View Full Version : Question about shipping to basic with an open contract. Short verion at the bottom
I am Poolee Ivon Martin and I've been in the delayed entry program since March first of 2011. It has been, and still is, my goal to be a cryptologic linguist in the Marine Corps. I have already taken the DLAB (I took it at MEPS when I entered the DEP) and scored well on it with a 121. When I told my recruiter about this, I was told that with my score I should have a relatively easy time acquiring my desired MOS.
When I tried to sit down with my recruiter to get my contract set up, he told me that I should wait because new jobs were not yet available. I said that I understood that, and I waited. When I brought it up again, a ways down the line, he told me that he would start making calls and attempt to get me this MOS. Once again, I was happy to wait. Now, as I approach my ship date (Sept. 12) I am being told that there is a good chance I will not be able to get this MOS. He asked me if I would rather try for another MOS, or go in with an open contract. This is where I am struggling with a decision.
If I go to basic training with an open contract, what chance do I have of being picked up for this MOS? I scored an 82 on the ASVAB and 121 on the DLAB, and already speak multiple languages, so I hopefully meet the requirements. Should I take my chances with an open contract for the MOS I really want, or attempt to get something else? Also, is there anything I can do before I ship to get this MOS?
I am unsure of what to do. I hear such mixed messages about people going in with open contract, that I don't know what to expect. Any help I could get regarding this would be highly appreciated, and I eagerly await a response.
tl;dr version: I want to be a cryptologic linguist, but my recruiter says he probably cannot get me that before my ship date of Sept. 12. If I go in with an open contract, knowing that I did well on the ASVAB and DLAB, what are my chance of getting this MOS?
Sgt Leprechaun
08-21-11, 03:01 AM
Short answer....unlikely. Possible...but unlikely.
Oh that sucks. I got my hopes up when my recruiter kept telling me it should be easy to get.
Do you suggest I gamble on getting it and go with an open contract, sir? Or should I instead try to secure a different MOS.
Also, sir, could you (or anybody else) tell me anything about how it works with shipping to boot camp with an open contract? I mean, do you walk into a room with someone and they just tell you your MOS, or is there some way in which you are screened based on test scores? Does what you want make any difference? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to decide on how to proceed.
Worst case............
A blindfold ,
a dart,
a man to throw it ,
at a bunch of numbers on a wall,,,,,,
the possibilities are endless.....
lamanognr86
08-21-11, 06:43 AM
You do not want to go in with an open contract. Most Marines who I kno that went in with open contract, got an MOS that was far from what they wanted to do.
Sgt Jim
08-21-11, 01:47 PM
Not sure, but when we went through boot camp we had a week of testing for skills,but that was in 1969.also didn,t get to pick your MOS.Good luck!
Hmm. Perhaps the best option would be to take a less desirable MOS and try to switch to Cryptologic Linguist? When I went to the recruiting office the first time they told me it is not super hard to transfer other jobs, but I've since seen a lot of people say otherwise.
Lisa 23
08-21-11, 03:23 PM
If being a cryptologic linguist is what YOU want, then my advice to you would be to wait.
Remember, it's YOUR life. Do a job in the Marine Corps that YOU know you're going to like, not hate, and if you go open contract, that's what could happen....you could hate the MOS that the Marine Corps puts you in.
Lat moving to another MOS is NOT as easy as you think.
If being a cryptologic linguist is what YOU want, then my advice to you would be to wait.
Remember, it's YOUR life. Do a job in the Marine Corps that YOU know you're going to like, not hate, and if you go open contract, that's what could happen....you could hate the MOS that the Marine Corps puts you in.
Lat moving to another MOS is NOT as easy as you think.
Thank you for the advice, Mam. Now, this leads to another question. I am not really sure how this works, but can I go to my recruiter and ask for a later ship date in an attempt to secure this MOS? Is this a taboo thing, or will they be ok with switching me for a little later?
My original ship date was September 26th, then it was October 10th, before I got moved to September 12th. Should I attempt to get my October date back if it could give me the chance to get this MOS?
I want to try to go career in the Marines, but it is really my goal to do it as a linguist.
Lisa 23
08-21-11, 03:35 PM
Ivon, your goal is to be a linguist, then stick to what YOU want.
There are a few recruiters who check in here from time to time. They can best answer your questions for you.
Keep us updated on how things go...and good luck to you.
Ivon, your goal is to be a linguist, then stick to what YOU want.
There are a few recruiters who check in here from time to time. They can best answer your questions for you.
Keep us updated on how things go...and good luck to you.
Thank you again for your time, Mam. Dave 2571 PM'd me with the name of a couple recruiters. I've since pm'd them links to this thread, so hopefully I hear back from them.
I think tomorrow I will talk with my recruiter about this some more.
He PMd those two recruiters, should hear back relatively soon. They do look in this section from time to time but not always, so the PMs will help.
Sorry, ivon, we posted at precisely the same time.
No problems, Sir. Thanks for taking interest in my situation.
Thank you for the advice, Mam. Now, this leads to another question. I am not really sure how this works, but can I go to my recruiter and ask for a later ship date in an attempt to secure this MOS? Is this a taboo thing, or will they be ok with switching me for a little later?
My original ship date was September 26th, then it was October 10th, before I got moved to September 12th. Should I attempt to get my October date back if it could give me the chance to get this MOS?
I want to try to go career in the Marines, but it is really my goal to do it as a linguist.
Just posting to say that In addition to my questions in the OP, an answer to these questions would be really helpful.
afraziaaaa
08-22-11, 08:51 AM
I am Poolee Ivon Martin and I've been in the delayed entry program since March first of 2011. It has been, and still is, my goal to be a cryptologic linguist in the Marine Corps. I have already taken the DLAB (I took it at MEPS when I entered the DEP) and scored well on it with a 121. When I told my recruiter about this, I was told that with my score I should have a relatively easy time acquiring my desired MOS.
When I tried to sit down with my recruiter to get my contract set up, he told me that I should wait because new jobs were not yet available. I said that I understood that, and I waited. When I brought it up again, a ways down the line, he told me that he would start making calls and attempt to get me this MOS. Once again, I was happy to wait. Now, as I approach my ship date (Sept. 12) I am being told that there is a good chance I will not be able to get this MOS. He asked me if I would rather try for another MOS, or go in with an open contract. This is where I am struggling with a decision.
If I go to basic training with an open contract, what chance do I have of being picked up for this MOS? I scored an 82 on the ASVAB and 121 on the DLAB, and already speak multiple languages, so I hopefully meet the requirements. Should I take my chances with an open contract for the MOS I really want, or attempt to get something else? Also, is there anything I can do before I ship to get this MOS?
I am unsure of what to do. I hear such mixed messages about people going in with open contract, that I don't know what to expect. Any help I could get regarding this would be highly appreciated, and I eagerly await a response.
tl;dr version: I want to be a cryptologic linguist, but my recruiter says he probably cannot get me that before my ship date of Sept. 12. If I go in with an open contract, knowing that I did well on the ASVAB and DLAB, what are my chance of getting this MOS?
On an open contract, you are going to be put in the MOS that the Marine Corps thinks you will best be able to serve. Whether or not that is a 26XX MOS is a subjective opinion. It could happen, or it could not happen.
My question to you is: do you really want to sit in a room, monitor foreign radio broadcasts and translate them all day in hopes of picking up a piece of intelligence that you can pass on to your higher ups so they may or may not do anything with it?
Or, do you want something more exciting?
A 20 year committment is a long one. I would take it 4-5 years at a time. Your life circumstances may change and you may want to do something else.
If you do plan on 20 years, it will be easy to move into a 26xx MOS upon reenlistment. You pretty much get to pick and choose your MOS then, as long as you are qualified for it and there is a spot open for them to take you.
If you do end up doing 4-5 years, then you probably won't look back and say "I remember 30 years ago when I was in the Marine Corps. It was so awesome how I translated those broadcasts in Russian."
It will be something more like: "I remember when I turned 21 in the barracks. I drank so much that I passed out and all my buddies drew on my face then the Sergeant on duty made me write an essay on proper hygiene and removal of permanent marker from sensitive surfaces."
Just food for thought.
On an open contract, you are going to be put in the MOS that the Marine Corps thinks you will best be able to serve. Whether or not that is a 26XX MOS is a subjective opinion. It could happen, or it could not happen.
My question to you is: do you really want to sit in a room, monitor foreign radio broadcasts and translate them all day in hopes of picking up a piece of intelligence that you can pass on to your higher ups so they may or may not do anything with it?
Or, do you want something more exciting?
A 20 year committment is a long one. I would take it 4-5 years at a time. Your life circumstances may change and you may want to do something else.
If you do plan on 20 years, it will be easy to move into a 26xx MOS upon reenlistment. You pretty much get to pick and choose your MOS then, as long as you are qualified for it and there is a spot open for them to take you.
If you do end up doing 4-5 years, then you probably won't look back and say "I remember 30 years ago when I was in the Marine Corps. It was so awesome how I translated those broadcasts in Russian."
It will be something more like: "I remember when I turned 21 in the barracks. I drank so much that I passed out and all my buddies drew on my face then the Sergeant on duty made me write an essay on proper hygiene and removal of permanent marker from sensitive surfaces."
Just food for thought.
Thanks for that, Sir, but I really am sure I want to at least start as a linguist.