Bonus: For those joining fresh, a six-year contract can bring in $10,000–$20,000 upfront.
- Affiliation Bonus (Prior Service): If you’ve already served and are returning to the Reserve, you could get up to $20,000 for a three-year commitment.
Education & College Credit Opportunities
A Reserve contract isn’t just about maintaining aircraft—it’s a direct path to higher education.
- Tuition Assistance (TA) & GI Bill Benefits: Covering college costs while serving part-time.
- United States Naval Community College (USNCC): Provides college courses and credits specifically for enlisted personnel.
- American Council on Education (ACE) Credits: Converts military training into recognized college credit, helping AMEs fast-track a degree.
Drill Pay & Retirement Benefits
Serving in the Reserve isn’t just about bonuses—it’s also a steady financial supplement and a long-term investment in retirement.
- Monthly Drill Pay & Annual Training Pay: Compensation for weekend drills and two-week training periods.
- Retirement Eligibility: After 20 years of service, Reserve AMEs qualify for retirement benefits, including a pension starting at age 60.
For those balancing civilian life with military service, these benefits make the commitment worthwhile—financially and professionally.
How to Join the Navy Reserve as an AME
You want to work on military aircraft—but not full-time. You want hands-on experience with ejection seats, oxygen systems, survival gear—the life-saving stuff.
That’s what an AME does. And in the Navy Reserve, you can do it part-time, while keeping your civilian job.
The process isn’t complicated, but the Navy isn’t taking just anyone. Here’s how you qualify, apply, and get through training.
Eligibility Requirements
ASVAB Score Requirements
- The Navy doesn’t care if you’re good at math, English, or history. What they want to know is: Can you work with machines?
- You’ll need a Mechanical Maintenance (MM) score of 204 or higher on the ASVAB. If you’ve ever fixed a car, a motorcycle, or even taken apart a lawnmower just to see how it works, you’re probably in good shape.
Medical Standards
- You need good vision—color perception matters. The Navy can’t have you mixing up critical safety components.
- You have to pass the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA). That means running, push-ups, and sit-ups.
Background Checks
- No serious criminal history. If you have felonies or major financial trouble, that could disqualify you.
- You need to qualify for a security clearance—meaning your past and present need to check out.
Age & Education
- You must be 18 to 39 years old (waivers for prior service exist).
- High school diploma required. A GED might work, but expect extra requirements.
Application Process
1. Contact a Navy Reserve Recruiter
- No online application, no “apply now” button. You need to talk to a recruiter.
2. Take the ASVAB
- If you haven’t already taken the ASVAB, you’ll need to. Hit 204+ in Mechanical Maintenance (MM) to be eligible for AME.
3. Visit MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station)
- Full medical exam: Vision, hearing, mobility, overall health.
- Background check: Criminal record, finances, overall eligibility.
4. Choose Your Rating
- If you qualify, AME is yours. If not, your recruiter might offer alternatives.
5. Swear into the Navy Reserve
- You take the Oath of Enlistment and get your training schedule.
What to Expect in Boot Camp
If you’re going Reserve, you still have to attend Navy Boot Camp—nine weeks at Great Lakes, Illinois.
Training Breakdown
- Indoctrination
- More medical screening.
- Get your uniform.
- Learn what’s expected of you.
- Classroom Training
- Navy customs and courtesies.
- Basic military structure and core values.
- Physical Training
- Daily workouts: Running, push-ups, sit-ups.
- Swim qualifications: If you can’t swim, you’ll learn fast.
- Battle Stations
- A realistic, high-pressure test simulating a Navy emergency.
- You pass, you graduate.
How to Prepare
- Get in shape—if you can’t do push-ups, fix that now.
- Learn Navy basics—ranks, terminology, chain of command.
- Show up ready for structure and discipline—it’s not optional.
After boot camp, you’ll head to A-School in Pensacola, Florida, where you’ll get real training in aviation safety equipment maintenance.
Next Steps—Is This the Right Move for You?
Ask yourself:
- Do I like working with machines?
- Can I handle a structured, disciplined environment?
- Am I okay with part-time service while keeping my civilian life?
If yes, then your next move is simple: contact a Navy Reserve recruiter. They’ll lay out your options, answer questions, and get you started.
Find a recruiter at Navy.com. One call could put you on an entirely new path.
You might also be interested in other Navy Reserve enlisted jobs, such as:
