Posted on Feb 14, 2016
Reclassing to 13F Forward Observer; what can you tell me about this MOS?
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Forward Observer
13F: Fire Support Specialist
Reclass
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 19
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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.
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SGM Raymond Bozek
You are responsible to make sure all of your FO's and Team are Qualified as FO's each year in preparations to be able to deploy anytime and be able to do your job and kick ass overseas along with while in a training environment... Best Of Luck Future FISTER
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SSgt Michael Bowen
SSG (Join to see) - As an E-6 You run a fist team . you have FO's under you and report to the TOC .
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SSgt Michael Bowen
BTW you will spend a lot of time in the field . But it is the best times . but it is also one of most independent jobs in the Army .
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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.
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You can make it to SFC fast but will stay there forever!!! Not all but most.
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SGM Raymond Bozek
If you aren't self motivated or a go getter you will stay in the lower ranks, but I went from E3-E9 as a Fister in 15 years... HOOAH!!! Retired for almost 2 years now and miss it every day...
Also, I was our BN FSO & S3 AIR as an E7/SFC for our entire OIF deployment and shot Arty & Mortars every day & Night we were out of Camp Taji, Iraq back in 2009, HHC 1-111th IN Associators, 56 SBCT... OIF 09-11
Also, I was our BN FSO & S3 AIR as an E7/SFC for our entire OIF deployment and shot Arty & Mortars every day & Night we were out of Camp Taji, Iraq back in 2009, HHC 1-111th IN Associators, 56 SBCT... OIF 09-11
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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.
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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.
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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
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SP5 Pedro Gonzalez
Also your Field tempo will be doubled, everyone I've ever met who has been a 13 FOX has loved it but is a field dog, the next thing to being a Ranger
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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.
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.
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I was 13F post Vietnam, pre Iraq war. I look back now and see tat I was held in awe by the airborne infantry.
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