The Army's NEWEST MOS

51C - Contracting NCO

The official release date for approved reclassification of Soldiers into MOS 51C is 1 October 2007.

Army Acquisition Corps introduces the Army’s newest Career Management Field (CMF) and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), MOS 51C – Acquisition, Logistics & Technology Contracting Noncommissioned Officer into the full spectrum Army

28 December 2006

The United States Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC), introduces the Army’s newest CMF and MOS 51C – AL&T Contracting NCO into the full spectrum Army. “It’s been fifteen years since the Army last introduced a new Career Management Field and Military Occupational Specialty into the full spectrum Army” says Randy Newman, Director, HRC, ODCSOPS. The AL&T Contracting NCOs will have the potential to become warranted Contingency Contracting Officers (CCOs). Warranted CCOs are authorized by law to procure supplies, services and provide minor construction in support of deployed forces. AL&T Contracting NCOs will be assigned to the Army Sustainment Command’s – Contracting Support Brigades, Contingency Contracting Battalions, Senior Contingency Contracting Teams and Contingency Contracting Teams. All contracting commands, units and teams are a part of the modular contracting force structure and the Army Force Generation cycle, providing contingency contracting support anywhere, anytime.

The USAASC will be the proponent for the CMF and MOS 51C – AL&T Contracting Noncommissioned Officers and responsible for the life cycle management process for the Army’s new CMF and Contracting Noncommissioned Officers Corps.  The life cycle management process consists of recruitment, retention, individual training and education, distribution, sustainment, professional development and separation.  Effective October 1, 2007 Soldiers from any MOS in the rank of Staff Sergeant through Sergeant First Class with less than 10 years of active duty service in the Regular Army, Army Reserves and National Guard and who meet the prerequisites for MOS 51C will be allowed to request reclassification.

New Contracting MOS

September 2005

The Army Acquisition Corps (AAC) is planning to stand up an Acquisition, Logistics, & Technology (ALT) Contracting NCO series for Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs).

The 51C Series Contracting NCO is intended to work in the Army Field Support Brigades (AFSBs) providing service in their Area Of Concentration (AOC).  A proposal has been submitted to the Military Occupational Classification and Structure (MOCS) to create this Military Occupational Specialty.  The MOCS proposal will include an Out-of-Cycle request to speed up the process.  These ALT Contracting NCO Career Management Fields (CMFs) will mirror the current Acquisition Officer AOC construct, with implementation to be accomplished in three phases over two years. 

Like any other MOS series, the ALT MOS series requires a full range of positions for the training and professional development of these NCOs to perform their wartime mission. 

The officer and NCOs of the AFSB are the interface between the generating force and the operational force; therefore, NCO development assignments within the PEOs, PMs and Strategic partners will be identified to provide the required technical experience with the systems and services these NCOs will be expected to provide.