Avionics vs Infantry

[mswonger]

Right now im in the DEP program enlisted to go avionics with a $4000 enlistment bonus. My problem is ive been reading alot of books like "Chesty", "Flags of Our Fathers", "Marine Sniper" and other great Marine Corps history books and ive been getting extremely motivated and I wont to be infantry . I told my recruiter but both my parents think its a bad idea, and my uncle who is a Marine says infantry gets old all you do is hump it around everywhere and stay out in the field, to me that sounds motivating, but I can see his point. My question is what would some of you do? Is avionics a boring MOS, is Infantry bad or good? What would some of you do?

[Ed Fleming]

Go for the avionics, ina hearetbeat. Not a lot you can do with grunt training when you decide to get out ! You may be motivated by what you hear but it gets awful depressing laying out in the weather !!!

[mswonger]

If I stuck with avionics how soon could I change my job? If i find it boring? Would they let me change?

[Seeley]

mswonger: Do what I'm doing man. Go infantry while you're still young. Everyone I've talked to says its for the young ones. Try it out and see how you like it for the first 4 years and then switch into a different MOS after talking with other Mairnes and working with them on a daily basis to see what kind of jobs you might enjoy. Have fun with it.

[USMC-FO]

Well you're young and in good health I assume so I would extend your thinking a bit and suggest any "combat arms" MOS, not just infantry. I was an 0300 out of boot camp then somehow the Corps discovered I could handle some basic math etc and I moved staight to Arty following SOI--ITR as it was known in my old days--and never looked back. Was on 105 gun crew, then fire control and finally an FO. Loved making them big guns hit targets and go BOOM ! and Marines love to make things go BOOM, so do that when your young and don't worry so much about the future as it has a way of taking care of itself

[Dragon Air]

Why walk when you can fly? Anything aviation is great! Don't believe the hype about avoiding the weather. Planes must be repaired rain or shine, day or night. But you have a better chance at a dry place to lay your head in the wing. Here are my thoughts on it. Biased I'll admit because I'm a winger.

1. Avionics is a great field that transfers to civilian life if you decide not to re-up at the end of your hitch.

2. The enlistment bonus.

3. Chance at an aircrew slot if you are a rotor-head. You'll get those awesome aircrew wings.

4. A lot of avionics work must be done in a dust free environment. When you are in the field in the middle of the summer, that means an air-conditioned box to work in instead of a tent.

5. In the wing you are judged more on job performance than rank. This is why you'll see a locked on LCPL running a shop that has Sgt's in it. S**t birds are not put in charge just because of rank.


Why go one..... there is no choice. Go AVI!!

[CPLRapoza]

Swing with the Wing, not in my time. I chose Infantry and will chose it again. Sorry but regular Job is something I didn't join the Marine Corps. I joined for the thrill of it, the honor it posses and to blow **** up, and unless your the ones flying those birds you ain't going to do that, Go Infantry, your first enlistment, you can always Lat move, after that.

[mswonger]

Thanks alot for all the advice, Im going to ask my recruiter how easy is it to transfer from infantry to another MOS after 4 years. So if I dont like it maybe I can just change into another career field.

[immaproshooter]

ya from my understanding its not that hard when u go to reenlist but in the middle of an enlistment its much more difficult, but maybe im wrong, thats just what ive heard, so dont just take my word for it.....