Can anyone explain/describe to me the type of jobs in Aviation Support ( U.S Marines ) do?
Will they see combat as much as infantry? Also, what does it mean when they say, 'every marine is a rifleman'? I'm ready to commit!
Public Comments
- Im in my recurting fase to I can tell you every marine is a rifel manjust means every marine will learn how to use a gun anytime you are deployed oversea's you are required to carry a gun on you for protection which makes since. but when you are in the states you dont have to carry a gun.
- Aviation Support usuasly refers to the non-maintence side of the aviation field; the largest being supply/logistics and operations. Every Marine is trained as a rifleman means just what it says-every Marine is given basic infantry training and maintains the training throughout their time in; after recruit traiing you will go through basic infantry training and then to your techical school while the regular infantry goes to the same basic infantry ttraining/school you do then goes to an advanced school to refine their skills. In case of an emergency you could be used as infantry and the security unit at bases in combat zones are typically a core of regular infantry (called a Zulu Company in the old days) and is fleshed out with Marines assigned to it for limitted time and rotated in and out. Usually about 10% are regular infantry and then Marines assigned from the units to bring it up to strength-some people would go to mess duty or other assignments and others go to the security company. Would you see combat as much as a regular infantry company or unit-No but you possibly could see some. Your mission in the Marine Corps is to keep the helicopters and aircraft in the air to ensure the infantry has them when they need them. Lavadog-I was 0351 in Vietnam and started with 11/K ended my tour assign to a Zulu Company at Marble Mountain-most nghts it was me another grunt and six aviation people the area we were responsible for which had two bunkers on the wire in it. Transferred to aviation when got back to the US.
- Aviation maintenance is in no way shape or form infantry like..The two could not be any more different..If you choose aviation support MOS you wont be doing any infantry like stuff while your in the Marines except for boot camp and MCT.. Every marine a rifle man means this..It simply means that every Marine regardless of MOS can handle the rifle as a wepon if they had to..It means every Marine must qualify with the rifle every year.. Do not believe any of these clowns who HAVE NOT served in the USMC and love to say that all Marines are infantry first and then your MOS comes second..That is SO VERY stupid..Never once did I see any Marine in the infantry come from another MOS..I never even heard of anyone in the infantry getting switched or forced to do infantry type duties,, Every marine a rifleman does not mean every marine a infantry man..Only those who graduate from the school of infantry perform infantry duties and dont let these people who have never served or are in another branch tell you otherwise..
- Aviation support means you will be on a secure air base witch has supply - personal and a heavy maintenance company or 2 about the only troops that go outside the wire is line company's or downed aircraft recovery teams
- Save yourself the trouble and go Aircrew. If you have bad eyesight, then you'll be serving aboard the Battle Herc, otherwise you might want to try your hand a few gatling guns or .50 caliber machine guns our helo bubbas use. As aircrew, you'll travel the world and see things the normal service man doesn't see, and that's saying something. If you're on a rotary wing platform, you might get the chance to use a weapon that fires 3000 rounds a minute or a machine gun that shoots bullets bigger than your finger. If you're on the KC-130J, then you'll be tasked with every mission Marine Aviation has on it's list. Transporting people and cargo. we're talking good guys, bad guys, healthy guys, injured guys, and (unfortunately) dead guys. The cargo ranges from trucks to bombs and missiles, bullets, beans, band aids, anything you can fit inside that plane you will take. You will also air drop cargo and people. Another primary mission is to refuel jets and helicopters in mid-air, providing longer air time for our attack platforms to support our Marines working in the dirt. Whatever your choice, be proud to wear the uniform. Not more than 2% of the entire US population will do what you're thinking about doing. Don't let them down. Semper Fi
