0814 vs 0847
High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Operator (USMC) vs Field Artillery Sensor Support Marine (USMC)
Same Corps, same Commandant's Birthday Ball, same dress blues — wildly different reasons to need a drink at all three.
"You'll operate rocket artillery that can strike targets 300+ kilometers away with GPS precision," said the 0814 recruiter. "You'll run the fire direction center for a Marine artillery battalion," said the 0847 recruiter. Neither was technically lying, which is the most impressive part. The unedited version for 0814: the system is genuinely impressive — shoot and scoot capability means you fire a volley and displace before counter-battery can find you. And for 0847: now you own the quality control function for every fire mission that comes through the FDC — if a round goes where it shouldn't, the investigation will start with your operations chief. Both recruiters used the phrase "the military needs people like you." They weren't wrong. They just weren't specific.
After the Uniform
The part the recruiter skips: what each job actually translates to once you're a civilian — and what it pays.
Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. A guide, not a guarantee.
Recruiter vs. Reality
The pitch versus what people who actually did the job report back.
“HIMARS is the most in-demand weapons system in the Marine Corps right now. You'll operate rocket artillery that can strike targets 300+ kilometers away with GPS precision. Ukraine proved HIMARS changes battlefields. The Marine Corps is investing heavily — this MOS has a future.”
The Marine Corps went from 21 cannon batteries to 5 and poured resources into HIMARS. You are the future of Marine artillery. Training is at Fort Sill alongside Army HIMARS crews. The system is genuinely impressive — shoot and scoot capability means you fire a volley and displace before counter-battery can find you. The downside: HIMARS batteries are small, high-value units that will be priority targets. You will train like you're being hunted because you will be.
“You'll run the fire direction center for a Marine artillery battalion — the operation that turns fire requests into accurate rounds on target. The artillery operations chief is the technical authority for fire direction in the battalion, responsible for the precision that keeps friendly forces alive and enemy forces suppressed. It's the pinnacle of enlisted artillery expertise.”
You have spent a career in artillery developing the technical depth and the tactical judgment that a battalion fire direction center requires. Now you own the quality control function for every fire mission that comes through the FDC — if a round goes where it shouldn't, the investigation will start with your operations chief. The AFATDS expertise, the survey requirements, the meteorological data requirements, and the integration of multiple firing units into a coherent firing battery are all your domain. Post-military, the analytical precision and technical operations management experience translate to defense contractor positions supporting artillery systems programs, and to federal government fire control program management roles.
Recent Reviews
Community Takes
Be the first to share your take on 0814 vs 0847
Compare Other MOS
Search by code or title, or browse by branch