Marine Security Guards
Marinerhodes
Active member
Not sure if you are in the Marine Corps or not.
MSG is not an enlistment MOS. It is a "B" billet. Meaning you have your primary MOS then you have the chance after enlistment and pertinent training to put in a package for MSG duty.
MSG is not an enlistment MOS. It is a "B" billet. Meaning you have your primary MOS then you have the chance after enlistment and pertinent training to put in a package for MSG duty.
I was on MSG duty from 2000-2003, so I think I can be the most help…….
You submit your package (basically a job application) after being on active duty for one year.
The Screening is for all intents and purposes a job interview, so if it is raining use that All Weather Coat you never wear. I know this from experience because it rained on the day of my screening and was one of the few dry applicants to show up.
The school itself is no joke and has a 20-50% drop out rate; some Marines whom you would think would pass with flying colors are just psychologically not up to the demands of the assignment. Others who you would think have no chance at making it through do graduate.
I fell into the latter category; I was never a “stellar performer”, my PFT’s were either high 2nd class or low 1st class.
Hit me up with some more specific questions.
You submit your package (basically a job application) after being on active duty for one year.
The Screening is for all intents and purposes a job interview, so if it is raining use that All Weather Coat you never wear. I know this from experience because it rained on the day of my screening and was one of the few dry applicants to show up.
The school itself is no joke and has a 20-50% drop out rate; some Marines whom you would think would pass with flying colors are just psychologically not up to the demands of the assignment. Others who you would think have no chance at making it through do graduate.
I fell into the latter category; I was never a “stellar performer”, my PFT’s were either high 2nd class or low 1st class.
Hit me up with some more specific questions.
Questions by “Lamm” answers by me.
1.What are the requirements? Is it be a Pfc and be on an active duty station for one year? That’s what I read on the MSG website.
That is correct.
Also you have to be single and stay single.
2a. How long did the application process take you?
I went to the screening after only having been told about it 4 days before by the CO and 1st Sgt when they came though the Guard gate at CampSchwab, Okinawa (I was FAPed out to CampGuard for my second, back to back deployment to Oki.) in Nov/Dec or 1999, I went to school in August 2000.
2b.Did anyone try to make it hard for you?
As long as your Platoon Commander, 1st Sgt, and Co state that you would be a good candidate (my Co and 1st Sgt practically told me to go to the screening) you will have no problem in the screening.
Your monitor may not let you go because the MOS/unit may want to keep Marines for 2 Deployment, or three years. I fell under the 2 deployment rule.
People in my unit gave me shit and told me I wouldn’t make it though the school. The same thing happened in High School in regards to me not making though Boot Camp.
3. The tour is 3 years, is it split up to 3 embassies or 2?
When I went through it was 2 Embassies for 15 months each. Stop loss extend my MSG duty tour and I spent an additional 6 months at the U.S. Embassy Seoul, South Korea.
Now though it is 3 embassies 12 months each.
4. What is the duty/life like? Is it a 8 hour shift and the rest of the day, free time? I'm asking because I've heard its highly possible to acquire a Bachelor's Degree while serving this three-year tour, which is what I want to do. (Not the sole purpose of me wanting to be assigned MSG duty, but a good aspect, if true).
Life is good to MSG’s, is if you like all the rules and regulations that come along with the duty, and Yes completing a sizable portion of School is very possible.
Some of the rules/regs.
1. No girls/boys (the opposite sex) or non-MSG guests in your room.
2. Post (the Embassy) must know where you are at ALL times.
3. You will have a curfew. Time determined by where you at, and the political situation.
4. Can’t be married, or romantically involved with another MSG (but it does occur on the down low and if kept there your OK).
5. Might not be able to drive (but may have a driver)
You will do you 8 hour shift and may or may not have the rest of the day to yourself. You will be responsible for carrying out a collateral duty such as Mess fund NCO, MWR (AKA Bar) fund NCO, Supply NCO, Training NCO, and React NCO.
You will also have PT, Guard school (weekly Det/RSO meeting).
Last your time isn’t really free as your on call for Emergency situations 24/7.
5. Whats the living situation like? Do you get to have personal items, such as computer, etc?
You should have your own room w/head. There are exceptions though:
In Dar es Salaam 4 of us shared a head with 4 toilets and 4 shower stalls, everyone had an assigned shower stall/toilet.
In Korea, I shared a two bedroom apartment with another Marine.
You may have a Cook, Maid, Laundry person. But will have to clean your own room/head
The Marine House should also have a Gym, and a large
The Marine House should have a CPU with internet access. If you have your CPU use that to look at porn though. I was talking to a DSS agent about the subject one day and was told that they can’t search your CPU unless you have kiddy porn on it. So if they can’t search your CPU they can’t find the porn, even though you are using the Marine House internet lines.
6. Do you get your regular 30-day leave a year?
Depends on the World situation and how many Marines above/below T/O you have. We were always down 10-20% after 9/11. I ended up with 60+ days of leave when I got out, which equated to two months pay.
1.What are the requirements? Is it be a Pfc and be on an active duty station for one year? That’s what I read on the MSG website.
That is correct.
Also you have to be single and stay single.
2a. How long did the application process take you?
I went to the screening after only having been told about it 4 days before by the CO and 1st Sgt when they came though the Guard gate at CampSchwab, Okinawa (I was FAPed out to CampGuard for my second, back to back deployment to Oki.) in Nov/Dec or 1999, I went to school in August 2000.
2b.Did anyone try to make it hard for you?
As long as your Platoon Commander, 1st Sgt, and Co state that you would be a good candidate (my Co and 1st Sgt practically told me to go to the screening) you will have no problem in the screening.
Your monitor may not let you go because the MOS/unit may want to keep Marines for 2 Deployment, or three years. I fell under the 2 deployment rule.
People in my unit gave me shit and told me I wouldn’t make it though the school. The same thing happened in High School in regards to me not making though Boot Camp.
3. The tour is 3 years, is it split up to 3 embassies or 2?
When I went through it was 2 Embassies for 15 months each. Stop loss extend my MSG duty tour and I spent an additional 6 months at the U.S. Embassy Seoul, South Korea.
Now though it is 3 embassies 12 months each.
4. What is the duty/life like? Is it a 8 hour shift and the rest of the day, free time? I'm asking because I've heard its highly possible to acquire a Bachelor's Degree while serving this three-year tour, which is what I want to do. (Not the sole purpose of me wanting to be assigned MSG duty, but a good aspect, if true).
Life is good to MSG’s, is if you like all the rules and regulations that come along with the duty, and Yes completing a sizable portion of School is very possible.
Some of the rules/regs.
1. No girls/boys (the opposite sex) or non-MSG guests in your room.
2. Post (the Embassy) must know where you are at ALL times.
3. You will have a curfew. Time determined by where you at, and the political situation.
4. Can’t be married, or romantically involved with another MSG (but it does occur on the down low and if kept there your OK).
5. Might not be able to drive (but may have a driver)
You will do you 8 hour shift and may or may not have the rest of the day to yourself. You will be responsible for carrying out a collateral duty such as Mess fund NCO, MWR (AKA Bar) fund NCO, Supply NCO, Training NCO, and React NCO.
You will also have PT, Guard school (weekly Det/RSO meeting).
Last your time isn’t really free as your on call for Emergency situations 24/7.
5. Whats the living situation like? Do you get to have personal items, such as computer, etc?
You should have your own room w/head. There are exceptions though:
In Dar es Salaam 4 of us shared a head with 4 toilets and 4 shower stalls, everyone had an assigned shower stall/toilet.
In Korea, I shared a two bedroom apartment with another Marine.
You may have a Cook, Maid, Laundry person. But will have to clean your own room/head
The Marine House should also have a Gym, and a large
The Marine House should have a CPU with internet access. If you have your CPU use that to look at porn though. I was talking to a DSS agent about the subject one day and was told that they can’t search your CPU unless you have kiddy porn on it. So if they can’t search your CPU they can’t find the porn, even though you are using the Marine House internet lines.
6. Do you get your regular 30-day leave a year?
Depends on the World situation and how many Marines above/below T/O you have. We were always down 10-20% after 9/11. I ended up with 60+ days of leave when I got out, which equated to two months pay.
Lamm said:
Don't expect any liberty on the weekdays, your training from 0500 (PT) until 2200, then you might have to stand post at night for a few hours.
Also one part of the training that is stupid is the peer evauls. This where the other Marines in your detachment (squad) get to make an opinion of you, if the opinon is bad you might not make it though the board. This almost happend to me where only one person said they would stand post with me. Luckily we ended up having the same 2nd post and he told me he didn't regret his choice.
I had to convine the board that people had always had a negative opinion of me and this was nothing new to me.
When you are at your post, when do you receive liberty?
When/if you get to post you’ll be told what hour you can be off compound and which areas of the city, restaurant, and bars are off limits.
What is the weapon situation?
If you leave the embassy compound with a weapon (loaded or not) you are in a sense invading that country, this is just something we would joke about when going to the range.
One of my 1st Sgt’s told us a story about when he was a watch stander in the 80’s. BN gave the authority for the Marines to be armed when on liberty somewhere in South America. So being Marines they took a 2 day leave (went to Florida) bought a gun and came back down. Some guys had revolvers, other automatic pistols, and one guy had a shotgun.
Having weapons on liberty doesn’t happen now, except in Algeria where you can only go from the Marine House to the Embassy, or to specific places, such as allied countries compounds when there is a social function.
When/if you get to post you’ll be told what hour you can be off compound and which areas of the city, restaurant, and bars are off limits.
What is the weapon situation?
If you leave the embassy compound with a weapon (loaded or not) you are in a sense invading that country, this is just something we would joke about when going to the range.
One of my 1st Sgt’s told us a story about when he was a watch stander in the 80’s. BN gave the authority for the Marines to be armed when on liberty somewhere in South America. So being Marines they took a 2 day leave (went to Florida) bought a gun and came back down. Some guys had revolvers, other automatic pistols, and one guy had a shotgun.
Having weapons on liberty doesn’t happen now, except in Algeria where you can only go from the Marine House to the Embassy, or to specific places, such as allied countries compounds when there is a social function.
Is there an armory in the embassy?
No offense, but what do you think?
Do you qualify annually with the M-16?
No, so you better get a good score the last time you go to the rifle range as this will affect your promotion from Lance Corporal to Corporal and from Corporal to Sergeant. But you get to fanfire (practice) the weapons you are issued, an M-16 (or one of its variants, M-4, Colt 9mm) could be one of them.
Do you get the weekends off?
In the sense that there is no structured PT yes, but you will stand post on some weekends (There has to be Marine in the Embassy at ALL times), and you will be on call 24/7.
Being an MSG really means being a U.S. Marine 24/7. You wouldn’t stand post every single day but will carry out some sort of aspect of MSG duty every single day.
No offense, but what do you think?
Do you qualify annually with the M-16?
No, so you better get a good score the last time you go to the rifle range as this will affect your promotion from Lance Corporal to Corporal and from Corporal to Sergeant. But you get to fanfire (practice) the weapons you are issued, an M-16 (or one of its variants, M-4, Colt 9mm) could be one of them.
Do you get the weekends off?
In the sense that there is no structured PT yes, but you will stand post on some weekends (There has to be Marine in the Embassy at ALL times), and you will be on call 24/7.
Being an MSG really means being a U.S. Marine 24/7. You wouldn’t stand post every single day but will carry out some sort of aspect of MSG duty every single day.
I figured there was an armory on the embassy, just making sure. I take a liking to weapons, what kind of weapons are in the armory? I've heard you use all sorts of weapons, AKs, M-16/M4, Beretta 9mm, etc. True?
(Some of these questions are just out of curiousity)
Thanks for your continued help.
Lamm
(Some of these questions are just out of curiousity)
Thanks for your continued help.
Lamm