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Brently
12-28-09, 01:43 PM
I am in a situation that a lot of first term Marines find themselves in. I am near the end of my enlistment and need to decide on what to do. I would love to stay in the Corp but I don't like my MOS (6252). I have been toying with the idea of EOD, I think it is more suited to my personality. However I look to be starting a family soon and I am not sure if it is the best decision. I have already deployed 3 times over my first enlistment and would really like an ability to keep my feet planted in CONUS for a couple years before my next deployment just to get the family situated. Is it fesible in EOD for this type of home time to be afforded or am I looking more at the same constant rotation back and forth? Any help would be greatly appreciated. As I have said I love the Corp and want to stay in I just don't like my current MOS and need to come to a conclusion. Any other MOS's that are hands on and geared towards a high energy Marine would also be helpful. Thank you for your time. Semper Fi.

Zulu 36
12-28-09, 02:28 PM
I am in a situation that a lot of first term Marines find themselves in. I am near the end of my enlistment and need to decide on what to do. I would love to stay in the Corp but I don't like my MOS (6252). I have been toying with the idea of EOD, I think it is more suited to my personality. However I look to be starting a family soon and I am not sure if it is the best decision. I have already deployed 3 times over my first enlistment and would really like an ability to keep my feet planted in CONUS for a couple years before my next deployment just to get the family situated. Is it fesible in EOD for this type of home time to be afforded or am I looking more at the same constant rotation back and forth? Any help would be greatly appreciated. As I have said I love the Corp and want to stay in I just don't like my current MOS and need to come to a conclusion. Any other MOS's that are hands on and geared towards a high energy Marine would also be helpful. Thank you for your time. Semper Fi.

If you were accepted into EOD, you would be in CONUS for awhile going through school. However, if you've been in Iraq or Afghanistan, or even just read the papers, you know that IEDs are a big problem. More IEDs means more EOD needed to take care of them. They can pound out only so many EOD techs, which means a high deployment rate for those that are qualified.

It's a tough MOS to get into and most EOD techs I knew were very highly respected. It's one of those few MOS' where the Sgt or SSgt EOD guy's opinion gets very carefully considered even by Generals.

hussaf
12-28-09, 03:03 PM
When most Marines decide they need a break, they go I&I, to a schoolhouse, or get qualed for a temp billet. Maybe something like that will work out for you (if you teach at a schoolhouse you would, of course, need to be in your current mos).

crate78
12-30-09, 11:25 AM
Unless things have changed since I was active, and they probably have, you should be able to request a change of MOS as a condition of reenlisting.

Beyond that, I once had collateral duties of Squadron Reenlistment NCO. I'd tell young Marines, in effect, "Discount the pay, benefits, medical care, retirement, etc. If you can honestly say this is what you want to do with your life, go for it. If you have any doubts or reservations, you'd better resolve them before you raise your right hand again, otherwise you're doing a disservice to both yourself and to the Corps".

The Adjutant, to whom I reported on this gig, didn't approve of my methods because I didn't do any cajoling or arm-twisting, or try to gloss over the negatives, but he couldn't deny the fact that I had as high a reenlistment percentage as anyone else. I think Marines appreciated the fact that I was honest, objective, and laid it out there like it was. I can give you the same advice.

The fact that your anticipating starting a family is a significant factor that needs to be addressed, and your partner in this venture rates a substantial amount of input. I knew Marine wives who fell apart when their husband was transferred or deployed, and I knew other Marine wives who, when their husband told them they were being transferred, replied, "Good. Let's get packed. I was getting bored with this place anyway".

If you're a family man, your family has to be comfortable with the idea that you could be sent anywhere on the globe, anytime, on a moments notice. That's what Marines do.

Give it a proper amount of thought, and whatever your decision is, "Good luck!"

Sgt Leprechaun
12-31-09, 12:30 AM
EOD deploys....a LOT. Once you are school trained and your team feels you are 'ready', you are 'in the bucket' for deployments. That's the way it worked years ago when I looked into a lat move into the job, and likely today it's even more so.