Hey Marines - an 0313 question

[CS1983]

My buddy's son is shipping out to MCRD San Diego in a few days. He enlisted with 03xx, with the hopes of being an 0311. Apparently his recruiter just told him that he is now going to be on LAVs, so I assume 0313.

I was under the impression that 0313 was a post-ITB assignment (or perhaps when one gets there?) and the Marine Corps didn't pre-slot recruits for anything aside from 03xx, and all decisions for 31, 13, etc. were made at ITB.

Is it possible that they have pre-ID'ed recruits who meet a certain ASVAB line score metric for assignment to 0313, and he happens to be one? Or could it just be the Recruiter dicking with him to see how bad he wants to be a Marine vs just wants a particular MOS?

As far as 0313, I'm under the impression it's much like the Army's 19D, which I was. However, do the 0313's ever get to do dismount work, or is that an 0311 role for scouts?

As a 19D, I wasn't always stuck in a crew position and was sometimes a dismount, etc. Reading some forum posts elsewhere, it sounds like the 0313s are kinda shafted on the dismount portion of the LAR mission.

Just trying to understand what exactly is going on here.

Thanks for any insights.

ETA: He just clarified. 21xx. Yuck. A friggin' mechanic.

[CS1983]

Gah, poor kid is being screwed by the Corps already. Just wants to be a grunt and they want to make him a mechanic. Screw that. He needs to cut line and run to the Army before he swears in a 2nd time (which is the only binding oath of enlistment, btw; the first time they do it at MEPS is just to swear into DEP, at least for the Army.)

[Irving]

Is there not enough swearing and drinking as a mechanic?

[CS1983]

Is there not enough swearing and drinking as a mechanic?

God bless the support dudes, seriously. We always treated our mechanics as well as we could (especially when we knew we would be going to other FOBs w/ big PX's, we'd get a shopping list from a select few of them).

BUT, and this is a big but, a support role is 100% unsat for anyone who wants to be a combat arms.

I realize the Marines like to tout the "every Marine a rifleman" line, but let's be honest: combat arms is combat arms, and nothing else is.

The way I always looked at it was if you're going to do something you can do on the outside, there's no point in being in the military -- especially if it's something you can do without .mil experience. Which is exactly why when they offered me a choice between med retirement and a list of support MOS's, I chose retirement.

Hopefully the kid makes the right decision for himself and is willing to live with the reality of turning wrenches for 4 years.

[JohnnyDrama]

The Corps is a great place to be if that's what you make it. An 03xx is the thing to do when you start though. I ended up in supply. Not the best place, but I got in on some really cool "shit" details. I volunteered for everything that came my way. I really wanted to stay in but they wouldn't let me move out of supply.

Best of luck to him and semper fi!

[Great-Kazoo]

God bless the support dudes, seriously. We always treated our mechanics as well as we could (especially when we knew we would be going to other FOBs w/ big PX's, we'd get a shopping list from a select few of them).

BUT, and this is a big but, a support role is 100% unsat for anyone who wants to be a combat arms.

I realize the Marines like to tout the "every Marine a rifleman" line, but let's be honest: combat arms is combat arms, and nothing else is.

The way I always looked at it was if you're going to do something you can do on the outside, there's no point in being in the military -- especially if it's something you can do without .mil experience. Which is exactly why when they offered me a choice between med retirement and a list of support MOS's, I chose retirement.

Hopefully the kid makes the right decision for himself and is willing to live with the reality of turning wrenches for 4 years.

I understand the Combat Arms "want". However a mechanic in the service will transition over to civilian employment easier. Not knocking anyone who wants the Combat Arms designation. Just looking at the long game. Unless they're wanting to transition to PMC after they're out.

AS for doing something on the outside a .mil stint kicks you up the ladder civvie side.

[Shooter45]

The recruiter has numbers to fill and is pushing him to the mechanic route. I'd tell him to stand his ground with the 03 job or find another recruiter. I met enough mechanics while I was an 0331 and I had to do the work on our vehicles ourselves. Just because they have a mechanic MOS doesn't mean they know what to do, same as an 03 MOS. Infantry MOS's help a lot for contracting afterwards and the experiences they may or may not get; just opens up the opportunity and ability for other jobs and credentials.

[CS1983]

His desire was to be a grunt, simply.

I believe he wanted USMC because they are, without a doubt, the premiere regular Infantry in the entire world.

Not sure how much of the kool-aid he has consumed on their other components.

[BushMasterBoy]

Just don't ship out. He can renegotiate the enlistment contract. They won't come and arrest him and deliver him to boot camp in handcuffs. For God's sake, get the job you love!

List of specialties below:

https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknF...Corps_MOS.html

[Scanker19]

The recruiter has numbers to fill and is pushing him to the mechanic route. I'd tell him to stand his ground with the 03 job or find another recruiter. I met enough mechanics while I was an 0331 and I had to do the work on our vehicles ourselves. Just because they have a mechanic MOS doesn't mean they know what to do, same as an 03 MOS. Infantry MOS's help a lot for contracting afterwards and they experiences they may or may not get; just opens up the opportunity and ability for other jobs and credentials.

This. First time I went all they had was 13 series, and I ain’t no fucking gunnbunny. Literally20 Mins later they had, 11, 19, etc etc.... all I wanted was to be a K