Hey All,

Haven't been on in a while (partly due to finishing OCS) so here is a little scoop.

Prior Grunt, now commissioned and have the chance to choose my MOS.

Wanted to hear your praises and gripes of your respective MOS... plus it will give you all a chance to jab each other one more time.

Glad to be back!

Can you do anything you want? I always thought flying a plane would be cool.
(I was 03 so I'll skip the sales pitch )

0802.
While at Fort Sill you will learn all that is needed to run an Artillery Battery. An 0802 is a jack of all trades. You have to learn about being an FO, Fire Support Coordination (planning fires and coordinating with Air, Mortars and Naval Gunfire Support), Fire Direction Center (figuring out the data to put on the guns), Survey (making sure the guns are placed where they are supposed to be), Meteorlogical (how the weather effects the trajectory of the rounds). Just to name a few. Junior Lts. are usually FOs, then as they gain experience, move to FDC, or a Platoon Cmdr. I had the experience of having a good bunch of Lieutenants while I was in. Party with Arty.
Marine Detachment Fort Sill

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

I enjoyed the 5800 field. I'm still in touch with my first CO, who was the Provost Marshal. Maybe he could tell you what that was like as an Officer, if you’re interested, send me an e-mail and I will forward it to him if you like. I always thought armor would have been interesting.

sent you a PM

Back when I joined I was "guaranteed" an engineering billet. I'd had prior experience helping my father, a civil engineer, and thought it sounded like a good deal. The Corps, as was it's wont back then, sent me to Radio Tech school instead. If you have a shot at engineering, go for it. If you're into electronics, you might enjoy comms but, coming from 03, I think you'd find it boring.
Why not just stick to something you know?

Most I worked for were not unrestricted. So go shoot stuff out of the sky.

Semper Fi

Johnny Blaze

quote:

Originally posted by dennismorrow:
Can you do anything you want? I always thought flying a plane would be cool.
(I was 03 so I'll skip the sales pitch )

You can't do "anything" . You have to contract to fly. Outside of that, you can give your top 3, but your score at TBS and the available seats for that MOS determine availability

03Grunt31,

As you've probably already noticed, most new lieutenants with no prior enlisted experience want to be 'John Wayne'. I.e., combat arms.

That means that the competition (such as it may be, with the "Thirds System") is tough for 02, 03, and 18.

But I got to tell you, the clamor from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait is for officers in the 04, 06, and 13 fields.

With that being said, what MOSs interested YOU while you were enlisted? If you're interested in any MOS outside of the 02, 03, and 18 fields you stand a reasonable chance of getting it.

But it seems no one ever WANTS to be an 0180....

quote:

But it seems no one ever WANTS to be an 0180....

No doubt about that - probably the number one fear myself and many others had at TBS (#2 fear for me personally was anything with a 72 in front of it).

You don't necessarily have to contract for air to get an aviation slot. Every class usually has a couple of NA and NFO slots in it (that is how I got it). Obviously you had to pass the ASTB (which they offer at TBS) and the physical, and they do not use the thirds system for those slots - they are strictly linear (at least they were when I went through).

Good luck at TBS.

....too bad.....EOD is probably one of the best....but you promoted yourself right on out of it....congrats and good luck with your future endeavor when you decide...

There is always Marine Recon if your up for the challenge!

There is alotta school slots thrown that direction also and I can say its very fast paced time flies and you are always on the go.

And you get to cross train with alotta SF type characters from all around the world.

It can be very demanding at times but I can assure you it will surround you with some of the most proffesional people you will ever come across.

Also if you prove yourself and do your time it usually opens alotta doors that would not have been opened otherwise.

Good luck in your decision and hope you get what you want.

As BMgilley said, "I always thought armor would have been interesting."

Nothing represents dominance like leading a platoon of M1A1s. Iron fist! Not to take away from the grunts, but when it comes to killing and crushing, nothing says "respect my authority" like 64 tons of sudden death. Plus, as a Sir, you won't have to walk track!

Since you're not going to be a pilot, because you have to contract for that up front.
If you would like to go past the rank of Lt.Col then you probably want to go combat arms fields.
As mush as ou have already had some fun with the grunts, you may want to return there, because they tend to be the ones that get the school seats and commands necessary to make it far.
This is not a hard and fast rule, just something I've noticed and then asked a few 0's about.
That being said, I'd take intel. It seems like a very interesting field with lots of opportunities once you retire.
Who wouldn't want to know some of the secret squirrel stuff

quote:

But it seems no one ever WANTS to be an 0180....

I thought the same until I had one in my OCS plt that was worried about not getting it! Yeah thats right. TO his credit though he was a prior SSgt and loved the MOS. Only 01 I ever knew with a CAR.

Thanks for all the thoughts. I have a lot of deciding to do.

quote:

Since you're not going to be a pilot, because you have to contract for that up front.

Not true (see my post above).

The single greatest job in the Corps is the one I had......Helicopter driver! Its the one job out there that the grunts are glad to see ya!

The Marine Corps is all about the ability to Shoot - Move - And Communicate ! Their is only one that can do all that. 1802 Tank Officer.
You can roll at 45 miles an hour, shoot something 2 miles away, and talk trash while you are doing it! You can send more round's down range in 10 min. than an Inf. Co. can do all day. Also your weapon carrie's you not the other way around.
Agile, Mobile, Hositle
OOORHAAA!!!

Send me a check for $100.00 non negotiable and you can have mine

Are you at TBS now?

Did you just pick up with Bravo?

If so, standby... you will learn plenty about most MOSs. As for your chances of getting any MOS, you'll find out in a number of weeks how many slots per you have