hey i am a highschool jr and want to join the military. I am way above average in knowlege of firearms for people my age and even know more then alot of people older. i like shooting but not a big fan of the idea of being the main attacker but have no problem defending and having to shoot if it comes to it. I am probably going in to the AF because they have small arms repair and traing along with MPS in one career. so i can work with guns and also serve as a cop. I was wondering if there is a job as a Army MP that is similar so i can be more hands on with firearms but still protect and serve out on patrols and doing other police stuff. My Army recruiter said that he thinks the Army has somthing like that but he has to check it out. Any help would be great i dont really care which branch i just want a job that i like with good pay an benfits with many chances to advance. and the army bonuses an money wise is much better if i can find somthing that i would be just as happy doing.

so I am just wondering if there is a job as a MP where you can train in to small arms stuff while being an MP my recruiter used the term Unit Armorer if that helps.

In the Army, Small Arms Repair is in the Supply chain.
An MP Company would have a unit Armorer, but the actual duty position would be a Supply dude. I've never seen it work that way though. Armorer was normally assigned to the resident Gun Nut, regardless of MOS. They can be sent to a Unit Armorer course, but they are very limited in what they an do in the way of repair/maintenance.

The unit armorer isn't a MOS, it's an additional duty. Usually it's given to one of the supply Soldiers. They do very limited maitenance.

If small arms repair is what you want, there is a MOS that does just that.

MP's don't patrol all that much, look through these threads.

I can't speak for everyone, but my ARNG MP unit does have at least one MOS-specific armorer, as in an E3 who is an actual armorer and not an MP. We also have our own cooks, mechanics, and commo guys.

It sounds like I was in your shoes...very, very much a firearms enthusiast and considering being an armorer because of that fact before enlisting. I have since lived to be extremely grateful I decided to be an MP instead. Trust me, even before you are done with basic or OSUT, you will have seen your fill of M16A2s or M4s, and will be pretty bored with M249s as well. It's not like you're dealing with a huge myriad of awesome firearms on a daily basis as an armorer, it's (depending on what your unit has) dealing with the same 4 or 5 or 6 models of firearms over and over again. Plus you get stuck in a little vault all day while doing so. Meanwhile, the MPs in the company are out training and having some fun with those weapons for a little while.

Oh, and by the way, think strongly about that AF security forces vs. Army MP thing. A lot of people say that the security forces (the AF's MPs) is where the Air Force's "bad eggs" go, whereas in the Army the MPs are typically the opposite, due to the security clearance needed. I'm not really sure that's true. What I AM pretty sure of - since I hear it all the time - is that being an MP is a whole lot more engaging and multi-functional, whereas being in the AF SF is a lot more mundane. Basically convoy escorts/VIP escorts/EPW ops/law enforcement/whatever else vs. guarding airfields/guarding more airfields. This might not be universally true, but it's a farily accurate generalization from everything I've read from both sides. Although it's true AF SF do deploy, the same will be more or less true over there. While as an MP you can expect to be doing MSR patrols, kicking in doors type stuff, detainee ops, (as well as base security) etc., AF SFes will be doing AF base security more often than not.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DropZone357,

Dropzone,

hey that helps alot I talked to a army recutier last night thats a MP and he told me some good stories and how they get to do alot more then just base security stuff. He also said that they can do armory training to + a whole lot of other interesting more specialized areas. so im going to look in to it a bit more but how its sounding so far i think im leaving the AF behind and going to go green. plus all the extra money helps to but not really a desiding factor for me.

Hey jones. My MOS is 31B and I recently switched over to our HQ platoon and I am the NCOIC in our arms room. Your first reply was right, I am part of the supply chain now. I dont know if there is a specific MOS that is specifically an armor, I wouldnt doubt it, I just havn't seen one. If you become an MP its really one or the other.
I went to SAM 31 school (small arms maint.) which is 2 weeks long here in Germany. I was still an MP at the time so I still worked the road, and I was also on the accompianed acces roster to come into the arms room. I came in here about 1-2 times a week, only because our road commitment is so strong. We have ranges once a month, so the week before, I did spend most of my time, 3-4 days in the arms room, PMCS the weapons, making sure they were all functional. Any ranges that we have I go out to the range in case there is a malfuction that goes past immediate action. So to answer your question, if you become an MP, it really depends on your unit, weather or not you'll spend alot of time actually hands on the weapon. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more...

Just re-read some of you posts and answers that you recieved. It depends on where in the world you go, as to if you work the road alot of not. I have buddies on Ft Carson Co. that never work the road, and I have buddies in Korea wear thats all they do. Here in Germany, MP's dont guard gates, we patrol on post. Right now my company has a road commitment of two military instillations which are about 15 min. apart, and all the off post goverment housing areas in between. We are the only MP company here, so last time we deployed, a NG unit from NJ came up and covered down on our road commitment. If you def. want to work the road and do Law Enforcement work, then I think Europe or an overseas tour is a good idea. Dont get me wrong though, there are still units in the states that do work to road, and are strictly garrison.
Your recruiter is right, there is alot of different ways to go after you have been an MP for a while. MPI, CID, are all good sub MOS's that are strictly Law Enforcement. You have to be in the army for 2 years I believe, and have some college, but there are alot of different ways you can go.

quote:

Originally posted by HJonesSF:
Dropzone,

hey that helps alot I talked to a army recutier last night thats a MP and he told me some good stories and how they get to do alot more then just base security stuff. He also said that they can do armory training to + a whole lot of other interesting more specialized areas. so im going to look in to it a bit more but how its sounding so far i think im leaving the AF behind and going to go green. plus all the extra money helps to but not really a desiding factor for me.

No problem.


Are you looking at active duty or guard right now?

I don't know what the MOS is now, but the old 76Y, Unit Supply Clerk had the Unit Armorer's Course as part of the training. As I said though, in 21 years of service, I never saw a 76Y Armorer. They worked in Supply and someone else from the unit was picked for Armorer and sent to Armorer School, usually a two week course.

I was a 95B MP in West Germany in the late '70's. Since our squad had two M60's assigned to it, I was sent to the Unit Armorer's Course in Vilseck. The other Armorer in our Company was a 95B also, not a 76Y. Neither one of us were reclassified to Supply.

Either fortunately or unfortunately for me, right after completing the course, I went home on leave, and upon return, I was promoted to SP4 and sent to MPI School. I transferred to MPI right afterwards, and didn't use my armorer knowledge much until I got into the Reserves, were I was one of two 95B armorers at the unit.

Armorer's School was self-paced back then. The course was as long as you made it and depended on what weapons you had in you arms room. I was in and out of the course in four or five days, having only M1911A1's, M60's, M16A1's, and M203's. I would have had to stayed longer if we had 90MM recoilless rifles and M2 .50's.

I was an MP (95B) back in the 80s. I went through the Armorer's course on Ft. Hood in 1984. I worked as an Armorer on Ft. Drum for my unit (LEA-Law Enforcement Activity) during my second enlistment as an additional duty in 1988. I was the Post Traffic NCOIC & my office was right next to the Arms room.

quote:

Originally posted by gumbydammit:
I don't know what the MOS is now, but the old 76Y, Unit Supply Clerk had the Unit Armorer's Course as part of the training. As I said though, in 21 years of service, I never saw a 76Y Armorer. They worked in Supply and someone else from the unit was picked for Armorer and sent to Armorer School, usually a two week course.

Gumby, I think it is still that way.

In the 1980s for a Infantry company they drew 11 Series from the line platoons and sent them to the 1 week unit armorers course for the Arms Room position (BTDT). The Supply Sergeant (76Y) was seperate and had the Supply MOS.

The 1 week unit armorers course is usually conducted by the Army Division you are assigned to. In my case the 101st. The 1 week course was a total joke. I would not call it a course.

I held the position of assistant to the full time armorer but he was in the same boat as me (also 11 series). Because I was assistant and I didn't want to become a POGUE in a HQ platoon.

I asked the 1SGT if I could remain with the line platoon and only do the armorer duties in addition. He thought I was crazy to volunteer for longer hours but said it was OK with him as long as it works.....and it did AND I think that should be the norm not the exception.

I'm pretty sure it still works this way and nothing has changed.

We never did major repairs on the weapons as was stated above. Just basic maintence scheduling, replacement of worn parts, inventory, etc.

Well as having been in the logistic business for 30 plus years it went like this.

Unit Supply "Can" be the armor ( I was a Supply Sgt, E-6 type) and was sent to small arms repair (still have the cert) back in 1975. Repair (light) from the 45 to the and include the 50 cal.

Now that being said..I never step foot in the arms room except to draw my weapon, one of my clerks was the actual armor (train also) I was his backup.

In my many years in the service (over 38 for pay) the armor was a person they had (unit) assign the extra duty to, it could a supply clerk a admin clerk, motor pool jock, etc..its who the unit tag. I even have seen jr officers working the armor roll.

But there is/was a small arms repair MOS ( can't think of it right now) I knew someone down in Panama that work it, it might be all contracted out now as my info is old.

However, I think the armor mos (if still around) slash small arms repair would be a dead end job anyhow, highest one "Might" see is E-5, maybe.

Hope that helps a little

Hey Mr.Jones
I am a former LEO who is also interesting in joing "something" not sure of what yet - in the US Military. I also have the same love of guns as yourself. Apart from shooting with my old PD department, I have shot in IPSC and IDPA with both pistol and rifle. I also own and love Glocks, GI Style 1911s as well as the M9, an m4 and a M1 Garand. I think I got the bases covered. So yes, im in the same boat as you, wanting to serve our country and maybe shoot and repair some guns. I want to become a civilian Gunsmith someday, so theres my hidden agenda.

I have battled between the Master At Arms, USMC, CG, AF SF, and the Green Machine for a long time now. I don't know about you, but if anything, im just really dizzy at this point. Its a hard choice for me, because I micro-analyze.

Being a Cop on the street here is good work. But expect just that, with extra on the work. Some of it is bad, like shaking down guy's who simply refuse to shower or change clothes. Grabbing bloody strangers is no fun either when they are fighting and hopping around. Still though, thats the easiest part of the day. Because then you have endless paperwork, watching your prisoner, getting him medically cleared (if he got hurt) and department drama to keep busy with as well One thing is for sure, your love of firearms will not be satisfied by your job when you DO choose to do civlian LEO. Take it from me brother, I been there. If you wana get to use weapons and work on them, everyone told me to join the service. So here I am, just like yourself.

So how far along are you until your ultimate dance with fate- the final choice ?

(I can say that because Fate is saving that last dance for me! )

At this point im just like look. Gimme something cool, anything. If I get Mout Training with a Super Soaker i'll be happy.

Or maybe they will let me do Armorer if I double contract myself as Fishing Tackle Repair and Maintence.

I wont even ask about joining the Army Marksmanship Unit because I am imagine that would take years to get even close to.

-they call me "numbers"