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Subject: I have another question about Marines, Officers, and Recon...can ya'll help?
colts    2/11/2007 8:27:13 PM
I am closer and closer to making my decision. One thing I would like to know ( and its been discussed before I just would like a clear cut answer.) I am further persuing the PLC program, I just want to know that if I do get my commision, will I see action? Recon platoons need leaders too. The pipeline might be tough, but I love challenges, the smaller the odds, the greater the chance for me, thats just how I am. I love rising to the occasion. So back to the question, will I or will I not be able to go out on ops, and be hands on if I get my commision? and if so approximately how long will I be able to be going out on ops before I get an admin job?
 
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BadNews       2/12/2007 1:37:30 PM
Hey grashopper, one must walk before they run.
 
1. First you have to succesfully get through PLC/OCS, then there is THE OFFICERS BASIC SCHOOL, then a specialized school that you may have applied. for.
 
2> Now let's assume that You are an infantry officer, most likely as a butterbar, a plt leader. There is the a period of time that is required to build unit cohesion, in the USMC, will most likely be a MEU work up. you along with your troops will go through TRAP Training, MOUT, Climbing, and a whole host of training excersices. Then your unit will have it's CERTEX, and then deployment at Sea as A MEU, (More than likely ththis will take you to action in IRAQ/AFGAN or where everelse) Then you can start applying for Recon or whatever else you may be shooting for,
 
The short answer is No One Can Tell you with certainty when or if you will see action. In the current environment however, your chances of seeing action are pretty good, The Commandant of the Marine Corps recently signed an order that any Marine regardless of MOS that specifically request duty in Iraq or AFGAN be granted a posting even if it means loaning that individual to the Army or AF
 
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colts    badnews   2/12/2007 2:24:35 PM
yoda,

okay so lets say I succesfully went through OCS, the basic school, and my specialized school.  I was a butterbar, we went through MEU work up, TRAP Training, MOUT, Climbing, and the whole host of other Training excersises, my units gets its CERTEX and was deployed to sea.  Lets say we saw combat.  Now  I have applied for Recon, get excepted from indoc, go through the schools and become a Recon Marine Officer.  Now after all this, will I be directly seeing those missions out?  Or will I be admin for Recon?  Or and this is what I have read and heard about, now will I plan out the operations, tell my staff sggt what needs to be done and he will carry it out.  (I want to be the person that carries out the ops)  Who is that?  

Thanks for your patience badnews
colts
 
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ambush       2/12/2007 7:27:28 PM

yoda,


okay so lets say I succesfully went through OCS, the basic school, and my specialized school.  I was a butterbar, we went through MEU work up, TRAP Training, MOUT, Climbing, and the whole host of other Training excersises, my units gets its CERTEX and was deployed to sea.  Lets say we saw combat.  Now  I have applied for Recon, get excepted from indoc, go through the schools and become a Recon Marine Officer.  Now after all this, will I be directly seeing those missions out?  Or will I be admin for Recon?  Or and this is what I have read and heard about, now will I plan out the operations, tell my staff sggt what needs to be done and he will carry it out.  (I want to be the person that carries out the ops)  Who is that?  

Thanks for your patience badnews
colts
  Speaking from experience from 25 year ago (damn I am feeling old suddenly)  most recon missions were run by 4 and 6 man teams lead by a Sergeant (E-5).  Few and far between were platoon size missions, mostly raids, tha the Platoon Commander would go on.  Platoon headquaters was mostly for support. For a platoon commander it is (was?) an excellent  opportunity to ge training that you may not get with a Regular Marine Infantry outfit: Amphib Recon, Ranger, Airborne and SCUBA to name just a few of schools along withe unit training unique to recon, much of which will come in handy  when you go back to a regular outfit. It does not seem  to hurt career advancement. A few past Generals and Commandants  did time Commanding a Force Recon Company.
 
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BadNews       2/12/2007 8:33:27 PM

yoda,


okay so lets say I succesfully went through OCS, the basic school, and my specialized school.  I was a butterbar, we went through MEU work up, TRAP Training, MOUT, Climbing, and the whole host of other Training excersises, my units gets its CERTEX and was deployed to sea.  Lets say we saw combat.  Now  I have applied for Recon, get excepted from indoc, go through the schools and become a Recon Marine Officer.  Now after all this, will I be directly seeing those missions out?  Or will I be admin for Recon?  Or and this is what I have read and heard about, now will I plan out the operations, tell my staff sggt what needs to be done and he will carry it out.  (I want to be the person that carries out the ops)  Who is that?  

Thanks for your patience badnews
colts
Hey Grasshopper, Ambush is correct, and even with MARSOC, ops for recon are going to be E-5/E6  type ops, But fear not, An infantry officer in the todays and the future corps is going to see more varients of Distributed Opersations in some incarnantion, and littoral warefare, which is probably what we will be seeing the next 20 years or so is pretty much going to be company ops type work. Your best bet is infantry if you are going the officer route, which career wise is the way to go
 
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BadNews       2/12/2007 8:35:55 PM



yoda,




okay so lets say I succesfully went through OCS, the basic school, and my specialized school.  I was a butterbar, we went through MEU work up, TRAP Training, MOUT, Climbing, and the whole host of other Training excersises, my units gets its CERTEX and was deployed to sea.  Lets say we saw combat.  Now  I have applied for Recon, get excepted from indoc, go through the schools and become a Recon Marine Officer.  Now after all this, will I be directly seeing those missions out?  Or will I be admin for Recon?  Or and this is what I have read and heard about, now will I plan out the operations, tell my staff sggt what needs to be done and he will carry it out.  (I want to be the person that carries out the ops)  Who is that?  



Thanks for your patience badnews

colts


  Speaking from experience from 25 year ago (damn I am feeling old suddenly)  most recon missions were run by 4 and 6 man teams lead by a Sergeant (E-5).  Few and far between were platoon size missions, mostly raids, tha the Platoon Commander would go on.  Platoon headquaters was mostly for support. For a platoon commander it is (was?) an excellent  opportunity to ge training that you may not get with a Regular Marine Infantry outfit: Amphib Recon, Ranger, Airborne and SCUBA to name just a few of schools along withe unit training unique to recon, much of which will come in handy  when you go back to a regular outfit. It does not seem  to hurt career advancement. A few past Generals and Commandants  did time Commanding a Force Recon Company.


Ambush has it correctumundo, was what I was trying to tell you, go for recon for the schools, but the infantry IS THE CORPS,
 
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colts       2/12/2007 10:04:39 PM
thanks ambush and badnews, thats what I thought.

why if I want to go in for a career is it wiser to get commisioned if i want to be an operator?  
 
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BadNews       2/13/2007 5:44:44 PM
Basically it's this, to become an Operator, you are likely looking at 4-6 years service before you can even get there, it is Highly competative, as an Officer, 1. You will get your fair share of challenge from the day you take command of your platoon, 2. MAny people do not understand what OPERATORS really do, for one thing it is 50% training foriegn forces and 49% recon only 1% movie type stuff (Pun Intended)- Infantry is where most the action is. 3. As MArsoc develops the openings for USMC Spec OPS will be there, Officer and Enlisted alike. The 'ACTION that most people are looking for is in the Infantry
 
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BadNews       2/13/2007 6:21:12 PM
Colt, from all the post of yours that I have read,Distributed Ops is probably going to be your best avenue, the Marine Corps is heading that way in some incarnation and those folks all come from the Infantry and are Infantry
 
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BadNews    Links   2/13/2007 6:25:49 PM
h://www.smallwars.quantico.usmc.mil/index.
 
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colts       2/13/2007 6:53:02 PM
badnews,
Thank you, but Im not thinking of the typical "movie stuff" I am thinking more along the lines of deep reconnaissance, laser guided missles, training other troops, and I hear in Iraq many recon battalions are going door to door if you will for inteligence.  A reason the Corps apeals to me is because of this, I ve never seen them as the typical movie type,  I feel they just do it.

p.s. im not trying to start any fights with anyone on here about what force does what, or who is better okay ya'll,
 
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