Questions

[Wilke]

Alright I want to go into the USMC and make the lateral move to counter intelligence. After that I want to go into OCS and then come back out as a Infantry Officer. I am not sure if this is possible though as I read somewhere that once you are in counter intelligence your there for good and you can't leave. Is this true?

[SgtJane08]

Great profile

[joseywales]

Probably should read site rules

[Apache]

Sloppy input (profile) = minimal output

[Wilke]

Sorry for the inconvenience. I have filled out my profile and have done extensive research into my future career as a Marine and I do wish to get answers to my questions. I have went and read the site rules and I'm sorry again I did not mean to be disrespectful. If there is anyone who could answer this question, please do. Thank-you.

[Lisa 23]

It's nice to plan your future out and ask questions, but how about taking it one step at a time and seeing if you're qualified to even join the Marine Corps first......meeting with a recruiter, taking the ASVAB and getting a good score, no medical waivers needed, no criminal background, no tattoos........

[SGT7477]

Make it thru our boot camp first before your big plans,Semper Fidelis.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

To at least PARTIALLY answer the question! (Back to topic kids...)

Getting IN CI will be difficult in and of itself. Small community, and you'll need to be a Sergeant (or a VERY well qualified Cpl) to even apply. There is a process including interviews, writing, researching, and other things you'll have to go through that I won't get into here.

Once 'in', the schooling takes, literally, around 18 months (or it did). Schooling never stops for those guys.

After that, you'll deploy deploy deploy and deploy some more. Average deploy time when I looked into it was 256 days a YEAR, and they had a higher divorce rate than Recon did. I can't imagine that's changed or gotten lower.

While you can certainly try for OCS after getting in (there are programs to do so), just 'getting' there will be difficult to do. Not impossible, but it's going to require a massive commitment on your part.

BTW this is one of those jobs where if you don't perform 'to standard' you'll revert back to your prior MOS.

[Wilke]

I am eligible for the Marine Corps. I have no criminal record, one tattoo that is not visible, no medical problems, and I scored a 78% overall on the ASVAB.
I have more questions then just this but your saying that I can leave CI and go to a different MOS when I graduate OCS? I don't have to go back as an officer in Intelligence?
Also how much combat does a CI see? They may be deployed most of the year but how much time of that is spent working behind a computer?

[iamspartacus]

Is the plan you described possible? Short answer: yes. Realistic answer: No.

Compare it to this scenario:
An 18 year old high school graduate says, "I want to go to Harvard, get a political science degree, move back home and become become mayor of Whateverthehell, Ohio. Then I want to become governor of Ohio, then I want to become President of the United States. And after that I can retire at age 45 and be filthy rich for the rest of my life" What would you say to him if he asked if that was possible?

Back to your situation....
1. first you have to graduate boot camp
2. then you have to be qualified for CI (i.e. be able to get a top secret clearance among other things)
3. then you have to be a $hit hot Marine to be approved to go to OCS. It's not like you can just raise your hand and go to OCS.
4. And let's not forget you have to get your bachelors degree.
5. Then you have to graduate OCS. Yes... many people (including prior-enlisted Marines) fail.
6. Then you have to graduate TBS.
7. And lastly, it is highly competitive to get the MOS you want as an officer. Read the sticky threads on how MOS selections go for officers. And I'm sure there are probably more than a few (i.e. half your class) people who want to be Marine Corps infantry officers.... of which there may be slots for 5 at the point in time you happen to graduate TBS.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I'm not going to get into the particulars of what CI does and doesn't do. OPSEC is a consideration here. Trust me, they are 'in the shvit'.

Next, you really are putting the cart before the horse on this. Far too many variables at work here to even 'wargame' this out.

Concentrate on becoming a MARINE first, then doing the BEST job you can in the MOS you choose.

Lastly, only the very top percentage of officers get to select what job they are going to do when commissioned. You may have spent 4 years in Intelligence, or as a MAGTF planner, but you could be commissioned as an Air Battle Operations Manager. (I know a Marine this happened to).

[Wilke]

Thank-you everyone for your answers. They've helped me in figuring out what I need to do.