Ground Intelligence Officer (

MOS 0203 Ground Intelligence Officer (MOS 0203) is a primary United States military occupation codes, military occupation code (or MOS) of a U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer. Ground intelligence officers serve as staff officers and commanders in the o ...

) is a primary military occupation code (or MOS) of a

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

intelligence officer An intelligence officer is a member of the intelligence field employed by an organization to collect, compile or analyze information (known as intelligence) which is of use to that organization. The word of ''officer'' is a working title, not a r ...

. Ground intelligence officers serve as staff officers and commanders in the operating forces and are responsible for analyzing

intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...

and planning, deployment and tactical employment of ground surveillance and

reconnaissance In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...

units. The Ground Intelligence Officer can be a Recon Marine after their training is done.

Preliminary requirements

Before anyone can be accepted for Ground Intelligence (or Ground Intel), a candidate must fulfill the following prerequisites: *Must be a U.S. citizen. *Must be eligible for a top-secret security clearance and access to

Sensitive Compartmented Information Sensitive compartmented information (SCI) is a type of United States classified information concerning or derived from sensitive intelligence sources, methods, or analytical processes. All SCI must be handled within formal access control systems ...

(SCI), predicated upon a

Single Scope Background Investigation A Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI), now called a Tier 5 (T5) investigation, is a type of United States security clearance investigation. It involves investigators or agents interviewing past employers, coworkers and other individuals ...

(SSBI). An application for the SSBI must be submitted prior to attendance of the Ground Intelligence Officers Course at NMITC,

Dam Neck Training Support Center Hampton Roads is, since 2004, the name of the facility in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, which was long-known as "FTC Dam Neck". It is the home of the Fleet Combat Training Center Atlantic of the United States Navy. Hi ...

, Virginia. *Must be a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

to be assigned this MOS as a primary MOS. Officers assigned this MOS will retain it as an additional MOS following completion of the MAGTF Intelligence Officer Course and re-designation as a 0202 MAGTF Intelligence Officer. This field was opened to female Marine officers in October 2013, with a date effective June 2013, but as yet no female has met the prerequisite training to be eligible.

Training

A Marine Corps Officer takes three more courses before he becomes an Intel Officer after graduating from

The Basic School The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned and appointed (for warrant officers) United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an "Officer of Marines." The Basic School is located in Stafford County, Virginia to ...

. Entry-level Marine Intelligence Officers receive specific training at the following courses: Infantry Officer's Course (IOC), Scout Sniper Unit Leader's Course (SSULC), and the Ground Intelligence Officer's Course (GIOC). The following courses of instruction are desirable as skills progression courses for MOS 0203: *

Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) is a training concept originally developed by the British during World War II. It is best known by its military acronym and prepares a range of Western forces to survive when evading or b ...

(SERE) course *Intel Collection Management Course,

Washington, DC Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

*Foreign Weapons Instructor Course (FWIC), Quantico, VA *Combat Targeting Course,

Goodfellow Air Force Base Goodfellow Air Force Base is a nonflying United States Air Force base located in San Angelo, Texas, United States. As part of Air Education and Training Command, Goodfellow's main mission is cryptologic and intelligence training for the Air Forc ...

, Texas *Indications and Warnings Course,

*Intelligence Analyst Course,

Basic Reconnaissance Course The United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Training Company trains Marines in the amphibious environment as a Reconnaissance Marine, MOS 0321. It is under the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion (AITB) of the School of Infantry (West), ...

(BRC) Upon completion of this school pipeline, the Lt. is assigned to a recon, sniper or other ground intelligence unit. He may also serve as the assistant intelligence officer at a regular infantry battalion. He then would serve as commander of the reconnaissance companies within the reconnaissance battalions.

Advanced training

When slots become available and the FMF budget permits it, the Recon Marines commander may attend other advanced courses from cross-service schools. Here are the following schools that are attended, if available: * Marine Corps Combatant Diver Course — Navy Diving Salvage and Training Center,

Naval Support Activity Panama City Naval Support Activity Panama City (NSA PC), is a military shore installation of the United States Navy located in Bay County, in Panama City, Florida. Among its various tenant commands, it houses the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City D ...

, Florida *

School — Navy Remote Training Sites; NAS North Island, California or NAS Brunswick, Maine * Army Airborne School —

Fort Benning Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

*United States Army Static Line Jumpmaster School (Fort Benning, Georgia) * United States Army Ranger School (Fort Benning, Georgia) * Special Operations Training Group Schools (i.e. Urban Sniper, HRST, etc.) (SOTG) — One SOTG exists under each MEF;

I MEF The I Marine Expeditionary Force ("I" pronounced "One") is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group. It is b ...

II MEF The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a ...

, and

III MEF III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and d ...

. * Recon and Surveillance Leaders Course —

Ranger School The Ranger School is a 62-day United States Army small unit tactics and leadership course that develops functional skills directly related to units whose mission is to engage the enemy in close combat and direct fire battles. Ranger training w ...

, Georgia * Pathfinder Course —

Army Infantry School An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by p ...

, Fort Benning, or Army Air Assault School,

Fort Campbell Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Div ...

, Kentucky *Military Free Fall (John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center) / Multi Mission Parachutist Course (CPS Coolidge, Arizona) *Military Free Fall (Jumpmaster) School — John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School * Mountain Leaders (Summer/Winter) Course — Pickle Meadows, CA * Scout Sniper Course — School of Infantry (West),

Camp Pendleton, California Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast of the United States, West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Di ...

;

Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune ( or ) is a United States Armed Forces, United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for Amphibious warfare, amphibious assault training, an ...

;

Quantico, Virginia Quantico (; formerly Potomac) is a town in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 578 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., bound ...

; or MCB Hawaii *Mountain Sniper (Bridgeport, California) *Reconnaissance Team Leader Course (Camp Pendleton, California) *Scout/Sniper Team Leader Course *Methods of Entry / Breacher (MCB Quantico, Virginia) *

Joint Terminal Attack Controller Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) is the term used in the United States Armed Forces and some other military forces for a qualified service member who directs the action of military aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive ...

(Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic/Pacific) *High Risk Personnel (HRP) Course —

MCB Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southea ...

Mission

Ground intelligence officers play a crucial role as primary platoon commanders in various units, including division reconnaissance companies and infantry battalion scout/sniper platoons. They are also assigned to key positions within battalion, regiment, and division staffs, as well as intelligence battalions and force service support groups. In these roles, they oversee the deployment and tactical employment of ground reconnaissance units, ensuring they are effectively utilized on the battlefield. Responsibilities of ground intelligence officers include analyzing and evaluating intelligence, estimating operational situations, and formulating and executing plans for offensive and defensive maneuvers, reconnaissance, fire support, and more. They are also responsible for the discipline and welfare of their unit's Marines. Typically, recon platoon commanders operate from the Landing Force Operations Center or Combat Operations Center, where they receive reports from their teams, transmit directions, and coordinate necessary support for field operations. Recon team leaders, often sergeants or staff sergeants, lead teams in the field on missions, with some missions requiring the entire platoon to act as a cohesive unit. In such cases, the platoon commander may also join the team in the field.

References

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External links