Question Regarding Infantry MOS's and Promotions

[SwedishMarine]

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night Marines.

I hope all is well and I was hoping one of you would be able to answer my question(s).

I have a question regarding MOS's and how they affect Promotions.

I am hoping to go into the Infantry Field but I am not exactly sure how ranks determine your MOS.

If I was an Infantry Rifleman (Hypothetically, of course) and I was an E-5, would I still be a 0311 or would my MOS progress?

I am not sure if I am asking the question correctly, or whether or not one could understand it, but I hope at least one of you Infantry, or even non-Infantry, Marines would be able to help me out with my question.

How does one become a Squad Leader/Platoon Leader, for example. And are these positions counted as a MOS? If not, what MOS is required for these positions?

Thank You very much for your time and efforts Marines. Hopefully, I will join you all soon enough.

[Phantom Blooper]

In the Infantry you have 0311,31,41,51's for PVT to SGT.....

Then as an Infantry SNCO....your MOS changes to 0369 regardless of what your primary MOS was...then it becomes a secondary MOS.

The same with all the other MOS's they change when you become a SSGT or above....

I imagine ALL USMC MOS's are similar....but I don't want to research it.....why don't you?:evilgrin:

[SwedishMarine]

Thank You very much for your input, Staff Sergeant.
I haven't had the time to research this, so I was just looking for some general knowledge or a summery of how things work, like the one you just gave.

Another question, don't 0311 Marines work in Fire Teams? If someone is a 0311 Marine and is a Sergeant, would they be the Fire Team Leader until they change to 0369?

[il duce]

Squad leader, fire team leader, SAW gunner, etc are all billets within the respective platoon even though every Marine E-5 and below in said platoon carries the 0311 mos

Rank doesnt matter as much as leadership quality when being assigned a billet. In my platoon, we have a sheot-hot Cpl thats a squad leader and more than one Lcpl fire team leader. In fact, our interim Plt Commander, typically a 2nd Lt billet, is a Sgt

[SwedishMarine]

That's awesome. Thank You Lance Corporal, and also, thank you Staff Sergeant. This has cleared up my questions regarding this subject. I am hoping to be an Infantry Marine and I can't wait until I step onto those Yellow Footprints. Yet something tells me that I'll wish I had waited longer once I get there....haha

[hussaf]

To add to il duce,

My buddy was a squad leader as a lance corporal.

[Quinbo]

Rank and billet don't always go hand in hand. Per that table of organization a fire team leader is a Cpl.... etc. I think Cpl squad leaders really take it in the shorts because they don't recieve a fitness report as a Cpl, even if they lead a squad in combat. Regular ole pro cons just like private smoe.

I hate to say it but tenure has a lot to do with billets .... it is assumed that because you are a salty whatever you are more fit to fill X billet than brand new just got promoted yesterday $hit hot guy.

[CQB0316]

Keep in mind as an 03xx promotions come slow.....very slow. Unless of course your a 21. Then you have one of the lowest cutting scores in the Marine Corps.

[hussaf]

My brother in-law went from a reserve wing support squadron as Motor-T (mech/driver I'm not sure), went AD as a lance and joined 3rd LAR. He got Sarge like only four years, or so, later. I thought that was interesting. Maybe LAR promotes faster, or because he was motor-T before and had some experience with vehicles, or maybe because he didn't join until he was like 27 had something to do with it.

[SwedishMarine]

Thank You very much Marines. It shouldn't take a forum question for one to thank Marines for their help, but thanks again Marines, for everything.