Posted on Aug 5, 2017
How common is it to change your MOS in the Army?
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I see on Rallypoint a lot of questions regarding changing MOSs, usually to improve promotion opportunities. How common is it to change your MOS in the Army? How do you think this affects job expertise at the senior enlisted level?
In the Navy while it is not uncommon for Sailors to change to a different rating, it is definitely not the norm, and changing twice is very rare.
In the Navy while it is not uncommon for Sailors to change to a different rating, it is definitely not the norm, and changing twice is very rare.
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 9
It is actually quite common in the army. There are numerous reasons for the change. A lot of combat arms cats usually get the experience of being a grunt and the quick promotions and then often venture into more specialized jobs that offer the opportunity for civilian employment for when they leave. On the flip side, I've had soldiers who were bored with working desks and came over to combat arms because they weren't getting promoted and they wanted something more exciting. Usually you only see it happen with E5 and below. Many spc types will debate reclassing. But usually around E6 it is difficult to reclass because they just can't toss you in a slot because you won't have the experience. After E6 it is sort of either enjoy your chosen profession or get out.
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SCPO (Join to see)
SGT Joseph Gunderson Thank you for the explanation. Most cross-rating (that's what we call it) happens when a Sailor is re-enlisting based on performance and their rating manning. There are restrictions as to what you can, if you can, cross rate into as well, i.e. If your rating is undermanned you can't cross rate, and you can't cross into an overmanned one.
Some ratings you can't enlist as too, such as legalman (paralegal). Sailors have to apply and cross rate into this field. The Navy also has apprentices, where a Sailor enlists without a specialty into one of the 4 apprenticeship fields: Aviation, Seamanship, Engineering, Construction. They have to chose and 'strike' for a rating before they can advance to E-4.
Some ratings you can't enlist as too, such as legalman (paralegal). Sailors have to apply and cross rate into this field. The Navy also has apprentices, where a Sailor enlists without a specialty into one of the 4 apprenticeship fields: Aviation, Seamanship, Engineering, Construction. They have to chose and 'strike' for a rating before they can advance to E-4.
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All depends on the needs of the Army. If that soldier wants wto continue in that job field after the army is a big factor for most reclass.
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It is common in the Army to see one reclass (2 MOSs) , but more so in the Army Reserve National Guard. People move or switch their drill location to get closer to home and change unit and MOS. Many times, the ARNG changes and reflags units. I have seen one unit in my home town go from Infantry to Signal to Field Artillery. That means a unit reclassified en masse.
Additionally, there is a career ladder. As people advance as NCOs, MOSs merge a couple times. Calibrators used to start as 94H, then merge at E8 into 27E which is a TOW missile repairer. The 91A,B,E,S, F, series all eventually merge into 91X then into 91Z.
Additionally, there is a career ladder. As people advance as NCOs, MOSs merge a couple times. Calibrators used to start as 94H, then merge at E8 into 27E which is a TOW missile repairer. The 91A,B,E,S, F, series all eventually merge into 91X then into 91Z.
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SCPO (Join to see)
LTC Jason Mackay Whew! Thats a lot of letters and numbers! We merge some ratings too, usually at eh E-9 level, For example: Aviation Electronics Technicians (AT) and Aviation Electricians Mates (AE) merge into Avionics Technicians (AV) at E-9.
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SSG (Join to see)
I know in the reserves, obviously there are no combat MOS's, plus the area you live in may only have a hand full of units limiting the number of MOS's available, so soldiers have to re class to fit the needs of the unit when coming in. I re-classed twice in the Reserves.
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MSgt (Join to see)
SCPO (Join to see) - Just get tired of all the political questions. Nice to see a question that someone may actually learn something from.
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SCPO (Join to see)
MSgt (Join to see) - Me too. I usually scroll past the political stuff looking for questions. Not to many questions from junior Sailors though, which is a good thing because it means people like me are doing their jobs.
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Met an E8 who claimed to have 4 different MOS.
In my field as I understand it, it might be difficult for me to make E5 unless NCO's move up or out or reclass. Or I might have to reclass.
In my field as I understand it, it might be difficult for me to make E5 unless NCO's move up or out or reclass. Or I might have to reclass.
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SCPO (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) Changing ratings in the Navy is not uncommon, twice is very rare, and I've never met anyone who has done it 3 times.
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SPC (Join to see)
SCPO (Join to see) - I was surprised when he said it Chief, I might switch to another MOS in a few years but I don't plan on doing it that much.
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SP5 Peter Keane
SPC (Join to see) - I have 4 MOS's listed on my Form 20 (Obsolete) PMOS of 91B30, SMOS of 71F30, AMOS of 71L20, and AMOS of 83F30. I was a Medic, got a compassionate reassignment to Ft Lawton (since closed) where the garrison consisted of 123 troops. Became a postal clerk, clerk typist making ID cards, and an offset pressman who was the Post Commanders driver when not running the Post Library or Bowling Center.
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As an example, out of the 5 Chief Petty Officer Selects at my command right now, 1 is in a different rating than he enlisted in, and he was forced to change.
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LTC Jason Mackay
One other source of Army MOS change is the discontinuation of the original MOS. I had a Warrant friend who was a Nuclear technician in Field Artillery, forced to reclass as a senior CW4. He became a Property Book Officer.
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I re-classed to a Counterintelligence Special Agent after over a decade in combat arms (mostly in the infantry). Although I love the infantry, I just got tired of being a grunt all the time (and mostly in training, as grunts only truly get to do their jobs in combat environments). In the civilian world I was a police officer and that was also taking up a lot of my time, so as an infantryman now taking on the role of infantry platoon sergeant as a E6, I found myself constantly dealing with Soldier issues and enjoying my drill days less and less.
When I finally made the decision to change it up, I was at the point of either getting out completely or trying something new. And, I am glad I did. have been a CI agent now for over six years and even became a CI Warrant Officer. I finally felt like I found my niche.
That being said, its interesting to note that the enlisted 35L (CI Special Agent) is not a job you can just enter when you first join the Army anyway. Like 31D (CID Special Agent), you can only re-class into the MOS, and must be at minimum an E4(P).
When I finally made the decision to change it up, I was at the point of either getting out completely or trying something new. And, I am glad I did. have been a CI agent now for over six years and even became a CI Warrant Officer. I finally felt like I found my niche.
That being said, its interesting to note that the enlisted 35L (CI Special Agent) is not a job you can just enter when you first join the Army anyway. Like 31D (CID Special Agent), you can only re-class into the MOS, and must be at minimum an E4(P).
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SCPO (Join to see)
CW3 (Join to see) There are some ratings in the Navy like that as well. Leagalman (Paralegal) for example. Master-at-Arms used to be that way as well, requiring the Sailor to be an E-5 to cross rate into it, but after 9/11 and the increase in AT/FP requirements, that was changed to start plussing up the MA community. Seemed like half of my boot camp division were MAs.
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SSG (Join to see)
I tried to be 35L 3 times ! Would of been one of the best because how high my passion is about our country! After having the clear. For close to 5 yrs I had to settle for T.
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