Established in 1948, the Aviation Storekeeper (AK) was responsible for keeping all requisite materials on-hand and available for pilots and aircraft technicians. This included handling the ordering process, keeping track of inventory levels, and dispensing clothing, electronics, aviation hardware, and maintenance equipment to appropriate personnel.
With the arrival of computer-based spreadsheets and inventory-tracking systems, AKs were required to learn computer hardware and software to monitor receipt, delivery, and usage of all material goods related to naval aviation.
In January, 2003 the Aviation Storekeeper rating was merged into the Storekeeper rating. Created in 1916, the Storekeeper rating is one of the oldest in the U.S. Navy. Before the addition of aviation responsibilities, storekeepers were tasked with all duties related to items obtained through the Naval Supply System.