The Diet Therapy career ladder was surveyed to help identify training considerations due to the change from AFSC 622X1 to AFSC926XO, a biomedical specialty. Results are based on responses from 499 members (76 percent of all assigned 926XO personnel). The Medical Food Service Cluster contained 51 percent of the sample; much of their job involved preparing and serving food and cleaning and maintaining medical food service facilities. Other job groups were much smaller and more specialized, such as the Clinical Dietitians, who perform more direct application of diet therapy and clinical nutrition. The 3- and 5-skill level jobs consisted of the more technical duties of the career ladder, with little or no supervision or management. There was a clear shift in the responsibilities of 7-skill level personnel, who perform supervisory, administrative, and training functions. The career ladder does not seem to have changed substantially since becoming a biomedical career ladder. The low job satisfaction related to the routine nature of many jobs, however, may indicate the desire for a shift to greater involvement in application of diet therapy and clinical nutrition. Keywords: Dieticians; Medical Technicians; Skills; Job analysis; Careers; Air Force Personnel; Enlisted personnel; Jobs; Job Satisfaction; Surveys.

This is an occupational survey report of the Diet Therapy career ladder, AFSC 4D0X1. This survey was initiated by the Air Force Occupational Measurement Squadron (AFOMS) to obtain a comprehensive list of tasks performed and equipment used, as well as the specific types of diets for which menus are prepared in this career program. In addition, OSR data were needed to support a utilization and training workshop (U & TW) conducted May 1994 at Sheppard AFB TX. The last survey pertaining to this specialty was published in December 1985. As described in AFMAN 36-2108 Specialty Descriptions, dated April 1991, personnel in this career ladder prepare, cook, and serve routine and therapeutic diets and nourishments for personnel under medical treatment; perform clinical dietetics tasks; and accomplish subsistence and supply management in medical food service facilities. In addition, 7- and 9-skill personnel supervise and superintend medical food service activities. To qualify for AFSC 4D0X1, personnel must first complete a preparatory training course (L3AQR4D03 1 001) which covers preparing, cooking, and serving food. This is a 6-week, 4-day course conducted at Lackland AFB TX and is the same course given to Morale, Welfare, Recreation (MWR) and Service Specialists in AFSC 3M0X1. After this course, personnel must complete a basic technical training course (J3ABR4D03 1 001) administered by the 82d Medical Training Group at Sheppard AFB TX.