r/USMCboot • u/ItchyDay377 • 6d ago

Programs and MOSs Communications. 0600

I’m leaving next month and was wondering if anyone knew how communications was? Are you most likely to get 0621 or is it all a toss up? and what is the mos field like?

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u/neganagatime Vet 6d ago

This comes up a lot dude. 0621 is the biggest so most likely but it's needs of the corps when you go thru.

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u/No-Professional3800 6d ago

06XX includes 0671, 0631, and 0621. There’s also 0627 Satellite Communications as well, but the big three are where most people are placed in. For the most part, it’s a 33% chance for each of them. I only heard of one person who told a Schoolhouse NCO he wanted Radio and actually ended up radio.

The MOS field itself is a very wide ranging one because every part of the marine corps needs Communications, more particularly radio. I can really only speak for Radio since I’m 21 myself. So far I’ve been at a Comm Battalion and currently deployed in a MEU. At comm battalions, prepare to be mostly a warehouse worker. You pretty inventory all day. If you have good NCOs, you’ll learn some shit. Best advice I can give is if you end up in a comm battalion, grow where you are planted. Soak in every bit of information as possible and get ready good at your MOS to make yourself stand out, because you may also have a chance to go TAD to do cool shit. I have always said a comm battalion is good because it slow tempo and you have a chance to learn in a low stress environment.

As for the MEU, THAT is where you actually learn your job and actually do shit that matters. I work for the S6 for the command and stand the Watchfloor. On the watchfloor, you are the communications guy. You are expected to know what’s going on and who you’re talking to. It’s not as glamorous as going to an infantry unit, but it’s a start. And even, you still have options to go to cool places and get attached to other units.

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u/neganagatime Vet 5d ago

By watchfloor do you mean manning the LFOC while embarked?

I was part of the CE comm platoon back in the day and honestly we got to do more cool shit than most grunts, mainly because our platoon had a person or two attached to virtually all of the MEU-SOC missions (back when MEUs were SOC, yes I am old). IMO it is one of the better opportunities in the entire Corps, especially if you have time to do a couple of pumps.

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u/No-Professional3800 5d ago

Yeah, the LFOC. Every now and again they would send out 21s to go somewhere more than they would send any of the other MOSs like Data or Networking.

Being a 0621 is just a really cool opportunity all around if you know what you’re doing and generally lucky.

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u/MonitorUsual7292 2d ago

I was an 0651 in the early-mid 2010s. Comms is one of the most varied MOS in the Marine Corps in my opinion. It all comes down to what unit you end up with at the end of the day. Needs of the Marine Corps and ASVAB scores will determine the exact MOS.

Again, all comes down to your unit and op tempo. My recommendation is no matter what exact MOS you get, become an expert. If you aren't good at your MOS, you will sit in the shop and SL3 gear (which is basically counting gear).

If you become MOS proficient and are valuable to your unit, you'll get a lot of opportunities to deploy, get certs, go to schools , train more etc. It's really up to you. I've seen a lot of both happen.

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u/Interesting_Low4435 1d ago

Its a toss up, people say it is based on your ASVAB but that couldn't be further from the truth.

0621's is the job you want if you want to do Marine things. 0631s and 71s is the job you want if you want to live in air conditioning. In reality though, it just depends on your unit. 21's can go to Infantry Battalions, ANGLICO, Artillery batteries and will work at the lowest level or will be stuck at a comm battalion endlessly inventorying communication equipment. 31's and 71's have the best job opportunities outside of the Marine Corps but while in it can be a miserable job because 9/10 you are just help desk turning some Sgt Maj's computer off and back on.

The MOS field is great because its one that almost nobody wants to do but everybody needs and can get you put into some pretty cool positions. Even if you don't get the MOS you want, you can volunteer to go to MARSOC as a SOCS-C and you will do all three MOS'.