0317 Question

[pterrell]

Hey all. Been a 6072 (Ground Support Mech) for going on 5 years. Learned a lot of valuable skills as a diesel mechanic but I feel like I haven't done anything very fulfilling with my career. Due to the glorious green weenie, I have yet to deploy. That lack of deployment has set me to thinking about how I can do what I signed up to do, kill bad guys .

So, I wanted to see if there were any 0317's here that knew of a way for a winger - pog to end up in the Sniper Program. 3rd Award (4th if my S-3 hadn't had the IQ of a fire hydrant 1 year) Expert and I'm a CMC. Am I SOL or is there a path?

Before you say it, I know its far more glorious and romantic sounding than it actually is.

[The sarge]

Talk to your career planner. 5 years in the air wing your a sgt I assume. Chances to go straight up 03xx I imagine are slim land bad for you carrer wise. However you could look at 0372 critical skills operator. If your really intrested and your're on Pendleton I have a sgt that just completed the selection process I could put you in touch with.

[bcsquare]

Talk to your career planner. 5 years in the air wing your a sgt I assume. Chances to go straight up 03xx I imagine are slim land bad for you carrer wise. However you could look at 0372 critical skills operator. If your really intrested and your're on Pendleton I have a sgt that just completed the selection process I could put you in touch with.

Check with a career counselor. Coming back from my first deployment a few years ago, several of us POG's were able to lat over to 03. However I was in a LAR Bn. and it seemed easy to transfer to a line company from H&S.

[sovereign2b]

When I was a boot, an Air Winger Sgt. made a lateral move, somehow, and ended up as my squad leader in Line Plt, and we gave him lots of OJT. It took him a while and some a**-chewings by the SSGT to get him to stop calling us by our first names. He even got thrashed for it, so if the Wing is still lacking that type of bearing, program yourself out of it. If you can get to a line company, start humping the hills on your own, spend all of your time learning your m.o.s., get an invite to a STA indoc, make it... then you just might get a ticket to the Sniper Course at Division Schools. When I was with Division Schools, this guy was still in charge of 3/9 STA, and he was brutally awesome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micheal_Barrett

[Ahmad]

You must be an 03xx to do SS school. I think there is one exception for counterintel but that's it.

You could lat move to 03xx go through SOI (I've seen it) and volunteer for MART to go to BRC (saw two AMTRAKers, both Sgts do it). From BRC they have a TON of SS school seats.

Sarge had another good option but it isn't for just anyone. Being a CSO means you have to go through A&S and get selected. At that point they'd love to send you to SS school.

Best option is to go 03xx (go weapons preferably an 0331 or 0351) and then the minute the sniper platoon in the respective battalions weapons company holds an INDOC you volunteer. Pass the indoc, get into STA. Once in STA platoon you'll be a PIG and I suggest you train, get your hands on as many weapons systems as possible and get your land nav down because they don't teach that **** you should already know it. I've also seen a ton of people dropped from various advanced infantry courses for land nav.

[tnlrat37]

So you decided to put your man pants on, good on you. Like others said talk to your career planner and after he shakes his head and ask you wth for hopefully he can point u in the right direction. I was 0311 squad leader and Designated Marksman, I loved and hated it. The Only Lat move guys I saw in mid 90's was a couple supply guys that got put in our platoon as punishment after they got caught selling .gov property out in town. They were useless as grunts.
Anyway Start pt training like a maniac with heavy packs and practice land nav, especially at night. Most guys fail SS School due to stalking and Land Nav. Shooting is the easy part. BTW nothing wrong with being a grunt, I always figured why join the Corps to be anything else. Good Luck, Semper Gumby.

[HooYah]

If you go the 0372 route, other doors open up for you. Now not only can you attend SS school, but you can now go through SOCOM courses like SOTIC as well.

[Ahmad]

Most guys fail SS School due to stalking and Land Nav. Shooting is the easy part.

I personally know two who failed because of stalking alone. One twice!

BTW nothing wrong with being a grunt, I always figured why join the Corps to be anything else. Good Luck, Semper Gumby.

Agreed. I didn't join for "job opportunities". That's what college is for. Be a grunt.

[mikenewgun87]

How is your call of duty no scope sniper kills?