Is it possible to get an MOS in a Marine or Army contract?

Jerick Prince — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 00:54:14 -0500

I can't seem to get a straight answer online.
I'm a senior in HS and plan to enlist next month and go to boot after I graduate. I want to become an 0317 or an 11B B4. I want to become a Scout sniper or Army Sniper. I'm still going back and forth every day on which branch I want to go to because I want to meet my goal but If there is a way for me to have a better chance I want to take it.

Response by Maj Kim Patterson made Nov 17 at 2019 12:59 AM

Maj Kim Patterson — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 00:59:19 -0500

What exactly is your goal?

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Nov 17 at 2019 1:26 AM

LTC Eugene Chu — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 01:26:17 -0500

Remember crawl before walk or run. You can enlist for certain MOS, but sniper qualification has other prerequisites (e.g. service time, supervisor recommendations, marksmanship score,etc.) before getting a course slot

Response by SPC Stewart Smith made Nov 17 at 2019 1:35 AM

SPC Stewart Smith — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 01:35:48 -0500

Yes you can enlist to be 11B. But sniper school is not something you'll get in your contract. There is a lot of physical and mental training you'll need. Shooting is only 20% of sniper.
Prerequisites:
Must be 11B, 11M, 19D, or CMF 18
PFC-SFC (Grade waivable): This means you're not going to sniper school until you have been in at least 18 months
Active duty, Reserve, or National Guard, and must have a good performance record with no history of alcohol, or drug abuse
Must be a volunteer and be recommended by their commander
Must be in excellent physical condition (70% or better in each event of the APFT)
Must have a corrected vision of 20/20
Must not have a record of disciplinary action
Must be knowledgeable of skill level 2 tasks
Must have a GT score of 100.
Must have qualified expert with the M16A2/M4 Carbine rifle within six months of course attendance
Normal color vision must be annotated on SF 88, tested within six months of course attendance
Must have a minimum of one-year retainability
Must pass psychological evaluation (MMPI/CPI) conducted under the direction of a qualified psychologist

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2019 3:02 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 03:02:56 -0500

Jerick Prince Adding to the response from Maj Kim Patterson, what are your long term goals? Are you planning on making the military a career? What are your plans after the military? Will you be continuing your education? Good luck on your decision.

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Nov 17 at 2019 10:20 AM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 10:20:26 -0500

My knowledge is dated so I'm going to talk in generalities. By the time you sign your contract, I assume you will have been screened to determine if you are qualified for specific general occupational areas. Some fields within those areas depend on your performance in general qualifying training, i.e. infantry training prior to sniper training, so there is no way you can be "guaranteed" assignment in the higher level fields. Additionally, being assigned to those areas that require a higher level of training, also depends upon the needs of the service, so the service may not need you in the specific area you would like to be guaranteed.
There is an additional consideration which you may not be aware. There are more specific specialties than anyone could be aware of in the military. The needs of the services are almost limitless. Let's assume, for conversational purposes, that you are an expert computer gamer, but you set your mind on being a sniper. How would you feel if there were an opportunity to be assigned to training systems development where you were trained for, and assigned to some relatively obscure section of some never heard of command that in fact developed the software for some of the new virtual training systems? Now remember, this is for conversational purposes only, and I'm using this as an example because I don't know if such development is integral to the services or let to civilians to develop, but why limit yourself when there are so many potential specialties that you might be offered. Why not allow the assignment system to work and see what you are offered. You can always request reassignment to another specialty once you have proven you capabilities to the service and proven you want to dedicate yourself to a military career.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2019 12:14 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 12:14:47 -0500

The Army is the only branch that will put your MOS in the contract

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2019 1:15 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 13:15:07 -0500

The Army is the only service that guarantees all its new accessions an MOS before joining. However, you want to be a sniper, that's not an MOS in the Army, that's a job that you fulfill for a while on a sniper team. All sniper teams, Marines or Army, require that you try out first before being accepted and sending you to sniper school. It's very easy to become Infantry in the Army or the Marines, so consider the culture of the one you'd prefer to serve in. One isn't "better" than the other and if you base your decision off of that, you'll be disappointed by the service you choose because they both have strengths and weaknesses. Consider the culture, mission set, training, opportunities, and stations of both, because you'll be in one for a while before you get the opportunity to tey out for a sniper team

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Nov 17 at 2019 5:00 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 17:00:48 -0500

Be damn well advised that Sniper is not an MOS but a MOS qualifier- ie, you get an MOS 1st and hope your unit has the funds/slots to send you to a sniper course.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2019 6:21 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 18:21:19 -0500

Marine Corps initial contracts give the choice of Fields not MOS so you would choose 0300. A requirement in the Marine Corps for 0317 is to be one of 0311/0321/0331/0341/0351/0352/0369 qualified
NAVMC 1200.1E

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2019 9:22 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 21:22:10 -0500

Getting too, and qualifying, is the true path.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2019 4:37 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 04:37:20 -0500

In the marines you choose 5 jobs that interest you, the marines will choose 1 of those jobs for you or sometimes choose 3 and let you decide. You don’t get a for sure choice, in the army if the MOS is needed than you choose that job. 11B is always open but scout sniper school is unit dependent, you have to go through your unit to go to that school unlike the marines scout sniper is not an army MOS.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 20 at 2019 2:37 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 02:37:31 -0500

Hi Jerick,
I think I'd exercise caution with the concept of "promises"...in my day the Army "promised" me a specific MOS as well, but later (after BT) I was told that "mission priorities" dictated that I must train for an entirely different MOS. This was a fate I then found out I shared with many others. I guess I would just say to be careful how seriously you take the phrase "the [insert branch] promised me [insert promise] in my contract.", because I can almost guarantee you there's a teeny-tiny almost nondescript clause SOMEWHERE that always puts the mission requirements above anything else when in doubt, or contention (as it should be in my view, of course). In any case, I wouldn't trade a single day/experience/mission/deployment, etc. of my career, as all of these places I went, people/friends I met, missions I was a part of...it all contributed to making me the man I am, and gave me an abundance of life experience that most civilians (non-DOD) can only accrue w/ a multitude of the time and chances we in the military have/get, usually starting right after a minimum of time on active duty (...left that description intentionally a bit vague, as many combat veterans for instance, were thrown into the thick of the horror of combat fresh out of BT...). Also important in my view is the wonderful luck I had to actually get to learn from my mistakes, as they never cost me my honor, position, career, family, religion...or my LIFE! That's no small thing in my opinion. In conclusion, I have the same question as Maj. Patterson - what is the intended long-term goal here?
Warriors Forever!
-Ed Boles

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 19 at 2020 1:04 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 01:04:50 -0500

Ask if the have an 11R or 11X contract. They are for ranger after basic as infantry. You first have to prove yourself before they send you to Sniper school. You have to compete amounts your peers. PT score, Awards, simple stuff like being in formation shaved, hair cut, motivated, going above and beyond. Shot isn’t just ha fed to you. You have to earn it.