All MOS Overpopulated?

My son signed on for DEP in February 2011. We asked him to wait to leave for Boot Camp until after September this year. At the time he signed up the recruiting staff was impressed with his score of 94 (at least to us). My son wanted to go in Intel and they all but PROMISED he would get a job there.

At this point they found out he was color blind and told him that really cut the jobs he is eligible for in half. They signed him up for an accounting job so he would be signed up for something.

Then he took his DLAB and scored 104 - they told us they hadn't had anyone pass the test in over a year. Again, they said he was a shoe in for INTEL.

Now, less than a month from his date to leave for bootcamp they are saying that all the MOS's have been overpopulated and he may not even have the job they gave him to begin with let alone to be able to change him to INTEL.

He is going in no matter what. He is determined and doesn't like to rock the boat. He would leave tomorrow if he could. And we support his decision 100%. But this just doesn't seem right to me. I know, I'm a mom!

Does this make sense? Any suggestions?

Sounds to me like the Corps has pretty much gotten back to needs of the Corps on a whole lot of MOS's.

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Originally Posted by Old Marine

Sounds to me like the Corps has pretty much gotten back to needs of the Corps on a whole lot of MOS's.

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I'm new to this so could you explain that to me?

Back in the day, we didn't even have an option of asking for a particular occupational field like intell, infantry, or anything else. The USMC plugged you in wherever they needed you at that time thus, needs of the Corps. With the drawdown, it's a good possibility most (if not all) MOS's are currently overpopulated.

My niece's waiver for the 02XX field was approved but her recruiter is telling her there are no slots to put her in. She does not ship to PI till she graduates next June 11th so there is still time for something to open up.

Thanks for the reply. He leaves this Sunday for boot camp and currently he is has an MOS of Logistics AND EOD. Not really sure how that works for him to have both but we will see. As a mom, I am so proud of him for this decision. I also believe it is the right decision for him. But I am scared *&^%less right now with the EOD part. I hear it has one of the highest mortality rates in the service. He had really been hoping for cryptologic linguist but so far hasn't heard whether he got it or not. Sorry . . . kind of just going on here.

Again thanks for the responses!

If he is Color blind, I sure hope he can tell the red wire from the yellow wire.... Just kiddin Mom. Your Boy is soon to become a MAN and I'm double sure he will make you the Proudest Mom in The World. I thought I was Proud the day I Marched across that Parade Deck until the day I watched My Son March across that same Deck. Paris Island won't Kill him but he'll sure think he's on his way. SEMPER FI

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Originally Posted by USMCmomma2011

Thanks for the reply. He leaves this Sunday for boot camp and currently he is has an MOS of Logistics AND EOD. Not really sure how that works for him to have both but we will see. As a mom, I am so proud of him for this decision. I also believe it is the right decision for him. But I am scared *&^%less right now with the EOD part. I hear it has one of the highest mortality rates in the service. He had really been hoping for cryptologic linguist but so far hasn't heard whether he got it or not. Sorry . . . kind of just going on here.

Again thanks for the responses!

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I know this may a bit late, however, he can't be EOD first term. If they are telling him that his recruiter is lying. You have to lat move into EOD, and go through and interview process with Marines already in the feild to lat move.
As of recently, due to the budget cuts, the Marine Corps is going to shrink by 20,000 Marines. So many MOS are over 100%. However, there are many that arent, like the one I am in, 68xx, but you cant be colored blind in this one...Anyway, I hope this helps.

Color blindness is a disqualifier for EOD anyway, for obvious reasons.

Thanks everyone! Here's the update . . . he left the weekend of October 17 with the Logistic EOD MOS and was sent home with the security packet and told there was something wrong with his security clearance information. We looked over that packet with a fine tooth comb! Ended up being something with his fingerprints! LOL AND because they were moving him to Cyptologic Linguist he had to have a higher security clearance. At least, that is what we were led to believe. I have to say I was pretty excited when they changed his MOS. I just couldn't see my color-blind son taking bombs apart - even if that isn't what he was really going to do.

He started bootcamp in MCRD-SD on October 24, 2011 and graduated on January 20, 2012. He gained almost 25 pounds while there! When he left he was 5'10" tall and about 145. When he came home he weighed almost 170 pounds! Had to buy all new clothes! :) He came home with what his recruiter called "recruit crud" and ended up having strep throat for a few days and lost almost 10 pounds - so he said he needed to get back to USMC food to get back up to weight.

Graduation was unbelievable! He seemed to have matured four years in just 13 weeks. He stands tall. He has such bearing and can I call it "grace" when he is in uniform. He makes us so proud! I would love to go back when I didn't have someone graduating just to see it all from a different eye. I think I missed so much because I was just looking for my son and then once I saw him I couldn't take my eyes off him!

We put him on a plane on January 31 to head back to Camp Pendleton and he has been in holding until a spot opened up in MCT for him. He is hoping to get picked up today for Hotel Company. After getting through MCT he will be off to Monterey for school.

He is determined to do well at DLI, but was a little discouraged by the fact that 70% of DLI attendees drop out or fail. We are all hoping someone is exagerating a bit there! He knows it's going to be hard and so I think it helps knowing a little what to expect.

Again, thanks for all of your advice on here for this PREVIOUSLY non-Marine mom. I think one of the scariest things is when my son told me that he was going to be a Marine was that I didn't have a clue about any military, let alone the MARINES! All of you here help us newbies understand a little what's going on and a LOT of when to keep our mouths SHUT! :D

Thank you all for your service and thank you for creating a rich and wonderful history for today's Marines!

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He is determined to do well at DLI, but was a little discouraged by the fact that 70% of DLI attendees drop out or fail. We are all hoping someone is exagerating a bit there! He knows it's going to be hard and so I think it helps knowing a little what to expect.

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While DLI attrition is high (I am a DLI dropout myself coincidentally), it's nowhere near 70%. The most difficult part about the training is that it is very long and requires maintaining your self-discipline and focus throughout the course. With good study habits, teamwork with his fellow Marines, and a positive attitude, your son will do just fine.

USMCmomma2011, if your son has any interest in languages, he'll do well. The instructors there are in the business of turning out linguists, and they do their job well. 5 days a week, 6 or 7 hours a day of language immersion usually sinks in. Sometimes it doesn't work out, through no fault of anyone in particular. If you get the chance to visit him while he's training, jump at it! My husband and I are both DLI alumni; we beat the odds as we met and got married there (23 years ago!) and are planning on ending up there once the kids are all on their own. By the way, he's going to love his time there!!!

Just saw this thread and the color blind thing popped out....no EOD for him, but the linguist job is something that he can get a WAAAAY better paying job on the outside with anyhow.