Reclassing to 13F Forward Observer; what can you tell me about this MOS?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:13:25 -0500

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2016 10:14 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:14:47 -0500

No knowledge whatsoever, but good luck in your endeavors

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2016 10:21 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:21:13 -0500

Why do you wanna be a 13F? This is my suggestion, the military is a way of life and if you are planning your career at least it is better to look for something that can be transferred to the civilian life...just a thought. Good luck

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2016 10:23 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:23:15 -0500

No offense to my FA brethern, but why FA?

Response by SSG Eddye Royal made Feb 14 at 2016 10:32 PM

SSG Eddye Royal — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:32:04 -0500

Good luck, we are looking for IT, and Cyber personnel. Having 13F can be a secondary and something useful with staying with govt past 21 yrs.

I would go online, .mil location and check with 1SG after going through chain, they battery or Battalion team will give you that info. On that site.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2016 10:53 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:53:57 -0500

Why do you want to be a 13f? IMO it is the best regular army enlisted job. You will be in an artillery BN/divarty but you will be nothing like them. You get attached out to the infantry and will carry a heavy load on your back with some expensive and cool equipment. It is hard to make it to 7 and very hard to make 8 and 9. Mostly because at that point you will be in charge of artillerymen when you are not really artillery. If you have any specific questions feel free.

Response by CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2016 8:56 AM

CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 08:56:35 -0500

Best job in the Army. I miss it every day. Hard to explain all the reasons but you'll understand once you're in it. You'll call for fire using mortars and artillery, perform CAS with or without a JTAC, and you'll be primary to control CCA in your platoon. You're the fires expert for your platoon. It really is the best job in the Army and an awesome community.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2016 10:03 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 10:03:11 -0500

You can make it to SFC fast but will stay there forever!!! Not all but most.

Response by SP5 Pedro Gonzalez made Feb 15 at 2016 12:13 PM

SP5 Pedro Gonzalez — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 12:13:21 -0500

13 FOX, is probably one of the hardest MOS to do, you have to be good at math, you'll learn how to call closeAir support, artillery, mortar fire, and airstrikes. You will also deal with laserguided munitions, which include handheld lasers and back pack carry lasers, from what I've seen the change now we have Hum-V -with all these things built into them

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2016 11:30 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 11:30:08 -0500

Soldiers inside and outside the MOS will give your their opinion on this job/lifestyle. I would reccomend that you do your own research first. Go to your AKO and pull up ACT to look at the professional development model for 13F. This MOS is changing rapidly and most 13F's are not tracking. Also refer to DA PAM 611-21, that is where every MOS is defined by skill level to include ASI/SQI's associated with the MOS.

Response by SFC Brian Smith made Feb 19 at 2016 11:16 PM

SFC Brian Smith — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 23:16:29 -0500

To me 13F is the best of all worlds. I did it for 20 years, I supported, infanty, armor, Calvary, light Airborne infantry, mech infantry, you will have a lot of autonomy. If you like to be out in the bush you'll love it.

Response by SPC Jason Hammond made Mar 6 at 2016 3:18 PM

SPC Jason Hammond — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 15:18:12 -0500

If you don't want to walk and carry go mechanized. I was cav fist for years. Loved it.

Response by SPC William Duvall made Mar 22 at 2016 3:09 PM

SPC William Duvall — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 15:09:58 -0400

Dude check out the 13 fox Facebook page

Response by SGT Lloyd Burge made Apr 20 at 2016 11:14 PM

SGT Lloyd Burge — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 23:14:01 -0400

I was 13F post Vietnam, pre Iraq war. I look back now and see tat I was held in awe by the airborne infantry.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2016 8:11 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 08:11:06 -0400

That I did the same in 2012 and it was a big mistake I'm reclassing again

Response by PV2 Michael C King made Dec 10 at 2016 1:54 PM

PV2 Michael C King — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 13:54:47 -0500

Brush up on your geometry.

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Dec 10 at 2016 2:34 PM

SFC Pete Kain — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 14:34:05 -0500

I reclassed from 11C to 13F in 1978. Never looked backed. Best job in the Army. Expect a wide variety of assignments and a lot of field time.
Well ok except for the Spec OP's guys.

Response by Cherri T made May 30 at 2018 12:48 PM

Cherri T — Wed, 30 May 2018 12:48:54 -0400

What is recycle rate in AIT and graduation rate?

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2018 3:06 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 03:06:29 -0400

But you didn’t reclass

Response by SSgt Michael Bowen made Jun 3 at 2019 10:20 AM

SSgt Michael Bowen — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 10:20:39 -0400

It's the best of both infantry and artillery . Best MOS there is but hard as hell to teach LOL I miss it a lot . But then I only did it for over 20+ years in both Marine Corps and Army LOL Like the old saying goes if you are doing a job you love you never work a day in your life . Tech has changed a lot but there is no replacing eyes on target . whether it's from the air or on the ground only eyes on target can tell you if it's a hit or a miss and how to correct it . But The Man is right there is No civilian market for it . For obvious reasons .LOL Last you know that math you thought you would never use ? Surprise .LOL