how do I qualify to become an 0311 Rifleman in the Marine Corps?

[mattnovello]

I'm looking to become a 0311 Rifleman as my MOS, How can I make this certain when i go to boot camp?

[josephd]

you can't....you can sign an 03xx/infantry contract and then more than likely you'll be an 0311 if that is what you want but there is no guarantee. You might end up as an 0331 machine gunner, 0341 mortarman, 0351 assaultman, etc...

[mattnovello]

so basically my chances are moderate, but not 100 percent. Is there anything I can do to push towards the 0311 MOS by focusing on it more in ITB training or should I just hope for the best? Also, can a recruiter help me out with the MOS I want when I enlist?

[josephd]

no one, not even the recruiter can guarantee you get to be an 0311. You get contracted into an MOS field, so you can get an 03xx contract. When you get to ITB after boot, after the first couple of weeks you'll go into the split when you get to decide what you want to do exactly. At that point you just stay with the 11's and continue on with training. The others that want to be 31's, 41's, 51's, 52's will go there separate ways. I would say so long as you can get an infantry contract you will have a good chance to be an 0311, but again it is not guaranteed

[mattnovello]

Ok thanks for your help.

[chili77bowl]

I was an instructor at SOI...if you want 0311, make sure that when you are asked, that you inform your instructor of this (seriously, I'm not joking)...

When I was there, we gave a brief to the company over what each MOS did, and then we asked for volunteers...the Privates went to each instructor and put their names down to be screened for those MOS'...if you didn't put your name down on the 0331,0341, 0351, or 0352 then you were saying "I want to be an 0311" and we NORMALLY didn't even bother looking at you for any of the other fields...HOWEVER, if we didn't receive the number of Marines to fill all our slots, then sometimes we went looking at the better qualified 0311's and re-asked...and if no other takers came forward, then we just voluntold the best qualified.

I said all that to say this, If you really want to be 0311, then you will be.

Most of the time, we would not force anyone to be something they absolutely did not want to be.

So for the qualifications to be one:
1. Do you have a penis?
2. Do you have a heart beat?
3. Are you breathing?

If you answered yes to all three of these, you have a great chance of being one.

[m14ed]

So for the qualifications to be one:

1. Do you have a penis?

2. Do you have a heart beat?

3. Are you breathing?

If you answered yes to all three of these,
you have a great chance of being one.

Be advised Please
only took ONE in the "old days"