M.O.S. Questions

[motocarlo]

Hello and thank you for reading.

I have a M.O.S. of 0311 in my D.O.D. contract. My main question is how binding is this, i.e., if I want to try out for Battalion Recon, or other 0300 m.o.s's? Is it a simple lateral move? Can I simply volunteer for an indoc after infantry school?

Or, from the other end, whats keeping command from putting me into supply, or recruiting etc.? I have a 2 year H.D. contract.

Also, how does one go about getting advanced training with an 0311 m.o.s, i.e. mountain school, S.E.R.E. school, jump school, urban warfare, etc. My recruiter has stated that one simply volunteers but is it really that simple??? I can't imagine any 0311's not volunteering so how does it work?

Thanks again. I am shipping off to P.I. in Oct. so any words of advice would be appreciated.

P.S. I would also like to know about forwardly deployed units in Iraq, and which units have a reputation for being the most "pro-active". Is it possible to request a unit assignment while at infantry school?, i.e. M.E.U., etc?

[Zulu 36]

Fill in your profile or no one will talk to you.

[motocarlo]

done :D

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Unless you are a reservist your MOS is 03XX. You won't know which MOS you'll have until it is assigned in SOI. You can try out for Recon at any time- regardless of what your MOS is. The other schools are basically at the discretion of your command. If they go to the Mountain Warfare Training school in Bridgeport, you'll go along. There are individual schools, but it isn't something that is available all that often. Jump school is pretty much out of the question unless you have a MOS that requires it. Just about every Marine wants to go, and they don't have that many slots. You aren't sent to schools because it is something that you think would be cool or fun. The Marine Corps doesn't care about that. You're sent if it will allow you to accomplish your mission.

You do not request a unit. You may be allowed to request a duty location, but there is no promise you'll get it. A MEU isn't a unit that you'll get orders to. Your battalion as a while will make up the BLT of a MEU (assuming you're infantry). I don't know what you mean by "pro-active". They do what they are ordered to do.

[motocarlo]

Thank you Sir for your answers. Please bear with me as a lot of this is all new to me and it is difficult to find one source of accurate information.

I am signing an H.D. (2 year call to service) contract on Monday, the 14th of May. Of the 11 M.O.S. slots offered in the contract, one of them was 0311. I told my recruiter I was not signing my D.O.D. contract unless it specified the m.o.s. I wanted, which is 0311. After two days and my recruiter making a couple of calls, and meeting with his boss, he told me that he had my selected m.o.s. of 0311 written into my D.O.D. contract. I have yet to see said contract, and won't until M.E.P.S. Now, does this simply mean nothing? I specified to him that I did not want a 0300, but 0311. Is S.O.I. going to place me where they see fit regardless of my contract? Again, I apologize for my ignorance in these matters but I want to know as much as I can before I sign anything and unbiased advice from experienced Marines who have been through the system is invaluable to me.:bunny:

[Zulu 36]

Well, my friend, it won't matter if you are an 0311. If your unit needs a machine gunner and there aren't any extras with the MOS, you might be humping a pig. If the mortar people need an ammo humper on the tubes, you could be it. You will be crossed trained to a degree in SOI and to a greater degree with your unit in any pre-deployment workups. A grunt is a grunt is a grunt.

In Vietnam I was a truck driver. Technically I was the driver for the CO of a shorthanded A-4 squadron. I never drove him but once, and that was more accident than design.

Instead I drove a truck for squadron supply, helped load bombs on aircraft, helped the flight line section launch sorties, was a fire team leader on the squadron defense platoon (as a LCpl I had two Cpls and a Sgt under me - I had the most recent infantry training and they had to be trained on M-16s since they only knew M-14s).

I also helped crunch the paperwork in the supply shop, helped the squadron embarkation NCO, was the squadron mail clerk, an armorer, M-16 instructor, one of the official unit photgraphers. And probably more.

Oh yeah, also Official Supplier of Pistachio Nuts to the First Sergeant (he kept the Army MPs off my back, I helped him feed his habit. A satisfying symbiotic relationship). :beer:

I was a 3531 and the only one in the squadron. But I did what my unit needed doing because I was a Marine first and mission was Job One. Life was not dull even without getting shot at.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Oh, I didn't know you were going in on one of the obscure contracts. The two year deal probably will allow you to select your MOS. But, you WON'T be going to any of the advanced type schools. You won't be a sniper, recon, etc. You won't be going to jump school. It simply wouldn't be worth it to the Marine Corps. They would spend a great deal of money to train you, and then you would leave as soon as you were trained. If you want any of those things you're going to have to extend or reenlist.

If your contract says you will be an 0311 you will be an 0311 unless you fail to pass the training. If that happens you are at the mercy of the Corps. However, just having an MOS doesn't mean that is what you will be doing. I know a mortarman that was serving as a machine gunner in his unit. If there is a shortage, they will make do with the people they have.

[motocarlo]

:) Thanks gentleman for your responses.

I had a general idea that I would be moved around due to specific needs, but as long as it is within infantry I do not have a problem. I just wanted to be sure I wouldn't go from rifleman to cook or something like that:scared: (no offense to any cooks out there)

Do you guys know if you can extend your term of service while actually serving it, for example extending my 2 year contract on the second year or something to that effect?

Thanks again!

[motocarlo]

Thanks gentleman for your responses.

I had a general idea that I would be moved around due to specific needs, but as long as it is within infantry I do not have a problem. I just wanted to be sure I wouldn't go from rifleman to cook or something like that

Do you guys know how you can extend your term of service while actually serving it, for example extending my 2 year contract on the second year or something to that effect?

Thanks again!

[rvillac2]

Ok, enlighten me (us). What the hell is a "H.D. (2 year call to service)" contract? Does the HD stand for Homeland Defense?
I didn't think our Corps did 2yr Active Duty contracts. Basically, you'll be serving around 18months after you're MOS trained. HUH?

You sure you weren't talking to the National Guard? Our uniforms are different, you know.

[rvillac2]

Ok, did some research. I guess Congress shoved this 2 year plan down our throats. Now we're like the Army. (boo, hiss).

Basically, this guy is signing up as a Reservist. The only difference is, that he only has to be 2yrs active (including training) before going straight into the IRR for the rest of his 8yr contract.

"moto"carlo, I hope you nut up and extend your AD or at least elect to go into the Select Reserve for your contract. Otherwise, it looks like you want to only "play" Marine for 2 yrs.

[motocarlo]

I signed up for this 2 year contract because it was the only way to guarantee an 0311 M.O.S. From what I understand, my 2 years begin after S.O.I. At that point, I plan on extending my contract. I could be wrong about all this, but it is what I have been told.

Thanks again.

[motocarlo]

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marinejoin/a/ncsprogram.htm


This was the most definitive information I could find on-line about the contract.

r.villac, would you mind letting me know where you found your information? I have searced for a couple of days and the above is all I have found.

thanks a lot.