How long till deployment

[AIMSP]

Hi all, and Happy Holidays to everyone

As I sit awake and typing on Christmas day, I can't help but feel gratitude and appreciation for all our Servicemen and women overseas serving our great country. With this, I would like to humbly ask a few questions. I am also watching Restrepo at this moment

How long does it usually take a Marine Infantry soldier to get deployed after Recruit training and SOI? I realize they have to report to a duty station. I ask as I hear the Marines usually want you to be in your unit for 3 months to do pre-deployment drills, but I am entirely clueless and that is why I humbly ask. I know there are a lot of variables, but a general answer would be extremely appreciated.

Also, after SOI and when you report to your first Duty Station, what kind of quasi schools do your units usually hold. Again, I know it varies, so a general answer would be appreciated.


Thanks very much in advance, and I wish a very safe and Happy Holidays to all and your families.


Thanks again!!!

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[josephd]

There really is no answer to the deployment question. Depending on who a Marine gets put with and where he gets stationed plays a big part of that. You could end up like a few friends of mine who went to units(1/4 and 3/1) that just got done with a heavy roeltation prior to them checking in and other than a MEU never went on any deployment. Or you could end up with a completely different unit and go on 3 combat deployments in 4 years(1/6).

So you could check in somewhere and go straight into a work up and deploy within a matter of weeks. Or you could go to a unit and never deploy.

[AIMSP]

Thanks Josephd for the reply,

so assuming you gent sent to a unit that is set to deploy in the near future, would there be some sort of pre deployment trainings with them. The reason I ask, is because I hear that the real learning begins once you leave Recruit Training and SOI, and train with your unit

.....or is it possible that you are on a plane to AFG days after SOI?

Thanks in advance.

[josephd]

Thanks Josephd for the reply,

so assuming you gent sent to a unit that is set to deploy in the near future, would there be some sort of pre deployment trainings with them. The reason I ask, is because I hear that the real learning begins once you leave Recruit Training and SOI, and train with your unit

.....or is it possible that you are on a plane to AFG days after SOI?

Thanks in advance.

Yes your real training will begin when you hit the fleet and you learn how to really work within your assigned fire team, squad, and platoon.

No you are not going to check in somewhere that is leaving that soon.

[AIMSP]

Thanks Josephd,

That really cleared up some answers for me.

If I may ask, what exactly is a 'float'? I know that it consists of being on a ship for six months, but if you have any idea, would you know what infantry Marines do on there. Also, do floats lead up to AFG or does that count as a depolyment in its own, and than you have six months stateside?

Thanks again. I wanna know these things as I would like to serve in combat, and Im not enlisting just to stay stateside and safe.

Happy Holidays!!

[josephd]

Thanks Josephd,

That really cleared up some answers for me.

If I may ask, what exactly is a 'float'? I know that it consists of being on a ship for six months, but if you have any idea, would you know what infantry Marines do on there. Also, do floats lead up to AFG or does that count as a depolyment in its own, and than you have six months stateside?

Thanks again. I wanna know these things as I would like to serve in combat, and Im not enlisting just to stay stateside and safe.

Happy Holidays!!

A float is a MEU(Marine Expeditionary Unit), where you go overseas on a Navy ship. MEU's used to send Marines in country but any longer really. It has been quicker and easier to fly us in. But with the Marine Corps downsizing, drawing down in Afghanistan, and going back to our Naval/at sea roots if anything new pops off a majority of the Marines will probably come from a MEU.

And yes a MEU counts as a deployment. But not a 'combat' one(unless you get sent in somewhere off ship) and what most people think of based on what we've been doing for the last 9 years now.

I am not saying you won't ever get to but based on everything drawing down and our administration we have I don't foresee you or any new/future Marines getting to serve in a combat situation.

[AIMSP]

Thank you,Honestly, I want to serve my country, and I would also like to deploy in one facet or another. That is why I am contemplating the US Army Special Forces (I know, I know, waaaaaay easier said than done), because I would like to be involved in operations, especially training and helping other countries rebuild, or the SEALs who I hear are constantly active. Im not trying to troll, but am curious, do the Marines have any unit that are usually active even during peace time. I keep hearing MARSOC MSOBs, but right now cant get a definitve answer on their direction.I guess what Im trying to say is that I dont want to join just to sit stateside, but to rather do great things for my Country and Branch.Thanks in advance.

[josephd]

Thank you,Honestly, I want to serve my country, and I would also like to deploy in one facet or another. That is why I am contemplating the US Army Special Forces (I know, I know, waaaaaay easier said than done), because I would like to be involved in operations, especially training and helping other countries rebuild, or the SEALs who I hear are constantly active. Im not trying to troll, but am curious, do the Marines have any unit that are usually active even during peace time. I keep hearing MARSOC MSOBs, but right now cant get a definitve answer on their direction.I guess what Im trying to say is that I dont want to join just to sit stateside, but to rather do great things for my Country and Branch.Thanks in advance.

All Marines are always active somewhere doing something. If you are talking about actual operations though yes you are looking at Recon, MARSOC, and possibly FAST(fleet antiterrorism security team). MARSOC is special operations which you would not be eleigible for until you completed your first contract, picked up some rank, and experience. So you can pretty much forget about that right off the bat.

Recon and FAST you can get contracted into if there is seats available and your recruiter thinks you'll fit the bill. A Recon contract I would not suggest to anyone though because if you wash out of the school/BRC you'll end up with an MOS you probably don't want. You don't just go back to being a regular 03xx, like you would if you were an 03xx prior to that. FAST is something that I wanted to do but I went in the reserves instead. But I have a few friends who were with a FAST in Europe. You go to SOI/ITB like a regular 03xx, then you go to Virginia for FAST school, and then off to a FAST duty station somewhere for a few years. Once that few years is over you rotate back to a regular fleet unit/line company to finish out your contract.

[AIMSP]

Josephd, you've really been doing me solids with all this wisdom of yours. Cant say how much I appreciate it!!

What I am curious though is to how dropping out of BRC will get you into a random MOS. I heard from alot of other sources is that if you wash out of BRC, even with a contract, you will simply just end up as a 0311, seeing as SOI is a pre req.
I am by no means debating with you, as I clearly know nothing....just inquiring into why I hear alot of Marines mentioning that. They also mention that recon contracts are 5 yrs long, so if you dont make, you will be required to stay five years, I believe.

And if I may inquire, I hear that Recon and FAST (whom both units I am familiar with and deeply respect), since not being SOCOM assets but rather Marine assets, only see action when their MAGTF or MEU is involved. I read that that was a lot of Marines leaving to other branches where their spec ops where involved with larger mobilization.
So if you could please enlighten me into what MARSOC is all about. I know it is crucial to focus on the 25m target, instead of the 600m target, but there is quite awfully a lack of dearth of info on these guys, and I find you to be very well informed and savy about your Beloved Corps.

Also, if I may ask you, have you ever served along with an Army SF member. I know you said to me earlier that Spec Ops guys put their pants on one leg one a time, etc. However, this time I am asking because I want to know what a Marine thinks on their professionalism, TPP, etc.

P.S. gave you some tokens as sign of great appreciation for 'bearing with my naiveity' on these matters!

[finharder]

JoesephD is giving you some good answers here but I'll answer your BRC/Recon related questions because I was in MART about a year ago and graduated BRC back in the summer. Better to here it from someone who has delt with this, because there is a lot of mis information about MART/BRC/RECON. None that I have seen on this thread per say.

I saw a lot of MART and BRC drops who were recon contracts get their MOS changed. Most of the volunteers (who came in as UH infantry and signed the recon contract at SOI) were able to keep their MOS if they wanted. However, it is up to the MART/RECON cadre and their influence on the MOS monitor and they can re assign you if they want or if they don't think you should be in infantry. Saw that happen more than a few times with guys, regardless of the fact that they hold 0311 as an MOS. It was a big thing while I was in MART that if You dropped on request the cadre would do all they could to pogue you out. These guys also had to go on with 5 year contracts as opposed to 4.

FAST doesn't deal with MEU's but gets tasked out from their foreward deployed areas like in spain to deal with stuff like embassy attacks recently. Howerver i dont know much about them. Theres a fast guy floating around here somewhere I Think.

As for recon you are right they are tasked wit the MAGTF and are attached to the MEU. In general they will only get missions when they do. However that is not the same with the force platoon on the MEU. They can be tasked out regardless of what the battalion landing team (infantry) is doing. And these tasks could be a mission thrown at them to support SOCOM or whoever. The battalion recon asset can also support the Force mission as well so it can very.

With the war dying down for Recon, i Think the idea of getting both assets tasked out to do things off boat is more and more what theyre trying to do and the future of the community. However it wont just be MEU's because the recon line companies deploy a different way and have nothing to do with the MEU.

A good amount of Recon guys have moved to other branches, but with Marsoc in full swing, theyve been trying to get in there as quick as possible as you can't lat move from recon or any other mos with a year and a half as sergeant so they have turned down some quality guys. The marines also want to present lat movers with the decision to go either recon and Marsoc so the two can develope indipendantly and have marsoc stop thinning the manpower from RECON.

I dont blame them because being under SOCOM is far better, especially at this time. As i said there is a shift of focus with the marines and thus recon. The community is restructuring and trying to find out what will keep them relevant and busy. Until this happens fully, MEU centric recon units are gonna have to hope for something big before theyre used. THey could and should be tasked off the MEU, with their assets to do a variety of missions. The skills and capabilites are there and the push for that kind of thing is going. However, until that gets full swing alot of guys come off that MEU thinking recon is dead and all that highspeed training and effort could have gotten them into another special unit that was very active.

Other branches SOF are awesome guys to work with and professional as all hell. We had to AF CCT in our dive school that were great guys, and gave us a run for our money down there.

the 25 meter target as you say is true, but its good to think big and plan what you want to do with your life/ career. A lot of people on this sight think you should just worry about getting through bootcamp and getting it. While true, why wouldn't you want to plan and prepare, especially if you want to go into something like recon?

As far as MARSOC. Theyre mission is FID (foreign internal defense), but also a lot of other things. They are also in the process of building capabilities and missions sets. They will, howerver, have a long presence in afghanistan.


I typed this out fast so i bet there are a lot of spelling mistakes. I Hope it was helpful, if you have more questions about MART/BRC/RECON ask because you will have a hard time finding anyone who has recent, first hand experience with this field.

[josephd]

Josephd, you've really been doing me solids with all this wisdom of yours. Cant say how much I appreciate it!!

What I am curious though is to how dropping out of BRC will get you into a random MOS. I heard from alot of other sources is that if you wash out of BRC, even with a contract, you will simply just end up as a 0311, seeing as SOI is a pre req.
I am by no means debating with you, as I clearly know nothing....just inquiring into why I hear alot of Marines mentioning that. They also mention that recon contracts are 5 yrs long, so if you dont make, you will be required to stay five years, I believe.

And if I may inquire, I hear that Recon and FAST (whom both units I am familiar with and deeply respect), since not being SOCOM assets but rather Marine assets, only see action when their MAGTF or MEU is involved. I read that that was a lot of Marines leaving to other branches where their spec ops where involved with larger mobilization.
So if you could please enlighten me into what MARSOC is all about. I know it is crucial to focus on the 25m target, instead of the 600m target, but there is quite awfully a lack of dearth of info on these guys, and I find you to be very well informed and savy about your Beloved Corps.

Also, if I may ask you, have you ever served along with an Army SF member. I know you said to me earlier that Spec Ops guys put their pants on one leg one a time, etc. However, this time I am asking because I want to know what a Marine thinks on their professionalism, TPP, etc.

P.S. gave you some tokens as sign of great appreciation for 'bearing with my naiveity' on these matters!

I really can't answer these questions as they have to do with the inner workings of each. finharder asnwered most of that though.

Yes I have worked around a few Army SF members. My security team I was with in Afghanistan stayed the night at a few SF PBs(patrol bases) a couple different times throughout the deployment. I am not sure what you mean by their professionalism. I will say that they are some of the most laid back guys there is, Navy SEALs also. They take their job/mission VERY seriously but beyond that they are very relaxed, like to joke, and have fun. They don't sweat the little things like shaving, having everyone look the same, and other things that a traditional Army soldier or Marines take seriously. They are more concerned with function not form/aesthetics.