Choice of MOS

[HopefulGrunt2Be]

Are you guys happy with the MOS you selected. Or would you go back and change it if you could? How do the grunts out there like it? Even if you know the attitudes of other guys with different MOS's than your own, feel free to share how they like/dislike it. If you could put down your MOS that would be appreciated, so i know what you are talking about.

[Marine84]

6541 - Aviation Armament Repair Technician - I fixed bomb racks that are attached to the jets that you attach bombs to. I went in open contract and that was the hand of cards I was dealt. My recruiter had told me that I would be doing something else (sitting in some big General's office, smiling,battin' my big brown pretty eyes and getting anything I wanted for the next 4 years) and I ended up going to school to learn how to build bombs and missiles. I LOVED IT! It wasn't exactly what I had thought I would be doing but..............I had a blast with it. And besides, Ordies are CRAZY - I had sooooooo much fun those 4 years!

[Phantom Blooper]

Marine84,I'm glad you had fun and not a BLAST with your profession!

Semper-Fi! "Never Forget" Chuck Hall

[Marine84]

yeah me too............you know it's hard to explain to civilians what exactly your job is so I always told everybody that I was the one that went around and hit bombs on the ends with a hammer to see if they worked. You would be surprised at how many people would go "really?" - then I had to tell them "no dumbass" and finally I just started telling folks that I did electrical work.

[HopefulGrunt2Be]

Thats friggin hilarious

[ggyoung]

Marine84 You have about the same MOS as my 2ed youngest son. He is on the Abe Lincon at this time. This is his 2ed cruse. He making the Navy his career. His shiping over pay was $42,000.00. Not bad as mine was $6,000.00 in 1968.

[Lorix]

6541 - Aviation Armament Repair Technician - I fixed bomb racks that are attached to the jets that you attach bombs to. I went in open contract and that was the hand of cards I was dealt. My recruiter had told me that I would be doing something else (sitting in some big General's office, smiling,battin' my big brown pretty eyes and getting anything I wanted for the next 4 years) and I ended up going to school to learn how to build bombs and missiles. I LOVED IT! It wasn't exactly what I had thought I would be doing but..............I had a blast with it. And besides, Ordies are CRAZY - I had sooooooo much fun those 4 years!

I wish I had that job! I'm a 0621 field radio operator, open contract. I wanted aviation, but didn't get it. My job's.... alright, nothing exciting, set up antennas, program radios, etc. I'm looking forward to doing a lat move, want my aviation mos. My asvab score is high enough for practically any mos out there.

[crimsred]

I was a 1371, combat engineer from 88-92. Loved the job from building mgb bridges, tank targets, playing in mine fields, blown **** up and my fav, letting the SAW rip till the barrel was white...My advice though is to get an mos that transfers out into the real world when ur done.

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crimsred


They may not love us, but they will fear us

[outlaw3179]

I was an 0331, machine gunner. For the most part I loved being a grunt. Deployed alot, went to alot of different countries, partied my azz off in most of them , and really did alot of cool s*it. We were always training and always getting ready for war. I really enjoyed it even when it sucked and If I had to do it all over I would definetly go grunt again. Youll do some stuff that you will never get a chance to do again. Youll fly in Helos, planes, and if youre lucky you might get to jump out of them or fast rope out of them. You play with guns and you blow sh*t up. They send you to all kinds of countries and meet all kinds of different cultures and people and sometimes you get to shoot at them. Youll party in different continents and drink with all kinds of girls from all kinds of different countries. Best part...You get paid to do all this. So yeah , I liked it.

It is true though when you get out , there really arent too many job openings for machine gunner or full time partier. But you gain leadership, confindence, responsibility, dependibility, and descisiveness. All traits wich employers do want. Not to say you dont get them in any of the other MOS's but either way youll be in good shape when you get out.

[Bytor]

Why in the world would anyone go in open contract?

Find what you are interested in and get it. Sign nothing until you get what you want. Going in open is foolish, IMO.

[rb1651]

But you gain leadership, confindence, responsibility, dependibility, and descisiveness. All traits wich employers do want. Not to say you dont get them in any of the other MOS's but either way youll be in good shape when you get out.

Well said, outlaw.

I went in to the Corps with an open contract in '77. To me, it didn't matter what "job" I was going to primarily perform, it was about earning the title Marine. My MOS eventually ended up being 7041, Aviation Operations because that is where my skills were needed at the time. If they had needed me to be a grunt, a cook, a truck driver, whatever, it wouldn't have mattered. The honor of belonging to the greatest fighting force the world has ever known is what it's all about, The United States Marine Corps.

[Bige1371]

The thing you need to think about is how long do you want to be in the Marine Corps. If you are just going in for four years how would bieng a grunt translate into civilian life? I know what everyone thinks " Well if I was a Marine I'll be able to get a good job no matter what job I pick". That is totaly untrue. I was also a combat engineer in the divison side of the house. Still looking for a way to put my knowledge to good use. Just my two cents. Bige1371

[sandnessmj]

I scored well on the ASVAB, and was lucky enough to get 6694 as my primary MOS. There were plenty of times when I didn't appreciate my job in the Corps, but I definitely do now that I have a job with a generous salary as a Systems Administrator. There are times when I wish I was able to have been on the front lines, and not just a "pogue", but it all evened out the day that my squadron moved some grunts to the rear and they had nothing but good things to say about all of us "wingers". I've never seen so many guys as honestly grateful as the Marines to whom we delivered water and supplies (and we forwarded a crapload of care packages that ended up at our location).

One thing to remember: No job is glamourous every day. The "cushy" jobs are nice, but the "hard" jobs tend to have/build tighter teams.

[Lorix]

Anyone thinking about going open contract, beware. I know this one Marine that went open contract, got waste management... you guest it, clean out the port-o-potties!

[FistFu68]

COMING,FROM A LONG LINE OF ARMY INFANTRY_RESPECTFULLY!THERE WERE 92,YOUNG MEN IN MY PLATOON!WHEH WE WERE ALL GATHERED AROUND,OUR ASSES ON THE DECK LISTENING TO OUR NAME'S&MOS'S BEING SHOUT'ED OUT!WHEN I WAS,INFORMED THAT I EARNED O311,I WAS ONE PROUD FELLA.THERE WERE ONLY 17(RIFLEMAN)IN THE WHOLE BUNCH,SOME HAPPY,SOME SAD!ANYTHING ELSE FOR ME AND I WOULD'VE TAKEN,A FLY'IN LEAP OUT THE SQUAD BAY,WINDOW...I DID NOT JOIN THE CORPS,TO BE ANYTHING ELSE...TO THIS DAY,I STILL GO HUNTIHG WITH OPEN,SIGHT'S....THE 55$ A MONTH~JUMP PAY,WENT ALONG WAY BACK THEN.AS LONG AS YOU STAYED,ALIVE TO SPEND IT!A.K.A.RICKY RECON.(RVN.68).