Initially, I signed up for Infantry and found out during my last week of boot that I ended up with 0621 Field Radio Operator. My question is, will I be able to see combat with this MOS? My Drill Instructor said I have to sign onto an Infantry battalion, or else I wont see it. Im just looking for a second opinion, and hopefully a little more information because I really dont know what I'm going to be doing, all my time was spent learning all I could about Infantry prior to going to boot.
Thanks for the advice, in the mean time I plan on soaking up whatever I can about being a RO.
You can still be where all the action is depending on what unit you are assigned to once you complete Radio School. Every unit requires a form of communications no way around that, so I wouldn't be worried about not seeing combat so much. At current strength levels, any MOS can be used anywhere needed dependingon who needs what where and how soon. Remember, every Marine no matter what the MOS is also a ground pounder first and foremost.
im an 0621. i am with the pogest of pog units. i saw a little combat in iraq though. while infantry and other such units will see the brunt of the fight, us radio operators in other units CAN still get the opportunity. it all depends, but there is always a chance regardless of the unit you are with that you can see combat as an RO
Every unit has the chance of seeing combat. If you want to increase your chances of seeing combat as an 0621, request to go to an infantry unit. However with that being said, the 4 line companies that form the battalions usually contain only 2-3 0621s each. The rest go to the battalion comm platoon.
If you are a PT stud, and can hack it, request to go to MARSOC while you are at MCCES. A MARSOC team will Recruit, Select, Assess, and Screen (RSAS) you. From there, to make a long story short, if you survive the BRC/MSOB/MSOC training pipeline, you will end up with a secondary MOS of 0321 (Recon Marine) and conduct Direct Action/Surveillance and Recon (DASR) missions as part of a 5-man MSOT. This was previously known as Force Recon, which is now MSOB (MARSOC).
Alrighty then......now that it's 3 months later since I started this thread, on 20070731 I will be graduating MOS school.
We got where we will be stationed and what Units we will be going to. Somehow, I happened to get "lucky" enough to be able to stay here in sunny 29 Palms, but honestly, I guess I don't really mind it here. Anyways, I'm going to VMU 1J1. I'm wondering if anyone can fill me in as to what I'll be doing, I've heard it has to do with unmanned spy planes, other than that I'm clueless. What will I be doing as far as training? What about while in Iraq? What about during times of peace? And last question, what types of radios will I be seeing in this unit?
Since you are still in the Stumps, why not walk over to the unit and introduce yourself and ask those questions. It's just up the road from the school house.
When I was with the wing, most of the radios we used were the usual VHF (old PRC-77 and MRC-110) and UHF (PRC-113/VRC-83) radios. Every 06XX I've had that has checked in from school pretty much had to learn the comm gear via OJT. They give you the basics of Radio operation, when you get to your unit is where you learn how everything works (if you have a good Radio Chief).
As the boot in the shop, expect to be doing SL-3 inventories, cleaning contacts with you trusty eraser, and putting silicone on everything made of rubber! Oh yea, if you have MRC vehicles, enjoy Motor Stables!
In Vietnam, Mr. Charles looked for the individual on either end of the R/T cord. One was the HMFWIC and the other was YOU. Isn't that a comforting thought if you're headed for the Sandbox?
That was one of the things they stressed more than anything back in the 70's during Comm school. You have just so many seconds to get your message out and get the hell out of where you're at as soon as it's sent. Less than 9 seconds time is all they gave us to do our thing. Anything over 9 seconds, you could kiss your *** good by. I felt a bit better when I got sent to Microwave Comm school right after FROC, it was like getting a new lease on life.
Two kinds of people were always in short supply in "Nam" - RTO's and platoon leaders. It was not a good thing to be on either end of that cord, neither as a 2ndLt or a LCpl, though at least you got better accommodations as the former before you got dinged as opposed to the latter.
my son is a 0621 and has been since he went into the corps back in 02. it took him a while to get to a grunt unit. he was with 2 comm bn's at first, 8 comm bn and 9th in okinawa. when he came back to the states in 2005 they sent hinm to field arterly well that ended soon he was reassigned to 3/8 3rd battalion 8 the marines. he shiped to iraq but it took him 3 and half years. after returning from iraq in early 06 he reenlisted for four more years but he told them either I get to be with 1st recon or I will get out and join the army go into special forces. well 2 weeks after that he calls and tells me he is going to camp pendleton with 1st recon. before he left I told him find the most grizzldy gunny that is an instructor in the swime test and have him teach how to pass the first class swim test. he did and passed it with flying colors. also he did no have to go to the brc basic reocn course as he served with recon in iraq the first time. his lt game him a letter of commendation for the work he did in iraq the first time. so be patient you will get ur time with the groundpounders. just remember that you are still a infantry first. and the other mos comes 2nd but being a radio operator/radioman. same thing u are the most important man in the platoon as u are the one who calls in tank support, or air support. well this is the perspective from a father of a marine radio opeator.
