An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

OC-ALC launches '1,000 hires in 100 days'

  • Published
  • By John Parker
  • Staff Writer
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex aims to hire more than 1,000 entry-level to experienced maintenance personnel to meet the demands of growing requirements to include new workloads but also to cover the natural attrition that is occurring as the workforce retires and transitions. This is an exciting time for the Air Force's largest maintenance repair and overhaul site.

Nearly 9,000 people already work in the sprawling complex across 63 buildings and 8.2 million square feet of workspace. The "1,000 hires in 100 days" initiative would boost the workforce by more than 10 percent.

"Because of our recent mission success and our competitiveness, we are experiencing a lot of growth in our complex workload," said Brig. Gen. Mark Johnson, OC-ALC commander. "The Air Force and the Department of Defense are asking us to maintain more aircraft, engines and aerospace components than ever before. Our future is bright.

"This is great news for our complex and for the state of Oklahoma, but with this great news comes many challenges," the general added. "Our production machine must be firing on all cylinders to meet this increased workload."

Late last year, Tinker Air Force Base became home to the nation's first military maintenance and repair depot for the F135 engine that powers the cutting-edge F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. In 2011, the Department of Defense announced plans to buy more than 2,400 of the stealthy combat jets for the Air Force, Navy and Marines.

The Marines put the first Lightning II squadron into service last summer with the help of expedited engine upgrades by Tinker's 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group.

The OC-ALC's current greatest employee needs are for aircraft and aircraft engine mechanics, sheet metal mechanics and aircraft electricians, plus maintenance specialists in 26 other categories. Starting pay will range from $36,000 to $47,000 a year.

Ongoing openings will be steadily posted on the federal jobs website USAJOBS.gov, where jobseekers can narrow their search terms to Oklahoma City and Tinker Air Force Base. Applicants should pay thorough attention to each position's duties, qualifications and required application documents, officials said.

"We are certainly looking for experienced aerospace personnel to join our workforce, but we are also looking for individuals with painting, welding, electrical, avionics and other maintenance-related skills," Johnson said. "We have a robust on-site training program providing hands-on experience to improve the proficiency of new hires in a supportive work environment."

The commander added that a Tinker job not only comes with high pay and comprehensive benefits, but it's an opportunity to help maintain the nation's global air combat power. The complex works on aircraft that include the B-1 bomber, the KC-135 aerial refueling tanker and engines for more than half a dozen other aircraft.

"Tinker Air Force Base takes pride in supporting the mission of defending our nation, and it's a great place to work," Johnson said.

The OC-ALC and other base organizations employ 27,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel and contribute $3.51 billion to the state's annual economy. Officials are shooting for 1,000 new hires between Oct. 1, 2015, and Jan. 16, 2016.