Choosing an MOS

Questions and Answers about obtaining an Option 40 Contract and other routes to serving as a Ranger in the US Army.
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elgecko
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Choosing an MOS

Post by elgecko »

I'm not sure where everyone would like this to go, but I wanted the noobs, specifically the ones who have yet to sign a contract, to see it and this seemed like the best place.

Choosing your MOS is one of the most important things you do as you begin your military career. The 11x OPT 40 contract is far and away the most desired MOS contract but obviously not everyone can obtain it due to limited slots every year. Common options (in no particular order):

1. Hold out for the contract you want at MEPS; walk out if you have to. Play hardball and try to get exactly what you want, sometimes it will work.

2. Pick up the OPT 40 in OSUT. I can't say much about this as I didn't go to OSUT...

3. Take the regular 11x with plans to drop a RASP packet from your regular leg unit later on down the road. We had several E-5's in my RASP class who were making the switch to the 75th. They were all tabbed, for what it's worth.

OR, take a look at option 4:

4. Enlist with a soft skill MOS and then transition to an 11B once you have your tab. Here's the link for the official MILPER message (section 4.B.1):

http://armyreenlistment.com/Messages/MI ... 141229.pdf

There are pros and cons of this route and I want people to be aware of both of them. The pros are that sometimes you can get a signing bonus for choosing a soft skill OPT 40 contract (like fueler, mechanic, cook, etc), you are guaranteed your RASP slot, and you will likely have a shorter wait time to get to Ranger School (making the reclass even easier/quicker). The cons are that you won't be in the job you want right away, if you quit RASP or fail Ranger School the whole plan falls apart, and you will have a small learning curve once you make the transition to the line.

I'm not trying to say which option is best for anyone, but I came across this during my own reclass research and thought it might be helpful to someone who is struggling to get the 11x OPT 40.
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centermass
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Re: Choosing an MOS

Post by centermass »

**Made this one a sticky**

Great info and good to know options.
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