MOS question

[TheJester]

With the current situation in the Middle East as it is there is a good chance I will be called up after boot camp while I'm a reservist. I was wondering if any of the Marines knew which MOS would be best out of:
Landing Support Specialist
Basic Combat Engineer

I may be young and naive but if i'm going to get activated I'd like to be going as a member of a unit that sees its fair share of combat. I'm aware that every Marine is a rifleman and I could see more than I'd like in either MOS, but I'd like to be as close as possible. My freinds say Landing Support is the best bet, I'm told they see the most action because they are closely attached to the grunts. I'm just wondering if this is true or not, because if it isnt and their unit is no different than any other "Supportive" MOS I would think i would prefer to be an Engineer. I like working with my hands and blowing s*** up . Thanks for any help.

[Sixguns]

You would potentially go too.

All reserve jobs are directly related to combat or supporting combat. Chances are which ever MOS or QSN you took, you would have a high degree of being called up. What you should be asking yourself is "Is going reserves the best thing for me if I can still be called up to fight?" Don't join the Reserves for college money or a part-time paycheck. Let me ask you this question, which MOS do you think you are best suited for? Which one would give you the most satisfaction? If forced to choose, take 1371, combat engineer.

[Cheezballz]

Pick Combat Engineer, i'm shipping June 9th.

[TheJester]

I'm going a bit before you on May 12. I think 1371 would give me the most satisfaction but I think I would probably do better in Landing Support.

Thanks for the advice too

[top1371]

I dont want to bash a MOS and yes, I am bias, hey I'm a Combat Engineer....

Landing support does not patrol with the Grunts, Combat Engineers do. You will get used to the term "Engineers Up!" because we clear and create obstacles be it a mine field, tank ditch, blown bridge, whatever it takes. We are the master of construction and destruction.

Why do you thing LS is called "Red Patchers" because they wear a red patch to identify them as LS - the story goes that in past wars when they needed reinforcements they would 'recruit' anyone they could find... they took the LS guys to the front... then they didnt have anyone to unload the ships... so basically the red patch says not to pull these guys from their dutys - which is an important job too - but the idea of unloading cargo from a ship is not my idea of .. what I would want to be doing in combat.....

As a Combat Engineer I have done all kinds of fun things, Austrailian reppeled down cliffs and out of choppers.... blew more demo that you could imagine... laid down streams of hot lead in the Final Protective Fire - melted barrels...hmmm.... Lots of great times laying in the mud and rain.... why did I retire!??

Little known fact......

Q. Who were the first Marines on the beach at Normandy???

A. Combat Engineers - they went days in advance to take soil samples, so we would know the condition of the beach!

Semper Fi,

Top

[TheJester]

Thanks for the input Top.

Would you mind answering some more questions since you are an Engineer?

Do you/did you have difficultly with the aspects of demolitions(more importantly mine clearing)? This is one of the few parts of the job i'm really nervious about

Also Do you do stuff like you stated above all the time? Or just in war?

Do you find yourselves doing alot of construction or mostly demolition?

Thanks again

[top1371]

Demo and mines are easy. Have no fear, they do not do anything unless you tell them too. Demo will not just go off in your hand. You have to do something (stupid) for it to do that... just as a pistol wont shoot you in the foot unless you tell it to. Demo can be a real joy.

Anyone can put a ton of C-4 on a tree and blow it down. The fun part is doing the calculations to use the minimum amout to get the job done and see it work - like a steel rod or I-Beam, blowing that tree or a nice crater.

Although we learn (and practice) mine clearing, it is not a common practice. The current policy is to detect, mark and go around -blow in place -when possible.

Once you learn how it all works, you wont be nervous.

We would give demo classes to the Grunts. Before they came to the demo range, we would put some C-4 primed and down range. As practice we have the Grunts yell "Fire in the Hole" three times - then take a block of C-4 and toss it to the newest Marine we see, some PFC... when he catches it, we would detonate the C-4 down range - a real eye opener.. hey it was fun, but it showed that you can throw C-4 and dont be afraid of it.

Everything I stated that I have done in training simulate combat - blowing a bridge or creating an obstacle, patroling etc....

What kind of training you get depends on what type of unit:

Division = demo, mines, field fortification, bunker construction

FSSG = construction, field fortification, bunker construction

Wing= construction...

Base= facilities maintenace...

Semper Fi,

Top

[TheJester]

Great, thanks for the input.