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Enlisted
MOS
Branch
Recruiting
Military History
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 257
110
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I'm going to be straight up honest with you here- there is no "safe MOS". For the record, unless Mom has been living under a rock and (definitely not in Chicago) being a civilian isn't all that safe today either. My husband and I have had "the talk" with all 3 of our kids (1 girl, 2 boys) and told them the same thing. If you want to be a ditch digger, fine, I just demand you are the best damn ditch digger you can possibly be. If they want to serve, support them, cheer them on, worry about them- which, as a parent, I would do no matter what my kids decide. Bottom line, it's their life, their decision.
Semper Fi
Semper Fi
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SSgt Phil Sigman
Gary Davis - My uncle was an aircraft mechanic in Vietnam and he performed maintenance on the Operation Ranch Hand aircraft, and also had to guard them as a security augmentee. So he ran the risk of getting Agent Orange poisoning while doing his primary AFSC and getting shot or rocketed while pulling guard duty.
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PO1 Warren Jameson
GySgt Melissa Gravila - But what is the answer to the question asked... What is the SAFEST MOS... You are dodging the question. We know that EVERY MARINE is Infantry, but...
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CMSgt Robert (Bob) Kelchner
"What is the safest MOS in the Military"? Not the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines. The "Safest"? All military MOS/AFSC etc are inharently risky. Obviously the most dangerous are combat jobs that require one to be in battle with the risk death. Or a computer programmer working at computers all day back in Washington DC. The question should be--"What are the most dangerous"? Go from there. Im a retired AF Chief and worked aircraft radar for 5 years, and then ICBM maintenance for 20 years. Being at a remote ICBM site in Montana with only two other people and the temperature was minus 25 and chill factor 70 below, that was certainly not a safe condition.
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SSgt Wayne Graff
You will think I am crazy for saying this; but AMMO is the safest career in the military. I know you say I am nuts, but what is the one thing the military needs to continue the fight. They need AMMO, planes won't fly and if they can, are worthless. Tanks can crush stuff, but without AMMO, that's it. The Marines would have a chance because of their training. but anything that requires a gun or some type of explosive is gone without AMMO. So you say; so what. Here is what, you protect what you most need! AMMO is usually set up in the background, we are trained to use weapons and can protect ourselves. So that's my two cents worth.
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If someone is joining the military and more focused on being safe, they do not need to enlist. I saw this way too much when I assisted out of a recruiting office. Hand wringing parents worried about their kids instead of letting someone 18+ make their own life choices.
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PO3 John Wagner
PO3 Bob McCord - Podunk North Dakota?
Bob we’ve got towns with seriously more stupid sounding names than “Podunk” up here.
We also still have silos full of nukes. They just don’t chat about too much anymore..
Not “PC” you see.
Bob we’ve got towns with seriously more stupid sounding names than “Podunk” up here.
We also still have silos full of nukes. They just don’t chat about too much anymore..
Not “PC” you see.
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SPC (Join to see)
Definitely agreed. We don't have a drafting requirement like Taiwan or South Korea, so it is completely a voluntary personal choice. One of the first things I told my recruiter was that I knew what I was going into but obviously I needed him to do the paperwork and specific information. My dad was particularly supportive of the decision (my mom was just being like any other moms) and sat me down, gave me the talk that as a young female with education and work experience, it could mean that I will lose my younger years, those experiences, opportunities my civilian peers might have, and my life. He wanted to make sure I knew the risks instead of focusing on the benefits like how some recruiters sell it to the high schoolers.
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Safest MOS is fry-guy at McDonalds. Every MOS, rating, and AFSC in the military runs the risk of being in the thick of things, especially since we've left the days of traditional "front-line" combat in the dust. What does he WANT to do? How long does he want to be in? Find out, and have him imagine himself as a 35-year-old (insert MOS here)... is that something he can imagine himself doing at that age? Eventually, he won't be in any more, whether it's a 3-year hitch or a full career. What skills will that MOS give him for life AFTER the military?
Then, once he can find a career field that truly appeals to him, he needs to find a service that fulfills those needs. An "admin type" in the Navy does different stuff than an "Admin type" in the Air Force... or the Army... or the Marines or Coast Guard. Sometimes the service won't even have those MOSs (medics in the Marines, etc). Once he has an idea about the service branch (or two), then he needs to speak to folks in those branches and in those career fields. Don't talk to Uncle Ernie - he served 20 years ago and life has changed! Don't watch propaganda films in the Recruiters' offices, because they are slanted.
And, last thing - what the hell does mommy have to do with this? If the kid is over 18, they can join without parental consent.
Then, once he can find a career field that truly appeals to him, he needs to find a service that fulfills those needs. An "admin type" in the Navy does different stuff than an "Admin type" in the Air Force... or the Army... or the Marines or Coast Guard. Sometimes the service won't even have those MOSs (medics in the Marines, etc). Once he has an idea about the service branch (or two), then he needs to speak to folks in those branches and in those career fields. Don't talk to Uncle Ernie - he served 20 years ago and life has changed! Don't watch propaganda films in the Recruiters' offices, because they are slanted.
And, last thing - what the hell does mommy have to do with this? If the kid is over 18, they can join without parental consent.
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Cpl Jeffrey Grey
Just to clarify PO1 Badwell. In 1968 on Hill 244 there was an assault on that USMC area by VC. There were no grunt units near enough to come to that area because all of them were engaged with other problems elsewhere around DaNang. It was elements of the Band and Radio Relay of the 1st MARDIV that took back the portions of the hill that were held by the VC. I heard about that event and had a whole new respect for the Band guys after that.
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SP5 Jeannie Carle
MCPO - I WISH you had been my recruiter!!!! I asked the right questions - got "fake" answers. I loved my job (75D) but it helped me not one whit in the civilian world! And "safe" ?? That didn't occur to me when I enlisted, as I asked for assignment to VN - didn't get it because my recruiter didn't think I was serious. It took 4 years, but he was no longer a recruiter when I was done.
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SGT John Pearson
I wanted to join the Marines at 17 and needed a parent to sign, "Mommy" said no way. But I could join the Army National Guard. So I did 6yrs as a 26Q, pretty safe commo MOS at the time. After that I went full time for 2 yrs 11B, just the opposite of "safe". Talked to a young man not long ago who was deployed in Iraq as a mechanic. His convoy was ambushed in a "safe" zone. No such thing as a safe MOS.
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Cpl Charles Gunti
PO1 Randell Bagwell - I beg to differ. The last thing I did in the Marines (23 years ago) was take the 1st MARDIV band out to teach them infantry tactics. In wartime, the Division bands act as security for the Division CP.
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