Ground Intelligence Officer
# Ground Intelligence Officer

Ground Intelligence Officer (MOS 0203) is a primary military occupation code (or MOS) of a U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer. Ground intelligence officers serve as staff officers and commanders in the operating forces and are responsible for analyzing intelligence and planning, deployment and tactical employment of ground surveillance and reconnaissance units. The Ground Intelligence Officer can be a Recon Marine after their training is done.

## Preliminary requirements

Before anyone can be accepted for Ground Intelligence (or Ground Intel), a candidate must fulfill the following prerequisites:

* Must be a U.S. citizen.
* Must be eligible for a top-secret security clearance and access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), predicated upon a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI). An application for the SSBI must be submitted prior to attendance of the Ground Intelligence Officers Course at NMITC, Dam Neck, Virginia.
* Must be a lieutenant to be assigned this MOS as a primary MOS. Officers assigned this MOS will retain it as an additional MOS following completion of the MAGTF Intelligence Officer Course and re-designation as a 0202 MAGTF Intelligence Officer.

This field was opened to female Marine officers in October 2013, with a date effective June 2013, but as yet no female has met the prerequisite training to be eligible.

## Training

A Marine Corps Officer takes three more courses before he becomes an Intel Officer after graduating from The Basic School. Entry-level Marine Intelligence Officers receive specific training at the following courses: Infantry Officer's Course (IOC), Scout Sniper Unit Leader's Course (SSULC), and the Ground Intelligence Officer's Course (GIOC). The following courses of instruction are desirable as skills progression courses for MOS 0203:

* Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) course
* Intel Collection Management Course, Washington, DC
* Foreign Weapons Instructor Course (FWIC), Quantico, VA
* Combat Targeting Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
* Indications and Warnings Course, Washington, DC
* Intelligence Analyst Course, Washington, DC
* Basic Reconnaissance Course (BRC)

Upon completion of this school pipeline, the Lt. is assigned to a recon, sniper or other ground intelligence unit. He may also serve as the assistant intelligence officer at a regular infantry battalion. He then would serve as commander of the reconnaissance companies within the reconnaissance battalions.

## Advanced Training

When slots become available and the FMF budget permits it, the Recon Marines commander may attend other advanced courses from cross-service schools. Here are the following schools that are attended, if available:

* Marine Corps Combatant Diver Course* — Navy Diving Salvage and Training Center, Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida
* Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School* — Navy Remote Training Sites; NAS North Island, California or NAS Brunswick, Maine
* Army Airborne School* — Fort Benning, Georgia
* United States Army Static Line Jumpmaster School (Fort Benning, Georgia)
* United States Army Ranger School (Fort Benning, Georgia)
* Special Operations Training Group Schools (i.e. Urban Sniper, HRST, etc.) (SOTG)* — One SOTG exists under each MEF; I MEF, II MEF, and III MEF.
* Recon and Surveillance Leaders Course — Ranger School, Fort Benning, Georgia
* Pathfinder Course — Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, or Army Air Assault School, Fort Campbell, Kentucky
* Military Free Fall (John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center) / Multi Mission Parachutist Course (CPS Coolidge, Arizona)
* Military Free Fall (Jumpmaster) School — John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School
* Mountain Leaders (Summer/Winter) Course — Pickle Meadows, CA
* Scout Sniper Course — School of Infantry (West), Camp Pendleton, California; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Quantico, Virginia; or MCB Hawaii
* Mountain Sniper (Bridgeport, California)
* Reconnaissance Team Leader Course (Camp Pendleton, California)
* Scout/Sniper Team Leader Course
* Methods of Entry / Breacher (MCB Quantico, Virginia)
* Joint Terminal Attack Controller (Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic/Pacific)
* High Risk Personnel (HRP) Course — MCB Quantico

## Mission

Ground intelligence officers are trained as the primary platoon commanders in division reconnaissance companies, infantry battalion scout/sniper platoons, and other ground intelligence assignments: Battalion, Regiment, and Division Staffs; Force Service Support Groups; and Intelligence Battalions. Ground intelligence officers serve as commanders of the reconnaissance companies within the reconnaissance battalions. They plan, direct, and assist in the deployment and tactical employment of ground reconnaissance units. Ground intelligence officers are responsible for the discipline and welfare of their unit's Marines.

To fulfill these responsibilities they analyze and evaluate intelligence; estimate the operational situation; and formulate, coordinate, and execute appropriate plans for offensive/defensive maneuver, reconnaissance, fire support nuclear biological, and chemical defense, directed energy warfare, communications and operational logistics and maintenance.

Normally, the Recon Platoon Commander works in the Landing Force Operations Center (LFOC) or Combat Operations Center (COC). Here he receives reports from his teams, transmits direction to them & coordinates any support they need in the field. Recon Team Leaders are normally Sergeants or Staff Sergeants (some Force Recon Teams). The Team Leader is the senior man to go to the field on missions. Some missions require the full platoon to act as a unit, and in that case the Platoon Commander may also go to the field.

