Marine and Army MOS options for small arms

[MrsSmith]

Got a young kid who's interested in getting into the gun manufacturing biz when he grows up. Plans to start out in the service, he's leaning toward Marines but might consider Army too.
Any of you current or former Marines or Army guys here - can you recommend an MOS that will give him hands on practical experience with various small arms weaponry?

Thanks!

[Balog]

Experience using it, or working on it?

[Jamisjockey]

In the Marines it should be a 2111 (small arms repairer/tech) and 2112 (precision weapons repairer/tech).  
The danger comes in if the recruiter can't gaurantee him the occupational field.  When I enlisted they only promised an MOS  (IE, I was in the 7200 field, with the field of 7252). 

[MrsSmith]

Experience using it, or working on it?

Either. Both.

[Jamisjockey]

Either. Both.

Experience using in the MP and grunt MOS's.  Fixing, 2111.

[Scout26]

If it's working on them, unless he goes to some where like Anniston Army Depot or Rock Island Arsenal, all he'll do is count and re-count them, along with swapping out broken parts and filling out paper work to send them in for overhaul.

Unit Armorer is more of an accounting (and paperwork) function then any real gunsmithing.

[41magsnub]

Unit Armorer is more of an accounting (and paperwork) function then any real gunsmithing.

In my unit it wasn't even an MOS, they grabbed whomever looked good from the engineer ranks and sent them to the basic armorer's school.

[AZRedhawk44]

Got a young kid who's interested in getting into the gun manufacturing biz when he grows up. Plans to start out in the service, he's leaning toward Marines but might consider Army too.
Any of you current or former Marines or Army guys here - can you recommend an MOS that will give him hands on practical experience with various small arms weaponry?

Thanks!

I expect he'd want to talk to the Army Marksmanship Unit.

I believe that those are the guys that push the accuracy edge of deployed small arms, and get involved with provisioning rifles to SDM's and snipers.

However, to get in there he's going to need "something" that distinguishes himself from everyone else that wants in there.  I suspect that a lot of the junior high power competitors that want into the Army end up going over to the AMU.  Maybe some physics and chemistry geeks, too.

[bedlamite]

I expect he'd want to talk to the Army Marksmanship Unit.

I believe that those are the guys that push the accuracy edge of deployed small arms, and get involved with provisioning rifles to SDM's and snipers.

However, to get in there he's going to need "something" that distinguishes himself from everyone else that wants in there.  I suspect that a lot of the junior high power competitors that want into the Army end up going over to the AMU.  Maybe some physics and chemistry geeks, too.

You're slipping. I would have expected you to mention the ability to shoot better everyone else might help too and suggest an appleseed ...

[Fitz]

11b, then get real good and go to the army marksmanship unit

[Hawkmoon]

Any of you current or former Marines or Army guys here - can you recommend an MOS that will give him hands on practical experience with various small arms weaponry?

Thanks!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_occupation_code

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_careers

For the Army, I think these are the ones to look at:

• 89A Ammunition Stock Control and Accounting Specialist (Questionable)
• 89B Ammunition Specialist (Questionable)
• 91F Small Arms/Artillery Repairer (formerly 45B)
• 91K Armament Repairer (formerly 45K)

Or good old 11Bravo -- Combat Infantryman

[MicroBalrog]

If it's working on them, unless he goes to some where like Anniston Army Depot or Rock Island Arsenal, all he'll do is count and re-count them, along with swapping our broken parts and filling out paper work to send them in for overhaul.

Unit Armorer is more of an accounting (and paperwork) function then any real gunsmithing.

He ain't joking.

[I went to Armorer School in the IDF because I didn't know this. I learned PDQ.]

[Perd Hapley]

11b, then get real good and go to the army marksmanship unit

11b is infantry, if you didn't know. I was infantry, and we played with:

Assault rifles:
M16A2
M4

Machine guns:
M249
M240
M60
M2

Grenade launchers:
M203
M19

Electric, chain-driven cannon:
M242

Rocket launchers:
AT-4
M47

[Fitz]

11b is infantry, if you didn't know. I was infantry, and we played with:

Assault rifles:
M16A2
M4

Machine guns:
M249
M240
M60
M2

Grenade launchers:
M203
M19

Electric, chain-driven cannon:
M242

Rocket launchers:
AT-4
M47

Yes, sorry... I typed my message quickly. SQL cluster taking a gigantic dump, and i'm in a poopstorm. It's 11 o'clock and I'm still at work, with no sign of leaving. I've been on the clock since 6am

[Scout26]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_occupation_code

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_careers

For the Army, I think these are the ones to look at:

• 89A Ammunition Stock Control and Accounting Specialist (Questionable)
• 89B Ammunition Specialist (Questionable)
• 91F Small Arms/Artillery Repairer (formerly 45B)
• 91K Armament Repairer (formerly 45K)

Or good old 11Bravo -- Combat Infantryman

89A and 89B don't even get near weapons.  They are at ASP's counting bullets.  Even more boring then counting rifles.

91F is the (old) Unit Armorer.  Like I said they count rifles, fill out paperwork, swap out broken firing pins and missing front sight posts, count rifles, fill out more paperwork and count rifles.
91K is the (old) Turret Mechanic.  You get to fix the bigger guns (120mm Tank guns and 155mm Howitzers)  But that also means that when a trainee buries the main gun into 4 feet of (formerly Kentucky) Georgia mud, you're the poor bastard that gets to see if he damaged the recoil system, bent or cracked the tube, by test firing it, with the master blaster, from the inside.  And no, the Cadet there for CTLT is smarter then that.  Mostly you fix all the electronics in the turret that get boogered up by CDAT's that are just one step removed from the pond scum that spawned them.  However, Crunchies are just as good as, if not better then boogering up weapons.

[MrsSmith]

So apparently no one really works on hand guns in the Army other than minor firing pin and sight issues? So where do all the "broken" guns go???

Jamis - he's leaning toward Marines anyway so maybe 2111 would be a good thing for him to try for? Does he have a better chance of getting into that MOS with higher ASVAB scores or is there anything he can do to get his first choice?

Thanks guys!

[Fitz]

all the "Broken" guns go to lazy civilian shitheads who take 2 hour lunches, don't like to show up on time, and file bogus reports about how you "abused" a weapon during training and should pay for it.



I'm not bitter, though

[wmenorr67]

So apparently no one really works on hand guns in the Army other than minor firing pin and sight issues? So where do all the "broken" guns go???

Jamis - he's leaning toward Marines anyway so maybe 2111 would be a good thing for him to try for? Does he have a better chance of getting into that MOS with higher ASVAB scores or is there anything he can do to get his first choice?

Thanks guys!

The only branch of service that will actually let you have the MOS you choose, provided you meet the requirements is the Army.  The Marines and others might try but usually stick you where you are needed based on your potential.  Like Fitz said, most of the work on weapons done now is by civilians.

[Balog]

The only branch of service that will actually let you have the MOS you choose, provided you meet the requirements is the Army.  The Marines and others might try but usually stick you where you are needed based on your potential.  Like Fitz said, most of the work on weapons done now is by civilians.

This is factually incorrect.

[MrsSmith]

This is factually incorrect.

Well then factually correct it. Please.

[Perd Hapley]

So apparently no one really works on hand guns in the Army other than minor firing pin and sight issues? So where do all the "broken" guns go???

Jamis - he's leaning toward Marines anyway so maybe 2111 would be a good thing for him to try for? Does he have a better chance of getting into that MOS with higher ASVAB scores or is there anything he can do to get his first choice?

Thanks guys!

He'll have to go Army. Marines can't count guns, much less repair them.

[Matthew Carberry]

He'll have to go Army. Marines can't count guns, much less repair them.

Hey now. When it comes to weapons us jarheads are idiot savants.

[Balog]

Well then factually correct it. Please.

There is one specific type of enlistment contract wherein your MOS field is not specified, the so called "open" contract. Those you just get stuck doing whatever the service needs, which is why most cooks and disbursers are open contract guys.

Most contracts are for a specific field, if not an exact specialty within it. For example, my contract specified I would be in the infantry field (03--) but the exact specialty was open (I ended up as an assaultman, 0351). That is the way most contracts are written, across the services from my understanding, but certainly in the Marines. Some are even more specific, especially among the pogues. And all presume that you can successfully complete your MOS school.

[French G.]

I got to tour the Precision Weapons section of MCB Quantico's armory. Apparently they pull unit armorers from around the Corps for a 3 year tour there. Full on machine shop, best facility I've ever seen, they build all the USMC sniper weapons and match guns. The trick is getting there. No guaranteed MOS=no sign contract.

Option #2 kid goes military for 4 years, does whatever floats his boat, takes GI bill and skips on down to Colorado School of Trades.

[Jamisjockey]

I got to tour the Precision Weapons section of MCB Quantico's armory. Apparently they pull unit armorers from around the Corps for a 3 year tour there. Full on machine shop, best facility I've ever seen, they build all the USMC sniper weapons and match guns. The trick is getting there. No guaranteed MOS=no sign contract.

Option #2 kid goes military for 4 years, does whatever floats his boat, takes GI bill and skips on down to Colorado School of Trades.

The Marines also build thier own 1911's for the MEUSOC.....



Oh, and, what Balog said.