MOBCOP Question: Has anyone had success using the MOBCOP Tour of Duty website?

For some unexplained reason, MOBCOP.army.mil has become unreachable unless you are on a computer that is on a *.mil or *.gov domain,

MSG,

Also, is it a bad idea to take a position two grades below mine. (No question is a stupid question). Does it really matter?

Inside comments under responses, you need to mention them upon response, unless they are the original responder.

CSM (Join to see), please read SSG (Join to see) comment above.

SSG (Join to see) - The system is designed to allow for soldiers to take positions two grades down and one grade up. Whether or not the position is good for you depends on multiple factors like your MOS, financial motives, duty description, etc. However, there are times when the duty descriptions call for one rank, but really require a higher grade. Keep in mind, If they wanted a specialist that's what they would have waited for instead of taking a more seasoned, knowledgeable SSG and the extra cost associated. I personally don't think it's going to harm your career.
Again, I'd get in touch with the POC and ask bluntly, but respectfully, all you're asking here.

SSG, you can withdraw your application at any point up to the time the orders get cut, but to MSG Archer's point I would give a courtesy call to the requiring activity first to explain your circumstances. It's good practice, common decency and you don't want to burn any bridges either.

SPC(P) (Join to see) could probably use this. Even while active, I only asked this to get the info out there.

Share the wealth!

The website allows Soldiers to apply for vacant positions throughout the Army. There is also a section of the website that allows one to retrieve past orders.

Any stories or tips to share with the group?

I have never used it, so I'm no help in the stories or tips department Sergeant. I can say that i heard from a reliable source that a few ARNG soldiers were able to attach to an active duty deployment because they're jobs were needed.

So it could be a better source for ARNG Soldiers than AD? That would answer why few Leaders I know have any idea what this site includes.

MOBCOP is strictly for NG and Reserve Soldiers seeking T10 tours. The Active compo cannot use it, they have a different assignment process.

You can log in with either CAC or your AKO username & password.
At a guess - I just tried to replicate your issue and failed - They (whomever runs the site) probably had not renewed their certificates with the Trust Authority (essentially a third party clearing house of "known good" certificates).

Basically, when you go to a website that claims to be trusted via a certificate, the browser will contact one of the Trust Authorities and ask "Is this dude legit?". The Trust Authority will then check to see if 1) the certificate is properly registered and 2) current. Quite often, DOD sites seem to fail #2. For whatever reason, the certs are not renewed.

My rule of thumb for a DOD site is that I will select the "not recommended" option of trusting the expired or "not verified" cert as long as I know that I *AM* at the correct site.

I used MOBCOP and TOD to apply for a tour in AFG and was selected. It is a long process though.

Try FireFox or IE instead. MOBCOP is not Chrome-friendly. You can still go to the site if you use the Advanced settings in Chrome, but using one of the other browsers is just easier.