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Service to SpacePurposeful Stride LLC
MOS

AiTutor product demo · Service to Space: Aerospace Pathways · data v2 · snapshot 2026-10-10

From a military specialty to a civilian aerospace job, with the gate shown first.

The civilian space industry is hiring technicians, drivers, safety staff, IT staff and operators at launch sites and factories. Many of these postings name military experience outright (“aerospace, aviation, military, or other high-reliability industry”, “Military aviation experience as a propulsion or airframe technician”). Yet a separating service member rarely sees the route from their MOS to those jobs, or the specific credentials in the way: a CDL hazmat endorsement, HAZWOPER, J-STD-001, an FAA powerplant rating, or an active clearance.

The pipeline

  1. 01

    MOS

  2. 02

    O*NET crosswalk

  3. 03

    Real space-employer postings

  4. 04

    AiTutor bridge course from public-domain sources

  5. 05

    Entry role

  6. 06

    Mid-career role

How this demo was built
  1. 1. VMET input. Primary input: the member’s VMET (DD Form 2586), uploaded by the member. Its duty and training lines become Stage 0. The O*NET Military Crosswalk is the fallback when no VMET is available, and it is what this demo uses, which is why every Stage 0 row is flagged “crosswalk-inferred”.
  2. 2. Posting text, checked word for word. Space-employer job boards are pulled (Greenhouse and Workday public APIs, plus career pages). The text of each posting is saved, and every quote and pay line on the page is checked word for word against that saved text, so a quote that doesn’t match fails the build.
  3. 3. Public-domain source pack. The gaps between Stage 0 and the postings become a source pack of public-domain U.S. Government text: eCFR (49 CFR 172/177/383, 29 CFR 1910, 40 CFR 262, 14 CFR 65/450, 22 CFR 120, 32 CFR 117), NIST SP 800-171r3/800-82r3/CSF 2.0, NASA-STD-8739.4A/.6B, NASA SST-SOA and the FAA handbook. Copyrighted standards (IPC, NREMT, CompTIA, NCCCO, IATA) are linked, not copied.
  4. 4. Local AiTutor build. aitutor build (v0.4.0) on a local Ollama turns each pack into a cited course, and aitutor learn produces the lesson and practice samplers. Nothing leaves the machine.

Six pathways

88M, 68W and 25B are tagged re-aimed at aerospace. 5S0X1, 15N and 2A6X1 are tagged space-native MOS. No MOS had to be swapped: the 88M, 68W and 25B re-aims are each backed by current postings. 68W is the weakest fit and the page says why.

Army · Motor Transport Operator

88M: Motor Transport Operator → launch-site fleet driver → critical-lift transport or dangerous-goods lead

Fit: Strong. SpaceX and Rocket Lab post CDL / driver roles at launch and production sites, and SpaceX's transport and dangerous-goods roles name a CDL-A with hazmat endorsement and DOT/IATA/IMDG certifications.

First gateHARD STOPClearance, ITAR and citizenship

Quoted from the postings. Hard stops are shown before any training time is spent.

  • HARD STOPITAR U.S.-person status (SpaceX roles)

    applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State

    SpaceX

  • HARD STOPAir Force base background check (Cape Canaveral transport role)

    Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral

    SpaceX

  • HARD STOPTSA security threat assessment for the Hazmat endorsement

    The Hazardous Materials Endorsement Threat Assessment Program conducts a Security Threat Assessment for any driver seeking to obtain, renew or transfer a Hazardous Materials Endorsement

    TSA

Stage 0Military baseline

Army 88M Motor Transport Operator

Duties below are matched to O*NET tasks through the O*NET Military Crosswalk (crosswalk-inferred). Confirm against the member's VMET (DD Form 2586). 49 CFR 383.77 lets states waive the CDL skills test for qualifying military drivers. source

  • crosswalk-inferred: check VMET

    Operates and drives Army wheeled cargo vehicles (the MOS is named in 49 CFR 383.77 as qualifying CMV experience)

    Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.

    53-3032.00

  • crosswalk-inferred: check VMET

    Preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) before, during and after operation

    Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.

    53-3032.00

  • crosswalk-inferred: check VMET

    Loading, securing and unloading cargo; dispatch and trip paperwork

    Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.

    53-3032.00

  • crosswalk-inferred: check VMET

    Route planning / land navigation in convoy operations

    Read and interpret maps to determine vehicle routes.

    53-3032.00

  • crosswalk-inferred: check VMET

    Reporting vehicle faults and accidents up the chain

    Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.

    53-3032.00

O*NET crosswalk: all matches

Crosswalk occupations
  • 11-3071.00 · Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
  • 43-5011.00 · Cargo and Freight Agents
  • 43-5032.00 · Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
  • 53-1043.00 · First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
  • 53-1044.00 · First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants
  • 53-1049.00 · First-Line Supervisors of Transportation Workers, All Other
  • 53-3031.00 · Driver/Sales Workers
  • 53-3032.00 · Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
  • 53-3033.00 · Light Truck Drivers
  • 53-3051.00 · Bus Drivers, School

O*NET civilian median wages

Stage 1Bridge course (AiTutor): Launch-site transport and dangerous goods

LIVE-BUILT with AiTutor v0.4.0 + local Ollama on TUF (qwen3:8b, 6,144-token output cap), 2026-10-11

Launch-Site Transport and Dangerous Goods: CDL Hazmat and Tank Endorsements · aero-88m · built with ollama / qwen3:8b-capped, context 8192, AiTutor 0.4.0

Gaps this course closes

  • CDL hazmat (H) and tank (N) endorsements: knowledge tests plus the TSA security threat assessment for H source
  • DOT hazmat employee training (function-specific, safety and security awareness; recurrent every 3 years) source
  • Highway loading, segregation and handling rules for hazardous materials source
  • Forklift (powered industrial truck) operator training and evaluation source
  • Sling and rigging inspection for critical lifts source

Certification targets

Course outline

  1. CDL Hazmat and Tank Endorsements Overview [S1]

    Understand the requirements for obtaining CDL endorsements for hazardous materials and tank vehicles

    CDL endorsement types · Testing requirements · Security risk assessment

    Review the regulatory requirements for CDL endorsements and identify the necessary tests and documentation

    Submit a summary of the CDL endorsement requirements and testing procedures

  2. Hazmat Employee Training Requirements [S2]

    Understand the training requirements for hazmat employees, including general awareness and security training

    General awareness training · Function-specific training · Security training

    Create a training plan that includes all required elements of hazmat employee training

    Submit a detailed training plan that covers all required training components

  3. Loading and Segregation of Hazardous Materials [S3]

    Understand the requirements for loading and segregating hazardous materials during transportation

    Loading and securing hazardous materials · Segregation requirements · No smoking policies

    Develop a loading and segregation checklist based on the regulations

    Submit a checklist that includes all required loading and segregation procedures

  4. Powered Industrial Trucks Safety Requirements [S4]

    Understand the safety requirements for operating powered industrial trucks

    General safety requirements · Maintenance and inspection · Operator qualifications

    Create a safety checklist for operating powered industrial trucks

    Submit a safety checklist that includes all required safety and maintenance procedures

  5. Slings and Rigging Equipment Regulations [S5]

    Understand the regulations for using slings and rigging equipment in material handling

    Slings and rigging definitions · Safe operating practices · Load capacity requirements

    Develop a safety checklist for using slings and rigging equipment

    Submit a safety checklist that includes all required safe operating practices

  6. Integration of Hazmat and Transport Requirements [S1, S2, S3, S4, S5]

    Integrate the knowledge of hazmat regulations, training, and equipment requirements into a cohesive understanding

    Integration of hazmat and transport requirements · Compliance with multiple regulations

    Create a compliance checklist that integrates all the regulations and requirements

    Submit a comprehensive compliance checklist that covers all regulatory requirements

  7. Practical Application and Scenario Planning [S1, S2, S3, S4, S5]

    Apply the knowledge to real-world scenarios and develop practical solutions

    Scenario planning · Problem-solving in transport and hazmat operations

    Develop a scenario plan for a typical launch-site transport operation involving hazardous materials

    Submit a scenario plan that includes all necessary steps and considerations

  8. Final Review and Preparation for Certification [S1, S2, S3, S4, S5]

    Review all material and prepare for certification and employment

    Final review of all regulations · Certification preparation · Employment readiness

    Prepare a final review document that summarizes all key points and requirements

    Submit a final review document that includes all key points and requirements

What this course does NOT give you

Cost and time only where an official source states them.

  • Class A CDL with Tank (N) endorsement

    Cost Varies (state DMV fees)

    Time Varies by state; first-time Class A applicants need ELDT unless the military waiver applies

    source

  • Hazmat (H) endorsement: state knowledge test plus TSA threat assessment

    Cost TSA fee $85.25 (new or renewing; reduced $41.00 with a qualifying TWIC); state test fee varies

    Time TSA recommends enrolling at least 60 days before you need it; some cases take more than 45 days; renew every 5 years

    source

  • NCCCO Rigger Level I

    Cost Written exam $105 + practical exam $95 (CCO fees effective Jan 1, 2024)

    Time Both exams within 12 months; certified for 5 years

    source

  • DOT / IATA / IMDG dangerous-goods certifications (for the DG lead role)

    Cost Varies (training provider)

    Time DOT hazmat training recurs at least every 3 years (49 CFR 172.704)

    source

Reviewer callout

qwen3:8b re-review against 49 CFR 172.704 (S2). FIXED since 3B: the packaging exemption now points the right way, and the record rule (keep for the whole employment plus 90 days) and the 3-year / 90-day security retraining match the rule. ERRORS: it says training has 'three main areas', but 172.704(a) lists five (general awareness, function-specific, SAFETY, SECURITY AWARENESS, in-depth security), so it drops safety training. It also says 'only handling packagings', where the rule says manufactures, repairs, modifies, reconditions or tests packagings. The practice-task excerpt is verbatim.

Samplers rebuilt on TUF with qwen3:8b (6,144-token output cap, 8,192 context) via AiTutor v0.4.0 on 2026-10-11. Re-reviewed against the source text: 2A6X1 accurate; 88M, 5S0X1 with errors; 68W, 15N with unsupported additions; 25B wrong topic. Unedited output; needs SME sign-off.

Lesson, unit 2: Hazmat Employee Training Requirements — real AiTutor output, unedited, needs expert review

Sources S2 · qwen3:8b-capped

Hazmat employee training is required by federal regulations to ensure safety and compliance when handling hazardous materials. This training must cover three main areas: general awareness, function-specific training, and security training. General awareness training helps employees understand the rules and regulations for handling hazardous materials and teaches them how to recognize and identify these materials based on hazard communication standards. This is important because knowing what you're working with keeps everyone safe. Function-specific training is tailored to the specific tasks an employee performs. For example, if you're loading or unloading hazardous materials, your training should cover the rules and procedures for that exact function. This ensures that you know exactly what to do in your role. If your job involves international transport, you might also receive training related to the ICAO Technical Instructions and the IMDG Code, which are international standards for shipping hazardous materials. Security training is another critical part of the hazmat employee training program. This training focuses on protecting hazardous materials from theft, sabotage, or other security threats. It's required at least once every three years, and if there are changes to the security plan, the training must be updated within 90 days. This ensures that employees are always prepared for any new security risks. Your training must be documented and retained by your employer for as long as you are employed and for 90 days after you leave. This recordkeeping is important for compliance and to show that all training requirements have been met. Employers are responsible for ensuring that all hazmat employees receive the proper training, even if the training was provided by a previous employer. If you're a hazmat employee, you may be exempt from some training requirements if your job doesn't involve certain functions. For example, if you're only handling packagings and not performing other tasks, you might not need all the training. However, it's important to check your specific role to know exactly what training you need. What are the three main types of training required for hazmat employees, and why are they important?

Practice, unit 2: Hazmat Employee Training Requirements — real AiTutor output, unedited, needs expert review

Write a training plan that includes all required elements of hazmat employee training for a new employee at a launch-site fleet. Your plan must cover general awareness training, function-specific training, and security training. Include details on how each type of training will be delivered, the duration of each training session, and how you will ensure that the employee understands the material. Make sure to mention the frequency of training and how you will keep records of the training. Text: >Each hazmat employee shall be provided general awareness/familiarization training designed to provide familiarity with the requirements of this subchapter, and to enable the employee to recognize and identify hazardous materials consistent with the hazard communication standards of this subchapter. Each hazmat employee must be provided function-specific training concerning requirements of this subchapter, or exemptions or special permits issued under subchapter A of this chapter, that are specifically applicable to the functions the employee performs. For in-depth security training required under paragraph (a)(5) of this section, a hazmat employee must be trained at least once every three years or, if the security plan for which training is required is revised during the three-year recurrent training cycle, within 90 days of implementation of the revised plan.

Captured on TUF from `aitutor learn` (qwen3:8b-capped); text is unedited model output. Transcript file: samplers/88M.transcript.txt

Source pack

  • 01_49CFR383_hazmat_tank_endorsements_knowledge.txt · Public domain (U.S. Government work)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Title 49, section 383.93, as of 2026-10-05. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-383.93

  • 02_49CFR172_704_hazmat_employee_training.txt · Public domain (U.S. Government work)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Title 49, section 172.704, as of 2026-10-05. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-172.704

  • 03_49CFR177_highway_carriage_loading_segregation.txt · Public domain (U.S. Government work)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Title 49, section 177.834, as of 2026-10-05. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-177.834

  • 04_29CFR1910_178_powered_industrial_trucks.txt · Public domain (U.S. Government work)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Title 29, section 1910.178, as of 2026-10-05. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1910.178

  • 05_29CFR1910_184_slings_rigging.txt · Public domain (U.S. Government work)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Title 29, section 1910.184, as of 2026-10-05. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1910.184

Stage 2 · Entry aerospace roleLaunch-site fleet driver

Requirements quoted from public postings.

  • SpaceX

    Internal Fleet Driver (Starship)

    Starbase, TX · updated 2026-09-29 · retrieved 2026-10-10

    2+ years of professional commercial driving experience
    1+ years of professional forklift experience
    Valid CDL Class A license
    Clean DMV record
    CDL Hazmat endorsement CDL Tanker endorsement

    Pay: Not published

  • Rocket Lab

    Driver II

    Middle River, MD · updated 2026-10-07 · retrieved 2026-10-10

    including our sites in Middle River, MD and Wallops Island, VA
    High school diploma or GED equivalent and 1+ year of experience, with some experience also driving company owned vehicles
    Current Forklift Certification

    Pay Range (MD Only) $21.54 — $26.92 USD

Stage 3 · Mid-career aerospace roleCritical-lift transport technician / dangerous-goods lead

  • SpaceX

    Critical Lift & Transport Technician (Transport Operations) - Day Shift

    Cape Canaveral, FL · updated 2026-10-09 · retrieved 2026-10-10

    1+ years of professional experience in critical lift or heavy haul operations
    2+ years of experience with SPMTs operations and/or Hydraulic lift trailers
    NCCCO/NCCER certifications in crane, rigging, ironworking and heavy equipment operations
    Commercial driver’s license A with Hazmat endorsement
    Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral

    Pay: Not published

  • SpaceX

    Dangerous Goods Lead

    Bastrop, TX · updated 2026-09-29 · retrieved 2026-10-10

    5+ years of hands-on experience managing air, ground, and ocean dangerous goods shipments
    Current valid certifications: DOT, IATA, and IMDG
    Strong experience with lithium battery transportation and classification

    Pay: Not published

How you get there

  • CDL-A plus Hazmat endorsement (the bridge course covers the rules behind the H knowledge test)
  • NCCCO/NCCER rigging or crane certification and SPMT / hydraulic-trailer time
  • For the dangerous-goods lead: 5+ years of DG shipping plus current DOT, IATA and IMDG certifications

Audience

  • Showcase: for employers, spaceports and veteran-services partners.
  • Local training prototype in the style of SkillBridge: runs on partner-controlled hardware, and no learner data leaves the site.

Operations and quality path

Before any learner uses a course.

  • Eligibility first

    Each pathway opens with a clearance / ITAR / citizenship gate, quoted from the postings. Hard stops are shown before any training time is spent.

  • SME review queue

    The places where AiTutor itself reports missing content are harvested into a review queue: the “identify missing content” units (for example aero-88m unit 6 “Source Material Needed” and the 68W unit 7 reflection), each course’s gaps list, and the reviewer error callouts. The first pass is in review_queue/sme_queue.json. A subject-matter expert confirms or rejects each item, and confirmed gaps become new source-pack material.

  • Weekly posting refresh

    Re-pull every saved posting (Greenhouse and Workday APIs, career pages), flag postings that closed or whose text changed, and re-run the word-for-word check on every quote and pay line (tools/build_v2.py already fails on any mismatch). Retire stale pathways or replace them with current postings.

  • Production model and sign-off

    Use qwen3:8b or larger instead of the 3B demo model. Run grounding checks that compare each lesson claim against the cited source passage and block uncited or contradicting claims. Fix the AiTutor v0.4 issues found here (no output cap, no retry on malformed JSON) and the practice grader. Require SME sign-off on every course and sampler before release. The 3B spot-checks found an error in every sampler. After the qwen3:8b rebuild, one of six is accurate (2A6X1), two have factual errors (88M, 5S0X1), two add unsupported details (68W, 15N), and one is still the wrong topic (25B).

  • Credentials stay external

    Each pathway’s “What this course does NOT give you” box lists the real credentials, with cost and time only where an official source states them.

Samplers rebuilt on TUF with qwen3:8b (6,144-token output cap, 8,192 context) via AiTutor v0.4.0 on 2026-10-11. Re-reviewed against the source text: 2A6X1 accurate; 88M, 5S0X1 with errors; 68W, 15N with unsupported additions; 25B wrong topic. Unedited output; needs SME sign-off.

Pilot ask

One space employer, two or three pathways, one credential.

Partner and scope
One space employer or spaceport partner (for example a launch provider at Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg or Wallops), 2–3 pathways, and one credential. Examples: 15N + 2A6X1 → J-STD-001 Space and A&P progress; or 88M → CDL Hazmat endorsement.
Channel
SkillBridge, which Northrop Grumman already posts for ground-system operators, or a state aerospace workforce hub. Space Florida announced Project ORBIT on 2026-10-02 as a NASA Aerospace Skilled Technical Workforce Hub. That is context from a public Space Florida post, not a commitment.
Measured outcomes
Credential pass rate (first attempt), days from start to credential, days to offer, offer rate into Stage 2 roles, 90-day retention, and the share who reach Stage 3 requirements within 24 months (a longer follow-up).
The employer provides
Current requisitions, a hiring-manager review of each pathway, and interview slots for completers.

Write Purposeful Stride

Honest limits

  • Postings are a snapshot

    From 2026-10-10, and they will change or close. Pay is shown only where the posting printed it.

  • Employers not covered

    Lockheed Martin, Maxar, Sierra Space and Axiom Space careers data couldn’t be pulled automatically (blocked or no public API found). Planet’s public board had no relevant U.S. role. Spaceports appear only as work locations and as Space Florida context.

  • Stage 0 duties are crosswalk-inferred

    They must be confirmed against the member’s VMET/JST. Whether military time counts toward “X years of experience” is the employer’s call.

  • 68W

    The entry EHS role asks for EHS-program experience that a 68W record may not show, and the mid-career SpaceX role needs a paramedic. An EMT-only spaceport listing (KSC medical logistician) had expired.

  • Course quality

    Courses and samplers are unedited output of qwen3:8b (6,144-token output cap), rebuilt on TUF on 2026-10-11 (the 3B versions are in archive_3b/). Every sampler still needs SME sign-off before learners use it.

  • AiTutor v0.4.0 issues found

    The Ollama request has no output cap, so a small model can loop indefinitely, and a malformed course JSON fails the build without retrying. Workarounds here: the capped Modelfile and the retry loop in run_builds_v2.sh.

  • Not decided by this pipeline

    Licensing, clearance and export-control eligibility. Those belong to state agencies, DCSA, FAA, State/DDTC and the employer.

Alternates considered

  • Air Force 2A5X1 / 2A3X3 aircraft maintenance

    Fits aerospace too, but none of the 88M, 68W or 25B re-aims failed, so no swap was needed. Kept as an alternate for a pilot.

  • Navy AE / AT (aviation electrician / avionics technician)

    Overlaps the 15N pathway (same harness and avionics postings). Alternate.

  • Air Force 2W0X1 / Army 89B munitions

    Plausible for ordnance handling (ULA's aerospace technician handles ordnance). No time to pull a crosswalk and postings this round.

Every quoted requirement and pay line was matched word for word against the saved text of a public posting retrieved 2026-10-10 (data/raw/jobs/postings_v2/). Postings change or close. Stage 0 duties are crosswalk-inferred from O*NET and must be checked against the member's VMET (DD Form 2586). Sampler lessons are unedited output of a 3B local model and need expert review.