I am joining the Marines and the job I have always wanted since I was a child is to be a tank crewman. Preferably the driver. I have searched for the last couple days but I haven't been able to find anything about it. If any one has any knowledge on the subject I would love to hear it. Especially any thing about how to get chosen for the job and whether you get to choose which position you get. As well as if theres any physical requirements. Or just anything about being a crew member would be helpful.

Don't know much about the tanks but I'll tell you this. Hats off to those guys for being the baddest MoFo's around. Made me feel safe whenever they helped us out

quote:

Originally posted by 12300714:
I am joining the Marines and the job I have always wanted since I was a child is to be a tank crewman. Preferably the driver. I have searched for the last couple days but I haven't been able to find anything about it. If any one has any knowledge on the subject I would love to hear it. Especially any thing about how to get chosen for the job and whether you get to choose which position you get. As well as if theres any physical requirements. Or just anything about being a crew member would be helpful.

So...you enlisted and were guaranteed the 1812 MOS? Or did you come in open contract and put that as one of your options? Basically you will sart off as a driver or loader depending upon the needs of the platoon/company you are with. Some people should never drive cars and the same goes for tanks so they will find out quickly which group you fall into. It is alot of physical work, the tank requires hours of maintanence before, during and after operations. While others come in and are cleaning weapons and field gear you will be working with mechs to fix your tank, perform crew PMCS (preventive maintanence checks and services), get things set up for the next mission THEN clean your crew served weapons, your personal weapons, your gear and finally your *** and a bit of sleep if not pulling guard. It is not the job for the physically and mentally weak. Like most combat arms it is a rough crowd who enjoy working hard and playing hard, learn to have thick skin or get hurt. It has been good to me for 18 plus years now and I would not change a thing but it is definitely not for everyone. Good luck!

All I know is that I was guaranteed the ground option. It was a list of jobs that included tank crew member in it. As well as several other fun sounding ones. But I love driving pretty much anything and have always been pretty good at it so I would really love being a tank driver. Is there anyway I can affect which of those jobs I get picked for? And I'm 6 foot 3 inches and built pretty thick. Would that hurt or help? And when you say learn to get hurt do you mean just normal cuts and burns or are we talking big bone breaks and shatters? What do you mean crew served weapons and personal weapons? Do you get to carry M16s in there or is it something more compact?

I wanted to ask some things about this as well.

I also have a Track's contract and my recruiter said that if i want to be a tanker i should not do so great during the water phase in bootcamp.

He told me If i swim good they might stick me in a AAV.

Are there any other ways to go about securing an 1812 slot while in boot?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Spacecowboy12d3,

I used to have a really kick *** post up about life in USMC tanks....but the purges have since cleaned them off...

as the gent above said, it is hard, demanding physical work....

tank rounds are quite heavy, you will swing a sledge hammer all day long...you will build a track from scratch on hot concrete in the middle of summer.......you will sleep in the pouring rain in the middle of winter......you will spend weeks at a time in the field

for every hour a tank is in operation...it requires 8 hours of maintance

when the tank breaks down...and the company/Bn mechs come over to work on it...they dont begin until YOU have got YOUR portion of the work done...

its a hard life...its a young mans game...after a few years, you will wake up in the AM and feel every creek, pang, ding, bruise your body has to offer....

and I havent even gotten into breaking track and hitting the tanker bar with a sledge....

but the BEST part of being a tanker?

when you fly past a column of grunts WALKING
and you RIDE past them

or as they are digging in between your tanks...you offer down a cold soda out of your cooler and turn up the radio for them to listen as they work

I'm planning on re-enlisting here soon and I'm considering armor if that is a choice I will have. Shooting straight: what are the chances I would go to tracks instead, coming from 03s? I'm a good runner and I'm pretty tall: is the Abrams cramped inside? I'm asking because we crawled inside some of the broken down T55s and it was so damn small in there.

Take a good look at your fingers now , because if you get Tanks, tracks or arty, you will smash, break , dislocate and peal the skin off of all of them. As stated above while the grunts are headed out to town you won`t even had a chance to get started on personel gear cause you`ll still be down at the ramp pumpin GAA and punchin out tubes.

quote:

Originally posted by Thrust_0311:
I'm planning on re-enlisting here soon and I'm considering armor if that is a choice I will have. Shooting straight: what are the chances I would go to tracks instead, coming from 03s? I'm a good runner and I'm pretty tall: is the Abrams cramped inside? I'm asking because we crawled inside some of the broken down T55s and it was so damn small in there.

IM 6'1 260...I fit inside...it was uncomfy...but worked out ok...

you will be fine...besides...you dont wanna be no tuna boater....

So you are going to be a Marine Recruit and you think that you would like to be a Marine Corps Tanker? Good luck at earning the title US Marine, and then becoming a tank crewman. I served as an 1811 back when we crewed M48s and M 67 Zippos. In fact I even got a chance to be a tank commander on both models. The machines, the brothers, the experience I loved it and would not want to have done anything else. Got to spend some time with a USMC Abrams Tank crew a few years back during a Marine Corps Vietnam Tankers reunion and based on that experience it appeared that the only thing that has changed is that things just got a whole lot better in terms of equipment. The Abrams is a beautiful machine. If you have not already done so I suggest that you visit the USMC Vietnam Tankers Association website (Marine Corps Vietnam tanker vets) or the USMC Tankers Association web site (Marine Corps tankers from all years). By doing so you may get an idea as to what being a tanker is like. Also on the USMCVTA web site members can be contacted via links to their E mail. I am sure any of my brothers would be happy to share their revelant experiences. If you should decied to try and contact any of my Vietnam Tanker brothers you should do so before 8/18/07 as most of us will either be in Las Vegas or on or way there to attend our USMC Vietnam Takkers reunion. The USMC Tankers Association will be having their reunion in September in York PA. That is a much larger association and is comprised of Tankers from present day all thw way back to World War II. If you contact the organization someone can put you in touch with an active duty Marine tanker. Tanks may change but Treadheads will always be treadhaeads.
Best Wishes
Belmo USMC 1968 (3rd and 5th Tanks)

bump

Im only 17 and i am planning on joing the marines and being a tank crewmam. i was woundering what was your personal weapons you have inside the tanks. and my recruiter said that i dont really have a choice what tank i drive. if i get the amphibious tank what do they do, do they go in and fight or do they just take troops to land?

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Im only 17 and i am planning on joing the marines and being a tank crewmam. i was woundering what was your personal weapons you have inside the tanks. and my recruiter said that i dont really have a choice what tank i drive. if i get the amphibious tank what do they do, do they go in and fight or do they just take troops to land?

Oh dear god...

Google that shiznit. Since I'm fairly bored, I'll answer some of your questions.

Tankers carry the M9 Service Pistol. We are also issued a rifle; my company uses the M4, some use the M16A2 still. My friend (in another division) was issued a M16A4 when deployed.

The Marine Corps only uses one tank: the M1A1 Main Battle Tank. It is big, heavy, and kills stuff. That's all it does or needs to do.

The AAVP7A1 (Assault Amphibian Vehicle) is used to deposit Marines ashore. However, this vehicle is also used in land operations as well. Note: NOT A TANK.

I doubt you'll see this, since your question was posted in October and you have only posted once. If you do, capitalize "Marine", work on the spelling and grammar, and utilize Google.

Do armor crewman carry rifles when they are out on missions, or do they carry sidearms?

We have M9s and at least one M16 or carbine in the tank.

Tank Crewman are experts at building tank track.

The Best Part is that my weapon carries me not the other way around. I loved it when we roared past a load of 0311's and kidded up a ton of dust and let them chew on it. Alot of very long day's and night's.In all kind's of crappy weather condition's you name it we trained in it. Somtime months at a time. I did enjoy it.
One thing to remember Tank's Like To Hurt People, And They Do Not Care What Side You Are On.