Which is it? Top 3 or Job Field?

[bartone]

I'm seriously confused about this whole MOS pick your job thing and it seem's there are about a dozen or more other posts on the subject hopefully you Marines can clear up this issue.

Which is it? Do you pick your top three wish list choices for a job, get it submitted, and then whatever comes back is what you get.

OR

Can you say no I don't want to wing it, give me the 03XX field or I'm not going?

Do you have to demand your job before you even go to MEPs?

Can you still request your specific job field even when you have a ship date?

I just wanted this issue cleared up for good as I ship in a month and still can't seem to get a field I want, and my recruiters are kind of messing with me because I won't join the reserves instead of active duty, and I have read a ton of contradicting information on the subject, some saying wish list is what you do, other's like Backhaus 1103 (hope you don't mind me using you as an example but I think you said it best in another post of mine) say don't ship till you get the job you want.

Hopefully this helps out some other Poolees/Wannabes.

Thanks a ton Marines for your time answering questions for those of us that have not yet Earned the Title.

[viper1833]

Pssshhhh rumors rumors. You get to pick the job field you want, as far as the job you end up with in that field that depends on the Corps, and your ASVAB. Say you enlist under combat support you could get Tanks, Amtraks, LAAD Gunner, etc, etc. Thats how it works, unless you go open contract.

[bartone]

thanks for the quick reply viper, so when my recruiter comes back with a job from my "wish list" (I didn't even really get to make it) and I don't like it, I can ask him for something else? I ship Nov 15th...they put off getting jobs for Poolees till sometime in the 90 day period correct? I've got a little more than 30 days, but i'm starting to get worried there going to ship my a** with something I don't want.

[NoRemorse]

Your initial contract is an open one. That's the one you're going to MEPS with and stuff. Once you sit down and have all your trash lined up you sit down and go over the fields available and those on that list you qualify for.

Active duty boat spaces are limited. If you want a specific job learn about the reserves and ask about one of those contracts. It's the only way to absolutely guarantee the specific job you want. You also have to worry about what you'll do for your day job.

Otherwise you're going to have to tell your recruiter that you're not shipping with your current contract unless you get the field you want.

Changes in ship date will probably result in a change in job field and vice versa.

If you can't get the job field you want on your contract then it's up to you to decide whether or not you're going to sign that contract and swear in for real the day you ship out.

Your chances of getting something that's not in your contract are slightly better than zero. Slightly.

[Backhaus 1103]

I don't know what this wish list thing is, but it seems to me that they want you to write down three fields that you might like and then the recruiter picks the one that he's having the hardest time getting people to do. At least that's what would make sence to me.

As a poolee, I said I wanted 03 at the start and nothing else. My recruiter didn't even bother me with anything else because he knew my a*s wasn't going anywhere unless I was infantry.
Get the job you want, it's 4+ years of your life, not his.

[bartone]

I don't know what this wish list thing is, but it seems to me that they want you to write down three fields that you might like and then the recruiter picks the one that he's having the hardest time getting people to do. At least that's what would make sence to me.

As a poolee, I said I wanted 03 at the start and nothing else. My recruiter didn't even bother me with anything else because he knew my a*s wasn't going anywhere unless I was infantry.
Get the job you want, it's 4+ years of your life, not his.

Thanks Backaus, that is exactly how I was seeing it, So kind of a new question to pair with my original, our RS was told by all our recruiters and the SNCOIC that the jobs for the next fiscal year would come out in October, well it's October and now they are telling us that there are absolutely no infantry or security forces MOS's available untill 2011 (around October again), well as most of you would assume I'm sure, everyone in our RS was going for infantry, security forces or some other combat MOS, and now it seems all of us have to settle for some other item on a wish list.

So my question is I guess, what are we supposed to do about it? The Marines doesn't need grunts for a year from the northeast so we all get something else? That's cool, needs of the Corps and all, but what can we do or say otherwise? Can we really go with the, I'm not leaving until I get a 03xx MOS like has been suggested?

A good friend of mine was promised Presidential Security (pretty badass I think) and now he has to go pick 3 other job contracts like everyone else?

The recruiting process just has a lot of knowledge gaps for recruits and I guess it's just getting frustrated to get pushed around already when this is one of the few times we actually get a say in what we do.

Ah well, guess you just go to suck it up and be a Marine right? lol

[Backhaus 1103]

Yes, say the only MOS you want is 03 if that's what you want. See what he says. I bet a spot apears out of no where.
The Marine Corps always needs grunts. My Bn alone is getting like 300 (so they say) something new guys pretty soon. There's always a need for people. Laste deployment we didn't even have full squads. Most only had two teams.

[bartone]

Yes, say the only MOS you want is 03 if that's what you want. See what he says. I bet a spot apears out of no where.
The Marine Corps always needs grunts. My Bn alone is getting like 300 (so they say) something new guys pretty soon. There's always a need for people. Laste deployment we didn't even have full squads. Most only had two teams.

Good advice and a real Marine would know best obviously, it's just...you know the saying "if everyone could join the Marines it wouldn't be the Marines." just a little paranoid that the recruiters are going to be like, well, if you don't wanna join go over to the army they will guarantee you a job, or something along those lines ya know? But what the hell, I'll give it a shot.

Our 6th degree black belt MCMAP martial arts instructor Gunnery Sergeant is a bit intimidating but hey, what do I got to lose. Don't want to end up doing something I don't want to do for the next 4 years. Thanks for all the advice and support Marines, makes this whole process considerably easier, and makes a ton more sense now.