Question about Marine MOS

[CRM2004]

It's a very rare thing for the Marine Corps to COMPLETELY change your MOS like they did to me. It also *usually* only happens when someone "too smart" tries to be a grunt, instead of being used somewhere that they can make a real difference. They were in critical need of Computer Techs when I enlisted. They actually did this to another guy at my MOS school, as well. But I never did find another person in my 5 year tour that had the same thing happen. So it is something you really shouldn't have to worry about - Just wanted to give a heads up that it *IS* possible.

[Rhythm of Life]

The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps all have pretty much the same MOSs, the difference is pretty much where they work.

For Combat Camera, I know Army, Air Force and apparently Marine Corps has em, but the Air Force guys were the only ones I ever saw outside the wire.

For some reason when I first searched I could only find the Marine Corps as having this MOS. I just searched again after your post and I found the other services. I didn't know about the Army.

Its good to know about the Air Force being outside the wire. Its where I'd want to be.

It's a very rare thing for the Marine Corps to COMPLETELY change your MOS like they did to me. It also *usually* only happens when someone "too smart" tries to be a grunt, instead of being used somewhere that they can make a real difference. They were in critical need of Computer Techs when I enlisted. They actually did this to another guy at my MOS school, as well. But I never did find another person in my 5 year tour that had the same thing happen. So it is something you really shouldn't have to worry about - Just wanted to give a heads up that it *IS* possible.

I appreciate it. More info is better than less.

[Subotai]

Well I hope that wouldn't happen to me. I'd hate to think that I was getting one position only to learn that it was taken away because I'm too smart.

When it does, we call that the Big Green Weenie. For me it was the day before graduation:
Me: Infantry, 0311, it's supposed to be tanks?
DI: (shrugs shoulders, walks away)
Me: Aw S$%T God D@$## Son of a @$%#@

I hear the Air Force and Coast Guard need officers.

[windrider]

With a degree you should at least look at the option of going officer, but if you go enlisted first you still have your degree and can go to ocs, as for seeing combat with a camera its a very good possibility, A former Marine I worked with (in the civilian world) shot just about every single piece of combat footage from Fallujah no exaggeration but as someone else posted he knew someone at Camp Fallujah but he never even went outside the wire so your experience will vary, for the most part its going to be just like any other photo job except your in the Marine Corps and your doing military related work. If you want to see combat hit up the Infantry or a combat related role.

[Subotai]

And think about this. If you're an officer, you only have to take cr#p from half the service. A private has to take it from everybody. LOL

[themailman]

Combat Camera looks pretty sucky. Were taking 2 of em to Bridgeport with us to film our humps etc. They have to run all over MWTC just to take pics of us being miserable.

[themailman]

I worked with 1 combat camera guy at Camp Fallujah. Never did ops. Never left the wire. Took pictures of sandstorms, the flag, and people who got promoted for new ID cards. He hated his life, but at least he got combat pay for it.

The others saying that MOS' aren't guaranteed - That is COMPLETELY true. I signed my contract to be an 03XX Infantryman with a 4 year contract... What did I get? A 5 year contract as a 2847 Telephone Systems/Personal Computer Intermediate Repairman. What did my recruiter tell me when I went home on boot camp leave? "Your GT and Electronics scores were too high for the Marine Corps to waste the manpower on a doorkicker." To top all that off, I deployed to Iraq as an 0627 Satellite Communications Operator/Maintainer.

That being said - Jobs are never guaranteed in the Marine Corps.

Exactly, my MOL says 03XX, but I am an O161. Mail is aot different than being a grunt lol. At least we deploy alot.....

[6172crew]

I got to know one when I was stationed at El Toro, she was covering the return MEU and I asked her if she would like to do a story on the flying club (I was the safety officer) and took her flying.

From what I understood, she would not be deployed unless she really made a stink about it. I dont every remember seeing a photographer on any of my deployments except one, we were doing winter training in the Tahoe area and they flew this guy in to do a story on a Korean style of extracting troops via CH46E.

He flew on my bird and I asked him if he was staying with us for the 2 weeks, he said he would only be there for a day or 2 and then he would be following the grunts and then back to El Toro. Seemed like he was able to get the best out of training without the BS.


Good luck with your choice in the Marines, it was one of the coolest things I ever did. Like many other have already said, Id go the OCS route if it were me.

For all Marines the first year sucks because of rank, but everyday after seems to get better and was 100% win after I picked up E5 (SGT).

Semper Fi

[cryoguy]

With me currently on active duty in the Marines and completing 2 tours in Iraq, I saw plenty of Combat Camera guys. I would have to tell you to do some research and decide if you want to be a MARINE FIRST! Then decide what field you want to try to get into. Good luck bro!

Air Force has Combat Camera as well, might wanna check them out. Never saw a Marine Corps cameraman in Iraq, but there were a bunch of the Air Force guys around. Maybe its a bigger field in the Air Force?

[capo]

A good buddy of mine was a combat photographer with the Corps who actually saw plenty of combat, and shot his M4 and his camera. Here's one story: Daytime patrol, he's at point on the left side, camera in hand snapping pictures, haji comes around a corner with an AK, he snaps a picture and drops his camera, takes a knee, then snaps his M4.

Took a picture of the guy, then killed him.

Hahahhaha.

[wtf OVER 0317]

i thought combat cameraman was only open to females...

[ruchik]

I actually just went through the whole process for the Army, but didn't take the offer due to other reasons. I was offered an 02 slot for medic (I think it was that, it was a sergeant slot) as a medic in the Reserves, graduating as a specialist. I also have a college degree, a B.S. in psychology from UC Davis, but declined to go officer for a number of reasons.

The ONLY branch that can guarantee you the job you want as ENLISTED is the Army. If you want to be an officer in ANY branch, you're pretty much at the mercy of your scores and what your branch needs at the moment. My friend sent off his packet to the Marines to become an officer, and it's no joke. A lot of people make it sound easy, saying "Go officer" or "Don't do enlisted, it's better to be an officer". It's not that easy. It's quite an exhaustive process just to get your packet together for application, and believe it or not there is usually a minimum GPA required, along with your standardized test. Apart from the Army, all the other branches (if my memory serves me correctly) require a minimum of a 2.75 GPA. The actual average GPA of those who apply are much higher, around 3.5. The ASVAB, as it turns out, is actually the standardized test for Marines OCS (correct me if I'm wrong). You shouldn't have any trouble with that considering you have a college degree. I got a 97, and my friend who sent off his packet to Marines OCS got a perfect 99. I'm not trying to discourage you by any means, but be aware applying to OCS is like applying to Master's programs. The Marines, on top of that, also require you to be in top shape before you leave for OCS (more so than any other branch), meaning you need good PT scores. You need good letters of rec, good GPA, good standardized test scores, etc. Part of the reason why the standards for all branches of military application requirements has gone up is because everyone is going into the military due to the bad economy. The military is not a job center, remember that. It's...well...the military. The better your numbers, the better the chance of you getting what you want, but again, unless you're enlisting in the Army, nothing is guaranteed.

Be very, very careful about what you decide to do. Yes, there are options for enlisting first, then going officer, but you have to ask yourself "Why isn't everyone doing that?" If the military pays for my education, I can get a degree while serving and get paid at the same time, surely there has to be another reason why people don't do it that often (or at least you don't really hear about it). I have the utmost respect for those who serve, but it's not for everyone. You're going to have to take a good look at your life before you commit. Because once you do, that's it; you can't leave, you can't quit, that's that, until you go inactive for the second half of your service. The Marines own you; you belong to them for however long you sign up for. They're paying for your training, your food, your gear, your room and board, and they have every damn right to say what you can and can't do or what your job will be.

You're going to have to consider that you may very well end up spending 3-4 years of your life doing a job you either hate or has little applicability in the civilian world (unless, of course, you enlist in the Army). It's precisely because of this reason that joining the Marines to get experience as a photographer for possibly applying to bigger companies is not a good idea, if that is what you are considering. You HAVE to believe HARD in your decision to join the military, ESPECIALLY the Marines. They will PT you until your ***hole is sucking buttermilk (to quote Gunny Ermey). There can be no second-guessing. Not "I think I'd like it", "I've wanted to", or "I can't get a job right now, so I'll try this", but "This is for me, nothing else interests me, I was born to be here".

Sorry for the long bit, but I'm just throwing out my own thoughts on the whole thing because I've gone through the entire process, right up until the contract was in front of me, ready to sign. Sorry if I step on anyone's toes, but I think the OP may want to reconsider enlisting. Unless, of course, you have also already gone through the whole process, in which case, carry on. If you join, I salute you.

[Subotai]

Yep, being an officer is tough. You have to ask yourself, how much do you want a guaranteed MOS?

[bondmid003]

Nothing in the Marines is ever guaranteed brother, even if you do become a combat cameraman you could very well never see the desert.

[C.W.M.V.]

"You seen much combat?"
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