Choosing your MOS
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  1. #1
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    Choosing your MOS

    Just curious if anyone had any advice on picking an MOS or at least narrowing it down a bit. Whenever I try to research one over the other online I always get some conflicting information or opinions. Some people swear by this or that while others denounce it.

    Before I learned just how bad*** the Marines really are, I was considering becoming an Army Ranger or doing some type of Special Forces work, provided I was qualified and physically fit to do so. I also speak two languages and would love for the opportunity to learn a third with some practical application in the field, but that's a little off topic. Then I was informed going infantry as a Marine would be right up there with those standards (Ranger school etc.) - or so I was told. I was also told by a friend of mine that the Marine equivalent to Special Forces was pretty selective and not something you really tried out for but get hand picked to be a part of. Is that correct?

    If any of this sounds presumptuous I apologize for that. Just going on the verbal information I've accumulated and my brief online research. Just looking to get the real deal and figure out where to go from here.


  2. #2
    who says you will make it as a ranger. You probably would givin the armys standards. If you want to be the best and surround yourself with the best then go Marines. You can try out for recon at anytime givin the chain of command approves it. But ask yourself how many stories you hear about Marines going pow or shot by cross fire from their own guys.Then look those same questions up from the army. Thats one of the reasons i went Marine.


  3. #3
    My suggestion on picking an MOS is based on two questions:

    1) What do you really enjoy doing and is it something you would like to continue doing for the next 20 or so years?

    2) When you get out or retire, will your MOS and on the job training prepare you for a civilian career that you will enjoy and look forward to doing?

    Sure infantry, recon, rangers, special forces and all the glamourous military grunt jobs sound OOH RAH and all and you'll feel like the cat's meow, but in the end what can you do with that training and knowledge. Maybe, law enforcement, FBI, Secret Service, private security and such, and if those are the types of career you would enjoy after your time in the corps, then go for it. Any type of law enforcement employers love Marines with infantry or combat training already under their belts. If you speak the two languages fluently, then I would suggest you look at either Intelligence or a Language MOS, you will get stationed in some off the wall places and some really great ones as well. Plus, the corporate world would be your oyster when you exit the Corps.

    Bottom line, don't rush into an MOS decision, do your research and some inner searching, score high enough on the ASVAB to avoid an open 9900 contract, and you're be just fine.


  4. #4
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    I do speak both languages, English and (Brazilian) Portuguese, fluently, but I don't know how to write in Portuguese. I had been considering a Language MOS as well when I checked out this online breakdown for the Marine MOS'. Somebody told me that the military probably wouldn't be as interested in my ability to speak Portuguese as they would be in my ability to learn a new language if I chose a Language MOS. Is that true or would they try to find some practical application for me in Brazil or Portugal or something? That would be nice, considering my family's half Brazilian, but it seems damn near too good to be true. Plus, part of me would also like to see my time in the service taking me places in the world I haven't been yet.

    As far as law enforcement and those careers are concerned I don't see myself doing any of that down the road. While this may change, my plan for now is to enlist for four years and then come back and pursue a degree in business or something to that effect. Who knows... maybe I'll wanna work for the state department like my dad.

    I also should have mentioned I scored an 80 on the practice ASVAB. I heard your score either goes up 10 points or down 5 points? Sounds weird to me, but maybe there's some truth to that. Either way I got a Kaplan study guide to try and max out my score. While I'd like for that to lead to some type of Intelligence work I think that's out of the question as far as my contract goes. I have a juvenile record that kind of messed things up for me. The good news is my recruiter told me I could pick an MOS that didn't require a high security clearance (for now) and in a year or two, once I've proven myself to some extent during my enlistment, apply for something else. Hopefully by that point in time I'll be able to classify it as a youthful indiscretion or something along those lines. It wasn't a drug or assault charge, so I think that's good.

    As for reconsidering the Army? Yeah, I like the idea of being called a Ranger or being in Special Forces, but I think the Marines have a lot more to offer me in terms of the comradery and so on. It just seems like everything in the Marines is held to a slightly higher standard, which I also like. I just know if I went Army I'd spend my enlistment second guessing if I wouldn't be more satisfied or proud of myself as a United States Marine. I want that sense of accomplishment more than anything.


  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom88 View Post
    I have a juvenile record that kind of messed things up for me. The good news is my recruiter told me I could pick an MOS that didn't require a high security clearance (for now) and in a year or two, once I've proven myself to some extent during my enlistment, apply for something else. Hopefully by that point in time I'll be able to classify it as a youthful indiscretion or something along those lines. It wasn't a drug or assault charge, so I think that's good.

    As for reconsidering the Army? Yeah, I like the idea of being called a Ranger or being in Special Forces, but I think the Marines have a lot more to offer me in terms of the comradery and so on. It just seems like everything in the Marines is held to a slightly higher standard, which I also like. I just know if I went Army I'd spend my enlistment second guessing if I wouldn't be more satisfied or proud of myself as a United States Marine. I want that sense of accomplishment more than anything.

    The "youthfull indiscressions" will most likely disquallify you from anything that requires a top secret clearence. I.E. Counter-intel, Marsoc, Recon.
    I'm not sure exactly how waivers work on something like this.

    You speak one language. English doesn't count. You can pick up extra pay for language proficiency but it must be deemed benifical to your MOS/ Duty station. If every Marine that speaks Spanish recieved the extra pay the Marine Corps would be broke.

    There is very little differance between Marine Grunts and Rangers when it comes to what they can do.

    Although it isn't very common you can do an intra-service transfer to go to Army SF from Marines.


  6. #6
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    Disqualify me permanently? That would definitely be a huge disappointment for me. I realize I'm only 20, but I would hate to pay for that stuff for the entirety of my military career, whether I'm in four years or twelve. I guess that's another long term consequence I hadn't considered as a teenager. Way to be a dumb*** I guess.

    Not sure I'm too clear on the language bit. I'm not really trying to get paid more (although that would be nice) as much as I was trying to decide on whether or not speaking Portuguese would benefit me at all, even with a Language or Linguist (not sure on the appropriate general category there) MOS or rather if that's something even worth taking into consideration as I pick my MOS. I know the military performs operations all over the world, but as far as I know being able to communicate with people in downtown Rio is hardly as beneficial as say... speaking Arabic or something these days. Well, that would be my guess anyway.

    Thanks for clearing that up though. I see what you're saying about the Spanish etc..


  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom88 View Post
    Disqualify me permanently? That would definitely be a huge disappointment for me. I realize I'm only 20, but I would hate to pay for that stuff for the entirety of my military career, whether I'm in four years or twelve. I guess that's another long term consequence I hadn't considered as a teenager. Way to be a dumb*** I guess.
    As I said above, it is entirely possible you will be able to get a waiver. I am not sure how waivers on security clearances work.

    If you want to be a Marine, sign the papers and do it.


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