Being a Recon Marine and a pilot

[phrogdriver]

Just remember that commanding a scout-sniper platoon doesn't mean you'll be stalking through the woods in a ghille suit very often. Also, as you move higher up the intel ladder, the various intel fields neckdown.

Just make sure you actually like what these "special" fields actually do, not the IDEA of what they do. If you wouldn't be on board with being a leg infantry officer and the daily suck that entails, being in special ops and getting extra helpings of suck with gravy won't be better. They do exciting things, be the romance of being in deep reconnaisance or something similar will only help you carry a 100lb pack so far.

 

[haubby]

Ok, you official pissed on my goals.

You have some quite lofty which are very admirable. Keep your ambitions strong and you will go far. In the meantime focus on the things you can achieve now. This include Eagle Scout (I myself am one). Beleive it or not that will help you later in life. Finish high school with the best grades possible. GO TO COLLEGE. Learn something that interests you and excell in that particular field of study. The rest will fall in its place. If its meant to be than you will achieve. Best of luck to you.

 

[Grant]

I believe the Scout-Sniper Basic Course is 7+ weeks, as opposed to the ~2 week Scout-Sniper Platoon Commanders Course.

From what I've gathered, the former teaches enlisted folks to be Scout-Snipers, whereas the latter gives officers a crash course and a taste of what the real Scout-Snipers do. Apparently its more of a familiarization thing, rather than teaching them to do the downrange stuff. Officers only attend the "real" Scout-Sniper course on a space-available basis.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Ground Intel officers command a scout sniper platoon (which means they supervise, they never go out in the field), then move on to being an S-2A at an Infantry Battalion, then on to be an S-2, blah, blah, blah... It's not what you think.

 

[HH-60H]

You've obviously never seen "Pirates of Penzance."

Yes, and I am proud of that.

 

[Screamtruth]

Ground Intel officers command a scout sniper platoon (which means they supervise, they never go out in the field), then move on to being an S-2A at an Infantry Battalion, then on to be an S-2, blah, blah, blah... It's not what you think.

Very True.

It seems that the battalion S2 was there to issue commander's intent and support for the STA teams. THe SARC...........sometimes foward deployed, is where the control of the teams took place, unless the COC was up and running.

Cheif Scout Sniper and platoon SGT made up most of the command nerve of the teams.

Unless things have changed.

We always reported to the S2............who was a CAPT.........other than him, there were no officers involved to my recollection.

 

[JTB7]

Very. Like anything else it may vary with TBS classes, but you are looking at 0-5 slots out of your entire company.

So is this a harder MOS to get into than SNA?

You have some quite lofty which are very admirable. Keep your ambitions strong and you will go far. In the meantime focus on the things you can achieve now. This include Eagle Scout (I myself am one). Beleive it or not that will help you later in life. Finish high school with the best grades possible. GO TO COLLEGE. Learn something that interests you and excell in that particular field of study. The rest will fall in its place. If its meant to be than you will achieve. Best of luck to you.

Thanks, I am thinking of majoring in aeronautical engineering or computer science. Will these degrees help me be more competitive when I apply for SNA?

Ground Intel officers command a scout sniper platoon (which means they supervise, they never go out in the field), then move on to being an S-2A at an Infantry Battalion, then on to be an S-2, blah, blah, blah... It's not what you think.

Huh. Do they always supervise and never go out on the field(even when you move up the ranks)?

Seems easier just to become a Navy Seal.

 

[Lawman]

So is this a harder MOS to get into than SNA?

SNA is by no means the hardest MOS to get into. Its not the easiest by any standard because there is a lot of demand for it, but at the same time there are multiple slots so it spreads across all the "quality spread" thirds.

If you want to see a hard MOS, Public Affairs typically only has one slot available per class.

 

[Herc_Dude]

So is this a harder MOS to get into than SNA?

Yes - you will either sign as a ground or air (SNA/NFO) contact before OCS. If you are air, baring any major fvck-ups on your part, you will be flying. If you are ground, you will have to compete with all the other ground contacts at TBS for those slots (if there are any). It will be about leadership, and I have to imagine physical fitness when it comes to those few lucky guys. If thats what you want, learn about leadership (plenty of successful leaders on this site to learn from) and PT till you die, then PT some more. Best of luck in whichever path you chose is right for you.

s/f

 

[phrogpilot73]

So is this a harder MOS to get into than SNA?

Not necessarily harder (there are not as stringent requirements) but less chance percentage wise. The largest MOS field for officers is pilot/NFO.

Thanks, I am thinking of majoring in aeronautical engineering or computer science. Will these degrees help me be more competitive when I apply for SNA?

Nope. Doesn't matter what your degree is, just that you have one.

Huh. Do they always supervise and never go out on the field(even when you move up the ranks)?

The higher you move up in the ranks, the less you go into the field. That's what life as an officer is like. As a grunt, you'll still go to the field (and all the suck that entails) up until Maj - then you're a Bn OpsO, or XO and are generally in the COC. Company Commanders are in the field, but they're in their company COC - not necessarily on the front lines. As a scout sniper platoon commander, you're going to hinder your scout sniper teams if you go to the field with them. Your job is to supervise training, pass on the commander's guidance, select a team to perform a mission based on their experience and ability, etc. After your stint as a scout sniper platoon commander, you're on to nothing but staff work as a ground intel bubba.

If you don't believe me about scout sniper platoon commanders not going to the field, just ask the young 2ndLt in my Bn that was the scout sniper platoon commander and the face shot he took from the CO from even SUGGESTING that he go out to the field with them...

Seems easier just to become a Navy Seal.

Suuuure... It'd probably be easier to switch from SEAL to Navy pilot too. I'm sure NSW is ALL about it!

 

[JTB7]

Not necessarily harder (there are not as stringent requirements) but less chance percentage wise. The largest MOS field for officers is pilot/NFO.

Wow, I thought that being a ground officer would be the highest MOS. w/e I'm happy.

Nope. Doesn't matter what your degree is, just that you have one.

Wouldn't getting a degree in science or engineering help you on the ASTB and other tests you take?

The higher you move up in the ranks, the less you go into the field. That's what life as an officer is like. As a grunt, you'll still go to the field (and all the suck that entails) up until Maj - then you're a Bn OpsO, or XO and are generally in the COC. Company Commanders are in the field, but they're in their company COC - not necessarily on the front lines. As a scout sniper platoon commander, you're going to hinder your scout sniper teams if you go to the field with them. Your job is to supervise training, pass on the commander's guidance, select a team to perform a mission based on their experience and ability, etc. After your stint as a scout sniper platoon commander, you're on to nothing but staff work as a ground intel bubba.

Ground intel bubba? That doesn't sound too good. What do they do?

If you don't believe me about scout sniper platoon commanders not going to the field, just ask the young 2ndLt in my Bn that was the scout sniper platoon commander and the face shot he took from the CO from even SUGGESTING that he go out to the field with them...

I believe you

Suuuure... It'd probably be easier to switch from SEAL to Navy pilot too. I'm sure NSW is ALL about it!

ha ha lol Is that a no?

 

[phrogdriver]

Wow, I thought that being a ground officer would be the highest MOS. w/e I'm happy.

There are more "ground officers" taken as a whole, than aviators, i.e. if you add all the infantry, artillery, supply, cooks, bakers, and candlestick makers together they outnumber pilots. But, there are more aviators than any single ground MOS; for example, there are more pilots than infantry officers.

Wouldn't getting a degree in science or engineering help you on the ASTB and other tests you take?

Perhaps, but getting a four year degree in engineering or science is a lot harder way to boost your ASTB score than buying the ARCO study guide. Do a search on majors on the site and you'll see a lot of threads. The consensus seems to be that science/engineering major don't seem to have much of a difference on success in flight school.

Ground intel bubba? That doesn't sound too good. What do they do?

Analyze available intelligence in order to present an accurate picture of the enemy to the ground commander. This means looking at everything from open-source (e.g. news media) to imagery to reports from human intelligence sources.

ha ha lol Is that a no?

That is indeed a no. There is probably SOME guy who at SOMETIME did this, but he would be the exception who proves the rule. "Fleet assessions" are always a possibility, but they are hard to get. If you start in a field, you'd better be able to be happy IN THAT FIELD. Don't plan on starting in one thing and doing another. It's all right. I was disappointed when they told me I couldn't be a Marine pilot AND a porn star, too.

 

[pjxc415]

Actually, contrary to popular belief it is possible to have 3 MOSs at one time. Right now my primary MOS is beach bum, secondary is beer drinker, and tertiary is student naval aviator. I'm in the process of submitting a package to HQMC to get a 4th MOS as a porn star, i'm just waiting to get cleared by NOMI.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Ground intel bubba? That doesn't sound too good. What do they do?

Analyze available intelligence in order to present an accurate picture of the enemy to the ground commander. This means looking at everything from open-source (e.g. news media) to imagery to reports from human intelligence sources.

What he said. And to add to it, Scout Sniper Platoon Commander = Ground Intelligence Officer. It's a very common first billet for Ground Intelligence Officers, because it educates them on the capabilites, limitations, etc... of one of the myriad of collection methods employed. After that tour, Ground Intel isn't very sexy...

I was disappointed when they told me I couldn't be a Marine pilot AND a porn star, too.

Hmmm... Wasn't there a Marine Capt in California doing gay porn several years ago?!? That wasn't you, was it?

I'm in the process of submitting a package to HQMC to get a 4th MOS as a porn star, i'm just waiting to get cleared by NOMI.

Good luck with that. But you are correct, you can have multiple MOS's. I had three:

Primary: 7562, CH-46E Pilot
Billet: 7502, Forward Air Controller
Additional: 7577, Weapons & Tactics Instructor

 

[KBayDog]

Additional: 7577, Weapons & Tactics Instructor

Which, of course, you got through the WTI Non-Resident course