Is 7315 (Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Officer) a Good MOS?

AIT / Training

10 weeks

Training Location

MCCES, Twentynine Palms, CA

Career Field

Aviation

What the Recruiter Says

Marine Corps UAS Officers command and direct unmanned aerial system operations across the MAGTF. You plan and execute ISR missions using the RQ-21A Blackjack and other platforms, integrate UAS into ground and aviation operations, and manage UAS detachments that support battalion and regimental commanders. The Marine UAS community is one of the fastest-growing warfighting functions in the Corps — every major ground operation now expects persistent ISR overhead, and UAS provides it at a fraction of the cost of manned aviation. As a 7315, you sit at the intersection of aviation planning, intelligence operations, and ground force support. You will brief commanders, coordinate airspace with controlling agencies, and build the collection plan that determines what commanders know and when they know it. The community is small, influential, and expanding.

What It's Actually Like

UAS Officer is a community in transition, and 'transition' in Marine Corps terms means doctrine, equipment, and organizational structure are all moving simultaneously. The RQ-21A Blackjack replaced the RQ-7B Shadow and is itself being evaluated against emerging platforms. Your job is to lead an emerging capability that ground commanders are still learning how to use effectively — which means half your job is education and advocacy, not just operations. Airspace coordination is a constant friction point: small UAS operate in the same airspace as manned aviation, and deconfliction requires persistent coordination with air traffic control and the aviation combat element. The community is also figuring out its own career path — how UAS billets feed into senior leadership, whether 7315 is a terminal assignment or a stepping stone, and how to develop officers who understand both aviation and ground force requirements. Get in early, shape the doctrine, and accept that the playbook is still being written.