Project Appleseed

Each year, my husband brings in chow to work to celebrate the Marine Corp birthday.   Along with food, he sends a short description of some aspect of the Marine Corp life.  I thought my Appleseed friends would appreciate this years installment...

Semper Fi and see ya on the trail....

LadyVetch

---

There is chow (fruit, donuts and bagels) in E400 near pillar D10 (outside of conference room E401) to celebrate the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

Also, please remember that tomorrow is Veteran's Day.

What would your MOS be? No, I'm not talking about Randy Moss or Boss Moss http://www.freakies.com/bossmoss.htm
or the north side of a tree or the shady side of a force vector neutral exothermically induced crystalline silicate (because we all know a rolling stone gathers no moss, so we need a stationary one). An MOS is a Military Occupational Specialty.  Each and every one of the roughly 243,000 Marines has an MOS. Although they can be called a Tactical Data Network Gateway Systems Administrator or a Telephone Systems/Personal Computer Intermediate Repairer, the standard "What do you do?" question is usually answered with a four digit number, and most often with "Oh three eleven."

The forty one current Occupational Fields are numbered between 01 and 99 in the Marine Corps, and each Occupational Field has multiple MOS's.  For example, the infantry field (03) has nine enlisted classifications: Rifleman (MOS 0311), Riverine Assault Craft (MOS 0312), Light Armored Vehicle Crewman (MOS 0313), Reconnaissance Man (MOS 0321), Machine Gunner (MOS 0331), Mortarman (MOS 0341), Assaultman (MOS 0351), Antitank Assault Guided Missileman (MOS 0352), and Infantry Unit Leader (MOS 0369).  Each MOS has a rank related to it, anyone ranking from Private to Sergeant can be a Rifleman (0311)  , but only Marines ranking from Staff Sergeant to Master Gunnery Sergeant can be an Infantry Unit Leader (0369). An Infantry Officer (from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel) is an 0302, a Logistics Officer is an 0402, a Fleet Satellite Terminal Technician is a 2833 and an Assault Breacher Vehicle Operator is a 1372. To see a list of current MOS's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_MOS

So what does an "oh three eleven" of today do? The Riflemen  (otherwise known as grunts) employ the M16A2 service rifle, the M203 grenade launcher and the M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW). Riflemen  are the primary scouts, assault troops, and close combat forces available to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. They are the nucleus of the fire team in the rifle squad, the scout team in the light armored reconnaissance squad, scout snipers in the infantry battalion, and reconnaissance or assault team in the reconnaissance units. Noncommissioned officers are assigned as fire team leaders, scout team leaders, rifle squad leaders, or rifle platoon guides.

The United States Marine Corps is built around the individual infantry man. Almost one fourth of the 13 weeks of Marine Corps Recruit Training is devoted to rifle marksmanship.  Every MOS in the Marine Corps exists, ultimately, to support the Rifleman.    Whether a Marine is a Motor Transport Maintenance Chief (3529), a Pilot VMA, AV-8B Qualified (7509) or a Main Battle Tank Repairer/Technician (2146), at the end of the day (or night), the job they do is done to support the Rifleman.    Every Marine can tell you that an M16A2 is a 5.56 mm, lightweight, magazine fed, gas operated, air cooled, shoulder fired weapon and there is one badge that every Marine wears on their dress uniform.  That one badge common to all Marines is the Rifle Qualification Badge.  Every year, each Marine must qualify with the M16A2 service rifle because every Marine is, first and foremost, a Rifleman.   

So, back to the original question, today my MOS would be 3361 (Subsistence Supply Clerk).
I don't believe there is an MOS for Civilian Stuffing Their Piehole With Free Chow, but that's ok, you sure are good at it!

Semper Fi

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARINES  

From this old ARMY GRUNT, thanks for doing all the hard work, and making us look good   .

D-fly   Keeping the Faith

 Happy Birthday, Marines. 

While I was a 91bravo (infantry medic)in the Army...I guess the Marines call 'em corpsmen... my current MOS would be 1141. a far cry from my military MOS.

Sparky!

91 Bravo is now 68 Whiskey, but You will always be "Doc."

I guess these days I am a Victor 90...  but every soldier, a rifleman.

Coop

OOOOHHHHRAAAAA

That's right!!! Everyone was shocked (as they are everyyear) when I said it was my 235th birthday. Remember the words of U.S. Army General John "Black Jack" Pershing...... "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle", "Why the hell can't the army do it if the Marines can? They are the same kind of men; why can't they be like the Marines?" or those of Commandant Gray "Every Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other condition is secondary"
Semper Fidelis

Happy Birthday to the Corps from a former USAR 94B10.

Remember in honer of those who gave, Appleseed is now free to all Military Vets    


D-fly   Keeping the Faith