View Full Version : Help: Marine Corps Security Forces
G.I. Joe
01-14-06, 07:26 PM
Well I am an interested candidate to enlist in the USMC, I am from Puerto Rico and I will like to know if someone could brief me of how is the MOS of Marine Corps Security Forces. I will be pleased to know if someone could answer me. Thank You
Well I am an interested candidate to enlist in the USMC, I am from Puerto Rico and I will like to know if someone could brief me of how is the MOS of Marine Corps Security Forces. I will be pleased to know if someone could answer me. Thank You
Security Forces is not a primary MOS, it is an option on top of a standard Infantry contract. If you sign a Security Forces contract you will be Infantry, it's just you spend the first 1.5 years in MCSF before hitting the fleet as an Infantry Marine.
Also, if you get the MCSF option then you have to sign for 5 years instead of 4.
Macgerailt
01-21-08, 09:45 PM
I was there in the beginning. Back in the 80's Marine Barracks was rolled into the Marine Corp Security Force Battalion.
I know this post has nothing to do with your question but I just surfed onto this page and it brought up old memories.
I had a lot of great times in Norfolk.
One quick note about security forces...
The Marine Corps is finally deploying units back to Afghanistan. Do you really want to be doing 1.5 years of firewatch in MCSF and miss out on all that fun in the Ghan? When you hit the fleet, your peers will just be returning from Afghanistan. You won't be treated the same.
I've never seen someone as vocal against a certain billet/MOS as you are towards SF. You have some serious pent up animosity towards these Marines that I think you need to take up with a heavy bag.
I've never seen someone as vocal against a certain billet/MOS as you are towards SF. You have some serious pent up animosity towards these Marines that I think you need to take up with a heavy bag.
When you're in a unit where you receive an influx of Cpl's hitting the fleet with just 2 years until their EAS and the knowledge of a boot and are put in positions where their lack of knowledge will get other Marines killed, you'll understand why. And it's not just MCSF, it's things like 8th&I, etc. as well.
Most of these Marines become 03Pogues when they hit the fleet after 2 years, they'll go into billets like armory custodian, company clerk, police sergeant, etc. Very rarely are Marines from MCSF or anything similar ever put into actual combat roles or leadership billets once hitting the fleet, at least in my unit.
skaterjon89
01-22-08, 04:38 PM
I signed for security forces it by changing it for a variety f reasons to 0861.
SlingerDun
01-22-08, 05:22 PM
What Accord says sounds familiar. So after Security duty you are dealt into a line company like i was. You CAN learn the 0300 trade you only had a taste of in MOS school. Your still young and not ruined or too ignorant to learn, it just takes time. If by chance you are an NCO it's the job of the senior men to hurry you along which benefits the entire unit.
--->Dave
When you're in a unit where you receive an influx of Cpl's hitting the fleet with just 2 years until their EAS and the knowledge of a boot and are put in positions where their lack of knowledge will get other Marines killed, you'll understand why. And it's not just MCSF, it's things like 8th&I, etc. as well.
Yea...when I'm "in a unit where"...I had a PM from you from back when we were both poolees and you were talking the same sh*t about them. This is way before you were "in a unit where", or a recruit, or even rated to talk **** about anyone who is serving their country.
Stop looking down on other Marines' jobs. Everybody in the Corps has their duty. Don't think for one second your is more important than theirs.
SlingerDun
01-22-08, 06:07 PM
You guys faced with leaving MCSF and entering the Infantry, it's true that you are treated different. Often with contempt and considered a pogue. Teasing is the most harmless of what you will get. Grunts experienced or not dont care if you were big man at the guard shack and could press and spit shine or supervise a field day like a D.I. Or even if you could whip two squids while nursing a stomach flu. You gotta prove up, again, like everybody else and everywhere you go. I've trimmed and shod thousand of horses over 21 years and most new customers don't know me from Adam so i still gotta prove up, it never freaking ends.
So if you are thrown to a line company let up on the starch and kiwi, don't pretend your king shiat or BS anybody but dont take to much either, be willing to throw down. Keep your eyes and ears skinned and mother up to those who would help you along.
There will often be somebody who steps forward as a mentor. When the student is ready the master will appear.
--->Dave
zackmerc
01-23-08, 11:09 PM
What sucks about that job is that you might end up as a Corporal before returning to the Fleet Marine Force as a regular 0311. You will pretty much know little or nothing about being a grunt. If you don't stay locked on to your MOS, the lance corporals and privates may despise you. It happens.
LeonardLawrence
01-24-08, 01:44 AM
What sucks about that job is that you might end up as a Corporal before returning to the Fleet Marine Force as a regular 0311. You will pretty much know little or nothing about being a grunt. If you don't stay locked on to your MOS, the lance corporals and privates may despise you. It happens.
Good point. To add to it. The good Lance Corporals and PFCs will take pity on you, if you look like you want to learn and help you along, for the good of all involved.
I think part of the problem is seeing people who have spent their time in the unit get bumped. It is hard to treat your squad leader well, when you had that spot a few days ago. Marine up and realize that is the way it is. You should be willing to lend a hand and knowledge and stow your personal feelings.
thewookie
01-24-08, 07:40 AM
It's not a job for everyone so be sure to do your research. And some guys are disqualified before they finish the school so make sure you understand that you could be back in the fleet polishing the rocks. And, like some of the guys have said, you could also go there and after you're done end up going back to the fleet and have to learn your job all over again from some boot azz PFC or LCpl. They know a lot. And in the short term, you could also miss out on getting deployed to a combat zone, if that's important to you right now?
The good things are; if you're stationed overseas at a MCSF post you're going to have the time of your life. You'll have the best libo, the best women around you, and have the ability to travel around your area and see places that most guy's can't even dream of. Well, they might do a float and see it for a day or two on libo but they'll never experience it like you are going to. Guys in the fleet when they go out in town there are millions of other servicemen out there, on MCSF duty you might go out in town and be lucky to see an American nevermind a bunch of other knuckleheads being idiots. It's different. In Security Forces your given much more responsibilty and you're going to be treated differently, not so much like a baby for the first couple of years. Depending on where you're stationed you'll also get some great contacts to exploit, later on in life. And there are plenty of opportunities for some additional military school seats. Basically if you don't mind missing some time in the "ghan" and can deal with picking up the knowledge after, it will be the time of your life. But most guys never experience it so they just trash talk about what they heard about. Usually it's boots doing the trash talking so take that with a grain of salt.
Look at it this way, most Marines who are not the lucky 3,000 going to the "ghan" or over in Iraq getting some trigger time already, are back in the rear studying, scrubbing rocks and cleaning weapons? Or they might be spinning up to go, but there are a lot more units that are just sitting on their hands polishing rocks. So what would you rather do for a few years?
All of the younger Marines in Greece and Italy that I knew when I was there wouldn't give up what they had for anything! It can be very good duty if you have the right attitude about it, or it could blow just like anything else in life.
And,, if you really want some combat time so you can be way mad whoa, but you still want MCSF, try going to FAST. They have some time.
It's not a job for everyone so be sure to do your research. And some guys are disqualified before they finish the school so make sure you understand that you could be back in the fleet polishing the rocks. And, like some of the guys have said, you could also go there and after you're done end up going back to the fleet and have to learn your job all over again from some boot azz PFC or LCpl. They know a lot. And in the short term, you could also miss out on getting deployed to a combat zone, if that's important to you right now?
The good things are; if you're stationed overseas at a MCSF post you're going to have the time of your life. You'll have the best libo, the best women around you, and have the ability to travel around your area and see places that most guy's can't even dream of. Well, they might do a float and see it for a day or two on libo but they'll never experience it like you are going to. Guys in the fleet when they go out in town there are millions of other servicemen out there, on MCSF duty you might go out in town and be lucky to see an American nevermind a bunch of other knuckleheads being idiots. It's different. In Security Forces your given much more responsibilty and you're going to be treated differently, not so much like a baby for the first couple of years. Depending on where you're stationed you'll also get some great contacts to exploit, later on in life. And there are plenty of opportunities for some additional military school seats. Basically if you don't mind missing some time in the "ghan" and can deal with picking up the knowledge after, it will be the time of your life. But most guys never experience it so they just trash talk about what they heard about. Usually it's boots doing the trash talking so take that with a grain of salt.
Look at it this way, most Marines who are not the lucky 3,000 going to the "ghan" or over in Iraq getting some trigger time already, are back in the rear studying, scrubbing rocks and cleaning weapons? Or they might be spinning up to go, but there are a lot more units that are just sitting on their hands polishing rocks. So what would you rather do for a few years?
All of the younger Marines in Greece and Italy that I knew when I was there wouldn't give up what they had for anything! It can be very good duty if you have the right attitude about it, or it could blow just like anything else in life.
And,, if you really want some combat time so you can be way mad whoa, but you still want MCSF, try going to FAST. They have some time.
FAST has never seen combat and being in FAST gets you no more respect than any other MCSF boot when you get to the fleet, and it will infact get you treated worse because most FAST guys have a chip on their shoulder thinking that they're hot **** when that's not the case and it'll take a salty LCpl or another NCO to put them in their place while most regular MCSF Marines are more willing to adapt and learn.
Every unit in the Marine Corps right now is in some way shape or form either deployed, just got back from deployment, or getting ready to go.
Yea...when I'm "in a unit where"...I had a PM from you from back when we were both poolees and you were talking the same sh*t about them. This is way before you were "in a unit where", or a recruit, or even rated to talk **** about anyone who is serving their country.
Stop looking down on other Marines' jobs. Everybody in the Corps has their duty. Don't think for one second your is more important than theirs.
Negative, I had a UW MCSF contract when I was a poolee and it wasn't until I had a talk with various Marines when I realized that it would be a mistake to go MCSF if I wanted to deploy and I ended up dropping the MCSF option and going straight infantry. Low and behold and now 1 year later here in the fleet, it's all completely true.
Fact of the Matter is if I kept that MCSF contract i'd be standing firewatch at some gate, instead of getting my gear list ready to deploy to Afghanistan in a matter of weeks. I don't know about you, but I know what most Marines would rather do...
thewookie
01-24-08, 10:59 AM
FAST has never seen combat and being in FAST gets you no more respect than any other MCSF boot when you get to the fleet, and it will infact get you treated worse because most FAST guys have a chip on their shoulder thinking that they're hot **** when that's not the case and it'll take a salty LCpl or another NCO to put them in their place while most regular MCSF Marines are more willing to adapt and learn.
Every unit in the Marine Corps right now is in some way shape or form either deployed, just got back from deployment, or getting ready to go.
FAST Co. had combat time when you were still in grade school just starting to pop pimples on your face, do your homework or TALK to the right people. It may not have been some big war like you have now, but when you were dreaming of be a Marine guys in FAST Co.,were going live. You and your unit are not the only thing that matters Marine, you're just one piece of the puzzle and you should talk with less authority of that which you know nothing 1st hand about.
I bet you had some run in with some piece of crap guy from MCSF or maybe some guy from FAST and you think you know something now. Maybe he pulled rank and he shouldn't have so you're little sour? BFD. Get some time under your belt and do something or talk to more then one guy from FAST Co., and then you might know why they have a chip on their shoulder. Maybe you'll realize that your boot azz can learn a lot from him just as he can from you. You automatically assume that you're the top dog, haha. You may know something they don't about being a grunt, but don't forget it works both way. They have skill sets that you're just starting to learn while you get spun up for the "ghan." The bottom line is it's a team effort, and with the attitude you're displaying you think you're the only thing that matters. You are wrong.
And for the record, if anyone has a chip on their shoulder it appears to be you, a year in, basically a little more then 6 months time in the fleet and a true sea lawyer already. Great, another one.
I laugh when you go on about how somebody is going to perform when the sh*t hits the fan. "They might get someone killed because of their lack of knowledge" Last time I checked you have zero combat time, so who's to say you won't get someone killed? I pray to god you don't but you have some balls to think you're the authority on who's got a clue and who has not. You've done a lot of training, (6 months worth of fleet training) but you haven't been there yet either?
And you can have all the knowledge in the world but if it's your day, you're done.
skaterjon89
01-24-08, 11:30 PM
when I was still planning to go MCSF a Marine came back from Iraq saying that I should study my knowledge to be more accepted by the other 03xx guys.
thewookie
01-25-08, 06:42 AM
That's great advice to listen to John. The only way you'll ever get accepted professionally in any profession is with your level of knowledge for the job. People may or may not respect the rank you have but they'll ALWAYS respect the knowledge, and your ability to lead and deliver with that knowledge. You will be behind your peers but you can make the knowledge up with genuine effort and some good troops around you. It's all about your attitude. Like Accord said if you finally get to the fleet after MCSF and you have some "I'm better then thou" attitude then you'll get no help, and they'll probably make your life misrable. But if you go there knowing that you have some knowledge to make up then you should be okay.
Poolee Fraser
08-28-09, 11:08 PM
my cousin was in MCSF F.A.S.T and is now in Afghanistan in the Fleet