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7316E7
Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) Operator
E-7 (Sergeant First Class) · Marines
HEADS UP
Gunnery Sergeant in a small technical MOS means you are one of a very few people in the Marine Corps who can do what you do at this level. That is leverage if you use it correctly and irrelevance if you don't — because a small billet pool means every GySgt in this MOS is visible to everyone who matters.
The Honest MOS Read
At Gunnery Sergeant, the SUAS mission is the lens through which you lead, not the daily task you perform. You are the senior enlisted technical authority for a formation that may include multiple SUAS sections, junior NCO leaders who need development, and a command structure that is looking to you to define what organic ISR capability means for their unit going forward.
The MOS at this level is deeply intertwined with the Marine Corps's response to near-peer UAS proliferation. Every exercise, every wargame, and every deployment planning cycle now includes a counter-UAS component — and the GySgt 7316 is expected to speak to both sides of that equation: how your aircraft survive in contested airspace and how the unit defeats adversary UAS that are looking down at your Marines. This is not a theoretical discussion at GySgt. The threat is real, it is in the doctrine, and it is in the after-action reports from recent major exercises.
The institutional development work at GySgt — SOP writing, training program design, requirements articulation for future systems — is the part of the job that most affects the MOS beyond your direct span of control. The GySgts who leave behind better doctrine, better training programs, and better-trained junior NCOs are the ones who make the MOS better. That work is slower, less visible on a single fitness report, and more important than almost anything else you will do at this level.
The civilian translation is fully mature at GySgt. A 16-18 year Marine who separates at this tier has GS-13/14 potential in the right DoD civilian track, significant contractor market value, and in some cases, a track record that positions them for senior technical roles in the commercial drone industry. The exit planning at GySgt is a multi-year process, not a 90-day checklist.
Career Arc
GySgt: senior SUAS NCO for a battalion or equivalent, responsible for multi-section readiness, training program design, and integration into unit planning at the operational level Master Sergeant or First Sergeant selection: the MGySgt/1stSgt paths diverge here; 7316 GySgts should be deliberate about which path serves their career and the MOS better Program support assignment: GySgts with a strong technical record are competitive for MARCORSYSCOM or TECOM billets that shape the MOS at the institutional level Senior advisor to unit commander on UAS employment and counter-UAS threat — at GySgt, this advisory role is explicit, not incidental Transition preparation: government civilian track, contractor preparation, or commercial aviation sector research all belong in the GySgt-tier professional development plan
Common Screwups
Becoming the 'SUAS guy' at the expense of being a credible GySgt — a GySgt who cannot lead outside their technical lane is not competitive at the senior enlisted level Losing visibility of subordinate NCO development while focused on command advisory responsibilities — the Marines you develop at this tier will carry the MOS for the next decade Letting the transition planning wait until year 19 — GS positions at the right level take 12-18 months to materialize from first application; start at 16 years, not 19
A Day in the Life
0530: PT formation; GySgt sets the standard and is accountable for section fitness posture 0800: Battalion or regimental staff meetings — GySgt is a regular presence at planning events, not just called in when SUAS is specifically on the agenda 1000: Section management: NCO development meetings, training calendar review, readiness assessment 1130: Noon chow 1300: Advisory work: briefing commanders on ISR capability, counter-UAS threat, or employment options for upcoming operations 1500: Professional development: doctrine writing, SOP update, government civilian application research, institutional correspondence 1700: Evening formation and command coordination
Weekly Cadence
The GySgt's week is shaped by the command planning cycle as much as the section's operational cycle. Staff planning meetings, commanders' updates, and intelligence synchronization events are part of the regular schedule. The section runs under the GySgt's framework but with senior NCOs managing daily operations; the GySgt's energy is directed at the advisory and development work that the E5s and E6s cannot do from their seats.
Professional transition planning is a legitimate weekly activity at this rank. One hour per week on government civilian application tracking, professional network maintenance, or credential research is not distraction — it is prudent preparation for an inevitable transition.
What Good Looks Like at This Rank
The best GySgts in this MOS are institutional builders. They have written doctrine that gets referenced after their PCS. They have developed junior NCOs who are running sections independently. They brief the counter-UAS threat to commanders with the same confidence they brief ISR collection, because they know both sides of the problem. They are preparing for their next chapter — government civilian, contractor, or commercial — with the same deliberateness they applied to every operational planning cycle.
They are also honest with the junior Marines in their sections about the realities of a small MOS: the billet competition is real, the senior NCO pipeline is narrow, and the civilian market for their skills is genuinely strong. They do not pretend the only answer is 20 years — they help their Marines make informed decisions about when to stay and when to go.
Preview — The Next Rank
At Master Gunnery Sergeant or Sergeant Major, the SUAS technical identity becomes one dimension of a senior NCO leadership role that spans the entire organization. The MGySgt 7316 is the senior technical advisor for the MOS at the institutional level — input to doctrine, requirements, and training standards that will shape the capability for years. The path to that seat begins with the reputation and doctrine you build at GySgt.
FAQ
7316 E7 — Frequently Asked Questions
Q01What does a E7 7316 (Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) Operator) actually do?
Serve as the senior SUAS enlisted advisor for a regiment, division, or MEF.
Q02What's the most important thing to know as a E7 7316?
Gunnery Sergeant in a small technical MOS means you are one of a very few people in the Marine Corps who can do what you do at this level.
Q03What mistakes get E7 7316 soldiers fired or relieved?
Becoming the 'SUAS guy' at the expense of being a credible GySgt — a GySgt who cannot lead outside their technical lane is not competitive at the senior enlisted level Losing visibility of subordinate NCO development while focused on command advisory responsibilities — the Marines you develop at this tier will carry the MOS for the next decade Letting the transition planning wait until year 19 — GS positions at the right level take 12-18 months to materialize from first application;…
Q04What's next after E7 for a 7316 (Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) Operator) in the Marines?
At Master Gunnery Sergeant or Sergeant Major, the SUAS technical identity becomes one dimension of a senior NCO leadership role that spans the entire organization.
Q05What manuals and regulations does a E7 7316 need to know cold?
MCWP 3-42.1, joint UAS doctrine, HQMC SUAS program documentation, joint ISR and targeting publications
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Published by the Honest MOS Editorial DeskVerified against DoD/.gov sourcesUpdated May 2026Editorial standards