The School of Infantry (SOI) is the second stage of initial military training for enlisted United States Marines after recruit training. The ITB now called IMC went from a 59 day course to 14 week course. Since the initial training pipeline is divided between coasts, Marines from areas east of the Mississippi River usually graduate from MCRD Parris Island and move on to SOI at SOI East, while those from the western half of the nation attend MCRD San Diego and move on to SOI West at the Camp San Onofre area of Camp Pendleton in California. Female Marines are trained at both SOI East and SOI West. The School of Infantry's training mission ensures "Every Marine is, first and foremost, a Rifleman". At SOI, Marines with the Military Occupational Specialty of infantry are trained at the Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), while all non-infantry Marines are trained in basic infantry and combat skills at the Marine Combat Training Battalion. SOI marks a transition in the professional training of entry-level students from basically trained Marines to combat-ready Marines.
A tactical air control party, commonly abbreviated TACP, is a small team of military personnel who provide coordination between aircraft and ground forces when providing close air support.
Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48 is a communications squadron in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. As part of Marine Air Control Group 48, MWCS-48 provides expeditionary communications for the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, the Aviation Combat Element of Marine Forces Reserve. They are based at Naval Station Great Lakes and their Forward Detachment is located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Air Control Group 48 and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18 (MWCS-18) is a United States Marine Corps communications squadron. The squadron provides expeditionary communications for the aviation combat element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. They are based at MCB Camp Foster and fall under the command of Marine Air Control Group 18 and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Although a subordinate squadron of MACG-18, MWCS-18 is considered a 1st MAW asset and therefore serves to augment the entire 1st Marine Air Wing with communications support.
The 13th Aviation Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army.
35T, previously 33W, is the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) for the United States Army's Military Intelligence Systems Maintainer/Integrator.
The U.S. Army Prime Power School is run by the United States Army Corps of Engineers at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri since January 2011, having previously moved from Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The mission of the school is to produce MOS 12P – Prime Power Production Specialists for the U.S. Army.
The Marine Corps Training and Education Command (TECOM) is the primary training command of the United States Marine Corps. TECOM leads the Marine Corps Training and Education continuum from individual entry-level training, professional military education and continuous professional development, through unit, collective, and service-level training in order to produce warfighters and enhance warfighting organizations that enable the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) to build and sustain the combat readiness required to fight and win today and in the future.
Communications School is where selected United States Marine Corps commissioned and warrant officers are sent to learn the art and science of planning and employing communications and performing command and staff duties.
Twentynine Palms Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field or Twentynine Palms SELF is a military use airfield located nine nautical miles (17 km) northwest of the central business district of Twentynine Palms, a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The SELF is the largest expeditionary airfield (EAF) operated by the United States Marine Corps. It is also known as the Twentynine Palms EAF and is located at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) Twentynine Palms.
Information systems technician (IT) is a rating for United States Navy and United States Coast Guard enlisted personnel, specializing in communications technology. Information systems technician submarines (ITS) is a rating for U.S. Navy submariners. The Information systems technician (IT) rating corresponds to the new Navy Occupational Specialty (NOS) code B460 while the information systems technician submarines (ITS) rating corresponds to Navy Occupational Specialty (NOS) code C260.
The United States Navy job rating of electronics technician (ET) is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) to enlisted members who satisfactorily complete initial Electronics Technician "A" school training.
Forward observers in the U.S. military are artillery observers who carry the Military Occupational Specialty designator of 13F in the United States Army and 0861 in the United States Marine Corps. They are officially called "joint fire support specialists" in the U.S. Army and "fire support marines" in the U.S. Marine Corps. They are colloquially known as "FiSTers", regardless of whether they are members of a FiST. A battalion fire support officer (FSO) is the officer in charge of a battalion fire support element.
The 6th Special Security Communications Team is one of six Special Security Communications Teams in the United States Marine Corps. The team provides 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, its commanders, and subordinate units with an expeditionary communications capability. The 6th SSCT is attached to the aviation combat element and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The team can be forward deployed by land, air or sea worldwide to provide expeditionary, tactical, and mobile communications to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Commander.
In the USMC, a communications platoon, also known as the "S-6", is responsible for all related communications for the battalion. It is part of the Headquarters and Services Company and is responsible for supporting all companies within the battalion. At the regiment level, the communications platoon is responsible for providing support to the regiment as well as the battalion communication platoons. Within the communications platoon, there are four sections: Data, Wire, Radio, and Maintenance. Each of these sections have specialized individuals who have been trained to best understand their field.
Marine Tactical Data System, commonly known as MTDS, was a mobile, ground based, aviation command and control system developed by the United States Marine Corps for the execution of anti-air warfare in support of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). It was the Marine Corps' first semi-automated system capable of collecting, processing, computing and displaying aircraft surveillance data while also sharing that information with other participating units via tactical data link. The system was developed in the late 1950s/early 1960s when it was recognized that due to the speed, range and complexity of fighter aircraft operations effective air control and air defense demanded enhanced situational awareness.
Marine Air Control Squadron 3 (MACS-3) was a former United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron. During its later years it also served as an operational test and evaluation squadron. Originally formed in World War II as Air Warning Squadron 12 (AWS-12), its original mission was to provide aerial surveillance and ground-controlled interception (GCI) for Marine Corps forces during amphibious operations. The squadron did not participate in combat operations during WWII however it did deploy and operate during the Korean War. In 1961, MACS-3 was transferred from the Fleet Marine Force to the administrative control of Air, Fleet Marine Forces Pacific in order to serve as the operational test and evaluation squadron for what was at the time, the largest research and development project in the Marine Corps - Marine Tactical Data System (MTDS). After MTDS testing was complete the Marine Corps recognized that it was not properly staffed to develop, test, and acquire new digital equipment. On 1 July 1970, MACS-3 was decommissioned and its structure and equipment were utilized to form Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA) at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Of note, MCTSSA does not carry MACS-3's lineage and honors.
