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1391E4

Expeditionary Fuels Technician

E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) · Marines

E1–E3E-4E-5E-6E-7E8–E9
HEADS UP

Corporal 1391 is the fuel point supervisor — the NCO who runs the fuel point, makes the accept/reject call on fuel quality, signs the accountability records, and enforces the safety rules on Marines who were your peers last month. Corporals Course is the PME gate. The composite score to Sgt runs through the monthly MARADMIN cutting score for the 1391 MOS. The FARP is your proving ground — the aviation commander trusts the fuel point because you trained the team that runs it.

The Honest MOS Read
Corporal in the 1391 community is the fuel point supervisor rank — the first NCO position where the safety, quality, and accountability of fuel operations run through your signature. You run a fuel point or a section of the bulk fuel operation. You supervise the fuel technicians, you verify grounding and bonding before every operation, you run or supervise the fuel quality tests, and you sign the fuel accountability records that track every gallon in and every gallon out. The transition from technician to supervisor is the transition that defines whether a Marine becomes a fuel section leader or stays a technician who wears NCO chevrons. The section chief is watching whether you enforce the standard on Marines who were your peers — the grounding check, the quality test, the spill report, the fire suppression staging — or whether you let the standard slide because the junior Marines are your friends. The NCO who enforces the standard without making it personal is the NCO who earns the trust that compounds into the Sgt billet. FARP operations at the Cpl level are the proving ground. You are on the hot side — supervising fuel delivery to aircraft in a compressed, high-risk environment. The crash/fire/rescue capability must be staged and ready before the first aircraft rolls in. The fuel quality must be verified. The grounding and bonding must be complete. The safety perimeter must be enforced. Every one of these is your responsibility, and every one of them is non-negotiable. The aviation commander who trusts the fuel point trusts it because the NCO running it trained the team and enforces the procedures. The environmental compliance dimension expands at Cpl. You enforce MCO P5090.2 at the section level — spill prevention, containment, documentation, and the reporting chain that keeps the command compliant. You sign the spill report. You manage the spill containment kit inventory. You train the junior Marines on the environmental compliance procedures that many of them did not learn thoroughly enough in MOS school. The composite score build toward Sgt is the career mechanic to track: PFT/CFT scores, rifle qualification, Pro/Con marks, awards, education credits, and MCMAP belt progression all feed the composite score under MCO 1400.32. The 1391 MOS is small — the cutting score fluctuates with the inventory, and the career planner conversation about reenlistment becomes the first real career decision. The training load shifts from learning to teaching. You train junior Marines on fuel handling equipment operation, safety procedures, and environmental compliance. You demonstrate, supervise, correct, and sign the T&R task completion. The section chief evaluates your training effectiveness — not by whether you can run the fuel point yourself, but by whether the Marines you trained can run it without you standing behind them.
Career Arc
  • 01Cpl pin-on via composite score / cutting score under MCO 1400.32.
  • 02Fuel point supervisor — running the fuel point with a team of 3-5 Marines.
  • 03Corporals Course graduate — required PME.
  • 04FARP operations — supervising hot refueling under the section chief.
  • 05Green Belt MCMAP minimum; Brown Belt before Sergeants Course.
  • 06Composite score build toward Sgt cutting score — PFT/CFT, rifle qual, Pro/Con, education, awards.
  • 07Reenlistment decision — first contract math.
Common Screwups
  • ×Not enforcing the safety standard on junior Marines because they are your friends. The standard exists because fuel fires kill. The NCO who lets the grounding check slide is the NCO who starts the investigation report.
  • ×NJP / DUI / fraternization — separation under MARCORSEPMAN, clearance issues, and the small 1391 community means the read is durable.
  • ×Skipping Corporals Course when the slot drops. The PME gate is non-negotiable for Sgt promotion.
  • ×Letting fuel accountability drift because 'the numbers are close enough.' Close enough is not close enough when the S-4 audit finds a 500-gallon discrepancy and the investigation traces back to your fuel point log.
  • ×Doing the work yourself instead of training the junior Marines. The fuel point that runs only when you are standing behind every Marine is the fuel point that fails when you go to Corporals Course.

A Day in the Life

  • 0500Wake. Check the platoon group chat for any overnight issues. PT uniform on.
  • 0530PT formation. You take accountability for your team and report to the section chief. Missing Marine = your problem first.
  • 0545-0700Unit PT. You set the pace for your team. The Cpl who leads from the front in PT leads from the front at the fuel point.
  • 0700-0830Hygiene, chow, change to utilities or coveralls. Pre-walk the section's equipment before the section chief checks.
  • 0830Morning formation. Section chief briefs the day. You brief your team on assignments.
  • 0900-1130Fuel operations, equipment maintenance, or T&R training. If running a fuel point: supervise setup, verify safety, run quality test, manage the issue operation. If training: demonstrate procedures, supervise Marines, correct in real time, sign T&R task completion.
  • 1130-1300Chow. Debrief the morning's operation with the section chief.
  • 1300-1500Afternoon work. Continue operations or maintenance. Pro/Con mark counseling sessions with your junior Marines. Equipment inventory and accountability. FARP training drills if the section is in the FARP qualification cycle.
  • 1500-1630Final formation. Section chief debriefs. Fuel accountability reconciled. Equipment secured.
  • 1630-2000Personal time. Gym, study for Corporals Course or Sergeants Course if approaching eligibility, MCMAP belt work, Tuition Assistance coursework.
  • Field exercise / FARPThe garrison schedule disappears. You are running the fuel point for your team on the exercise timeline. FARP ops run on the aviation schedule. Sleep when the section chief rotates you. The field exercise is the proving ground for the Sgt billet.

Weekly Cadence

The Mon-Fri rhythm at Cpl mirrors the section chief's plan. Monday: equipment checks, T&R review, section brief. Tuesday-Thursday: fuel operations or training — FARP drills, quality testing, equipment PM. You are supervising your Marines more than you are doing the work yourself. Friday: accountability reconciliation, equipment closeout, section chief debrief. The week's second rhythm is the NCO admin: Pro/Con mark counseling monthly, T&R task tracking for your Marines, composite score review with the career planner. The FARP qualification cycle compresses the rhythm — when the section is training for FARP certification, every day is a rehearsal. The field exercise or deployment collapses the garrison rhythm entirely. Fuel operations run on the supported unit's timeline. The FARP runs on the aviation schedule. Accountability reconciliation happens when the operation pauses, not when the clock says 1630. The Cpl who keeps the accountability current during sustained operations — receipt, issue, transfer, loss — is the Cpl who does not generate the S-4 surprise at the end of the exercise.

Key Skills — How to Drill Each

  1. 01
    Supervise a fuel point operation from setup through teardown — siting, equipment layout, grounding/bonding, fire safety, fuel quality verification, accountability, and environmental compliance.
    Run the operation in sequence: site the fuel point (level ground, drainage, access, distance from occupied structures per the fire safety standard), lay out the equipment (SIXCON or bladder, pump station, hose lines, nozzles), drive the grounding rods and attach the bonding wires, stage the fire suppression (extinguishers and AFFF), verify the spill containment (berms, mats, kits), run the fuel quality test on the lot, and open the fuel point for issue. Supervise the teardown in reverse: close the valves, drain the hoses, disconnect the fittings, recover the grounding rods, police the site for spills, and document the final fuel accountability. The section chief grades you on the sequence, the safety discipline, and the accountability at closeout.
  2. 02
    Run or supervise FARP operations — fuel delivery to aircraft under hot conditions, safety perimeter enforcement, crash/fire/rescue positioning, and the communication discipline that keeps the flight line alive.
    FARP is the highest-risk fuel operation. Before the first aircraft arrives: CFR (crash/fire/rescue) vehicle or capability staged and manned, fuel quality verified on the lot, grounding/bonding complete on every fuel delivery component, safety perimeter marked and enforced, communication established with the airfield operations or the aviation unit controlling the FARP. During operations: one Marine on the nozzle, one on the pump, one on fire watch, you on supervision. The aircraft type determines the refueling procedure — verify the procedure for each aircraft type before the FARP opens. After the last aircraft departs: secure the fuel point, drain the hoses, recover the grounding, police the site, and document the fuel issued. The FARP that runs clean is the FARP the aviation commander requests next time.
  3. 03
    Train junior Marines on fuel handling equipment operation, safety procedures, and environmental compliance — demonstrate, supervise, correct, and sign the T&R task completion.
    Training is the Cpl's job that the section chief evaluates most closely. Demonstrate the procedure first — the correct sequence, the safety steps, the documentation. Then supervise the Marine performing the procedure. Correct in real time — do not wait until the AAR to tell the Marine he skipped the grounding check. Sign the T&R task completion only when the Marine can perform the task to standard without correction. The section chief evaluates your training effectiveness by whether your Marines can run the fuel point without you standing behind them.
  4. 04
    Manage fuel accountability for the section — receipt, issue, transfer, and loss documentation — so the numbers balance and the platoon sergeant does not get a surprise at the end of the exercise.
    Fuel accountability is auditable. Establish the opening balance at the start of every operation (gallons on hand by fuel type). Log every receipt (source, quantity, lot number). Log every issue (receiving unit, quantity, equipment fueled). Log every transfer (between storage systems, between fuel points). Calculate the closing balance at the end of every operation and reconcile against the physical inventory. If the numbers do not match, find the discrepancy before the platoon sergeant asks. A fuel accountability discrepancy that you find and explain is a training issue. A fuel accountability discrepancy that the S-4 audit finds is an IG finding.
  5. 05
    Operate and maintain the Expeditionary Mobile Fuel Additization Capability (EMFAC) or equivalent fuel conditioning equipment when the section fields it.
    The EMFAC conditions fuel by adding the required additives to meet the specification for the intended use. Learn the EMFAC operating procedures from the technical manual — the additive injection rates, the mixing procedures, the quality verification after conditioning. Maintain the EMFAC to the TM standard — pump PM, filter replacement, calibration checks. The EMFAC is the equipment that converts received fuel into specification fuel; if the EMFAC does not work, the fuel does not meet spec, and the using unit gets fuel that may not be fit for the equipment.
  6. 06
    Conduct fuel quality testing at the journeyman level — interpret results, make the accept/reject decision, and communicate the result to the supported unit and the platoon sergeant.
    At the Cpl level, you make the accept/reject decision. The test results are numbers; the decision is judgment. Water content above the specification limit: reject the lot. Particulate above the limit: reject. Microbial above the limit: reject and quarantine. Additive below the minimum: condition the fuel or reject. Communicate the reject decision to the supported unit (they need to know the fuel is not available) and to the platoon sergeant (he needs to know the supply chain has a quality issue). The Cpl who rejects a bad fuel lot protects the equipment downstream. The Cpl who passes a bad fuel lot owns the engine damage that follows.

Manuals & References — What Chapters Matter

  • MCO 4410 series — Petroleum and Fuels Management
    You enforce this at the section level now. The fuel quality control chapter and the fuel accountability chapter are the sections you apply daily. Know the fuel quality acceptance criteria, the accountability reconciliation procedure, and the spill reporting chain by heart.
  • ATP 4-43 — Petroleum Supply Operations
    The FARP operations doctrine you plan and execute against in a joint context. The FARP chapter covers site selection, equipment layout, safety procedures, and the communication plan between the fuel element and the aviation element. Read the FARP chapter before your first FARP qualification event.
  • NAVMC 3500 (13xx T&R Manual) — Cpl/Sgt-level individual and collective tasks
    The T&R Manual defines the Cpl-level tasks you must complete and the tasks you must train your junior Marines on. Print the Cpl-level task list and track your completion alongside the section chief's tracker.
  • MCO 1610.7 — Performance Evaluation System
    You are writing proficiency and conduct marks now. The Pro/Con marks feed the composite score for Sgt promotion and are the visible leadership signal that the section chief and the platoon sergeant read. Write the marks from observed behavior, not from relationship.
  • MCO P5090.2 — Environmental Compliance and Protection Manual
    You enforce the environmental compliance program at the fuel point level. The spill prevention, reporting, and cleanup procedures in this order are your responsibility when you sign the fuel point safety checklist.

Standards — How to Hit Each

  • Green Belt MCMAP at minimum; Brown Belt is the bar you chase before Sergeants Course.
    MCMAP belt progression builds composite score points and signals self-discipline. Green Belt is achievable within the first year at the fleet; Brown Belt requires sustained training and the senior MCMAP instructor's sign-off. Schedule the Brown Belt tape 6-9 months before the Sgt cutting score window. The Marine with Brown Belt at Cpl is the Marine whose composite score pulls ahead of the Marines who waited.
  • Corporals Course graduate — required and gated; do not let the slot drop.
    Corporals Course is delivered at the unit or regional level. Pull the slot the moment it is offered. The PME gate is non-negotiable for Sgt promotion. The course covers small-unit leadership, counseling, and the NCO responsibilities that the fuel point supervisor exercises daily. Treat it as the professional credential it is, not as a check-the-box exercise.
  • 1st-Class PFT and CFT — your Marines do not respect a team leader whose fitness does not match his fuel-point authority.
    At the Cpl level, your PFT/CFT score is visible to the section. The Marines you supervise see the score on the unit roster. A Cpl below 1st-Class loses the credibility that the fuel-point-supervisor authority requires. Build the score: intervals for the run, pull-up progressions for the pull-ups, ammunition-can presses and movement-to-contact for the CFT events. The Cpl who leads PT and hits 1st-Class earns the respect that makes the safety enforcement effective.
  • Composite score tracked monthly — pull the current cutting score for 1391 to Sgt.
    The 1391 MOS is small — the cutting score moves with the inventory. Pull the current MARADMIN cutting score monthly and compare it to your composite. Identify the gaps: PFT/CFT points, rifle qual points, education credits, Pro/Con marks, MCMAP belt, awards. Close the gaps deliberately. The career planner has the composite score breakdown; sit with him quarterly and build the promotion plan.
  • Zero fuel spills uncontained or unreported on your watch — every spill documented, contained, cleaned, and reported per MCO P5090.2.
    The standard is zero uncontained or unreported. Spills happen — the question is whether the containment and cleanup are immediate or whether the fuel reaches the soil. Enforce the spill containment procedure: stop the source, contain the spill with absorbent pads or booms, clean the affected area, dispose of contaminated materials, and report the spill through the chain. Document the spill with date, time, location, quantity, cause, containment actions, cleanup actions, and your name. The fuel point log with zero spill entries is not the goal — the fuel point log with every spill documented, contained, and reported is the goal.

Technical Mistakes — Concrete Consequences

  • Letting a junior Marine pump fuel without verifying grounding and bonding first.
    You signed the safety checklist. The static ignition event traces to your signature. The section chief's read on the NCO who let a Marine pump without grounding is a read that does not recover in the same tour. Verify grounding and bonding personally before every operation — do not delegate the check to the Marine who is performing the operation.
  • Accepting fuel from a source without running the quality test because 'we are behind schedule.'
    Contaminated fuel in an aircraft is a safety-of-flight incident. Contaminated fuel in a generator is an equipment-damage incident. The investigation starts at the fuel point that issued the fuel — and the question 'did you test?' has only one right answer. Test every lot, every time. The schedule adjusts; the contaminated engine does not.
  • Running FARP operations without a crash/fire/rescue capability staged and ready.
    The aircraft at the FARP is carrying ordnance, fuel, and people. A fuel spill during hot refueling without CFR is a mass casualty event waiting for a spark. The FARP does not open until CFR is staged, manned, and ready. This is not a judgment call — it is a non-negotiable safety requirement.
  • Not reporting a fuel spill because 'it was small.'
    There is no small spill in the environmental compliance program. The unreported spill becomes a soil contamination finding during the base environmental office's routine survey. The investigation goes back through every fuel point log you signed. The spill that took 15 minutes to report takes months to remediate when it reaches the groundwater.
  • Losing accountability of fuel — the gallons issued do not match the gallons received minus the gallons on hand.
    Fuel accountability gaps in a combat zone are theft investigations. In garrison they are IG findings. The S-4 audit compares the fuel point log to the receiving unit logs. A discrepancy that cannot be explained becomes a formal investigation — and the Cpl who signed the fuel accountability records is the first person asked for an explanation.

Career Decisions at This Rank

  • Reenlistment at Cpl — sign for the bonus, station-of-choice, or EAS.
    SRB tier and bonus amounts for 1391 Cpls are published in current MARADMIN messages and vary year over year. Pull the current MARADMIN before the career planner conversation. The reenlistment options usually include: station-of-choice for the next tour, lateral move contract (if available), or the SRB bonus. The honest math: Cpls who EAS with HAZMAT certification and CDL tanker endorsement walk into the civilian petroleum distribution market at competitive wages. Cpls who reenlist and make Sgt build the section leader credential that strengthens the post-service market further. Run the math with the career planner — show up with a plan.
  • CDL with tanker endorsement — pursue during the first enlistment.
    The Commercial Driver's License with tanker endorsement is the civilian credential that makes the 1391 post-service market immediately competitive. The Marine Corps may fund CDL training through the unit's training budget or through SkillBridge. The CDL tanker endorsement combined with HAZMAT certification positions the EASing Marine for petroleum transport, fuel terminal operations, and the long tail of CDL-tanker jobs that pay well and hire immediately. Start the CDL conversation at month 12; the earlier the endorsement, the more value it compounds.
  • Sergeants Course slot — in-residence versus CDET distance education.
    Sergeants Course is the PME gate for Sgt promotion. In-residence at the regional NCO academy is materially more rigorous and more visible than CDET non-resident. Pull the in-residence slot if it drops — the network of Sgts from across the Corps and the rigor of the in-residence course both compound into the SSgt board read. CDET is the option that works around deployment schedules. Talk to the section chief about timing.

How the Seat Varies by Unit Type

  • ESB fuel section — ground support
    The Cpl at an ESB runs a ground fuel point — SIXCON modules, bladders, and HEMTT tankers supporting vehicles and generators. The pace is steadier, the FARP mission is secondary, and the fuel operations are larger-volume. The Cpl at an ESB learns bulk fuel management at scale.
  • MWSS fuel section — aviation support / FARP
    The Cpl at an MWSS runs the FARP team. Hot refueling, crash/fire/rescue coordination, and the communication discipline with the aviation unit. The stakes are higher — safety-of-flight is the standard, not just fuel quality. The Cpl who qualifies on FARP at an MWSS has the credential the section chief values most.
  • MEU / deployment
    The Cpl on a MEU runs fuel operations in austere environments — unfamiliar fuel sources, host-nation suppliers, and the quality testing rigor that ensures every gallon meets specification before it enters Marine equipment. The deployment credential compounds into the composite score and the FitRep read.

What Good Looks Like at This Rank

The good Cpl 1391 is the fuel point supervisor the platoon sergeant sends to the FARP with three Marines and a SIXCON — and the operation runs clean from setup to teardown. The grounding is verified before the pump energizes. The quality test is run before the first gallon is issued. The fire suppression is staged before the safety perimeter opens. The accountability log is complete before the last aircraft departs. His junior Marines enforce the safety rules because he taught them why, not just what. They verify grounding because the Cpl showed them what happens when the static charge finds the vapor. They run the quality test because the Cpl explained what contaminated fuel does to a turbine engine. They stage the spill kit because the Cpl walked them through the environmental compliance paperwork that follows an unreported spill. The section chief is already talking about his Sergeants Course packet. The composite score is tracked monthly. The Pro/Con marks are clean. The MCMAP belt is ahead of the timeline. The education credits are stacking through Tuition Assistance. The FARP qualification is earned, and the aviation community trusts the fuel point because the Cpl who runs it treats every operation as if the next gallon is the one that could start a fire — because it could.

Preview — The Next Rank

Sergeant (E-5) is the fuel section leader rank. You run the fuel section — four to eight Marines responsible for the bulk fuel storage and distribution capability the battalion provides. You plan fuel support operations, manage the fuel quality control program, write FitReps on your Cpls, and coordinate with the supported units on fuel requirements. The platoon commander sends the fuel support question to you: where do we put it, how do we move it, is it clean, and can we sustain the operation. The promotion to Sgt runs through the composite score / cutting score system under MCO 1400.32. Sergeants Course is the required PME. The Sgt who runs a fuel section that delivers clean fuel on time, keeps the accountability balanced, and runs every FARP with the safety discipline that lets the aviation commander trust the fuel point is doing the work that earns the SSgt board read.
FAQ

1391 E4 — Frequently Asked Questions

Q01What does a E4 1391 (Expeditionary Fuels Technician) actually do?
You run a fuel point or a section of the bulk fuel operation.
Q02What's the most important thing to know as a E4 1391?
Corporal 1391 is the fuel point supervisor — the NCO who runs the fuel point, makes the accept/reject call on fuel quality, signs the accountability records, and enforces the safety rules on Marines who were your peers last month.
Q03What does a typical day look like for a E4 1391?
Time-blocked day at the E4 1391 rank tier: 0500 Wake. Check the platoon group chat for any overnight issues. PT uniform on, 0530 PT formation. You take accountability for your team and report to the section chief. Missing Marine = your problem first, 0545-0700 Unit PT. You set the pace for your team. The Cpl who leads from the front in PT leads from the front at the fuel point, 0700-0830 Hygiene, chow, change to utilities or coveralls. Pre-walk the section's equipment before the section chief checks, 0830 Morning formation. Section chief briefs the day. You brief your team on assignments,…
Q04What mistakes get E4 1391 soldiers fired or relieved?
Not enforcing the safety standard on junior Marines because they are your friends. The standard exists because fuel fires kill. The NCO who lets the grounding check slide is the NCO who starts the investigation report; NJP / DUI / fraternization — separation under MARCORSEPMAN, clearance issues, and the small 1391 community means the read is durable; Skipping Corporals Course when the slot drops. The PME gate is non-negotiable for Sgt promotion
Q05What career decisions matter most at the E4 1391 rank tier?
Reenlistment at Cpl — sign for the bonus, station-of-choice, or EAS — SRB tier and bonus amounts for 1391 Cpls are published in current MARADMIN messages and vary year over year. Pull the current MARADMIN before the career planner conversation. The reenlistment options usually include: station-of-choice for the next tour, lateral move contract (if available), or the SRB bonus. The honest math: Cpls who EAS with HAZMAT certification and CDL tanker endorsement walk into the civilian petroleum distribution market at competitive wages.…
Q06What's next after E4 for a 1391 (Expeditionary Fuels Technician) in the Marines?
Sergeant (E-5) is the fuel section leader rank.
Q07What manuals and regulations does a E4 1391 need to know cold?
MCO 4410 series — Petroleum and Fuels Management (you enforce this at the section level now).; ATP 4-43 — Petroleum Supply Operations (the FARP operations doctrine you plan and execute against in a joint context).; NAVMC 3500 (13xx T&R Manual) — Cpl/Sgt-level individual and collective tasks for the 1391 MOS.

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