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So who can tell me....about OCS, TBS and tattoos?

HeyJoe

Fly Navy! ...or USMC
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I enjoy the education field (I am a teacher now). Not sure there is a MOS related to education...

You really need to get out more (ie dig deeper into the rich treasure trove of posts on AW). Some points you haven't seemed to have realized by nature of your questions:

1) Whatever field you end up in, you could ultimately end up instructing at some level within your unit especially if you are good at it. When you roll off sea duty at some point, you'll have opportunity to go to a "schoolhouse" to instruct those who come behind you. There are also more than a handful of service and joint schools you can attend (or even serve on the faculty). Navy even has a distinguished professor program at Naval Academy.

2) One thing that makes the Marine Corps unique is the TBS experience. Not matter how much some folks decry some of the TBS facts of life, it does imbue in every Marine officer the primacy of the infantry. I don't agree it is a "job fair". My experience, though dated for sure, but updated by my AW exposure to those who went behind me was immersion in the skills I needed to lead a platoon in combat and some grasp of company level dynamics. The only appreciation of the other MOS assignments was in their support of the infantry and by talking it up with other 2/LTs, instructors and some classroom instruction. Conversely, my Navy experience has been entirely different with the three major communties; Aviation, Surface and Submariners all trying to vie for the top spots. In the Marine Corps, the pecking order is very clear and that starts at TBS.

3. Obviously, before you get to TBS, you need to get through OCS and that is all about learning the Marine Corps through perspective of an infantry platoon. Check out some of the TBS threads and how some posters have characterized OCS vs TBS. There are some really good insights. Since you say you are a "Georgia Marine" drilling in or around Rome, haven't you had some exposure to various MOS opportunities? Regardless, nobody here can guarantee you the elusive MOS you seem to what that lets you deploy, but avoids combat arms and optimizes your family life with no serving of coffee (BTW, in some Pentagon offices, O-5/O-6 types make the coffee).
 

GeorgiaMarine

New Member
Promotion timeline

Does anyone know the timeline for promotions? Here is want I was told.

In a very general term;

2/Lt-1/Lt- 2yrs.
1/Lt-CPT- 2 yrs.
CPT -MAJ- 4 yrs.
MAJ-LT.COL- 4 yrs.
and so on in 4-5 year intervals...

is this accurate?
 

DevilDog9782

New Member
Fairly accurate. Keep in mind, what you have for time after Capt (ie 4 years to make Maj, LtCol etc) is a little ambitious. It's possible but you would have to have all your checks in the box (eg. PME, solid fitreps, command fitrep, PFT, joint command, etc) - the higher up you go the more "wickets" you will have to hit to keep going.

Do a search on the other threads/google... there is a ton of information on this kind of stuff.
 

jarhead

UAL CA; retired hinge
pilot
Does anyone know the timeline for promotions? Here is want I was told.

In a very general term;

2/Lt-1/Lt- 2yrs.
1/Lt-CPT- 2 yrs.
CPT -MAJ- 4 yrs.
MAJ-LT.COL- 4 yrs.
and so on in 4-5 year intervals...

is this accurate?
it'll be 5 1/2 yrs as a Capt when I pin on Major next spring... I was selected on my first look in zone. I think 5 yrs is the current going rate for Capt to Major.

SF
 

E5B

Lineholder
pilot
Super Moderator
Does anyone know the timeline for promotions? Here is want I was told.

In a very general term;

2/Lt-1/Lt- 2yrs.
1/Lt-CPT- 2 yrs.
CPT -MAJ- 4 yrs.
MAJ-LT.COL- 4 yrs.
and so on in 4-5 year intervals...

is this accurate?

2ndLt
1stLt
Capt
Maj
LtCol

...is how it's abbreviated.
 

Clux4

Banned
For Majors, you typically get looked at around the 5 year mark but you will not pin it until about the 6th year mark. You should expect to have 10 years of commissioned service when you pick up Major.
 

GeorgiaMarine

New Member
Tattoos and the Marine Officer

I do not have any tattoos, but I DO want one (or two) after OCS. I have been told that having a tattoo can keep you from promotions and certain jobs as an officer...


Just wanted to see who knew what on this one...
 

GeorgiaMarine

New Member
How does it work???

I did a PFT in September 2009 at my MOS school. It went on our training record and is current. I got home and they have scheduled our unit to run a CFT in October (score was entered into MOL) and we have a PFT this month (November). Now, with the PFT being a once a year deal I am not sure how this will go down.

Will I be recieving a official score or just running for "fun"...anyone know?


THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Also, don't get a BIG ass tattoo on your back that reads "DEATH TO ALLAH!".

Heard about that one on a Marine's back at SERE school.... he had a bad time.
 

usmarinemike

Solidly part of the 42%.
pilot
Contributor
Apparently (I'm still looking into this) the official PFT gets run in the first half of the year, and the CFT in the second half. Your MOS school ran their PFT because every MOS school runs PFTs. That's just the way it is. Your unit is running the PFT because of training "inertia." Ma Corps has been doing the twice annual PFT thing for a looong time, and it takes time to get everybody rogered up on something like this. When I figure it out further, I'll let you know.
 

GO_AV8_DevilDog

Round 2...
Contributor
well, I was informed that if visiable in PT gear it must be small enough to be covered by your hand? that wrong?

Why make your life harder? I think the hand requirement is put in place for people with tattoo's already and are requiring a waiver.

IMHO Doing it after you know you're not supposed to will not make your life any easier.
 

jsu2003

New Member
Why make your life harder? I think the hand requirement is put in place for people with tattoo's already and are requiring a waiver.

IMHO Doing it after you know you're not supposed to will not make your life any easier.

I did not realize that was the case. Thanks!
 
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