A United States military occupation code, or a military occupational specialty code (MOS code), is a nine-character code used in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
and
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
to identify a specific job. In the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
, a system of
Air Force Specialty Code
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
s (AFSC) is used. In the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
, a system of naval
rating
A rating is an evaluation or assessment of something, in terms of quality, quantity, or some combination of both.
Rating or ratings may also refer to:
Business and economics
* Credit rating, estimating the credit worthiness of an individual, c ...
s and designators are used along with the
Navy Enlisted Classification
The Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) system supplements the rating designators for enlisted members of the United States Navy. A naval rating and NEC designator are similar to the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) designators used in the U. ...
(NEC) system. A system of
ratings is also used in the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
.
Since an individual can obtain multiple job specialties, a duty military occupational specialty (DMOS) is used to identify what their primary job function is at any given time. An individual must complete and pass all required training for their military occupational specialty qualification (MOSQ).
Army
World War Two (1942–1946)
Originally, the four-digit MOS code mostly listed the recruit's civilian profession. This was to aid in classifying what military job they could be assigned. With so many recruits being processed, identifying any semi-skilled or skilled civilian tradesmen made it easier to match them with the right military job. There was an additional list of military trades and trainings added so a trained soldier could be assigned to the right unit. There were no grouping of similar trades together, making it hard for someone to know the meaning of an MOS code without a manual.
Post-War reform
The MOS system now had three to five digits. The first four-digit code number indicated the soldier's job; the first two digits were the field code, the third digit was the sub-specialty and the fourth code number (separated by a period) was the job title. A fifth code digit was for the soldier's special qualification identifier (SQI) digit, which indicated what specialized training the soldier had. If the soldier did not have an SQI, the digit was listed as "0" or was omitted. The codes for the civilian trades were removed as unnecessary.
;Examples:
:One-one is the field code for infantry, 1.1 is the sub-specialty of light weapons, and seven is the SQI for airborne training. Therefore, 111.10 is the MOS for an infantryman and 111.17 is for an airborne-qualified paratrooper.
:Nine-one was the old field code for the medical field, 912.0 was the MOS for medical NCO and 912.00 was a generalist medical NCO with no SQI.
1965 reform
In 1965 the system was revamped. There were completely different codes for enlisted / non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, and commissioned officers.
Enlisted and NCO personnel had a five-symbol code. The first four code symbols were made up of a two-digit code for the career field, a letter code for the field specialty, and a number code (1 to 5) indicating level of instruction in their field specialty. The fifth code symbol was an SQI code letter indicating training in a special skill (the letter "O" indicating that the soldier had no SQI). An exception to the 5-symbol rule was made for an SQI which indicated language fluency. In this case, 7 symbols were used, with "L" as the language qualification indicator, followed by two characters indicating the specific language.
Warrant officers also had a five-symbol code but it was different. The first three numbers were the career field, then a letter code for the field specialty, and ended in the SQI code letter.
Officers had a four-digit code number for their career field and specialty. Officers with a special qualification also had an SQI code number prefix to their MOS rather than a code letter suffix. Officers without a special qualification had no prefix number.
1983 reform
In 1983, there was a reform of this system. Some of the field code numbers were changed and the MOS codes were streamlined.
Warrant officers and officers received the same career field codes as enlisted and NCO personnel and ended in the same SQI letter codes. Warrant officers received a five-symbol MOS consisting of a four-symbol field specialty code consisting of the two-digit field code, a one-digit sub-field code number (usually "0"), the field specialty code letter, and followed by the SQI code letter. Officers now had a four-symbol alphanumeric MOS. It consisted of the three-symbol field specialty code of two numbers and a specialty code letter and ended in the SQI letter code.
The field code "18" was created for
US Army Special Forces, which are now considered part of the regular US Army. Previously they had been considered a layer between the intelligence services and the army. The 18A was for special forces officers and 180A was for special forces warrant officers. The 18X was for special forces candidates who had not yet passed the "Q" course. The "A" team leaders had to be captains instead of lieutenants and were rotated to conventional postings.
Certain field specialty code letters were reserved. The "X" was for recruits or candidates who have pre-selected a career field but had not graduated from AIT. The "Z" is for senior NCOs of E8 or E9 grade. The "A" is for officers and warrant officers in a general capacity. Specialist officers and warrant officers have other field code letters reserved for them.
Current version
The list of US Army military occupational specialty codes is published on the
United States Army Human Resources Command
The United States Army Human Resources Command (Army HRC or simply HRC) is a command of the United States Army.
HRC is a direct reporting unit (DRU) supervised by the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (DCS), G-1, focused on impr ...
(HRC) PAMXXI website.
Enlisted personnel
The MOS code (MOSC), consisting of nine characters, provides more information than a soldier's MOS. It is used by automated management systems and reports. The MOSC is used with active and reserve records, reports, authorization documents, and other personnel management systems.
The elements of the MOSC are as follows:
* First three characters: the MOS. The first two characters are always numbers, but the third character is always a letter. The two-digit number is usually (but not always) synonymous with the career management field (CMF). For example, CMF 11 covers infantry, so MOS 11B is "rifle infantryman". Among the letters, ''Z'' is reserved for "senior sergeant" (E-8), such that 11Z is "senior infantry sergeant".
* The fourth character of the MOSC represents skill level (commensurate with rank and grade):
** "0" is used to identify personnel undergoing training for award of a primary MOS (PMOS).
** "1" identifies a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
(PVT) through
specialist (SPC/pay grade E-4) or
corporal (CPL/also pay grade E-4)
** "2" identifies a
sergeant
Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
(SGT/pay grade E-5)
** "3" identifies a
staff sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services.
History of title
In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...
(SSG/pay grade E-6)
** "4" identifies a
sergeant first class (SFC/pay grade E-7)
** "5" identifies a
master sergeant (MSG) or
first sergeant (1SG) (see E-8, below)
** "6" identifies a
sergeant major (SGM/pay grade E-9) or
command sergeant major
A command sergeant major (CSM) is a non-commissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted member of a color-bearing Army unit (battalion or higher). The CSM is ap ...
(CSM/pay grade E-9) (as of 1 April 2011)
* Fifth character: a letter or number and a special qualification identifier (SQI). It may be associated with any MOS unless otherwise specified. Only Enlisted Soldiers without any special SQI are assigned the SQI "O" (oscar), often confused with a zero. Warrant Officers without any special SQI are assigned the SQI "0" zero.
* Sixth and seventh characters: an additional skill identifier (ASI). They are an alphanumeric combination and may only be associated with specified MOSs, although in practice some ASIs are available to every MOS (e.g. ASI P5 for "master fitness trainer"). Soldiers without any ASIs are assigned the default ASI of "mk lmk00" (zero-zero).
* Eighth and ninth characters: two-letter requirements and qualifications which are a language identification code (LIC). Soldiers without a language skill are assigned the default LIC "YY" (Yankee-Yankee).
Language identification codes can be found in AR 611-6.
MOSC for E-8 and above
When an enlisted soldier is promoted from sergeant first class to master sergeant in most career types, that soldier will be reclassified administratively to the "senior sergeant" of their career management field. For example, a combat engineer (MOS 12B, part of CMF 12) is promoted from sergeant first class to master sergeant. That soldier is reclassified administratively from MOS 12B to MOS 12Z "senior engineer sergeant"). An example of when this conversion occurs at the MSG to SGM level is the 68 (formerly the 91) CMF. In this case, the soldier becomes a 68Z at the SGM level, not the MSG level. When promoted from master sergeant or first sergeant or sergeant major to command sergeant major, that soldier will be reclassified administratively from their previous "senior sergeant" MOS to the MOS 00Z (zero-zero-zulu), "command sergeant major". Some MOS do not change though, for example 25U starts out as 25U1O (E1-E4), and advances though 25U2O (E5/SGT), 25U3O (E6/SSG), 25U4O (E7/SFC), and 25U5O (E8, E9/MSG, 1SG, SGM, CSM)
Warrant officers
Warrant officers
Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the most ...
are sometimes specialized technicians and systems managers, and were not originally assigned to traditional arms or services of the Army. Approximately 50% of warrant officers are aviators (aircraft pilots, rotary wing and fixed wing), and can be appointed directly from civilian life or within the service, regardless of previous enlisted MOS. The remaining 50% are technicians appointed from experienced enlisted soldiers and NCOs in a "feeder" MOS directly related to the warrant officer MOS.
During 2004, all army warrant officers began wearing the insignia of their specialty's proponent branch rather than the 83-year-old "Eagle Rising" distinctive warrant officer insignia. The following year, a revision of commissioned officer professional development and career management
integrated warrant officer career development with the officer career development model. In practice, warrant officer MOSC are very similar to enlisted codes except they begin with three digits instead of two before the first letter, and do not have a "skill level" identifier. They are then followed by the SQI, ASI, and SLI as an enlisted MOS would be.
Officers
Commissioned officers' occupational codes are structured somewhat differently. A newly commissioned army officer first receives a "career branch". This is similar to the career management field of the enlisted personnel. Career branch numbers range from 11 to 92. For example: 13 for field artillery, 19 for armor/armored cavalry and 92 for quartermaster. Within each occupational field, there are usually several codes available. Within armor (branch 19) there are three specialties available: 19A (armor, general), 19B (armor), and 19C (cavalry). After an officer's fifth or sixth year of service, he or she may receive a "functional area" designation. More specific than a career branch, this is a specific skill set in which the officer is proficient. For example, an artillery officer who has had schooling in communications and public speaking could end up with a functional area in public affairs (FA46).
Marine Corps
The U.S. Marine Corps begins by separating all jobs into "occupational fields" (OccFld), in which no distinction is made between officers and enlisted Marines. The fields are numbered from 01 to 99 and include general categories (intelligence, infantry, logistics, public affairs, ordnance, etc.) under which specific jobs fall.
Each field contains multiple MOS's, each designated by a four-digit numerical indicator and a job title. Most fields have at least one "basic MOS" for enlisted, and one "basic MOS" for officers, who have yet to be fully trained in any other MOS within that field. Upon completion of required training, the Marine is reclassified from their "basic MOS" to a "primary MOS" in which Marines generally will serve the remainder of their careers, be assigned, seek promotion, and be retained.
Additionally, many fields have specialty MOS's, such as "necessary MOS's," for which there may be varying prerequisites and assignment criterion. Marines do not compete for promotion or retention based on their NMOS, only their PMOS (or basic MOS, for those who have yet to complete training for a PMOS). A Marine who earns an NMOS retains it in their service records as an additional MOS beyond their PMOS, and multiple NMOS's (and PMOS's, in some cases) may be earned showing additional skills.
For example, the infantry field (03) has multiple enlisted classifications:
* basic infantry Marine (Basic
MOS 0300
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (filmm ...
),
* rifleman (Primary
MOS 0311
MOS 0311 is the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) code for infantry rifleman. It is the primary infantry MOS for the Marine Corps.
General information
A rifleman may employ the M4 carbine, the M203 grenade lau ...
),
* light armored reconnaissance Marine (Primary
MOS 0313
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (filmm ...
),
* combat rubber reconnaissance craft (CRRC) coxswain (Necessary
MOS 0316
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (filmm ...
),
* scout sniper (Necessary
MOS 0317),
* reconnaissance Marine (Primary
MOS 0321),
* reconnaissance Marine (parachute qualified) (Necessary
MOS 0323),
* reconnaissance Marine (combatant diver qualified) (Necessary
MOS 0324),
* reconnaissance Marine (parachute and combatant diver qualified) (Necessary
MOS 0326),
* machine gunner (Primary
MOS 0331
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (filmm ...
),
* mortarman (Primary
MOS 0341
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (filmm ...
),
* infantry assault Marine (Primary
MOS 0351),
* antitank missile gunner (Primary
MOS 0352
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (film ...
),
* light armored reconnaissance leader (Primary
MOS 0363),
* infantry squad leader (Primary
MOS 0365
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (film ...
),
* light armored reconnaissance master gunner (Necessary
MOS 0367
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (film ...
),
* infantry unit leader (Primary
MOS 0369 MOS 0369 is the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) for Infantry Unit Leader.
General information
The infantry unit leader is a staff non-commissioned officer with the rank of staff sergeant through master gunner ...
),
* critical skills operator (Primary
MOS 0372),
* light armored reconnaissance operations chief (Primary
MOS 0393
MOS or Mos may refer to:
Technology
* MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor
* Mathematical Optimization Society
* Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique
* MOS (film ...
), and
* operations chief (Primary
MOS 0399).
Each of the jobs have authorized ranks associated with them. For example, anyone ranking from private to sergeant can be a rifleman (0311), but only Marines ranking from staff sergeant to gunnery sergeant can be an infantry unit leader (0369).
Duties and tasks are identified by rank because the Marine Corps MOS system is designed around the belief that increased duties and tasks accompany promotions. The first two digits designate the field and, the last two digits identify the promotional channel and specialty.
For example, the MOS 0311 indicates that it is in occupational field 03 (infantry) and designates the "rifleman" (11) MOS. For warrant officers, the MOS 2305 indicates that it is in occupational field 23 (ammunition and explosive ordnance disposal) and designates the "explosive ordnance disposal officer" (05) MOS. For officers, the MOS 0802 indicates that it is in occupational field 08 (field artillery) and designates the "field artillery officer" (02) MOS.
Navy
On September 29, 2016, the Navy announced it would "modernize" all rating titles for Sailors with a new classification system that would move towards occupational specialty codes similar to how the other services operate.
Former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Michael Stevens led the controversial review earlier this year for the Secretary of the Navy on behalf of Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson.
Initially, the Navy Rating Modernization System eliminated all rating titles. The former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Steven S. Giordano, said:
"Sailors would no longer be called, 'Yeoman Second Class' or YN2, for example," he said. "Instead they will be 'Second Class Petty Officer, or 'Petty Officer.' However, Sailors' ranks will not change: an E-7 will remain a Chief Petty Officer and an E-3 will remain a Seaman. Additionally, there will no longer be a distinction between 'airman, fireman and seaman.'"
The fleet at large did not respond to this favorably. As a result, Admiral Richardson rescinded this change on December, 21, 2016, restoring all rating titles.
However, the plan retains the goal of producing sailors with more than one NOS, which might give them a broader range of professional experience and expertise and will be grouped under career fields that will enable flexibility to move between occupational specialties within the fields and will be tied to training and qualifications.
The transformation will occur in phases over a multi-year period and the Chief of Naval Personnel will lead the implementation efforts
The
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
has not released its NOS details yet and has not changed "designators" for officers.
Enlisted personnel ratings
The Navy indicates its "ratings" by a two or three character code based on the actual name of the rating. These range from ABE (aviation boatswain's mate - equipment) to YN (Yeoman). Each
sailor
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship.
The profession of the s ...
and
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.
Canada
"Chief petty officer" refers to two ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy. A chief petty officer 2nd class (CPO2) (''premier maître de deuxi ...
wears a rating badge indicating their rating as part of their rate (rank) insignia on full dress and service dress uniforms.
Commissioned officer designators
The navy officer "designator" is similar to an MOS but is less complicated and has fewer categories. For example, a surface warfare officer with a regular commission has a designator of 1110; a reserve officer has an 1115 designator. A reserve surface warfare officer specializing in nuclear training (i.e., engineer on a carrier) has a designator of 1165N. Navy officers also have one or more three-character additional qualification designators (AQD) that reflect completion of requirements qualifying them in a specific warfare area or other specialization. In some senses this functions more like the MOS in other services. An officer with the naval aviator designator of 1310 might have an AQD of DV3,
SH-60F carrier
Carrier may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Carrier'' (album), a 2013 album by The Dodos
* ''Carrier'' (board game), a South Pacific World War II board game
* ''Carrier'' (TV series), a ten-part documentary miniseries that aired on PBS in April 20 ...
anti-submarine warfare helicopter pilot, or DB4,
F-14
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the ...
fighter pilot. An officer designated 2100, medical corps officer (
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
) may hold an AQD of 6CM, trauma surgeon, or 6AE,
flight surgeon
A flight surgeon is a military medical officer practicing in the clinical field of aviation medicine. Although the term "flight surgery" is considered improper by purists, it may occasionally be encountered.
Flight surgeons are physicians ( MD ...
who is also a naval aviator. Some AQDs may be possessed by officers in any designator, such as BT2, freefall parachutist, or BS1, shipboard Tomahawk strike officer. Navy officer designators and AQD codes may be found in NAVPERS 15839I, ''The Manual of Navy Officer Manpower and Personnel Classification''.ip
Coast Guard
The
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
does not use the military occupational specialty concept either, instead dividing their occupational specialties into groups such as aviation, administrative and scientific, deck and weapons, and engineering and hull. Their rating system is very similar to the US Navy (e.g., BM, boatswain's mate).
Enlisted personnel ratings
The Coast Guard indicates its "ratings" by a two or three character code based on the actual name of the rating. These range from AMT (aviation maintenance technician) to YN (yeoman). Coast Guardsmen wear a rating badge indicating their rating as part of their rate (rank) insignia on full dress and service dress uniforms.
Air Force
The Air Force utilizes a similar system, but titled "Air Force Specialty Code" (AFSC). Enlisted airmen have a five digit code, and officers have a four digit code.
See also
*
List of United States Army careers including MOS codes
*
Comparative military ranks
References
External links
"Korean War Educator, Topics - Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)" Korean War Educator Foundation. Provides list of MOSs during the Korean War era.
4th Battalion (Mechanized)/23rd Infantry Regiment "Tomahawks" Association Website. Provides list of MOSs during the Vietnam War era.
military occupation codes for air frame and power plant maintenance personnel by service branch.
US Army Human Resource Command (HRC) PAMXXI Website - list of Officer, Warrant Officer and Enlisted Army personnel MOSAR 611-1Military Occupational Classification Structure Development and Implementation
DA Pam 611-21Military Occupational Classification And Structure
U. S. Air Force Classification Branch- has current documents describing the classification system and specific classifications
*[https://www.trngcmd.marines.mil/Portals/207/Docs/wtbn/MCCMOS/FY20%20MOS%20Manual%20NAVMC_1200_1E_Signed.pdf?ver=2019-04-17-130202-033 NAVMC 1200.1E - Fiscal Year 2019 Military Occupational Specialties Manual (MOS Manual)] - PDF file
NAVPERS 15839I, ''The Manual of Navy Officer Manpower and Personnel Classification'' also available a
also available as
PDF file
{{US military navbox
United States military specialisms