SOI vs. MCT

[yurkonis05]

ok, im sorta confused. i want my MOS to be MCSF right? well im being told on here that MCSF is a secondary billet, but i do believe it b/c i saw in my recruiters book that u must have 0311 as a backround MOS. now if i went and did this would i go to SOI or MCT and what is the difference between the 2. and can some1 please give me more help on the whole MCSF deal and what 0311 has to do w/ it! thanks alot guys! SEMPER FI!

[bbailey]

Ok this is something that recruiters don't stay very clear on unfortunately.

What you will be in security forces is a grunt. You will go to SOI just like every other 0300 billeted marine, youll do your school and specialization which, when I was in you only had to be an 0300, not a specific rifleman. Anyways, youll go to school at SOI.

After you graduate you will be assigned to Marine Corps Security Forces somewhere. You will be assigned there for a couple of years. After then you'll get sent back to an FMF unit as a grunt.

Personally I'd consider MCSF as a temp assignment because every guy I know that went that route, ended up back in the fleet after a couple years. So word of advice, don't forget your primary MOS or begin to slack on your PT when pulling guard duty at some sub base Because in a couple years you will be putting a pack on and stepping out on a 20+ mile hump

[decuervo]

bbailey is right. Several of the Marines in my platoon came from SF duty. But the good thing is 90% of them came to the fleet as NCO's while us pure FMF grunts were still LCPL due to our primary MOS being closed. So milk it for what it's worth. Also try for Yankee White if you can, those guys pick up rank like mad-men.

[DeNichilo 0300]

Yankee White ?

[Timber]

Ok to answer your original ? MCT was designed to give more in depth training on infantry tactics to Marines that would not be holding a 0300 billet. Those guys filling supply, or admin billets along with guys like me who fixed LAV's don't go to SOI.

[HardJedi]

you will be going to BOTH MCT and THEN SOI!. I have told you this at least twice before.

and MCSF IS a SECONDARY billet. just like Drill instructor and MSG. You can be ANYTHING in the 0300 field, as a non NCO anyway, and be in security forces. NCO and up can be ANY MOS in Security Forces.

[cjwright90]

MCT AND SOI, Jedi? As an 0311, I only went to SOI. Had Barracks duty, with no extra training...? Please enlighten me.

[drillinstructor]

MCSF school is in chesapeake VA... You will attend this school after SOI. All MCSF are grunts(post standers). You can apply for the duty as I did when I was a Sgt and was accepted ( I am not a grunt). You will do 18 months after completing school in Chesapeake then off to the FMF. You are an 03xx which means you will go through boot camp, SOI, MCSF School, MCSF duty Rota Spain + others...is possible for 18 months then to the fleet to do your MOS...DI

[HardJedi]

wow, CJ. Really? I went to both MCT AND SOI, and then did NOT go to security forces school in VA. I went straight from SOI to Guam. and yes, for those who don't know I was an 0311. after Guam, I went to ANOTHER mcsf detachment, at Kingsbay, GA, before going on to the fleet.

guess things kepp changing all the time. Every Grunt I ever knew went to mct.

[yurkonis05]

thanks for all ur input. what is FMF?

[Sparrowhawk]

Fine Mexican Females... DuH!

I thought everyone knew that!

[RLeon]

Ok, I was under the impression that all Marines went to SOI(School of Infantry). If you were going into a non combat MOS you went to MCT(Marine Combat training). If you were going into the infantry you went to ITB(Infantry training batallion). And if you were open contract and didn't know what your MOS was you made a grimace when the platoon Sgt at MCT told you that your MOS was going to be 0300 and you hat to go to ITB.

[Underleft]

I thought MCT and SOI were both in ITB

[RLeon]

I don't know, my MCT diploma says United State Marine Corps School of Infantry presents etc .

[enviro]

The Schools of Infantry are the Marine Corps' center of excellence for infantry training, and are located at Camp Pendleton, CA and Camp Lejeune, NC.

SOI conducts both entry-level and advanced infantry training for Active Duty and Reserve Marines through our five subordinate units and two supporting Navy units (the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy and Medical/Dental Clinics).

Under the School of Infantry (SOI) are:

Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT)
Infantry Training Battalion (ITB)
Advanced Infantry Training Company (AIT)
Light Armored Vehicle Company (LAV) Courses
Headquarters & Support Battalion (H&S)