OFFICER CONTRACTS
GROUND, AIR , LEGAL
When you sign your commissioning contract, you can select a particular one of three options:
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Ground
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Aviation
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Legal
Scroll down to learn more about each.
Ground contracts will compete for assignment to MOS's in the ground combat element, aviation combat element, logistics combat element, or headquarters elements of the Marine Corps.
After completion of OCS (as required by commissioning source), all Marines will report to The Basic School. Unlike Law Contracts (guaranteed an MOS) and Aviation Contracts (guaranteed attendance at flight school for a career as a Pilot), ground officers must compete for any MOS they may receive.
This competition for and assignment to MOS's will occur at TBS. After being assigned their MOS, they will continue to their MOS School immediately after graduation.
Officer MOS's that can be assigned at TBS include:
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0102 Manpower Officer
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0203 Ground Intelligence Officer
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0204 Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence Officer
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0206 Signals Intelligence/Ground Electronic Warfare
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0207 Air Intelligence Officer
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0302 Infantry Officer
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0402 Logistics Officer
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0602 Communications Officer
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0802 Field Artillery Officer
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1302 Combat Engineer Officer
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1702 Cyberspace Officer
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1803 Assault Amphibious Vehicle Officer
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3002 Ground Supply Officer
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3404 Financial Management Officer
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4502 Communication Strategy and Operations Officer
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5803 Military Police Officer
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6002 Aircraft Maintenance Officer
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6602 Aviation Supply Officer
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7204 Low Altitude Air Defense Officer
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7208 Air Support Control Officer
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7210 Air Defense Control Officer
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7220 Air Traffic Control Officer
Candidates who sign for Marine Aviation Contracts will serve as Pilots of fixed wing, rotary wing, or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms.
Like all Marine Officers, they will attend OCS (unless commissioned from the US Naval Academy) and attend The Basic School. Following TBS, they will report to flight school and begin their training.
Marine Aviators compete for and are assigned aviation platforms while in flight school. Aviators obligated service begins after receiving their "wings" and is 6 years of active duty for rotary wing and 8 years for fixed wing platforms.
Applicants for any flight training program must attain the minimum score on the SAT, ACT or ASVAB, as well as receive a qualifying score for the Aviation Selection Test Battery Series E, including appropriate sections of Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR), Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR) and Flight Officer Flight Aptitude Rating (FOFAR).
Only the most recent ASTB score may be used for qualification. Minimum acceptable scores for Student Naval Aviator (SNA): 4 on AQR and 6 on PFAR.
Age Waiver. Any applicant whose age will be greater than 27 1/2 years at the time of commissioning for the aviation program will require a waiver request.
ASTB 1 Point Score Waiver. Only after the examinee’s third attempt to meet the minimum ASTB score may he or she request a waiver of one point.
Consideration will only be given for a one point in one category (e.g. AQR, PFAR, or FOFAR) on a waiver request. ASM will not consider simultaneous waivers for both age and ASTB scores.
Marine lawyers, known as Judge Advocates, are in a unique position. They understand state, federal, and military law. They serving as advisors to commanders on issues ranging from the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) to handling troop discipline (courts martial and non-judicial punishments), contracts and acquisitions to exercise and operational plans and execution. They can be trial lawyers or provide legal counseling.
To practice law as a Marine Officer is a calling for those who have what it takes, mentally, morally and physically to become a leader of Marines, an advocate for their peers, and a steward of legal jurisprudence in the military.
Prior to becoming a Judge Advocate General lawyer you must graduate from an accredited law school, pass the bar exam, complete OCS and TBS, where you will learn the same leadership and combat skills as all other officers.
From there, you will receive training on the military justice system at the Naval Justice School (NJS) in Newport, RI. At this school you will learn the basic aspects of military law, including the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Criminal Law and Procedure, Operational Law, Trial Advocacy and Administrative Law. By completing your training, you will prove to yourself and to our Corps that you have what it takes to win as a Marine Officer and Judge Advocate.
For Marines looking to pursue a career as a lawyer, there are two programs that may provide this option:
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Funded Law Education Program
Commissioned Officers of the Marine Corps, while continuing to draw full pay and allowances, may be ordered as students at Government expense to American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools located in the United States for education leading to the degree of Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Law -
Excess Leave Program
Commissioned Officers of the Marine Corps may be permitted leave without pay and allowances, to attend ABA accredited law schools located in the United States at no expense to the Government for education leading to the degree of Juris Doctor.
