AIRCREW SURVIVAL EQUIPMENTMAN (PR)
The U.S. Navy naval aviation aircrew survival equipmentman rating — PR.
OVERVIEW
Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (PR), traditionally the parachute rigger, packs and inspects all aircrew-survival equipment for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircraft — ejection-seat parachutes, drogue chutes, life rafts, survival vests, oxygen systems, anti-G suits, and torso harnesses. Every aviator's life depends on a PR.
The aviation community covers Sailors who maintain, operate, and support U.S. Navy aircraft — fixed-wing fighters, maritime patrol, helicopters, and unmanned platforms — both on aircraft carriers and at shore-based naval air stations. The community follows the Aviation Maintenance Officer (AMO) construct and emphasizes Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) qualifications.
A-school for the rating runs ~10 weeks at Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, NAS Pensacola, FL, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score VE+AR+MK+AS=210 and an enlistment obligation of 5–6 years. PRs advance through the standard enlisted paygrade structure (E-1 through E-9), competing in the Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) at E-4 through E-6 and via the Selection Board at E-7 through E-9. Senior PRs typically serve as Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Work Center Supervisor, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), or Command Master Chief (CMC), and may pursue Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), or commissioning programs such as STA-21, MECP, or OCS.
Across the active force, PR Sailors are essential to the Navy's mission readiness, and the rating remains an in-demand career field with strong reenlistment bonuses (SRB), advancement opportunities, and pathways into Navy Reserve, civilian DoD, and industry careers after service.
WHAT PRs DO
PRs inspect, pack, and repair personnel and cargo parachutes, ejection-seat survival kits, life rafts and life preservers, anti-exposure suits, oxygen masks and OBOGS regulators, and anti-G garments. PRs sign off every parachute and ejection-seat survival package fitted to a Navy aircraft.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- PRs inspect, pack, and repair personnel and cargo parachutes, ejection-seat survival kits, life rafts and life preservers, anti-exposure suits, oxygen masks and OBOGS regulators, and anti-G garments. PRs sign off every parachute and ejection-seat survival package fitted to a Navy aircraft.
- Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior PRs as required by the chain of command.
- Lead the PR work center as Leading Petty Officer or Work Center Supervisor — managing maintenance documentation in 3M/MFOM, parts ordering, and personnel qualifications.
- Support general military training (GMT), damage control, force protection, and watch-bill assignments common to every Sailor regardless of rating.
HISTORY
PR is one of the oldest aviation ratings, established in 1924 as the Parachute Rigger (PR) specialty when naval aviation made the silk parachute standard issue. The rating was renamed Aircrew Survival Equipmentman in 1965 to reflect the broader survival-equipment portfolio.
The aviation rating structure traces to 1921 when the Bureau of Aeronautics was established and the Navy formalized aviation enlisted ratings to support the rapid growth of carrier aviation between the world wars. Successive consolidations through the 1948 enlisted-rating reorganization and the modern Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) shaped the current pipeline.
Today the Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (PR) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern PRs benefit from the Sailor 2025 personnel-system reforms, the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) training continuum, and credentialing through the Navy COOL program — turning rating qualifications into industry-recognized certifications and licenses.
The rating's structure, training pipeline, and operational employment continue to evolve alongside the Navy's transition to Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Project Overmatch, and the Force Design 2045 fleet architecture, ensuring PRs remain central to the warfighting mission.
TRAINING PIPELINE
- 1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeksNaval Station Great Lakes, ILInitial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors at the Navy's only boot camp.
- 2. Aircrew Survival Equipmentman A-School~10 weeksCenter for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, NAS Pensacola, FLInitial rating-skills training for accessions
- 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tourEvery Navy aviation squadronOn-the-job training and qualifications in the PR rating with a fleet unit.
TYPICAL CAREER PATH
- E-1/E-3Apprentice PRA-school in the aviation pipeline; first tour with a fleet unit.
- E-4/E-6Petty Officer PRLead a Aircrew Survival Equipmentman work-center, qualify in core watchstations and platform-specific tasks.
- E-7+Chief Aircrew Survival EquipmentmanSenior enlisted leader of the rating in the command; instructor, detailer, or department leading chief assignments.
TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS
- Every Navy aviation squadron
- Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMD) parachute lofts
- Naval Aviation Survival Training Program
EXAMPLE NECs
- PR-7353 Aircrew Personnel Equipment Repair
- U.S. citizenship and minimum ASVAB VE+AR+MK+AS=210
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Pass the Navy physical and medical screening
- Every Navy aviation squadron
- Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMD) parachute lofts
- Naval Aviation Survival Training Program
RELATED RATINGS
RELATED BASES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SOURCES
- Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (navy.com)
- My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
- Navy COOL — Rating Detail