Specialty Summary. Performs and manages historical activities, programs, and functions. Provides historical research and reference services. Performs research, interviews personnel, and prepares analytical historical publications. Assembles and maintains historical document repositories for reference and research.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Provides historical research and reference services. Receives and assigns priority to historical information queries. Uses reference materials, unit knowledge, and research experience to answer queries. Provides historical information.
Plans, organizes, and manages history activities. Drafts revisions, supplements, and annexes for directives. Coordinates involvement in contingency and wartime operations, and readiness exercises. Develops and implements procedures for preparing historical publications.
Manages subordinate unit history programs. Conducts periodic visits to assess compliance with policies and directives. Discusses findings and recommends corrective action. Conducts quality assessments of historical products, and rates content, supporting documents, and compliance with security and administrative directives.
Performs historical research. Reviews unit files. Systematically collects and organizes historical data from correspondence, messages, staff studies, reports, plans, meeting minutes, and other source documents. Attends meetings and briefings to document important deliberations and decisions. Interviews key unit personnel for unique knowledge and insights.
Prepares historical publications, including periodic histories, studies, papers, and monographs. Determines topics of special interest or importance. Evaluates data for accuracy, objectivity, and pertinence. Writes well organized, fully documented, analytical narratives. Prepares charts, tables, graphs, and statistical summaries of significant information. Uses selected photographs to support narrative. Selects, reproduces, and assembles supporting documents. Places proper security markings, downgrading instructions, and administrative caveats on products.
Deploys to support operational historical requirements. Assembles and maintains deployment equipment and kit. Participates in unit readiness exercises. Deploys to meet operational requirements, conduct research, secure significant documentation, and prepare historical reports.
Maintains historical document repository. Collects, organizes, and indexes historical reference and research publications and documents.
Manages historian functions and activities. Advises on historical and museum program matters. Identifies, plans, and maintains facility, equipment, security, and supply requirements. Maintains publications, and administrative and historical files.
Specialty Qualifications:
Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: Air Force history, organization, functions, and terminology; English composition and grammar; interviewing techniques; contingency and wartime operational planning; historiography methods and procedures; USAF history and museum program directives; computer systems and word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications; and historical repositories and reference services.
Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school or general educational development equivalency is mandatory. Completion of college-level courses in history, English, speech, technical writing, and political science is desirable.
Training. For award of AFSC 3H031, completion of a unit historian basic skills course is mandatory.
Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of AFSC indicated:
3H051. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3H031. Also, experience performing historical research and writing.
3H071. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3H051. Also, experience performing or supervising functions such as research and preparation of historical documents, or writing historical monographs and special studies.
3H091. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3H071. Also, experience developing, directing, and managing historical programs.
Other. The following are mandatory as indicated: For entry into this specialty: Prior qualification in any AFSC at the 5-skill level or higher (3-skill level if no 5-skill level exists). Overall rating of 4 or 5 on last five enlisted performance reports. Outstanding military bearing and conduct. No record of an Article 15 or conviction by court-martial. No record of conviction by a civilian court, except for minor traffic violations or similar infractions. Ability to type 20 words per minute. Specialty requires routine access to Top Secret material or similar environment. For award and retention of AFSCs 3H0XX, completion of a current Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) according to AFI 31-501, Personnel Security Program Management. Ability to speak English clearly and distinctly as demonstrated by Reading Aloud Test administered in accordance with AF Pamphlet 48-133, Physical Examination Techniques. For award and retention of AFSCs 3H051/71/91/00 must maintain an Air Force Network License according to AFI 33‑115, Vol 2, Licensing Network Users and Certifying Network Professionals. NOTE: Award of the 3-skill level without a completed SSBI is authorized provided an interim Top Secret security clearance has been granted according to AFI 31-501.
