What is the strangest, worst, best, or most common MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) in your branch?

James Adair — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 01:43:10 -0400

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2016 1:50 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 01:50:52 -0400

Strangest: Infanty ( Random shenanegans happens)
Worst: Infanty ( Gotta embrance teh suck )
Best: Infanty ( You get to actually shoot and throw sht )
Common: Infanty ( Everyone loves to be a Spec Ops just like in Call of Duty / Battlefield )

Dont't take my word for it, but I recommend going with a MOS that you would be happy and be useful with to avoid getting your battles killed.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Oct 2 at 2016 2:49 AM

SPC Erich Guenther — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 02:49:42 -0400

Largest MOS is definitely Infantry. Strangest: ADA....lol, come' on, is there really a skill there? Best: subjective based on who you ask, everyone is biased. MOS' to avoid: Firefighter is one example for the Army, because I believe the Army is attempting to convert them all to civilian contractors over time.

Response by Cpl George Crab made Oct 2 at 2016 7:21 AM

Cpl George Crab — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 07:21:09 -0400

At the time, while I was first in the USMC, I became a Cryogenic Technician, not a Cryogenics Equipment Operator, as is done now. I believe that being a CT, not assigned with a Navy detachment, as I think is done now, at least overseas,, made me a Big and Bad Scientist (in my head, anyway), wandering about in my white lab coat, looking mysterious and stuff is probably better than what the field has become.

I recall cracking open the valve on a 500 gallon liquid nitrogen tank, then sitting on top of that, smoking a cigarette, watching officers doing a 180, because of the low lying bank of 'fog', and the ciggy.

I recall firing up the liquid oxygen/liquid nitrogen producing GB1A , which was run by an attached jet engine, for 10 days, and wondering when the engine was going to blow up.

To get away from that danged plant, I went to a much lower stress job. I became a Drill Instructor. Since my ETS was approaching, and I didn't want to have to return to the drill field, because at age 22, the graduation from DI School having rested on having to do a 15 mile run, with loaded haversack, my M16, an old steel pot helmet, a fully loaded cartridge belt and so on.

I would have to do the very same thing in 10 years, and doing that at age 32 didn't seem all that appealing, I decided to go Navy. I went to OSVET training, then onto Hospital Corps School, then onto training to become an FMS Corpsman (grunt doc).

My first permanent duty station was back at Parris Island. Boot camp. I could stand by the flagpole and looking to my right, I could see 1st Bn B Company, where I had been a DI.

I did go on and did different things, while in the USN, as a Corpsman, but still, seeing as I didn't want to return to the DI role in 10 years, God decided that I wouldn't. He arranged to have me sent back to PI, to see my company every day, and be reminded that HE has the power, not me.

Or maybe God has a really good sense of humor?

I have returned since I retired, to Parris Island. It seems that sick bay has moved, and no one can see my old battalion, from where it is now. I think that God had it moved, after I got a taste of 'Once a Marine, Always a Marine'.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Oct 2 at 2016 5:09 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 17:09:32 -0400

Not sure if the Air Force still has them, but the most unusual while I served was entomologist.

Response by MSgt John Taylor made Oct 2 at 2016 7:50 PM

MSgt John Taylor — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 19:50:55 -0400

We once had "ship's captain" as an AFSC. The USAF has target drones and remote controlled aircraft that are used for air to air live fire test. After the shot, our ships would be dispatched out to the Gulf of Mexico to retrieve them. Eventually, like most cool jobs. it became a civilian position.

Response by SFC George Smith made Oct 3 at 2016 6:20 AM

SFC George Smith — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 06:20:20 -0400

depends on who you are and where your loyalties are...

Response by PO2 Steven Hardy made Oct 4 at 2016 9:36 AM

PO2 Steven Hardy — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 09:36:23 -0400

In the USCG, I would say the strangest rate would be Electronics Technician. They're kind of like a cult. The worst, in my opinion, is Yeoman. My paper work was always getting effed up, and I would be the one to get in trouble if I didn't catch it in time. The best is Boatswain's Mate (in my humble opinion). It puts you right on the forefront of CG operations, and thrust you into leadership positions right from the get go. The most common is also Boatswain's Mate, but Machinery Technician (the second most operational rate) is a close second.

Response by SSG Ken Gilder made Oct 4 at 2016 10:22 AM

SSG Ken Gilder — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 10:22:32 -0400

Well, I'm in the Public Affairs branch, and I do like being a broadcaster.

Response by SGT Matthew Schenkenfelder made Oct 4 at 2016 11:05 AM

SGT Matthew Schenkenfelder — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 11:05:13 -0400

Strangest: 25D Cyber Network Defender The Army already has electronic warfare MOS of 29E. This is some of that good old fashioned and redundant "overlapping coverage" that the army always tries to use in every case and scenario.

Worst: 25U (25 Useless) Signal Support Systems Specialist- They're idiots so they always just do radios.

Best: 25Q Multichannel Transmission Systems Operator Maintainer- They actually do everything. COMSEC, networking, automations, SATCOM, radios, everything. Should be the COMMO Chief, but always winds up being the Automations and SATCOM NCOIC.

Most Common: 25U It doesn't take a lot of brains to operate a radio.

Response by SGT Eliyahu Rooff made Oct 4 at 2016 11:22 AM

SGT Eliyahu Rooff — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 11:22:29 -0400

Strangest MOS? How about 02H20 - Oboe Player.

Response by GySgt Ed Gartland made Oct 4 at 2016 12:45 PM

GySgt Ed Gartland — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 12:45:27 -0400

I spent the majority of my 10 yrs active duty and 17 yrs reserve time in various Cryptologic and Intel programs with one tour out for Adjutant's Staff and another for Search and Rescue Aircrew. USMC MOSs when I retired 21 years ago 0231/0251/2629/2643. Army equivalents 96B/97E/98C/98G. Spent 2 yrs in Hawaii, 2 yrs in the PI, 3 mos on an Indian Ocean cruise, 2 yrs in VN (1 as aircrew), 1 yr TDY to college to complete my degree active duty. 4 yrs SAR Aircrew, 2 yrs Cryptologic Collection Manager, 4 yrs Interrogator/Translator, 4 yrs Dep SSO, 3 yrs Individual Augmentee reserve. As well as DOD or DA civilian at Ft Meade, Bangkok, Panama Canal Zone, Frankfurt.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 4 at 2016 4:33 PM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 16:33:23 -0400

Quarrying Specialist (Army)

Part of the Army’s engineer corps, quarrying specialists blast rocks with explosives and assist in the construction of bridges, dams, buildings, roads, and air strips.

Response by SPC Byron Skinner made Oct 4 at 2016 6:44 PM

SPC Byron Skinner — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 18:44:38 -0400

Sp4 Byron Skinner MOS's in Platoon. Most common 19D, second 11B and finally 11C. We usually had two medics, a mechanic and a USAF FAC as ride alongs.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Oct 4 at 2016 9:11 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 21:11:30 -0400

88U locomotive operator....never seen one in real life, and I think they just phased out operators in favor of railway ops. 880A Marine Deck Officer (aka Boatie, Warrants that command Army ships) have known two in my life. 12P prime power generation specialists, a US Army Corps of Engineers level assets that run non-tactical power like 5 megawatt generators.

Odd, 94H4P (used to be 35H4P) Calibration and Repair supervisor for Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) for an Area TMDE support team (ATST, note the imbedded acronym) on jump status. I once had the privilege to lead these great soldiers into battle.

I don't like to pick best or worst jobs because it is all perspective.

Response by MSgt Tonya Wigger made Oct 4 at 2016 10:30 PM

MSgt Tonya Wigger — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 22:30:57 -0400

My personal favorite for best AFSC in the USAF was as a 2E8X1, Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems. Until we were forced to merge with 2E1X1, Satellite Communications and Wideband in 2001, there was only 250 in that career field. Our job revolved around research and development. I started out getting to conduct life cycle testing on munitions (I got to blow sh*t up), to our only airborne position on the EC-18B ARIA, collecting telemetry test data from cruise missiles to satellites launches, and working on the test program for the YAL-1 Airborne Laser. It was a broad and diverse field, and I was able to experience a lot of unique jobs in that position

Response by SSG John Jensen made Oct 5 at 2016 1:47 AM

SSG John Jensen — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 01:47:09 -0400

one great-uncle was a CW2 on an Army tugboat in WWII, he was at Dutch Harbor where he and a lot of other soldiers shot down a Zero with rifle fire.(the Army had more ships than the Navy in WWII)
another great-uncle was in the Spruce Squadrons in WWI, where the Army ran logging operations in Oregon and Washington, because most of the rest of the Spruce forests (airplane parts) were logged out; and that uncle was the son of a Union Cavalryman

Response by SSG John Jensen made Oct 6 at 2016 12:52 AM

SSG John Jensen — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 00:52:26 -0400

in my Basic A-4-3 at Lost in the Woods - most of us were medics and truck drivers and variety of clerical, to include journalists, And an Army Saxephonist, (he lost about half of his body weight in basic), and one guy who got one of the 6 slots per year for Army Film Cameraman school.

Response by David Pitt made Oct 9 at 2016 6:18 PM

David Pitt — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 18:18:17 -0400

19d best, worst, not to common but common enough, best because they can out drink out shoot an out party all the other MOS out there worst because my recruiter lied to me said we would be on dirt bikes (motercycles), horses and a bunch of other awesome shit, what it turned out was Part time Gardner and mechanic but that was 15 years ago if you ain't Cav you ain't shit

Response by SPC Michelle Rehman made Oct 9 at 2016 7:26 PM

SPC Michelle Rehman — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 19:26:12 -0400

It could be a human waste disposal specialist... I believe that is a 81Y they may have grouped it to something else to make it less embarrassing

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 7:33 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 19:33:35 -0400

89B Ammunition Specialist. No one knows what we do they just assume we work magic and get their ammo by asking nicely

Response by SSG Kyle Stromgren made Oct 10 at 2016 1:19 AM

SSG Kyle Stromgren — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 01:19:38 -0400

Back in the 80's there was an mos for enlisted club manager and the other weird one was exercise specialist actually looked into changing into these jobs

Response by SSG John Jensen made Oct 10 at 2016 1:53 AM

SSG John Jensen — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 01:53:55 -0400

an old girlfriend of mine was a camera tech on F-(somethings) - in the 70's, the senior NCO (I forget the title) manufactured her ETS due to psychological because he couldn't handle a woman doing a man's job - a man's job ?? anything on the flightline. Having spent 18 years in Army, I'm well aware of the debate - but ANYTHING on the flightline?? that is soo laughable

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2017 1:38 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 13:38:37 -0500

Airforce 3E9XX Emergency Management (Used to be Disaster Preparedness) Only time we would do anything was when we were teaching Chem class or going to the airshow to set up our RV.

Army 29E Electronic Warfare Specialist- Be honest you know you don't know what they do until they are deployed.

Response by SGT Chris Stephens made Jan 6 at 2017 9:17 PM

SGT Chris Stephens — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 21:17:02 -0500

Years ago when I was stationed at Fort Benning, there were Soldiers who actually ran the post gyms as their jobs. I don't think it was an actual MOS, but still ironic that they needed to put a Soldier in charge of opening the gym and making sure everyone had towels.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2017 7:46 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Jan 2017 19:46:50 -0500

Some of the weirdest folks you'll ever meet are Navy Nukes. Overthink everything, talk different than most and tend to lack many interpersonal skills other ratings would have.

Response by SSG Dan Carter made Jan 8 at 2017 9:26 PM

SSG Dan Carter — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 21:26:45 -0500

Combat engineer, truck driver and heavy equipment operator.

Response by SGT Stephen George made Jan 8 at 2017 11:13 PM

SGT Stephen George — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 23:13:40 -0500

U.S. Army ...Soils Analyst ...don't know what they do but my post housing neighbor was one at Ft. Wainwright AK.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2017 7:05 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 07:05:50 -0500

Air Force 2T351A. That's fire truck maintenance, and yes we strictly work on fire trucks. It's not strange, no one knows we exist.

Response by 1LT Peter Duston made May 16 at 2019 8:05 PM

1LT Peter Duston — Thu, 16 May 2019 20:05:53 -0400

When I was a young soldier, I was coerced into going to language training to learn Russian. I had a Latin in high school and I hated it. But once I got overseas and was given the Duty MOS as an analyst, I really like that MOS. Years later when I went into the reserves, I was re-trained as an 11 B and really loved that MOS. Personally, I think duty station has as much to do with liking and MOS then the MOS itself.

Response by SMSgt Billy Cesarano made Mar 23 at 2021 4:16 PM

SMSgt Billy Cesarano — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 16:16:41 -0400

In-Flight Missile Mechanic.
Made that one up when I was being interrogated by an employee in an unskilled labor job where I was an Assistant Director. Me and the Director were approached by him asking about the unit we both were in. While trying to be serious with him it was obvious he didn't have what it took since he had no idea what artillery was and explaining it wasn't going anywhere so we had a little fun. He was ready to sign up even though we emphasized the "One Shot" aspect of such a MOS.

Response by SGT John Fielden made Jun 24 at 2021 12:26 PM

SGT John Fielden — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 12:26:07 -0400

Navy Pitsnipes in shipboard engineering.
It sucks. Three section duty: a 24hr duty day followed directly by an 8hr workday, followed by an 8hr work day, followed by another 24hr duty day. AND THATS INPORT.
Underway, its 6hrs on 6hrs off. Never sleeping more than 4hrs at a time.
Do that for a month tour.
IT SUCKED!