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Navy NEC · Communications

A24A Writer

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

A Navy Enlisted Classification: a skill designation sailors hold in addition to their rating.

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Overview

A Writer uses nonfiction writing and narrative storytelling techniques to produce feature stories that further DoD themes and messages. The writer defines each story's purpose, focus, angle, format, and target audience, then conducts background research, selects sources, and prepares questions for long-form interviews.

Core Skills

  • Audience-focused feature angle selection
  • Background research and source selection
  • Long-form interview question development
  • Feature versus hard-news structure selection

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Nonfiction Feature Writer

Military experience developing researched feature stories, selecting narrative angles, and planning long-form interviews transfers directly to nonfiction articles and profiles.

How to prepare: Build a portfolio containing a researched profile and a narrative feature tailored to a target publication's audience and submission format.

What the civilian work involves
  • Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
  • Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
  • Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Adobe Acrobat

Reporter

Military experience researching story backgrounds, selecting sources, framing story ideas, and preparing interview questions supports reporting assignments.

How to prepare: Produce a local-news reporting sample with source interviews and an accompanying pitch that explains the story's news value rather than advancing an organizational message.

What the civilian work involves
  • Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.
  • Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (3 documents)
  1. NAVPERS 18068F Vol II (NEOCS, Jul 2026 edition): NEC A24A

    [1] NEC entry "A24A - Writer"; cached text line 1637; NAVPERS 18068F Vol II, 2026-07 edition

    Supports: Audience-focused feature angle selection, Background research and source selection, Long-form interview question development, Feature versus hard-news structure selection, Nonfiction Feature Writer (O*NET 27-3043.05), Reporter (O*NET 27-3023.00)

  2. O*NET: Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Nonfiction Feature Writer (O*NET 27-3043.05)

  3. O*NET: News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

    [3] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Reporter (O*NET 27-3023.00)

Defense contractor jobs for A24A

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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