Enigmatic
09-09-08, 10:33 AM
Hey all. I got out a year ago, in September '07. I'm pretty sure I wanna go back in, but I've been wrestling with something in my mind. I was Admin, and honestly I hated the crap out of it. Especially in my last duty station, I was with one of the FAST Companies in Norfolk, VA serving as the company clerk. I was the only Admin guy there. Nearly all the NCOs, Platoon Sergeants and Platoon Commanders were 03s. If not then they were Arty or from a combat-arms MOS. Techniquely all the junior Marines were 03's as well, but really they were serving an 8152 billet.
Just shooting the **** with my fellow NCOs that worked in HQ with me, I realized there was so much I hadn't done and wanted to do in the Corps. They had all been in OIF I. The closest I ever been to a deployment was being asked by my 1stSgt in Oki if I wanted to participate in Operation Cobra Gold in Thailand before changing his mind right afterward.
Anyways, here's my question - I miss the hell out of the Corps, but if I go back in, I don't want to be admin again. So as an NCO is it too late to look to lat move into the 03 field? I mean, obviously on paper it's not too late, but will I be able to catch up with my peers and be able to lead men that have been to Iraq two, three times? I admit my knowledge of infantry tactics are pretty much limited to whatever I retained from MCT nearly five years ago, and the Marine Rifleman MCI. How could I go into the 03 field and be an effective NCO grunt? Anybody have any advice or pointers? Should I just lat move into something else? Thanks in advance and Semper Fi.
Cpl Gonzalez
Just shooting the **** with my fellow NCOs that worked in HQ with me, I realized there was so much I hadn't done and wanted to do in the Corps. They had all been in OIF I. The closest I ever been to a deployment was being asked by my 1stSgt in Oki if I wanted to participate in Operation Cobra Gold in Thailand before changing his mind right afterward.
Anyways, here's my question - I miss the hell out of the Corps, but if I go back in, I don't want to be admin again. So as an NCO is it too late to look to lat move into the 03 field? I mean, obviously on paper it's not too late, but will I be able to catch up with my peers and be able to lead men that have been to Iraq two, three times? I admit my knowledge of infantry tactics are pretty much limited to whatever I retained from MCT nearly five years ago, and the Marine Rifleman MCI. How could I go into the 03 field and be an effective NCO grunt? Anybody have any advice or pointers? Should I just lat move into something else? Thanks in advance and Semper Fi.
Cpl Gonzalez