Field Lineman (641) Enlisted Personnel

Works as member of team in laying, maintaining, and taking up the wire or cable of a telephone or telegraphic communication system.
Runs wire along the ground by guiding it from a wire reel of a wire tuck. Fastens wire to poles, stakes, or trees, and carries it across roads or other obstructions by burying it in a shallow ditch or suspending it from trees, telephone poles, or lance poles. Locates and determines the cause of line trouble such as opens, shorts, and grounds by testing wire at intervals. Makes appropriate repair, such as splicing breaks and cutting out defective wire and splicing.
May operate a portable field telephone switchboard. May establish telegraph circuits by superimposing them on existing telephone circuits, using repeater coils. May drive telephone repair truck.
Equipment used includes wire cutters, pliers, wire, insulators, climbers, lineman's belt, wrench, hammers, reel carts and reels, friction tape, loading coils, field telephones, switchboard, and repeating coils.

Alternate nomenclatures:

  • Field Wire Chief
  • Field Wire NCO
  • Lineman