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1391E1-E3

Expeditionary Fuels Technician

E-1 to E-3 (Junior Enlisted) · Marines

E1–E3E-4E-5E-6E-7E8–E9
HEADS UP

1391 Expeditionary Fuels Technician is the MOS that keeps the MAGTF moving — JP-8, diesel, MOGAS, every drop tested, stored, and pumped under safety rules that exist because fuel fires are fast, hot, and fatal. You graduated from the Fuels Technician course at MCES Camp Lejeune. The section chief is watching whether you enforce the grounding and bonding on every connection, every time, without being told. The FARP is coming — and the aviation commander needs to trust the fuel point before the first aircraft rolls in.

The Honest MOS Read
Private through Lance Corporal in the 1391 Expeditionary Fuels Technician MOS is the entry into one of the Marine Corps's most safety-critical support specialties — and the safety criticality is not theoretical. Fuel fires happen. Fuel contamination happens. Environmental spills generate regulatory liability that follows the command for years. Your job is to prevent all three, every day, while pumping the fuel that makes the MAGTF move. You graduated from the Fuels Technician course at the Marine Corps Engineer School (MCES) at Camp Lejeune. The course covers the expeditionary fuel systems the Marine Corps fields — SIXCON fuel modules, fuel bladders, pump stations, hose lines, filtration equipment, and the fuel quality testing procedures that determine whether a fuel lot is fit for use. You learned the grounding and bonding procedures that prevent static discharge in fuel-vapor environments, the spill prevention and containment procedures that keep fuel out of the soil, and the fire safety procedures that keep fuel vapor from becoming a fireball. Your first assignment is typically the bulk fuel section of an Engineer Support Battalion (ESB) or a Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS). At the ESB, you provide bulk fuel support to the ground combat element — storing and distributing fuel for vehicles, generators, and engineer equipment. At the MWSS, you provide aviation fuel support — including Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) operations, which are the highest-risk fuel operations in the Marine Corps. FARP operations deliver fuel to aircraft under hot conditions — engines running, rotors turning, ordnance loaded — in a compressed, high-risk environment where every second counts and every safety rule is non-negotiable. The daily work in garrison is built around receiving, storing, testing, and issuing fuel. You operate the SIXCON fuel modules — the modular, containerized fuel storage and distribution system the Marine Corps uses for expeditionary fuel support. You connect and disconnect fuel bladders, run pump stations, and maintain the hoses, valves, and filtration equipment that keep fuel moving from the bulk storage point to the using units. You test fuel quality using the field test kit — checking for water content, particulate contamination, microbial growth, and additive levels — and you document every test result and every fuel transaction in the accountability system the battalion requires. The environmental compliance dimension is not optional. MCO P5090.2 governs environmental compliance and protection for Marine Corps activities. Every fuel spill — no matter how small — must be contained, cleaned, documented, and reported. The base environmental office conducts routine soil surveys around fuel handling areas, and undocumented spills become contamination findings that generate legal liability for the command. The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) procedures are enforced at every fuel point, and the junior fuel technician who learns these procedures in the first 90 days operates with a baseline that many Marines in other MOS fields never develop. Fire safety is not a collateral duty — it is the central fact of your work. AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) stations and fire extinguishers are staged at every fuel point before the first valve opens. The no-smoking, no-electronics, and grounding/bonding rules are enforced without exception. A static discharge in a fuel-vapor environment is an ignition source — and the fuel fire that follows is not the kind of fire you can walk away from. The promotion math under MCO P1400.32D: PFC at 6 months TIS, LCpl at 9 months TIS / 8 months TIG. The composite score system for Cpl promotion uses the monthly MARADMIN cutting score for the 1391 MOS. The 1391 is a small MOS — the cutting scores fluctuate with the inventory, and the career planner conversation about reenlistment happens earlier than you expect.
Career Arc
  • 01Marine Corps Recruit Depot (Parris Island or San Diego) — ~13 weeks.
  • 02Marine Combat Training (MCT) at SOI East or SOI West — ~4 weeks.
  • 03Fuels Technician course at MCES Camp Lejeune — MOS-producing school.
  • 04First assignment: ESB bulk fuel section or MWSS aviation fuel support.
  • 05PFC (E-2) at 6 months TIS; LCpl (E-3) at 9 months TIS / 8 months TIG.
  • 06FARP training qualification — the operational milestone that marks readiness for the high-risk fuel mission.
  • 07Corporals Course eligibility; composite score build toward Cpl cutting score.
Common Screwups
  • ×Treating fuel handling as routine. The routine is what keeps people alive. The moment you stop treating grounding/bonding as a critical step is the moment the static discharge finds the vapor. Fuel safety complacency kills.
  • ×NJP / DUI / barracks incident — separation under MARCORSEPMAN, clearance issues (if applicable), and a small MOS means the institutional memory of the incident is durable.
  • ×Letting physical fitness drift. The PFT/CFT cycle is the visible standard in a Marine battalion; a fuel technician who cannot keep up with the formation loses standing with the section before the technical skills matter.
  • ×Not documenting fuel transactions and test results accurately. Fuel accountability is auditable. Inaccurate records generate IG findings that trace back to the technician who wrote the entry.
  • ×Skipping voluntary training opportunities — HAZMAT certification, CDL familiarization, advanced fuel quality testing — that build the composite score and the civilian credential simultaneously.

A Day in the Life

  • 0500Wake. PT uniform on. Water bottle filled. Head to the company area.
  • 0530PT formation. Section chief takes accountability. Your name is on the roster before the platoon sergeant calls it.
  • 0545-0700Unit PT. Runs, rucks, MCMAP mat work, strength circuits — the section's PT follows the platoon plan. The fuel section is physical: you carry hoses, drive grounding rods, drag bladders, and lift SIXCON components. The PT that builds the functional strength for the job is the PT the section chief designs.
  • 0700-0830Hygiene, chow, change to utilities or coveralls depending on the day's tasking. If the section is running fuel operations today, coveralls and PPE.
  • 0830Morning formation. Platoon sergeant gives the day's tasking. Section chief briefs the fuel section on the day's operations — fuel receipt, storage maintenance, equipment PM, or fuel issue support.
  • 0900-1130Fuel operations or equipment maintenance. If the section is running a fuel issue point: set up the SIXCON or bladder system, verify grounding/bonding, stage fire suppression, run the quality test on the fuel lot, and issue fuel to the using units. If no active fuel operations: preventive maintenance on pumps, hoses, valves, filters, and nozzles per the TM schedule. Equipment inspection and inventory. T&R task training with the section chief.
  • 1130-1300Chow. The fuel section eats together. The section chief uses chow to talk through the afternoon's plan or to debrief the morning's operation.
  • 1300-1500Afternoon operations. Continue fuel operations or equipment maintenance. If the section is preparing for a field exercise: inventory fuel handling equipment, pack the FARP kit, verify the spill response kit is complete, and load the section's equipment on the transport. Environmental compliance documentation — SPCC plan review, spill log update, waste fuel disposal coordination.
  • 1500-1630Final formation. Section chief debriefs the day. Equipment secured, fuel points closed out, accountability taken. The section chief checks the fuel accountability log and the equipment maintenance records before release.
  • 1630Liberty call. If on the working party or guard duty roster, the day extends.
  • 1700-2000Personal time. Gym, barracks, PME study if approaching Corporals Course eligibility. MCMAP belt work if scheduling a Gray Belt tape. The good junior Marine uses this time to study the fuel handling TMs and the T&R task standards — the section chief notices who shows up to the next training day already knowing the procedure.
  • 2000-2200Barracks time. If a barracks incident happens — fight, alcohol, emergency — the duty NCO handles it, but the junior Marine who stays out of trouble and keeps his room inspection-ready is the junior Marine the section chief trusts with more responsibility.
  • Field exercise / FARP trainingThe clock breaks. Fuel operations run on the exercise timeline, not garrison hours. You are setting up fuel points at 0300, running fuel issue through the night, tearing down at 0200, and moving to the next site. FARP operations run on the aviation schedule — the aircraft come when they come, and the fuel point is ready when they arrive. Sleep is when the section chief rotates you out. The field exercise is where the section chief decides whether you are ready for the Cpl track.

Weekly Cadence

The Mon-Fri rhythm at the junior 1391 level runs on the section chief's plan and the platoon's training calendar. Monday is the heaviest admin day — equipment inventory, maintenance checks, T&R task review, and the section chief's brief on the week's fuel operations. If a fuel receipt is scheduled, Monday is the preparation day: verify the storage system capacity, stage the quality testing equipment, and confirm the fire suppression and spill response posture. Tuesday through Thursday is fuel operations and training. The section alternates between active fuel operations (receipt, storage, issue) and equipment maintenance and T&R task training. A section that is in the FARP training cycle runs FARP setup drills — timed setup and teardown, hot refueling procedures, crash/fire/rescue positioning — under the section chief's evaluation. Between fuel operations, the section chief runs individual T&R task evaluations: fuel quality testing, equipment operation, spill response, and the documentation discipline that every fuel transaction requires. Friday is the close-out day. Equipment secured, fuel points closed out, the fuel accountability log reconciled against the actual fuel on hand. The section chief reviews the week's T&R task completions and briefs the platoon sergeant on the section's readiness posture. The good junior 1391 walks out of Friday formation with the week's accountability balanced, the equipment maintenance current, and the next week's training objectives identified — because the section chief told him what was coming, and he wrote it down.

Key Skills — How to Drill Each

  1. 01
    Operate SIXCON fuel modules — connect, pump, filter, and disconnect the modular fuel storage and distribution system the Marine Corps uses for expeditionary fuel support.
    The SIXCON is the backbone of Marine Corps expeditionary fuel operations. Learn the connection sequence cold: inspect the module for damage, verify the fuel type and quantity, connect the intake and discharge hoses with the correct fittings, verify the grounding and bonding connections before any fuel flows, energize the pump, monitor the flow rate and the filtration indicators, and disconnect in the reverse sequence with the fuel contained and the module secured. Run the sequence until the section chief does not need to stand behind you. The Marine who can set up a SIXCON in the dark, in the rain, and under time pressure is the Marine the section chief puts on the FARP team.
  2. 02
    Set up and operate fuel bladders, pump stations, and hose lines for bulk fuel receipt, storage, and issue — including grounding and bonding every component before fuel flows.
    Fuel bladders come in multiple sizes and configurations. Learn the setup sequence for each: site preparation (level ground, containment berm, spill mat), bladder deployment, intake and discharge hose connection, pump station positioning, grounding rod installation and bonding wire attachment to every metallic component in the fuel path. Grounding and bonding is the step that prevents static discharge — and static discharge in a fuel-vapor environment is an ignition source. Do not skip it. Do not abbreviate it. Do not assume the previous shift verified it. Check it yourself, every time, before fuel flows.
  3. 03
    Test fuel quality using the field fuel quality testing kit — water content, particulate, microbial contamination, additive levels — and document results accurately.
    The field fuel quality test kit includes the Aqua-Glo water detection test, the particulate contamination test (membrane filtration), the microbial contamination test (culture method or rapid test), and the additive level checks. Learn the test procedures from the technical manual for the specific test kit your unit fields. Run each test to the procedure — do not shortcut the incubation times, do not eyeball the results, do not round the numbers. Document the results in the fuel quality log with the fuel lot number, the date, the test results, and your name. Bad test data puts contaminated fuel in equipment — and the investigation starts with the technician who ran the test.
  4. 04
    Maintain fuel handling equipment — pumps, hoses, valves, filters, nozzles, meters — to the applicable TM standard, including inspection for leaks, wear, and contamination.
    Preventive maintenance on fuel handling equipment follows the same TM-standard discipline as any other Marine Corps maintenance program. Inspect hoses for cracks, abrasion, and coupling integrity. Check pump seals for leaks. Replace filters on the schedule the TM specifies, not when they look dirty. Calibrate meters when the TM requires it. Document every maintenance action in the equipment maintenance record. The pump that fails during a FARP operation because nobody followed the PM schedule deadlines the operation and generates the kind of investigation that asks who signed the last maintenance check.
  5. 05
    Enforce spill prevention and fire safety at the fuel point — fire extinguishers staged, AFFF ready, spill kits positioned, grounding/bonding verified, no-smoking perimeter enforced.
    Before any fuel operation begins, verify: fire extinguishers are staged at each end of the fuel point and at each pump station. AFFF station is positioned and charged. Spill containment kit (absorbent pads, booms, disposal bags) is staged within arm's reach of every connection point. Grounding rods are driven and bonding wires are attached to every metallic component. No-smoking and no-electronics perimeter is marked and enforced. The section chief will walk the setup before operations begin — but the good junior Marine has the setup complete before the section chief arrives.
  6. 06
    Document every fuel transaction — receipt, issue, transfer, test result — in the fuel accountability system the battalion runs.
    Fuel accountability is a regulatory requirement, not a bookkeeping exercise. Every gallon received is logged with the source, the fuel type, the lot number, and the date. Every gallon issued is logged with the receiving unit, the equipment fueled, the quantity, and the date. Every transfer between storage systems is logged. Every quality test result is logged with the lot number and the pass/fail determination. The numbers must balance: gallons received minus gallons issued equals gallons on hand, plus or minus the documented losses (evaporation, spillage, testing). When the S-4 audits the fuel inventory, the records must match reality. Discrepancies that cannot be explained become IG findings.

Manuals & References — What Chapters Matter

  • MCO 4410 series — Marine Corps Petroleum and Fuels Management
    The umbrella order governing fuel operations, quality control, and accountability in the Marine Corps. At the junior level, you enforce the fuel handling procedures, the quality testing schedule, and the accountability requirements this order mandates. Read the sections on fuel quality control and spill prevention — these are the sections the section chief will quiz you on during your first month.
  • ATP 4-43 — Petroleum Supply Operations
    The Army doctrinal manual widely used in joint fuel operations. The FARP operations chapter and the bulk fuel distribution chapter are directly applicable to the Marine Corps fuel mission. The Marine Corps does not have a standalone FARP doctrine manual — ATP 4-43 is the reference the fuels community uses for FARP planning and execution in a joint context.
  • NAVMC 3500 (13xx T&R Manual) — Individual tasks for the 1391 apprentice level
    The T&R Manual defines every individual task you must complete at the apprentice level. The section chief uses the T&R task list to track your qualification progress. Print the 1391 apprentice-level individual task list and carry it — know which tasks you have completed, which you need, and what the standard is for each.
  • MCO P5090.2 — Environmental Compliance and Protection Manual
    The environmental compliance order that governs spill prevention, reporting, and cleanup requirements. Every fuel spill — no matter how small — falls under this order. Read the spill reporting chapter: who to report to, how fast, and what documentation is required. The base environmental office enforces this order, and ignorance of the reporting requirement is not a defense.
  • MCO 6100.13 — Marine Corps Physical Fitness, Body Composition, and Military Appearance
    The PFT/CFT standards order. At the junior level, 1st-Class is the standard and anything below it puts you in a different conversation with the section chief. The PFT/CFT scores feed the composite score for Cpl promotion under MCO 1400.32.

Standards — How to Hit Each

  • 1st-Class PFT and CFT under MCO 6100.13 — anything below 1st-Class and the section chief is having a different conversation about you.
    Build the PFT/CFT scores deliberately: run intervals three days a week, strength train two days, plate-carrier ruck once a week. The composite score for Cpl promotion weights PFT/CFT scores heavily. A 1st-Class score is the baseline; a 285+ PFT pulls composite points that the rifle qual and Pro/Con marks alone cannot offset. The section chief reads the PFT roster — the Marine at the bottom of the section's roster gets the conversation nobody wants.
  • Complete all individual T&R tasks for the 1391 apprentice level on the timeline the section chief sets.
    Pull the T&R task list from NAVMC 3500 (13xx series) on day one. Track your completion in a personal log alongside the section chief's tracker. Each T&R task has a performance standard and a condition — meet the standard under the condition, get the section chief's signature, and move to the next task. The Marine who completes the apprentice-level T&R tasks ahead of the timeline is the Marine the section chief puts on the next FARP training event.
  • Demonstrate safe operation of all fuel handling equipment — grounding/bonding, spill prevention, fire safety, PPE — without being corrected.
    The standard is 'without being corrected.' That means you verify grounding/bonding before the section chief asks. You stage the spill kit before the section chief checks. You wear the PPE before the section chief looks. The Marine who operates safely without supervision is the Marine who earns unsupervised fuel point operation — and that trust is the gate to every subsequent qualification.
  • Fuel quality test results accurate and documented to the fuel quality control standard.
    Run every test to the procedure in the test kit TM. Do not shortcut incubation times. Do not round results. Do not estimate water content. Record the exact result, the lot number, the date, and sign the entry. The section chief verifies a random sample of your test results against his own testing — if your numbers do not match reality, the conversation is about integrity, not technique.
  • Tan Belt MCMAP out of MCRD, Gray Belt before you make LCpl — MCO 1500.54.
    MCMAP belt progression feeds the composite score and signals self-discipline to the section chief and the platoon sergeant. Gray Belt is achievable in the first 6-9 months after the fleet. Schedule the tape with the platoon's MCMAP instructor; put the reps in during the MCMAP mat day and on your own time.

Technical Mistakes — Concrete Consequences

  • Pumping fuel without verifying the grounding and bonding connections.
    Static discharge in a fuel-vapor environment is an ignition source. Fuel fires are not theoretical — they are fast, hot, and fatal. The fuel vapor concentration around an open fuel connection or a pump discharge is within the explosive range of JP-8 and diesel under most ambient conditions. The grounding rod and the bonding wire are the only things preventing the static charge that builds during fuel flow from finding an ignition path. The Marine who skips the grounding check is the Marine who starts the fire.
  • Skipping the fuel quality test because 'it came from a known source.'
    Contaminated fuel damages engines, turbines, and fuel systems. An aircraft that ingests water-contaminated JP-8 can flame out — and a flameout during takeoff or landing is a crash. A generator that ingests particulate-contaminated diesel seizes. The contamination may have entered the fuel during transportation, during storage, or during transfer — the 'known source' is not the source of the contamination you are testing for. Test every lot, every time, before issue.
  • Not staging fire suppression equipment before operations begin.
    AFFF and extinguishers are positioned before the first valve opens, not when someone smells vapor. A fuel spill during pump operations can produce a vapor cloud that reaches ignition concentration in seconds. If the AFFF station is 50 meters away instead of 5 meters away, the fire suppression response time is the difference between a contained incident and a mass casualty event. Stage the fire suppression first, verify it is charged and functional, then start fuel operations.
  • Failing to document a fuel spill — even a small one.
    Environmental compliance under MCO P5090.2 is regulatory, not optional. An undocumented spill becomes a soil contamination finding when the base environmental office conducts the routine soil survey around the fuel handling area. The contamination finding generates a remediation requirement, a legal liability for the command, and an investigation that traces back through every fuel point log to find who was operating when the contamination occurred. The spill report takes 15 minutes. The remediation takes months. Document every spill.
  • Leaving fuel handling equipment connected and unattended.
    Unattended fuel operations are unauthorized. The hose that separates under pressure, the valve that leaks because the seal degraded, the pump that runs dry and overheats — all of these are fuel incident causes that start with the Marine who walked away from the equipment. Fuel operations require continuous manning. If you need to leave the fuel point, hand off to another qualified Marine and verify the handoff before you leave.

Career Decisions at This Rank

  • Pursue HAZMAT certification early in the first enlistment.
    HAZMAT certification is a civilian credential that transfers directly to the petroleum distribution and transportation industry. The Marine Corps may fund the certification through the unit's training budget — ask the section chief and the training NCO. The certification strengthens the composite score, demonstrates initiative that the section chief notes in Pro/Con marks, and positions the Marine for the CDL tanker endorsement that makes the post-service market significantly stronger. Start the conversation at month six; the earlier the certification, the more time it compounds.
  • Volunteer for FARP training at the earliest opportunity.
    FARP qualification is the operational milestone that separates the fuel technicians from the Marines who are just pumping gas. The FARP team is the high-visibility, high-risk element of the fuel section — and the Marines on the FARP team are the Marines the section chief recommends for Corporals Course, promotion, and school slots. Volunteer early, train hard on the FARP procedures, and treat every FARP drill as if the aircraft is real and the fuel is live. The Marine who earns FARP qualification in the first 12 months is the Marine the section chief builds the next fuel point team around.
  • Start building college credits through Tuition Assistance early.
    Tuition Assistance funds college courses during active duty. The composite score for Cpl and Sgt promotion includes education credits. Start with general education courses that transfer to any four-year program — English, math, science. The Marine who stacks 15-20 credit hours in the first enlistment pulls composite score points that the Marines who wait cannot catch. The credits also position you for a two-year or four-year degree program if you EAS or for the commissioning programs (MECEP, ECP) if you stay.
  • First reenlistment decision — stay 1391 versus explore lateral move options.
    The 1391 MOS is small. Reenlistment bonuses (SRB) vary by year — pull the current MARADMIN before the career planner conversation. The lateral move options from 1391 are limited by the 13xx community structure, but the HAZMAT and CDL credentials transfer to other MOS fields that handle hazardous materials. The honest question at first reenlistment: does the fuel technician career serve your long-term plan? If yes, reenlist and chase the Sgt cutting score. If the civilian petroleum distribution market is calling, the HAZMAT certification and CDL tanker endorsement you built during the first enlistment position you for the civilian market immediately.

How the Seat Varies by Unit Type

  • Engineer Support Battalion (ESB) bulk fuel section
    The ESB provides general engineering and fuel support to the MAGTF ground element. The fuel section at an ESB handles bulk fuel receipt, storage, and distribution for vehicles, generators, and engineer equipment. The work is ground-focused — SIXCON modules, fuel bladders, pump stations, and HEMTT tankers. The FARP mission is secondary; the primary mission is keeping the ground combat element fueled during field exercises and deployments. The OPTEMPO is tied to the MEU PTP workup cycle and the battalion's field exercise calendar.
  • Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) aviation fuel support
    The MWSS provides aviation fuel support to the Marine Aircraft Group. The fuel section at an MWSS runs the FARP — Forward Arming and Refueling Point operations that deliver fuel to aircraft under hot conditions. FARP operations are the highest-risk fuel mission in the Marine Corps: aircraft with engines running, rotors turning, ordnance loaded, and a fuel hose connected. The safety standards are absolute. The relationship with the aviation community — the pilots, the aircrew, the airfield operations — shapes the daily work in ways that the ground-side fuel mission does not.
  • MEU deployment (embarked on amphibious shipping)
    The MEU may carry a fuel support element as part of the combat logistics element. The fuel technician on a MEU deployment provides expeditionary fuel support during contingency operations — setting up fuel points on foreign soil, conducting quality testing on fuel from unfamiliar sources, and running FARP operations in austere environments. The fuel comes from the ship's bunkers, from host-nation suppliers, or from DLA Energy contracts — and each source requires quality testing before issue. The MEU deployment is the operational milestone that builds the combat-deployed credential.
  • III MEF / Okinawa rotation
    Forward-deployed fuel support under III MEF. The fuel section operates in the Pacific theater — training with allied forces (Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, Korean, Australian, Philippine) on fuel interoperability, operating with different fuel specifications and host-nation environmental regulations, and maintaining fuel support readiness in a theater that is operationally closer to contingency than CONUS garrison. The unaccompanied tour adds personal stress that the section chief manages through the leadership he provides.

What Good Looks Like at This Rank

The good junior 1391 is the Marine the section chief sends to set up the fuel point without standing behind him — and the fuel point is ready when the section chief arrives. The grounding rods are driven. The bonding wires are attached. The fire extinguishers are staged. The AFFF station is charged. The spill kit is within arm's reach. The test kit is out and the first sample is drawn before the first customer pulls up. The fuel accountability log is open and the header is filled in. By month twelve, the section chief is trusting this Marine to run a fuel issue point during a field exercise — receiving fuel from the tanker, testing it, storing it, issuing it to the using units, and documenting every transaction. By month eighteen, this Marine is on the list for the next FARP training event — the high-risk, high-visibility fuel operation that separates the technicians from the Marines who are just pumping gas. The FARP qualification is the operational gate: the Marine who can deliver fuel to aircraft under hot conditions — engines running, rotors turning, ordnance loaded — with the safety discipline that lets the aviation commander trust the fuel point is the Marine the section chief recommends for Corporals Course. The section chief's read on the junior 1391 is set in the first 90 days. The Marine who asks questions, writes down the procedures, practices the equipment setup on his own time, and treats every grounding check as if his life depends on it — because it does — is the Marine who earns the trust that compounds into composite score bullets, FARP qualifications, and the Cpl promotion that starts the NCO track.

Preview — The Next Rank

Corporal (E-4) is the first NCO rank — and in the 1391 community, the Cpl is the fuel point supervisor. You run the fuel point. Your junior Marines follow your lead on safety, quality, and accountability. Every shortcut you tolerate is a shortcut that becomes standard practice until something catches fire or someone pumps bad fuel through an engine intake. The Cpl promotion runs through the composite score system — cutting score published monthly via MARADMIN for the 1391 MOS. Corporals Course is the required PME. The Cpl who supervises a fuel point, trains junior Marines, runs or supervises FARP operations, and manages fuel accountability for the section is doing the work that the Sgt section leader delegates to trusted NCOs. The technical responsibility expands: you make the accept/reject decision on fuel quality tests. You sign the fuel accountability records. You enforce the safety rules on Marines who are your peers in age and experience. The section chief is watching whether you enforce the standard or whether you let it slide because the junior Marines are your friends. The NCO who enforces the standard without making it personal is the NCO who earns the section chief's trust — and that trust is the foundation of every subsequent promotion.
FAQ

1391 E1-E3 — Frequently Asked Questions

Q01What does a E1-E3 1391 (Expeditionary Fuels Technician) actually do?
You arrived from the Fuels Technician course at MCES Camp Lejeune and you are assigned to the bulk fuel section of an engineer support battalion or a Marine wing support squadron.
Q02What's the most important thing to know as a E1-E3 1391?
1391 Expeditionary Fuels Technician is the MOS that keeps the MAGTF moving — JP-8, diesel, MOGAS, every drop tested, stored, and pumped under safety rules that exist because fuel fires are fast, hot, and fatal.
Q03What does a typical day look like for a E1-E3 1391?
Time-blocked day at the E1-E3 1391 rank tier: 0500 Wake. PT uniform on. Water bottle filled. Head to the company area, 0530 PT formation. Section chief takes accountability. Your name is on the roster before the platoon sergeant calls it, 0545-0700 Unit PT. Runs, rucks, MCMAP mat work, strength circuits — the section's PT follows the platoon plan. The fuel section is physical: you carry hoses, drive grounding rods, drag bladders, and lift SIXCON components. The PT that builds the functional strength for the job is the PT the section chief designs, 0700-0830 Hygiene, chow,…
Q04What mistakes get E1-E3 1391 soldiers fired or relieved?
Treating fuel handling as routine. The routine is what keeps people alive. The moment you stop treating grounding/bonding as a critical step is the moment the static discharge finds the vapor. Fuel safety complacency kills; NJP / DUI / barracks incident — separation under MARCORSEPMAN, clearance issues (if applicable), and a small MOS means the institutional memory of the incident is durable; Letting physical fitness drift. The PFT/CFT cycle is the visible standard in a Marine battalion;…
Q05What career decisions matter most at the E1-E3 1391 rank tier?
Pursue HAZMAT certification early in the first enlistment — HAZMAT certification is a civilian credential that transfers directly to the petroleum distribution and transportation industry. The Marine Corps may fund the certification through the unit's training budget — ask the section chief and the training NCO. The certification strengthens the composite score, demonstrates initiative that the section chief notes in Pro/Con marks, and positions the Marine for the CDL tanker endorsement that makes the post-service market significantly stronger. Start the conversation at month six;…
Q06What's next after E1-E3 for a 1391 (Expeditionary Fuels Technician) in the Marines?
Corporal (E-4) is the first NCO rank — and in the 1391 community, the Cpl is the fuel point supervisor.
Q07What manuals and regulations does a E1-E3 1391 need to know cold?
MCO 4410 series — Marine Corps Petroleum and Fuels Management (the order governing fuel operations, quality control, and accountability — verify the current specific order number).; MCO P4790.2 — Marine Corps Maintenance Management (maintenance of fuel handling equipment falls under the battalion's maintenance management program).; NAVMC 3500 (13xx T&R Manual) — Individual tasks for the 1391 apprentice level.

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Published by the Honest MOS Editorial DeskVerified against DoD/.gov sourcesUpdated May 2026Editorial standards