View Full Version : Questions about Infantry Mortarmen?
mitchstan12
11-14-12, 06:54 PM
Hello Marines, I have a few questions about the Infantry. I understand that I am not guaranteed a particular MOS, but I have heard of a "wish list" that you get to fill out once you get to ITB for infantry training, and that usually you get what you want if you put out alot. SO without further a due,
*ALL OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS PERTAIN TO THE USMC 0341 - MORTARMEN
1. As a 0341 Mortarman, how often will I be out in the field, sleeping, marching, and conducting operations, in training?? Also overseas on deployments? Will I be out in the field as much as the '11s?
2. If i were a 60mm Mortarman, would i be carrying the entire mortar by myself? What else would I be carrying? (M4, food, etc) How much will my pack weigh?
3. If i were a 81mm Mortarman, do you carry the whole mortar or just parts of it?
4. On average, how often do Marine Mortarman train in the field? What would I be doing in the field as a 0341 Mortarman?
5. How many miles usually would I be humping as a Mortarman in the USMC infantry?
6. As a mortarman, would I be out in the field hiking around and shooting my m16 as much as the 0311's??
7. Do mortarman practice shooting their assault rifles (m16/m4) as much as 0311 rifleman?
Do mortarman cross-train?
8. Do 0341 Mortarmen do patrols, and house clearings like the "11s?
9. How does a 60mm Mortarman differ from a 81mm mortarmen?
10. Please describe the daily life of a Marine Mortarman?
11. How physically demanding is the job of Mortarman compered to 0311 Rifleman?
Finally, how does the life, and training as a mortarman differ from 0311 rifleman??
I know Im asking alot of you, but Im just trying to fill my brain with as much information as possible. I just want to know how physical the job of mortarman is, not because I am scared of it, but because that is what I want. I run perfect PFTs now and I just want to get a good idea of what Infantry life is like.
Thanks alot Marines!
josephd
11-14-12, 08:39 PM
Hello Marines, I have a few questions about the Infantry. I understand that I am not guaranteed a particular MOS, but I have heard of a "wish list" that you get to fill out once you get to ITB for infantry training, and that usually you get what you want if you put out alot. SO without further a due,
*ALL OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS PERTAIN TO THE USMC 0341 - MORTARMEN
1. As a 0341 Mortarman, how often will I be out in the field, sleeping, marching, and conducting operations, in training?? Also overseas on deployments? Will I be out in the field as much as the '11s?
On a combat deployment like Afghanistan, you'll more than likely be tasked out and augmented as an 0311 going out on patrol. This is what happened with both infantry units I worked with in country. But with that dying down, who knows.
2. If i were a 60mm Mortarman, would i be carrying the entire mortar by myself? What else would I be carrying? (M4, food, etc) How much will my pack weigh?
I cant answer this but it depends on the nature of the fight/patrol
3. If i were a 81mm Mortarman, do you carry the whole mortar or just parts of it?
I can't answer this
4. On average, how often do Marine Mortarman train in the field? What would I be doing in the field as a 0341 Mortarman?
You'll more than likely be training in the field all the time
5. How many miles usually would I be humping as a Mortarman in the USMC infantry?
I can't answer this
6. As a mortarman, would I be out in the field hiking around and shooting my m16 as much as the 0311's??
Probably not but again it depends on the nature of the training exercise or patrol
7. Do mortarman practice shooting their assault rifles (m16/m4) as much as 0311 rifleman?
Do mortarman cross-train?
Yes and yes
8. Do 0341 Mortarmen do patrols, and house clearings like the "11s?
Yes
9. How does a 60mm Mortarman differ from a 81mm mortarmen?
I can't answer this
10. Please describe the daily life of a Marine Mortarman?
Depends on if you're on a deployment or not
11. How physically demanding is the job of Mortarman compered to 0311 Rifleman?
I can't answer this
Finally, how does the life, and training as a mortarman differ from 0311 rifleman??
This depends on the training exercise or deployment
I know Im asking alot of you, but Im just trying to fill my brain with as much information as possible. I just want to know how physical the job of mortarman is, not because I am scared of it, but because that is what I want. I run perfect PFTs now and I just want to get a good idea of what Infantry life is like.
Thanks alot Marines!
Asking questions is good but you pretty just asked the exact same question 10 times over. What you do or don't do as an 0341 will vary greatly depending on if you're training, on a combat deployment, on a MEU, and the nature of the training exercise or fight. There is a million answers to all these questions.
mitchstan12
11-14-12, 09:06 PM
Thank you sir for your answers, I really appreciate it! I do understand I asked a lot of questions over again, I was just trying to get as many answers as possible.
I have another question if you could answer it possibly,
I know I'm not a Marine yet, but I'm preparing & planning for my future career with them. So I'm sure you have heard about the upcoming drawdown and troop reductions that will be affecting the Corps in these upcoming years.
So, do you have any idea how this will effect my career with the Marines, I'm set to leave for boot this July but I'm talking about re-enlistments? Will I still be able to re-enlist into the Marines after my first enlistment???
josephd
11-14-12, 09:12 PM
Thank you sir for your answers, I really appreciate it! I do understand I asked a lot of questions over again, I was just trying to get as many answers as possible.
I have another question if you could answer it possibly,
I know I'm not a Marine yet, but I'm preparing & planning for my future career with them. So I'm sure you have heard about the upcoming drawdown and troop reductions that will be affecting the Corps in these upcoming years.
So, do you have any idea how this will effect my career with the Marines, I'm set to leave for boot this July but I'm talking about re-enlistments? Will I still be able to re-enlist into the Marines after my first enlistment???
If you are a good Marine that has all his affairs in order I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be allowed to re-enlist. That said, that is 4 years down the road, who knows what the Corps will be like by then and what kind of Marine you will turn out to be.
mitchstan12
11-14-12, 09:27 PM
Thanks, that really helps me out. With that said, I plan and strive to be the best possible Marine and keep everything in order, stay out of trouble, and score very high on my PFTs CFTs and everything else. Thanks alot
*ALL OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS PERTAIN TO THE USMC 0341 - MORTARMEN
1. As a 0341 Mortarman, how often will I be out in the field, sleeping, marching, and conducting operations, in training?? Also overseas on deployments? Will I be out in the field as much as the '11s?
It all depends on your unit. You will be going to the field alot say in the Stumps (29 Palms) because we can shoot alot out there.
If your with LAR Bns you will do both riding in LAV and humping. Again it depends on which LAR unit you are with.
Yes we go to the field as much as the 0311 since we are all 0311 anyway.
2. If i were a 60mm Mortarman, would i be carrying the entire mortar by myself? What else would I be carrying? (M4, food, etc) How much will my pack weigh?
You will be carrying the M4 or M16A4 rifle, some units have gunners carring M9.
No not the whole thing, remeber it is a CREW served weapon sysytem. TEAM effort here . Weight depends on you. You pack junk with your gear you will.
3. If i were a 81mm Mortarman, do you carry the whole mortar or just parts of it?
Again see above , TEAM effort. We tried on diiferent times to carry it by one Marine, very heavy after a while.
With the whole system , not worth it.
4. On average, how often do Marine Mortarman train in the field?
Depends on unit, may go for 1 day to 35 days.
Even more with CAX or bigger exercises like Kernel Blitz etc.
What would I be doing in the field as a 0341 Mortarman?
Playing cards and throwing seeds at each other.
Really, becoming a better Mortarman.
Gun drills forever, aiming circle drills, M2 compass, compass, Map reading, More gun drills, Foward Observer, Plotting board training, 9 line briefs, SEAD missions, More drills and digging holes or running to get those aiming stakes up for the gun, counting ammo, opening boxed, increments boxes, MORE DRILLS, TRAP drills, Comm checks, decking a station for aiming circle and yes more drills til lunch.
Do the above til evening chow, night missions will start then standing watch.
5. How many miles usually would I be humping as a Mortarman in the USMC infantry?
Depends on how mesesed up your plt is. Depends on your unit.
6. As a mortarman, would I be out in the field hiking around and shooting my m16 as much as the 0311's??
Yep and shooting with 11, 13, 31,51 and 52 also.
7. Do mortarman practice shooting their assault rifles (m16/m4) as much as 0311 rifleman? Yep we do
Do mortarman cross-train?
YEP the fun part here. I did 31, 51, 52 and 21 (Recon) and STA Plt guys.
8. Do 0341 Mortarmen do patrols, and house clearings like the "11s?
Again we are all 0311s but we get special training due to crew served weapons.
9. How does a 60mm Mortarman differ from a 81mm mortarmen?
A WHOLE lot, the can shoot with one hand -60mm), 60s recently got redone so more stable like 81s
81s which I stayed the most, is an awesome weapon, bigger, badder, shoots fire and takes more cleaning time than a 60mm.
81s are the only ones with LAR units, 60mm and 81s are both with line companies.
10. Please describe the daily life of a Marine Mortarman?
It depends.
0400 reville, pt, chow hall, what wver they have have on the matrix for us to do like: Gun drills, Wpns drills - (M16, M9, M240), FO training, going to the visit Arty to learn how the do it, classes, MCI, working parties, swim qual prep etc
11. How physically demanding is the job of Mortarman compered to 0311 Rifleman?
We both do a job so comparing 03XX MOS is not worth it.
We all have a mission:
The mission of the Marine Corps rifle squad is to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver and/ or repel enemy assault by fire and close combat.
Finally, how does the life, and training as a mortarman differ from 0311 rifleman??
See above, we all do the same , live in the same barracks, same hole.
Nothing different. We moan and complain, we shoot, we get dirty, we yell, we fight and at the end of the day were glad we have each other to depend on.
We may never know what may happen tomorrow.
S/F,
CEYA!
120mm Mortars was given to Artillery Battalions.
Go figure.
S/F,
CEYA!
chulaivet1966
12-16-12, 10:49 AM
120mm Mortars was given to Artillery Battalions.
That's the way it was during my era. (W/2/11)
We had the 4.2 Howtar batteries but that configuration was very heavy and cumbersome to deploy.
So after my second operation (April 1966) they became relegated to remaining deployed at fire bases and replaced with the M30 for Ops.
The M30 version allowed us to chop in with the grunts.
Twas a heavy b!tch to hump and set up especially during the monsoon rains.
Anyway, that beast is likely an archaic after thought in the contemporary USMC.
Carry on....back to topic...