View Full Version : Soi
what % of Marines get the MOS they want in SOI?
mortar-E-4
01-30-06, 02:14 AM
Maybe 20 percent of infantry marines get what they really want, my first pick was 0351 assaltman, but I got 0341 mortarman, and that is even if you are eligible for a weapons M.O.S. It all depends on your g.t score from your asvab. some marines are only eligible for 0311 rifleman or 0331 machine gunner. no matter what your M.O.S is in the infantry, you'll be a GRUNT! and GRUNT is enought.
SEMPER FI
Cpl. ACE.(irr)
Maybe 20 percent of infantry marines get what they really want, my first pick was 0351 assaltman, but I got 0341 mortarman, and that is even if you are eligible for a weapons M.O.S. It all depends on your g.t score from your asvab. some marines are only eligible for 0311 rifleman or 0331 machine gunner. no matter what your M.O.S is in the infantry, you'll be a GRUNT! and GRUNT is enought.
SEMPER FI
Cpl. ACE.(irr)
If you want to be an 0311, what are some things that you can do to increase your chances of getting it?
Not saying I would do this, but I heard some scuttlebutt that if you purposely fail the "common skills" tests at SOI, they automatically make you an 0311, is this true? What are some other methods to ensure you get 0311?
Thanks
ok, thanks for the info.. i was only considering going infantry if i can for-sure get anything besides rifleman / machinegunner.
Patrick8605
01-30-06, 09:57 AM
If you want to be an '11 its not that hard. ask you're instructors, talk to them, don't be a scared boot. If you talk to them before common skills and tell them you would really like to be an '11 they will usually hook you up. before common skills the instructors will ask the whole company who wants what. If talk about what you want before common skills the instructors will pay attention a little more.
When I went through some guys got put into weapons that didn't even want it. Other guys got stuck as an '11 and they wanted weapons...in the end its kind of the luck of the draw.
mortar-E-4
01-30-06, 10:26 AM
just ask man, and you'll get it.
JoeSzynal
01-30-06, 11:14 AM
Don't tank the test either. That's dumb. Do your best and keep your options open. You may not even be sure what you want right now. Why limit yourself.
no i would try to do my best so i could be an LAV Crewman or mortarman..
got an 86 on the asvab.. i know i missed all the mechanics questions, that brought me down.
but they base it on your GT score.. thats Arithmetic and Reasoning + Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension.. i know i did very well on those.
does that mean i should get first pick?
ok, got real numbers for you now.
my GT score is 111. with that score, will i definitely get weapons if i request it? how about chances?
After 20 years with several of those as an Instructor at ITBn,SOI. I would suggest that you don't tank any test. No matter what you end up with as an MOS things could change drastically when you get to your unit. Needs of the CORPS. Strive for as much knowledge as possible because, when the @#$% hits the fan you're going to want to know as much as possible. GOOD LUCK.
i have a question, the only thing i want to do when i join is be the infantry, preferably a rifleman or assaultman. can i just request to be a rifleman and they'll let me, or is there a possibility that i would get a desk job, because i would not like that.
Rdy2gopoolie
01-30-06, 07:24 PM
what about the contract? do you get what you had in the contract as long sas you meet your end of the bargain? or when you get to the unit is it still need of the corp?
JoeSzynal
01-30-06, 08:33 PM
Talk to your recruiter for the most up to date info about availability. Sometimes MOS's close down for periods of time and you have to wait. If that's the case, then just wait till you can lock down what you want.
For infantry, unless you go reservist, you can only secure the 03 but not the specialty (i.e. the "11" in 0311). Even as a reservist I believe the unit you are destined to go to has a say in what they need and what's available.
So you finish boot camp and then you are off to infantry school. Not to long after the program starts you fill out a dream sheet where you list the specialties in order from most favorite to least. Not too long after that you are assigned a specialty and the company splits into a weapons platoon and a 0311 platoon and you continue your training separated in your little groups. Riflemen do their thing all day, mortar men do their thing etc.. and you see each other sometimes in the chow hall and later in the barracks assuming you are not in the field (0311s are in the field a lot. getting to sleep in your rack becomes a treat). The whole company goes on several humps together and there are certain weeks with other combined field ops but for the most part you are separated during the day.
As Staff Sgt. H said, it's about the needs of the Corps. I remember I originally wanted to be a straight up 11. However before our cycle even started there was a need to graduate about 40 0311s to then be sent off to LAV school. 0311 was the most popular MOS in my cycle so needless to say there were some Marines who were not happy when they were told they would go on to become 0313s. It sounded interesting to me and now I can say I honestly love it. Some of those same guys who were upset at the time came to 29 Palms with me and were made scouts on the LAV and now they love it. It's the perfect combo for them. They get to use their 0311 secondary MOS and execute some of the most diverse missions. Some are in the driver’s hole and are still ****ed off. I stayed interested and motivated and was bumped up to gunner.
So basically there is no way to answer that question "what are my chances of getting exactly what I want". There is no way to tell.
It wasn't my original plan but things worked out fine. Didn't get the primary MOS I wanted but I would not switch now if it was offered. I also didn't get the duty station I wanted ( got 29 Palms instead of Camp Pendleton) but turns out we've got some of the best training for what I do and it's still only a couple hours drive back to family/friends in southern California. And we get to go to Iraq sooner!!!
Point is you take what you get and focus on the positives.
got it. i think i'll stick with my amtrack, though. if i go infantry i'd only want to be LAV Crewman or Anti-Tank Missleman. nothing wrong with the others, just not what i want to be. thank you for the help.
outlaw3179
01-31-06, 03:12 PM
0331 Supergurnts!
outlaw3179
01-31-06, 03:30 PM
oops...grunts can spell :)
Old Marine
01-31-06, 08:12 PM
Sure way to become an 0331 Machine Gunner is to spray the target during rapid fire on qual day in Boot Camp. The DI will see that you get your wish.
If you want to be a Mortarman and lug that **** tube around then go for it.
mortar-E-4
02-01-06, 09:49 AM
0341 Crazygrunts
Rdy2gopoolie
02-01-06, 02:37 PM
wouldnt you get in trouble for spraying the target?
outlaw3179
02-01-06, 03:50 PM
I think he was joking .
Rdy2gopoolie
02-01-06, 04:03 PM
:) hehe oh oka.
haha. found out something very funny.
if you go active immediately, THEY pick your MOS for you at SOI.
no guarantees for any job.
however, if you went reserves first, you get to pick your exact MOS before you go to boot camp (assuming your scores qualify).
in other words, if you want a specific job, go reserves and tranfer active duty after you complete SOI.
according to my recruiter, the only small risk in doing this is when you go to transfer active (after completing all training), sometimes that position you're trying to get in is already full.. in which case you have to wait a few months until it frees up.
anyone know anything about this that i dont?
outlaw3179
02-02-06, 05:13 PM
you cant just transfer into active duty when you complet SOI. Its a process and I know alot of guys who actually were not let go by the command.