TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --
The Air Force knowledge management career field, will split into an administrative career field May 1, signifying the return of the administration Air Force Specialty Code.
The new change will have a significant effect on both career fields.
"As of May 1, 80 percent of knowledge management Airmen will shift to administration," said Chief Master Sgt. Zak Petrovic, 325th Communication Squadron superintendent. "Twenty percent will remain in knowledge management, and the biggest take-away is that these Airmen will mostly continue to do the work that they are doing today, but now each career field will have more of a focus on their day-to-day responsibilities. Knowledge management Airmen will predominately conduct enterprise information management duties the administration Airmen will perform traditional administration, human resource, executive and commander program support functions. The major change for the administration career field is the absorption of the Postal AFSC."
Air Force leadership decided in 2012 that the separation of the two fields was needed. At the time, there was not a dedicated commander support. This was a detriment to units, said Master Sgt. James Briney, 325th CS knowledge management section chief.
The largest difference of the two career fields is that Knowledge Management serves at a base-wide level, whereas, administration serve the units directly.
"Knowledge Operations personnel predominantly, at the base level, are tasked with providing with enterprise information management services," Briney said. "Examples of this are the Air Force Portal, share point services and base-level records management. The administration career field will do just that, they will administer unit programs such as managing records, personnel appointments and calendars."
With this split, those in the administration career field will have their own set curriculum they will be tested on for promotions. Before, regardless of the duty they did, Airmen would be tested on Knowledge Management specifics, said Briney.
"The split will have two changes that can be seen," Briney said. "Airmen that have been shifted to administrative duties from their assigned AFSC will go back to their job. Going back, those that have been doing administrative duties were tested on knowledge operations; this change will give Airmen a better opportunity testing for promotion."