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View Full Version : Going Infantry but not sure where, Any Advice?



tomass
11-15-04, 10:25 AM
It's been a while since i have posted anything but i went through MEPS and enlisted March 1, 2004 and i leave in July. I have signed up for infantry but i still don't know what i want to do or, the best thing for me to do in the infantry is. Any advice on the topic or suggestion/experiences would be greatly appriciated. Thank you.

Patrick8605
11-15-04, 07:45 PM
If you signed up for infantry, I have been told by my recruiter (an 8541) that once at SOI they will put you in a job depending on build and ability. If you're a "little" guy like me you wont be doing mortar platoon or anything like that (or so I was told).

snipowsky
11-15-04, 08:54 PM
Keep on thinking that Poolee Patrick! Your recruiter is a damn liar too! The Marine Corps will stick you where they feel the need to put you. Mission accomplishment is above all. Priority number one. If you think recruiters don't lie I wish you could have met mine. You go where you are needed bottom line. Small or big... doesn't matter. If you are a Marine you should be tough enough to handle anything the Marines throw at you! As they say, "We don't promise you a rose garden"! Hint hint!

HardJedi
11-15-04, 11:39 PM
Originally posted by Patrick8605
If you signed up for infantry, I have been told by my recruiter (an 8541) that once at SOI they will put you in a job depending on build and ability. If you're a "little" guy like me you wont be doing mortar platoon or anything like that (or so I was told).

LOL! WRONG! I knew a Marine who was BARLEY 5 foot tall who was an 0341 ( that's a mortar man, incase you didn't know)

and yes, if yopu go in with the 0300 enlistement, that's the ONLY choice you get to make. When you show up at SOI, they will asswign you to a training platoon, and that's what your job will be. ( least, that's how it used to be)

troop901
11-15-04, 11:59 PM
I have to agree with the last 2 post's. I went open contract because my recruitor told me, they will never put a 6 foot 130 pounder in the grunts, so dont worry bout it. Guess what, ended up an 0311. Yer size has nuttin to do with what you are assigned, its like they said, its where they need yer butt. Too bad I'm a 6 foot 200 pounder now, damn old age anyways. They are goin to put ya where they want ya, you no longer have a choice.

tomass
11-16-04, 08:22 AM
Ok, let me rephrase that a bit. I realize that they will put me where they need me and that is fine by me, but a good friend of mine went to SOI in October of 2003 and he said that they let you make a sort of "wish list" as to what job you wanted within the infantry. Wether or not they pay much attention to it is not what i am concerned about but if they do, any ideas as to what to "wish" for.

HardJedi
11-16-04, 09:18 AM
well, CRAP! what do you WANT to do? what are you GOOD at? as for the wish list thing, never heard of it.


why don you ask a more specific question, and then we can answer it?

hell, if you really wanna have fun, and they would let you choose it, go for LAV crewman! it's an 0300 field job.

tomass
11-16-04, 09:50 AM
I would be more specific but i dont know what all the jobs in the infantry involve doing. I only know that i want to go infantry. I was basically just looking for some opinions on some of the various jobs that you guys did. I am fine with any job in the infantry if thats where they need me, but i was just checking to see if any of the jobs stood out to me in particular as somethig i really wanted to do. Sorry i cant explain it better, just looking for some opinions. thanks

1recon
11-16-04, 10:21 AM
I just graduated from ITB 2 weeks ago. While I was there there was a wish list, but it doesn't mean a thing. You are placed where they need you based on how well you do on the first second and third phase tests. If you fail one you are almost garanteed to be an 11 (basic rifleman), unless the entire company is full of idiots. the tests are so easy I could pass them without hardly studying. There is a god chance you will be an 11 just because there are more spots to fill with that MOS. There are 2 rifleman plts. and 1 weapons plt. hope that helps.

Namvet67
11-16-04, 11:21 AM
There is no wishing the the Corps. You will be assigned a MOS based on where you rank on the IQ scale. No doubt about this. Yesterday, today or tomorrow.

Patrick8605
11-17-04, 06:17 PM
Ok so I'm wrong, thanks for correcting me.

Just curious though, are Recon guys still coming to SOI and asking for volunteers? I read somewhere that once SOI is done or close to it Recon guys come and see who wants to try out. If you volunteer you go to Indoc that day or something like that.

HardJedi
11-17-04, 06:42 PM
well tomass, I was an 0311, so to ME it was the best. I got to use all weapons sytems at one time or another ( other than the TOW). If you are not a really strong humper, I would hope you don't end up an 0331 or 0341. They carry some heavy stuff around. Hell, after mile 30 or so, the M-16 becomes pretty heavy, and it's only what? 8 pounds?

greensideout
11-17-04, 06:47 PM
Quote: "Going infantry but not sure where, Any Advice?"

Sure,---keep your socks dry! :D

0300poolee
12-03-04, 10:51 PM
i am also going into the 0300 occfld and i would like to become an 0311. what i am wondering is what can i do to increase my chance of getting assinged this mos, will a high rifle qual score or a high written test score in SOI decide?

cockscap70
12-03-04, 11:45 PM
tomass, Being a grunt (0311) is not that bad. If you decide that you want to stay and be what used to call a lifer; grunts are where it is at. You can be advised that you are and alway going to be allowed at least 1 hour of sleep at night. You will always get your 3 meals a day (could be hot, could be cold). If you want to go to 8th and I, or Embassy duty make sure that you have 3 years left in your enlistment. Never forget whatever your performance in bootcamp dictates to the powers that be as to what your MOS should be. The other thing is, any Marine is basically a rifleman, and there ain't no changing that. If you look further and decide later on in your enlistment that you might like to become a Warrant Officer you can do that. If you stay past Gunnery Sergeant, then you can decide whether you want to be a First Sergeant or Master Sergeant. You also can go to O.C.S after bootcamp, and could be recommended..again based on performance. From past experience...30 years goes by very fast, go for the gusto! Semper Fi, when you are a Marine. Dale

TRLewis
12-11-04, 08:53 AM
I love that, "They wont put a small guy in mortars or machine gunner" HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHA

You must remember there are some people who find things funny. I wasnt an 03, but my platoon thought it would be funny if the smallest guy carried a 240. Well it became my baby, and I was damn good at carrying it.

Pvt Drake
12-28-04, 07:18 PM
Heres how it works nowadays. You get to soi. Your assigned to a platoon, either 1st 2nd or 3rd. This will be your platoon for the first couple weeks, until mos breakdown. While in this period you are trained in all the infantry mos's. You'll learn how to fire different weapons, fieldstrip them, learn all the nomenclature and so forth. There are 3 tests during this period, The 1st phase test, 2nd phase test, and 3 phase test. If you fail any of these tests, you will be an 11 and thats that. After the 3rd phase test you are asked to give a wish list. You can pick rifleman, mortarman, machinegunner, assualtman, or tow gunner.

Now lets break this down. Say there is a total of 200 Marines in your company. And there is a limited number of spaces availibly for the weapons platoon(which is everything except rifleman)
Your istructors are going to look at your scores and your ability that you put forth so far, and their either going to grant you a spot as a assualtman(if that was #1 on your wish list) or if you did'nt do as well as say the other 28 that want to be assualtman, your not going to get it.

These are guesses, becuase I can't remember the exact number,
but for each specific mos your intructors must have this many and no more.
mortarman 24
assualtman 28
machine gunner 28
tow gunner 20
So if you wanted machinegunner but 28 other Marines did better than you, youll be a rifleman.

But heres the catch, if you want rifleman, but only 10 Marines picked mortarman, guess what, 14 Marines who want to be rifleman are now mortarmen

So the 120 or so rifleman will be assigned to platoon 1 or platoon 2, and the rest will be assigned to 3rd platoon (weapons platoon).

Run a good pft, pass all the tests, don't be a dumbass in front of your instructors, be a stellar student and you'll get that weapons mos, and same goes if you want to be an 11, becuase at itb the instructors are all about 11's.

I would spell check and what not, but I got lucky and they gave us 10 days off for Christmas, so I'm going to manage my time well.