Questions about Intel and Infantry MOS
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  1. #1

    Questions about Intel and Infantry MOS

    Im scheduled to ship to boot camp August 20. Ive gotten good asvab scores and am trying to decide on a job. When i first talked to my recruiter I told him i was interested in infantry and MP. About a month ago he starts talking to me about being an intel specialist and I wasn't interested cuz it sounded like a desk job, then he starts telling me I'll be with an infantry unit and I'll gather intel in the field, interrogate prisoners, go on missions with recon and things of that nature. Keeps talking about how great having a top secret security clearance is and how in his opinion its the best job in the Marine Corps, yet he was never in intel. What he says sounds cool but is the complete opposite of everything ive read about the MOS. Just wanna know if he's bull****ting me or not. It seems like he's trying hard to get me to be an intel specialist instead of a riflemen like i told him i was interested in. Any input from MARINES with experience as an intel specialist would be greatly appreciated.


  2. #2
    I'm a 2671 - Arabic Linguist, which is part of the Intel field. I am currently at a desk job on an Army base (which is where I requested upon reenlistment because I wanted a break from deploying), but before that I was at Camp Lejeune and deployed twice to Iraq. I left the wire with units sometimes. Some people in my job field stayed at a desk job inside the wire, and some spent a lot of time outside the wire.

    The point being that intel jobs can be desk jobs, but not always. If you get to an intel unit, you should be vocal about your intentions to be on the more adventurous side. There is a lot involved in intel - we need some people to go out with the grunts, we need some people to operate gear, and we need some desk sitters. If you come into the field, you will probably spend time doing all of these at some point, but you can probably manage to spend more time away from the desks if your are motivated, willing, and show yourself to be competent.

    I highly recommend going intel.


  3. #3
    It sounds like a good job and I took the DLAB and qualified for intel school but i'm not sure it's the job that best suits me. I've always wanted to go in and have always thought infantry first and foremost best suits me. I just think it's a little strange that I came to my recruiter voluntarily, no call or anything from him, and was full on board with joining and was very vocal about wanting infantry and he seems to be doing everything he can to keep me out of infantry. I want to be going on patrols and things of that nature when in Afghanistan and my recruiter knows this so i feel like he's trying to make intel more appealing to me by telling me these things because i initially said no because it sounded like a desk job and then he came up with all these great,action filled things about the job.


  4. #4
    That could be because infantry is in less demand, and the needs of the Marine Corps may be more directed toward intel jobs.

    I think the language MOS is always hurting for people, so as a general rule (since the Marine Corps doesn't always attract the most intelligent of people), if someone scores high enough that it seems like they can hack it they almost always try and point you towards intel. If you pass the DLAB, the field could really use you. But if you really want to be infantry, stick to your guns.

    Remember, you can always walk away entirely if it comes to that...


  5. #5
    I'm definitely not gonna walk away entirely but infantry is what i've always wanted. My ship date got moved from February 25, 2013 to August 20, 2012 out of nowhere and he keeps telling me that intel specialist is one of the only jobs open but his boss keeps telling me that he's looking for jobs that are open for me. Is it possible that there really aren't many jobs open or is he just saying that so i'll go intel?


  6. #6
    Unfortunately, both options are very possible. The Marine Corps is doing some major downsizing, and that is going to really affect combat MOS's. It is possible that he is BSing you, but the the fact that many jobs are closed is perfectly plausible.


  7. #7
    Im a 2621 - Special Communications Signals Collection Operator

    depending on where you get stationed it can be a deskjob. At a support battalion / joint service base, you wake up go to a building and work at your station. (you still have responsibilties of a Marine, PT, fielddays, unit pt, etc of course)

    at a radio battalion, say camp pendleton you likely dont do a deskjob. They train you in doing with with radio/signal interception since you are attached to a deployable unit. Also you can volunteer to do Radio Recon which is more specialized and physically demanding im sure. You will most likely not be working some deskjob. More infantry-esque type activities...

    I believe as long as you go to a base that has regular deployments i.e. the Big Marine Corps bases you will be out there in the field.


  8. #8
    yea, you might like radio recon I forgot about them.


  9. #9
    What ive always wanted to do was go infantry and become a riflemen and in recent years ive been strongly considering trying to qualify for scout sniper school if I took that path. I dont have any crazy or glorious ideas about what a snipers job is like, i know 2today Marine scout snipers so ive got a good idea of what they do and what it takes to become one. If yall have any input on that path I'd be glad to hear it. And i want to get stationed ar Camp Lejuene


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