Question About Recieving the MOS I Desire

[BlayzeH]

Hello and first off let me introduce myself,

I am new to this forum. I have always visited as a guest but I just now signed up. So hello to you all. I am currentley 18 years old and am still in High school (12th Grade/Senior)

I have wanted to be a Marine ever since I was a little boy. It has always been my desire to become an infantry part of the Marines. When people think of Marines, I believe they mainly think of the infantry part of the Marines.

That being said, I am about to go take my ASVAB next thursday and was wondering. I wanted to be a (0311) rifleman but the recruiter told me that his boss doesn't usually like giving the infantry MOS to soon to be recruits. Mainly because it is one of the jobs that doesn't get you a garunteed job outside of the Corps. That is really not a concern of mine since I plan on going to college and getting a degree shorty after or while I'm enlisted in the Corps.

Since he said he doesn't like giving that MOS I feel as if it will be harder to obtain. I have always had my heart set on infantry so I would rather not join unless I am garunteed Infantry. I know most of you will say I need to get it in writing if he does say he will put me down as infantry. So how would I handle this situation? When do I tell them I am going to wait for an infantry slot to open? Before or after MEPs or ASVAB? I know I could get infantry because I did really well on my practice ASVAB that I took at the recruiting office.

Also, I heard that they give you three slots to add a MOS to such as: (0311, 0300, 0411)

I would like to be infantry, being the one with the M16A4. I have always wanted infantry, as I stated above. So which three should I choose. I would really want a garunteed spot. Can you Marines possibly help me with my situation? Thank you so much!

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[ChuckH]

You need to read the rules of this forum, there is a curfew during schools hours.
NO EXCEPTION!!

Also
Site rules No Profile, NO POSTING.
Contact any Squad Leader to reopen thread when profile is completely filled out.

[ChuckH]

Profile completed.
Thread Reopened.
DO NOT post during school hours.

[josephd]

First off you don't get to pick an MOS at all, you pick an occupation field like 03xx, 18xx, or 13xx....from there your specific MOS may be chosen for you or if you may get lucky and pick between what is available.

Second, if infantry(03xx) is what you want then do not sign anything unless you know that is what you are getting. If you recruiter is telling you no, then go see another recruiter.

[BlayzeH]

Well the thing is we only have one recruiter here, him and his boss. The recruiter is hesitant because of his boss's word. Thank you though for your help! I hope it goes well! Any other advice would be appreciated as well!

[Omegaham]

As said by Joseph, there aren't any guarantees. Basically, you sign a Ground Infantry Option, which includes Rifleman, Machinegunner, Mortarman, SMAW gunner, and a few others. However, when you get to Infantry Training School, they do ask for preferences.

You'll hear "Needs of the Marine Corps" a lot. Basically, if they need a platoon of machinegunners and mortarmen, you're SOL and have to take what you're given. But they do make an effort to give you what you want as long as what you want happens to be what the Marine Corps needs. Think Henry Ford - "The customer can have whatever color he wants, as long as it's black."

Remember that the recruiter doesn't care about you. His job is to write contracts. As it happens, infantry contracts are hard to come by, mostly because there are a lot of people like you - eager to become riflemen. So he'd rather keep them for people who simply will not accept anything other than infantry. If he can get prospective infantrymen to become refrigeration techs and airplane mechanics, he will.

One thing I'd like to point out is that you won't be able to get a degree while you're in the Corps until you hit staff sergeant. Are there programs for doing classes? Yes. Is it feasable to do them when you're working 12-hour days, going to the field three days a week, and going on deployments? No.

One of the benefits of having a pog job is that you can do college while you're in; work schedules are more regular and there's usually less idiocy that messes with your free time.

So if you really want infantry, tell the recruiter straight up - "I want infantry. I won't accept anything else." If that means you have to wait ten months in the DEP, that's how it is. Be honest with the recruiter, and he'll be honest with you. If you pretend that you want something else just so he'll bring you forward in the process, he will screw around with you.

[Tennessee Top]

Omegaham hit the nail on the head. I finished my AA and BS degrees while on active duty but I was a pogue (noninfantry MOS) and did not deploy that often so my work schedule allowed me to go to classes after hours and on weekends. It still took a LOT of hard work, dedication, and sacrafice not to mention a few years to accomplish but it was worth it in the end (it did help with promotions).

Playing hard ball with your recruiter is a gamble and may-or-may-not work to your benefit (they have to follow the directions passed down by their district headquarters). You may spend months waiting for an infantry slot to open up and when one does, see it given to someone else. That's the chance you must be willing to take.

[MintusMaximus]

You want to be a guy w/ an M16A4... however us high speed low drag types use M4's. You don't have to be Infantry to "get some."

If you want to be an 0300... do it. However you listed 0411... logistics is NOT the best route to go to be a "war pig".

Comm 0621, Arty FO's 0861 ...that's what my unit predominantly consists of; and our unit is one of the highest Op tempo in the Corps.

Do what you want, but ask your recruiter what he can do for you.

[doc h fmf]

If all else fails join the navy and become a corpsman. But same thing as the marine corps is you might not get infantry right away. I had to extend then reinlist but i enjoyed it when i got it.

Good luck

stephen doc hansen hm3 fmf

[cue606]

You can get an MOS gaurenteed regardless of what some say. They just don't like to do it because it limits the Corps' options later. I held out and actually left MEPS bcause they said they couldn't gaurentee me anything. A week later the Gunny at the recruiting station calls and said they have a spot they can give me in writing for 0311.