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MarinesCombat SupportRank #57 of 101 by 4-year cost
0621

Field Radio Operator

22-week pipeline · Recruit Training + MCT + Communications MOS School · MCRD + MCCES 29 Palms, CA
Training Pipeline
$38K
22 weeks
Annual MILPERS
$63K
E-4, 3 years service
Equipment Burden
$6K
per year (amortized)
4-Year Total Cost
$316K
DoD investment
4-Year Cost Breakdown
Training Pipeline
$38K12%
Military Personnel (MILPERS × 4yr)
$254K80%
Equipment Burden (× 4yr)
$24K8%
Training: 12% · MILPERS: 80% · Equipment: 8%= $316K
By the Numbers

A 0621 who keeps the radio net alive when everything goes wrong is worth more than most weapons systems on the battlefield. Their training is deceptively simple — the job under fire is anything but.

Training Pipeline
Duration
22 weeks
Type
Recruit Training + MCT + Communications MOS School
Location
MCRD + MCCES 29 Palms, CA
Pipeline Cost
$38K

0621 Marines operate every radio system in the Marine Corps inventory — from the AN/PRC-152 to satellite PACE systems. They maintain communications under direct fire, often while the command element is the primary target.

Equipment & Annual Burden
Assigned Equipment
  • ·AN/PRC-152 Radio ($5K)
  • ·AN/PRC-117G SATCOM ($35K)
  • ·SINCGARS Radio
  • ·Antenna Systems
  • ·M4A1 Carbine
Annual Equipment Burden
$6K/yr
Radio suite amortized — PRC-152 + PRC-117G + SINCGARS
Military Personnel Cost (Annual)
Grade BenchmarkE-4, 3 years service
Base MILPERS$63K/yr
Total Annual MILPERS$63K/yr
Force Structure Context
Annual Accessions~1,800
Avg Career Length5 years
Annual Training Bill$68.4M
Total Force 4yr Cost$567.9M
Other Marines Profiles

Cost estimates derived from DoD Comptroller per-soldier analysis, RAND Corporation military personnel studies, CBO military compensation reports, service-specific training cost testimony, and published equipment unit costs. Error margin ±15%. Individual costs vary by duty station, assignment, and deployment tempo. This is Phase 3 of the Honest MOS DoD Budget Intelligence Roadmap.