0302 - Infantry Officer
2ndLt - LtCol
While every Marine Officer may be a rifle platoon commander, Infantry Officers are selected through a grueling process to be the warfighters and leaders in charge of Marine Corps infantry units. This is the largest officer MOS with over 2000 Infantry Officers on active duty. Infantry Officers are the commanders or their assistants in infantry and reconnaissance units in Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs). They plan, direct, and assist in the deployment and tactical employment of MAGTFs and any subordinate infantry and reconnaissance units. Infantry Officers are responsible for the discipline, morale, and welfare of their unit's Marines. To fulfill these responsibilities, they evaluate intelligence; estimate the operational situation; and formulate, coordinate, and execute appropriate plans for offensive/defensive maneuver, reconnaissance, fire support, nuclear, biological and chemical defense, directed energy warfare, communications and operational logistics and maintenance.
Infantry Officers volunteer for this MOS - no one is selected to be an 0302 against their will. Once selected, Marines will attend the Infantry Officers Course, Marine Corps Comabatant Development Center, Quantico, Virginia.
Infantry Officers Course (IOC) is a closely guarded secret, but here at Before the Corps, we have some insight for you as to the POI and ways to not only survive, but to excel, throughout the period of instruction. We don't want to give too many of our secrets away here, but we would like to address the career path for an 0302.
Infantry Officers will almost always start out as rifle platoon commanders in an infantry battalion. As they become more senior, they will become platoon commanders in Combined Anti-Armor Teams (CAAT) Platoons, Weapons Platoons, etc. By the end of a first tour, the most capable 0302's should be Company XO's, Deputy Operations Officers (S-3A), or even Company Commanders.
The billets that 0302's can fill throughout their careers are endless. Infantry Officers are considered the consummate leaders in the Marine Corps officer ranks. Billets may take them from infantry battalions (victor units) to the supporting establishment and back again. 0302's also have opportunities to go on Marine Rotational Forces in Darwin, Australia (MRF-D), MRF-Europe, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (SP-MAGTF's), Battalion Landing Teams (BLT's) on Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU's), and the Black Sea Rotational Force (BSRF), Battalion Executive Officers and Commanders, and the leaders in the supporting establishment. The Marine Corps exists to support the infantry, and Infantry Officers are considered the subject-matter experts (SME's) on what it takes to fight and win wars.
There are roughly 2000 infantry officers on active duty in the Marine Corps, with 80% between First Lieutenant and Major.
To learn more about officer career paths, and infantry officers course (IOC), please visit our Officer Info section.
To learn more about other MOS's, please visit our Complete MOS List.
If you feel any of this information is inaccurate or incorrect, or have additional resources to inform our audience, please Contact Us.
