U.S. Marines · Aviation Maintenance

6173 Helicopter Crew Chief (CH-53)

Marine Helicopter Crew Chiefs (6173) perform organizational maintenance and serve as in-flight crew on the CH-53 family of heavy-lift helicopters.

last verified 2026-06-18

6173 (Helicopter Crew Chief (CH-53)) is in the Marines and requires a minimum AFQT of 32 and MM of at least 105. Last verified 2026-06-18 against marines.com (Aviation).

Quick check

Can I qualify for this job?

Enter the scores you already know. Leave a box blank if you do not have that score yet.

AFQT minimum 32Enter AFQT
MM minimum 105Enter MM

Plain requirement

What you need.

  • Min AFQT32
  • Training~23 weeks
  • MM line score≥ 105

Source: marines.com (Aviation) · last verified 2026-06-18.

Role brief

About 6173 — Helicopter Crew Chief (CH-53).

Marine Helicopter Crew Chiefs (6173) perform organizational maintenance and serve as in-flight crew on the CH-53 family of heavy-lift helicopters.

Starting pay · 2026

What this job pays as a junior enlisted member.

Base pay is set by pay grade, not by job — every Marines enlistee at the same grade earns the same monthly base pay. These are the 2026 active-duty rates (3.8% raise, effective 2026-01-01).

GradeRankMonthly base payService
E-1Private (Pvt)$2,407after 4 months of service
E-2Private First Class (PFC)$2,698under 2 years
E-3Lance Corporal (LCpl)$2,837under 2 years
E-4Corporal (Cpl)$3,142under 2 years
  • Plus food allowance (BAS)$460/moFlat enlisted rate, tax-free, paid on top of base pay.
  • Plus housing allowance (BAH)Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is paid on top of base pay and is tax-free, but it varies by duty-station ZIP code, pay grade, and whether you have dependents — there is no single nationwide figure. Use the official DoD BAH calculator for your assignment location.DoD BAH rate lookup →

Source: DFAS 2026 active-duty basic pay tables (3.8% raise, effective Jan 1 2026) · last verified 2026-05-23 · date retrieved 2026-05-23.

Eligibility notes

What 6173 candidates should check.

What are the MOS requirements for 6173 Helicopter Crew Chief (CH-53)?

The Marines Helicopter Crew Chief (CH-53) MOS (6173) requires a minimum AFQT of 32 and MM of at least 105, with initial training of about 23 weeks. Those are the ASVAB-based entry requirements; a recruiter confirms the full enlistment picture (medical, background, and current openings). Source: marines.com (Aviation), last verified 2026-06-18.

How long is 6173 Helicopter Crew Chief (CH-53) training?

6173 initial training runs about 23 weeks. Source: marines.com (Aviation), last verified 2026-06-18.

Source: marines.com (Aviation) · last verified 2026-06-18 · date retrieved 2026-06-18.

Related

Practice AFQT plus 6173 line-score subtests.

AFQT + MM practice targets

Compare Marines ASVAB requirements

Independent test-prep — not affiliated with DoD or the ASVAB program. See officialasvab.com for the test program.

Sources