Marine Corps Security Force

[Bazzard]

Just Finish BSG (Basic Security Guard) school so all you guys going into the Security Force field ask away

[Enigmatic]

Congrats! Do you know where you're headed to? LOL how was the OC Spray?

[Gunner614]

What would you say is the " job decription". Like what would a typical day as a Security Forces guard consist of. I have also been told that if you enlist in Security Forces, after the first two years, you go to normal infantry. Is that true?

[Enigmatic]

What would you say is the " job decription". Like what would a typical day as a Security Forces guard consist of. I have also been told that if you enlist in Security Forces, after the first two years, you go to normal infantry. Is that true?

Depends on the unit you go to. As any Marine can tell you, there is no such thing as a "typical day".

And yeah, generally when you sign up under the Security Forces contract, it's two years in Security Forces, three years in the fleet.

[Bazzard]

well you don't get OC at BSG you do get it when you do Non-lethal training(riot control and all that fun stuff). and I just got to My FAST unit. Plt Sgt said in a about 2-3 months we'll be doing that. I'm really not looking foreword to it at all. I've seen what it can do and it doesn't look fun at all.

Gunner there are different commands in the Security Force field. Like PRP, FAST, and going over to Camp David and doing Presidential duty, so it all depends. But this thread was really just intended for what happens at the Basic school before you go out to where ever they send you to.

[Fubar5812]

OC FREAKIN SUCKS!!!

we get OC'ed at Mp school,god i would rather get shot in the foot than get sprayed in the face with OC again.

i've heard SF is likened to "firewatch duty" in that you just get stationed to some high priority facility or something and guard it for 2 years,bored as hell all the while.any truth to this?

[Bazzard]

if you go to a PRP command yes and no. You'll be able to go to CQB/RTT school and DM school if you do everything thats expected from you. If your a turdbag then you'll be watching a fence. really It all depends on where you get station and how you carry yourself. but to tell you the truth eventually every one will be watching a fence.

[Enigmatic]

What FAST Company are you with? I was with 3rd from 06'-07. LOL, yeah Cwalling OC does suck!

[bbond007]

I get out of itb in 2 weeks, then heading to Va.. for Security Forces I wanna go CQB or MD .. how does that work? ..
ive got 300 pft and im not a ****bag so what do i need to do?

[thewookie]

I get out of itb in 2 weeks, then heading to Va.. for Security Forces I wanna go CQB or MD .. how does that work? ..
ive got 300 pft and im not a ****bag so what do i need to do?

You have to be assigned to a unit to get to one of those schools. Nobody/Not often does a Marine go from the basic security guard course to CQB or DM school. Not from FAST or from the PRP commands.

I say not often because when they started up the new MCSF post in Bahrain in 95-96, the training center shipped us "new" Marines right from the basic security guard school, and we ran a special DM school just for them to get them up and running with some DM's for the new post, but that was a unique situation.

The best way to come back and get those schools is to: get to your MCSF unit, get a little bit lucky, but be so sheet hot that you control you destiny, and then you might make it back to one of those schools.

[Enigmatic]

You have to be assigned to a unit to get to one of those schools. Nobody/Not often does a Marine go from the basic security guard course to CQB or DM school. Not from FAST or from the PRP commands.

I say not often because when they started up the new MCSF post in Bahrain in 95-96, the training center shipped us "new" Marines right from the basic security guard school, and we ran a special DM school just for them to get them up and running with some DM's for the new post, but that was a unique situation.

The best way to come back and get those schools is to: get to your MCSF unit, get a little bit lucky, but be so sheet hot that you control you destiny, and then you might make it back to one of those schools.

Awesome advice as always Wookie, but I gotta say, you're really showing your age when you say Bahrain is the "new MCSF post" :D

[BRockwell]

I just enlisted for this MOS this morning :D

Private Bazzard, if you would be so kind, what was BSG training like? What kinds of things do you train in?

Is it 2 years of Security Forces and then 2 (or 3) for the Fleet or vice versa?

[Ian Blodgett]

Hey, I just wanted some advice regarding Security Forces. Right now I have a Security Forces (PRP) contract, and after talking to another Marine friend of mine, I have determined that this is not what I want. He explained to me the different Security Forces Billets, and he told me i should get into FAST, and get it in my contract. Before I talked to him, I was under the impression that you could not get something that specific in a contract. He assured me that you can, and he is a Marine who's actually gone through Security Forces. However, I would like a second opinion, and any more information I can get on the subject.

[thewookie]

Hey, I just wanted some advice regarding Security Forces. Right now I have a Security Forces (PRP) contract, and after talking to another Marine friend of mine, I have determined that this is not what I want. He explained to me the different Security Forces Billets, and he told me i should get into FAST, and get it in my contract. Before I talked to him, I was under the impression that you could not get something that specific in a contract. He assured me that you can, and he is a Marine who's actually gone through Security Forces. However, I would like a second opinion, and any more information I can get on the subject.


Don't you think you should have done some research BEFORE you signed the bottom line. Might make sense?

[Enigmatic]

Hey, I just wanted some advice regarding Security Forces. Right now I have a Security Forces (PRP) contract, and after talking to another Marine friend of mine, I have determined that this is not what I want. He explained to me the different Security Forces Billets, and he told me i should get into FAST, and get it in my contract. Before I talked to him, I was under the impression that you could not get something that specific in a contract. He assured me that you can, and he is a Marine who's actually gone through Security Forces. However, I would like a second opinion, and any more information I can get on the subject.

LMAO....get FAST in your contract? Either your friend's a dumb boot or he's pulling your leg.

[futuremarine129]

I'm seriously considering this MOS (or infantry) and what is really going to make or break my decision is that I have also heard that your first two years in Security Forces is wicked boring, like you basically just have firewatch for two years straight. So I guess my question would be...Is Security Forces really boring?

[Ian Blodgett]

Don't you think you should have done some research BEFORE you signed the bottom line. Might make sense?

Yes, that would make sense. The thing is, when i began talking to my recruiter, I had planned to sign an MP contract, becuase that is what I did all my research on. When I signed all my paperwork I signed a Military Police contract. At the end of my MEPS visit I was informed that I couldn't do MP becuase of the age requirements there are once you complete training. I was stuck at MEPS, and the MEPS liason told me that he had a Security Forces contract that I might be interested in. I asked him to explain what it was before I signed it, the SSGT assured me that it was the same program that my friend from high school had gone through the previous year. I guess I didn't know any better becuase I wasn't fimiliar with all of the Marine Corps abbreviations.

[Ian Blodgett]

LMAO....get FAST in your contract? Either your friend's a dumb boot or he's pulling your leg.

*Sigh* I don't know why he would be pullin' my leg about this. But no offense to a Marine, I've known him for a couple years, however he did have a tendency to overlook details like this. But I figured since he's close to being an NCO at age 19, that he knew his stuff.

[Enigmatic]

*Sigh* I don't know why he would be pullin' my leg about this. But no offense to a Marine, I've known him for a couple years, however he did have a tendency to overlook details like this. But I figured since he's close to being an NCO at age 19, that he knew his stuff.


Yeah, because 19 year-old Cpls are just a wealth of information....

There's always exceptions (like Achped, who knows his stuff), but for the most part they're just PFC's with a bloodstripe.

[frenchy89]

Im a marine thats stationed at MCSFBn Bangor, Washington

when you go to BSG you either go to a fast platoon or kings bay, ga or bangor, wa

the last two are PRP commands

i have no idea what FAST does so i cant help you new people on that

Bangor is 4 platoons, plus a RTT platoon, you stand watch for 2 weeks, and you get days off according to the schedule, you stand watch for 6 hours.

its extremely boring
even if your the most stellar locked on marine through boot camp, soi, bsg your still going to be standing ridiculous amounts of watch

good things about PRP

if your locked on and do your job, you'll get sent to alot of really good schools, besides the fact of all the watch you stand, TRUST ME when i say this, you will be getting alot alot of liberty, as far as my platoon goes you do, the chances for meritorious promotions here are vast too, schools are everywhere, ive been in platoon for 6 months and already gone to two schools and im about to go to DM school, pretty excited about it, but have no idea what to expect, haha.

PRP is a good place to start a family, college classes are offered to the battalion while your plt is out on duty for its 2 weeks because theres alot of downtime, 6 hours on 18 hours off..

but you cant leave..nice little catch to it haha.

if this was confusing just ask me,

i check my email alot so email if you like if you have anymore questions

tothewesttt@aol.com

[Lupo22]

Frenchy, a couple of questions:

1) what do you mean you can't leave during your 6 hours on, 18 hours off?? Do you sleep at the base or are you allowed back to your barracks (or house if you live off base)?

2) when you say "stand watch"...are you like standing at attention the whole time or are you walking around patrolling? I can't imagine having to stand at attention for 6 hours so I think I answered that one on my own.

3) You say you stand watch for 2 weeks...what happens after the two weeks? You get time off?

I sure hope standing watch for 2 weeks isn't like being at a firehouse...you know, 24hrs on, 48hrs off...I'd sure like to see my wife after 6 hours...

[Smitty Puffs]

Its more like 48 hours on, 24 off. I have buddies in sec forces that do 48 hour shifts all the time.

[Lupo22]

Frenchy, a couple of questions:

1) what do you mean you can't leave during your 6 hours on, 18 hours off?? Do you sleep at the base or are you allowed back to your barracks (or house if you live off base)?

2) when you say "stand watch"...are you like standing at attention the whole time or are you walking around patrolling? I can't imagine having to stand at attention for 6 hours so I think I answered that one on my own.

3) You say you stand watch for 2 weeks...what happens after the two weeks? You get time off?

I sure hope standing watch for 2 weeks isn't like being at a firehouse...you know, 24hrs on, 48hrs off...I'd sure like to see my wife after 6 hours...

Any Marines have an answer to these questions? I guess this section gets overlooked

[thewookie]

Any Marines have an answer to these questions? I guess this section gets overlooked


You didn't get any answers because your questions are too vanilla. And each duty station or post for Security Forces does what their CO wants, or the mission dictates.

Technically giving you specific post schedules and such is a potential violation of OPSEC.

One place might do it this way... the other post might do it that way.

I was involved in doing some site visits and I have seen most of the SF posts out there, back then, they all did their own thing, no two posts were alike.

I see all kinds of questions from you and that's okay, it's the purpose of this site. But just don't expect that all the answers to your questions will be easy to answer.

Worry about becoming a Marine - that schedule is 24 - 7 - 365

[Lupo22]

You didn't get any answers because your questions are too vanilla. And each duty station or post for Security Forces does what their CO wants, or the mission dictates.

Technically giving you specific post schedules and such is a potential violation of OPSEC.

One place might do it this way... the other post might do it that way.

I was involved in doing some site visits and I have seen most of the SF posts out there, back then, they all did their own thing, no two posts were alike.

I see all kinds of questions from you and that's okay, it's the purpose of this site. But just don't expect that all the answers to your questions will be easy to answer.

Worry about becoming a Marine - that schedule is 24 - 7 - 365

Gotcha Sgt. Trust me, I work everyday at becoming a Marine. Even my mentality at work when I want to stop a job or take a break, I push myself because I know thats what's going to be expected of me.

I just wanted to know what I'm getting myself into. The "glorified security job" doesn't sound appeasing but it was my way to get to the Fleet as a grunt

[mbrazil]

So just to clarify...

You stay with Security Forces for just 2 years? Can you stay longer or is that how it always is?

[2114Wollmann]

This is also my MOS. Nice to see a thread dedicated to it!

[mbrazil]

Is your spouse allowed to live on base with you?

[Bazzard]

update! Now station in good ole' Cuba. Protecting the fence line!

[Bazzard]

So just to clarify...

You stay with Security Forces for just 2 years? Can you stay longer or is that how it always is?

It is only a two year tour after that they send you to the Fleet to what ever MOS you where taught in SOI but there are exception to everything. If you pick up NCO by the end of your 2 years and they need a Sq leader really bad or if your extreamly square away there is a chance you can stay.

[Jvasquez]

i wanted to know wat prp is its not my official mos and im not sure i want to do it because i dont know much about it can any help me in telling me wat prp is and wat it does and all the catches and stuff

[WMarine]

Jvaaquez........you already asked this question in the Poolee forum. That is a question that should've been asked in the "Ask A Marine" forum........and "double posting" is a no-no.

[Jvasquez]

Sorry im just really worried i shoulda went to ask a marine thnxs can i ask now or do i have to delete the other forums??

[WMarine]

You should ask a mod if they could either move your question from the Poolee forum to the Ask A Marine forum.......or have them delete the Poolee forum question and then you can put it in the Ask A Marine forum.

[Jvasquez]

Ok.. Thanks

[WMarine]

Welcome. :thumbup:

[atimmons]

Congrats! Do you know where you're headed to? LOL how was the OC Spray?

Man, I remember when I got hit with OC in civ. police academy. I don't know how I'm going to react when the time comes here next year when I have to get hit with it again... Makes me cringe just thinking about it.