A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code (MOS), is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) is used. In the United States Navy, a system of naval ratings and designators is used along with Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) system.
DMOS is an abbreviation for Duty Military Occupational Specialty. Since any individual can obtain multiple job specialties, DMOS is used to identify what their primary job function is at any given time. MOSQ is an abbreviation for Military Occupational Specialty Qualification. An individual is not MOSQ’d until they have completed and passed all required training for that MOS.
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For the most current list of Army Military Occupational Specialty Codes you should visit the US Army Human Resource Command (HRC) PAMXXI Website
The MOS code (MOSC), consisting of nine characters, provides more defined information than a soldier's MOS. It is used by automated management systems and reports. The MOSC is used with active and reserve records, reports, authorization documents, and other personnel management systems.
The elements of the MOSC are as follows:
When an enlisted soldier is promoted from Sergeant First Class to Master Sergeant in most career types, that soldier will be reclassified administratively to the "Senior Sergeant" of their Career Management Field. For example, a combat engineer (MOS 21B, part of CMF 21) is promoted from Sergeant First Class to Master Sergeant. That soldier is reclassified administratively from MOS 21B to MOS 21Z "Engineer Senior Sergeant"). An example of when this conversion occurs at the MSG to SGM level is the 68 (formerly the 91) CMF. In this case, the Soldier becomes a 68Z at the SGM level, not the MSG level. When promoted from Master Sergeant or First Sergeant or Sergeant Major to Command Sergeant Major, that soldier will be reclassified administratively from their previous "Senior Sergeant" MOS to the MOS 00Z (zero-zero-zulu), "Command Sergeant Major".
Warrant officers are sometimes specialized technicians and systems managers, and were not originally assigned to traditional arms or services of the Army. Approximately 50% of warrant officers are rotary wing aviators[2] (helicopter pilots), and can be appointed directly from civilian applicants[3] or within the service, regardless of previous enlisted MOS. The remaining 50% are technicians appointed from experienced enlisted soldiers and NCOs in a "feeder"[4] MOS directly related to the warrant officer MOS.[5]
During 2004, all Army warrant officers began wearing the insignia of their specialty's proponent branch rather than the 83-year old "Eagle Rising" distinctive warrant officer insignia.[6] The following year a revision of Commissioned Officer Professional Development And Career Management[7] integrated Warrant Officer Career Development with the Officer Career Development model. In practice, warrant officer MOSC are very similar to enlisted codes except they begin with three digits instead of two before the first letter, and do not have a "skill level" identifier. They are then followed by the SQI, ASI, and SLI as an enlisted MOS would.
Commissioned officers' occupational codes are structured somewhat differently. A newly commissioned Army officer first receives a "career branch". This is similar to the career management field of the enlisted personnel. Career branch numbers range from 11 to 92. For example: 13 for Field Artillery, 19 for Armor/Armored Cavalry and 92 for Quartermaster. Within each occupational field, there are usually several codes available. Within Armor (Branch 19) there are 3 specialties available: 19A (Armor, General), 19B (Armor), and 19C (Cavalry). After an officer's fifth or sixth year of service, he or she may receive a "functional area" designation. More specific than a career branch, this is a specific skill set that the officer is proficient in. For example, an artillery officer who has had schooling in communications and public speaking could end up with a functional area in public affairs (FA46).
The U.S. Marine Corps begins by separating all jobs into "occupational fields" (OccFld), in which no distinction is made between officers and enlisted Marines. The fields are numbered from 01 to 99 and include general categories (Infantry, Logistics, Public Affairs, Ordnance, etc.) that specific jobs fall under.
Each field contains multiple MOS's, each designated by a four-digit numerical indicator and a job title. For example, the infantry field (03) has nine enlisted classifications: Rifleman (MOS 0311), Riverine Assault Craft (MOS 0312), Light Armored Vehicle Crewman (MOS 0313), Reconnaissance Man (MOS 0321), Machine Gunner (MOS 0331), Mortarman (MOS 0341), Assaultman (MOS 0351), Antitank Assault Guided Missileman (MOS 0352), and Infantry Unit Leader (MOS 0369).
Each of the jobs have authorized ranks associated with them. For example, anyone ranking from Private to Sergeant can be a Rifleman (0311), but only Marines ranking from Staff Sergeant to Master Gunnery Sergeant can be an Infantry Unit Leader (0369).
Duties and tasks are identified by rank because the Marine Corps MOS system is designed around the belief that increased duties and tasks accompany promotions. The first two digits designate the field and, the last two digits identify the promotional channel and specialty.
For example, the MOS 0311 indicates that it is in Occupational Field 03 (Infantry) and designates the "Rifleman" (11) MOS. For warrant officers, the MOS 2305 indicates that it is in Occupational Field 23 (Ammunition and Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and designates the "Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer" (05) MOS. For officers, the MOS 0802 indicates that it is in Occupational Field 08 (Field Artillery) and designates the "Field Artillery Officer" (02) MOS.
The United States Navy does not use the Military Occupational Specialty as Marines and Army normally do, but instead uses their own variant, Navy Enlisted Classification or NEC. The U.S. Navy divides their occupational specialties into ratings for enlisted personnel and designators for officers.
The Navy indicates its "Ratings" by a two or three character code based on the actual name of the rating. These range from ABE (Aviation Boatswain's Mate - Equipment) to YN (Yeoman). Each Sailor and Chief Petty Officer wears a rating badge indicating their rating as part of their rate (rank) insignia on full dress and service dress uniforms.
The Navy Officer "Designator" is similar to an MOS but is less complicated and has fewer categories. For example, a Surface Warfare Officer with a regular commission has a designator of 1110; a reserve officer has an 1115 designator. A reserve surface warfare officer specializing in Nuclear training (i.e., Engineer on a carrier) has a designator of 1165N. Navy officers also have one or more 3-character Additional Qualification Designators (AQD) that reflect completion of requirements qualifying them in a specific warfare area or other specialization. In some senses this functions more like the MOS in other services. An officer with the Naval Aviator designator of 1310 might have an AQD of DV3, SH-60F carrier anti-submarine warfare helicopter pilot, or DB4, F-14 fighter pilot. An officer designated 2100, Medical Corps Officer (physician) may hold an AQD of 6CM, Trauma Surgeon, or 6AE, Flight Surgeon who is also a Naval Aviator. Some AQDs may be possessed by officers in any designator, such as BT2, Freefall Parachutist, or BS1, Shipboard Tomahawk Strike Officer. Navy officer designators and AQD codes may be found in NAVPERS 15839I, The Manual of Navy Officer Manpower and Personnel Classification.
The United States Coast Guard does not use the Military Occupational Specialty as Marines and Army normally do. The U.S. Coast Guard divides their occupational specialties into groups such as the Aviation Group and Administrative and Scientific Group.
The Coast Guard indicates its "Ratings" by a two or three character code based on the actual name of the rating. These range from AMT (Aviation Maintenance Technician) to YN (Yeoman). Each Sailor and Chief Petty Officer wears a rating badge indicating their rating as part of their rate (rank) insignia on full dress and service dress uniforms.
The Air Force utilizes a similar system, but titled Air Force Specialty Code. Enlisted airmen have a seven digit code, and Officers have a four digit code.