NDI PERSONNEL Before candidates arc selected for NDI technician or operator training, and annually thereafter, they are required to have an eye examination. Military and civilian NDI personnel are identified as NDI specialists, technicians, or as operators. NDI Specialists NDI specialists are authorized by the ACC to provide training and certification/recertification of NDI technicians/operators. They also provide technical NDI services. NDI Technicians NDI technicians are personnel who have successfully completed the NDI course (C-603-3191) at Aircraft Nondestructive Inspection School at NATTC Memphis, Tennessee. NDI technicians are assigned NEC 7225/MOS 6044, and they are qualified and certified to perform liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, eddy current, ultrasonic, and radiographic methods of NDI. These personnel are normally assigned to IMAs. NDI technicians with 3 or more years of experience and who are currently certified and engaged in NDI on a regular basis may be authorized by ACCs to train and certify NDI operators for specific NDI applications. The ACC may also waive the 3-year experience requirement provided requests for this authorization are addressed to the ACC/TYCOM via the appropriate wing. This request must include the technician’s current qualification, experience history, and the specific technical directive/technical publication-directed NDI applications for which operator certification is to be provided. If approved, a copy of the ACC authorization will be attached to the technician’s NDI certification record and maintained with his/her individual NDI record. Such authorizations remain in effect only as long as the currency of certification and NDI experience is maintained. Currently active NDI technicians require reccertification every 3 years. Early recertification is authorized and encouraged to prevent expiration of certification during tours of deployed duty. Current certification of NDI technicians who are regularly engaged in all methods of NDI may be extended by ACCs for up to 1 year if circumstances warrant. NEC 7225 personnel who have been inactive in NDI for 1 year or more require recertification before resuming active NDI technician status. Recertification is provided by designated NADEPs or by ACC designated and qualified NAESU Navy federal civilian or military technical specialists. NDI Operators NDI operators are military personnel E-4 and above, or civilian equivalent, who have successfully completed training and are certified to perform specific NDI tasks using one or more of the following methods: liquid penetrant, eddy current, or magnetic particle. NDI operators may be assigned and used in IMAs to perform specific publication-directed NDI tasks only when the NDI workload exceeds the capacity of assigned NDI technicians. Each case of NDI operator use at I-level maintenance must be authorized by the cognizant ACC. Requests for such authorizations are made to the ACC via the appropriate wing. Basic NDI operator training is provided by NADEPs and NDI specialists. When training is not available, ACCs may authorize the training of NDI operators by NDI technicians in specific liquid penetrant kit applications.   NDI operator certification/ recertification is provided by NDI specialists and NDI technicians. Rccertification of NDI operators is required annually. NDI operators at I-level activities must be closely monitored by qualified NDI technicians and by cognizant QARs/CDQARs. NDI operators are not authorized to operate radiographic or ultrasonic equipment. They may, however, be used to assist NDI technicians operating that equipment. NDI technicians and operators must use the NDI method or methods for which they are certified at least two times each month, as evidenced by entries on their work record (OPNAV 4790/140). This can be done either through normal workload or practice applications. In those cases where the prescribed proficiency is not maintained for 1 or more months, technicians or operators can regain proficiency by making practice applications under the supervision of a certified NDI technician, who will provide recertification upon determination of proficiency. Failure to maintain proficiency for 6 months for NDI operators and 12 months for NDI technicians will require updated training for recertification. NDI technicians who fail to maintain proficiency for 3 years or more will require complete retraining. In all cases exceeding 6 months for operators and 12 months for technicians, authorization for updated training or complete retraining is requested from the cognizant ACC. Activities that are authorized to certify/recertify NDI technicians and operators must administer an 15-2