MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES
An MOS is a Military Occupational Specialty. This is your Marine Corps career path. The PLC and OCC
programs offer four different basic fields.
GROUND: Marine Corps Ground Officers form the backbone of the Marine Corps. No other career offers
the opportunity to lead a platoon of Marines immediately after graduating from college. This area includes
many specialties, ranging from Communications to Infantry to Finance. A link to a complete MOS list is
below.
AVIATION: The Marine Corps operates the fifth largest air force in the world, yet it is also its most elite.
Much of that has to do with our aviators. Marines are the tip of the spear, and our aviators are its gleaming
and lethal point. Our primary objective is to clear the way for our ground troops. In fact, pilots are in
constant contact with the Marine on the ground in order to ensure pinpoint precise troop support. Although
each branch of the military has a flying force, none is better trained than the Marines to cover hostile
territory at Mach 1 and only 500 feet off the ground.
NAVAL FLIGHT OFFICER: Marine Corps Aviators are by Marine Naval Flight Officers (NFO) accompanying
them in the aircraft. NFOs serve as members of aircraft crews, and assist in the employment of the aircraft
offensive and defensive weapons. In addition to performing the multitude of air defense and attack
functions (day or night), they may be designated as a forward air controller where they will direct
supporting fires for ground forces to include artillery, naval gunfire and close air support. They can advise
commanders of ground units on matters pertaining to aerial observation and provide information of
intelligence value not readily available from normal sources.
STAFF JUDGE ADVOCATE: This is our legal program guaranteeing someone the opportunity to practice law
as a Marine Staff Judge advocate. For more information go to the official SJA site at
http://sja.hqmc.usmc.mil/.
Remember, the fact that you will be an Officer of Marines in and of itself is more important than what you
do professionally as a Marine. Officers in the other branches are defined by their jobs--"I'm an F-16 Pilot,
"I'm an artillery officer", or "I'm a Surface Warfare Officer." Marines speak of their service first and their
job second, because that is the real order of priority to Marines. Plus, the Marine Corps relies on the
diversification of Marines to overcome its smaller size, so what you might start out doing will most likely
not be all you do during your time in the Corps. For example, a Captain might be flying Cobras right now,
but next year he'll be playing in the mud with the grunts as a Forward Air Controller. After that, he might
have a recruiting billet at a college so that he can work towards a Master's Degree. There is never dull
routine in the Marine Corps. The Corps always takes care of its own, and you can always be proud of the
fact that you are making a difference, no matter what you are doing.
For a complete listing of Military Occupation Specialties (MOS) click here
programs offer four different basic fields.
GROUND: Marine Corps Ground Officers form the backbone of the Marine Corps. No other career offers
the opportunity to lead a platoon of Marines immediately after graduating from college. This area includes
many specialties, ranging from Communications to Infantry to Finance. A link to a complete MOS list is
below.
AVIATION: The Marine Corps operates the fifth largest air force in the world, yet it is also its most elite.
Much of that has to do with our aviators. Marines are the tip of the spear, and our aviators are its gleaming
and lethal point. Our primary objective is to clear the way for our ground troops. In fact, pilots are in
constant contact with the Marine on the ground in order to ensure pinpoint precise troop support. Although
each branch of the military has a flying force, none is better trained than the Marines to cover hostile
territory at Mach 1 and only 500 feet off the ground.
NAVAL FLIGHT OFFICER: Marine Corps Aviators are by Marine Naval Flight Officers (NFO) accompanying
them in the aircraft. NFOs serve as members of aircraft crews, and assist in the employment of the aircraft
offensive and defensive weapons. In addition to performing the multitude of air defense and attack
functions (day or night), they may be designated as a forward air controller where they will direct
supporting fires for ground forces to include artillery, naval gunfire and close air support. They can advise
commanders of ground units on matters pertaining to aerial observation and provide information of
intelligence value not readily available from normal sources.
STAFF JUDGE ADVOCATE: This is our legal program guaranteeing someone the opportunity to practice law
as a Marine Staff Judge advocate. For more information go to the official SJA site at
http://sja.hqmc.usmc.mil/.
Remember, the fact that you will be an Officer of Marines in and of itself is more important than what you
do professionally as a Marine. Officers in the other branches are defined by their jobs--"I'm an F-16 Pilot,
"I'm an artillery officer", or "I'm a Surface Warfare Officer." Marines speak of their service first and their
job second, because that is the real order of priority to Marines. Plus, the Marine Corps relies on the
diversification of Marines to overcome its smaller size, so what you might start out doing will most likely
not be all you do during your time in the Corps. For example, a Captain might be flying Cobras right now,
but next year he'll be playing in the mud with the grunts as a Forward Air Controller. After that, he might
have a recruiting billet at a college so that he can work towards a Master's Degree. There is never dull
routine in the Marine Corps. The Corps always takes care of its own, and you can always be proud of the
fact that you are making a difference, no matter what you are doing.
For a complete listing of Military Occupation Specialties (MOS) click here