0671 Data Systems Administrator

You get the call at 0130 because Active Directory is down and nobody can log into the command post systems. You work through the event log, find the failed domain controller, promote the secondary, and have authentication restored before the duty officer finishes his second cup of coffee. That is what the 0671 Data Systems Administrator does. You are responsible for the servers, operating systems, directory services, and data infrastructure that Marine Corps command and control runs on. If you want the enlisted MOS most closely tied to systems administration, virtualization, and enterprise IT support, start your ASVAB preparation early so your CL or EL composite clears the threshold before you sit across from a recruiter.

Job Role and Responsibilities

The 0671 Data Systems Administrator installs, operates, and maintains the computer and network operating systems that support Marine Corps command and control. Duties span Linux, Microsoft, and Unix environments and include Active Directory administration, DNS, PKI, cybersecurity monitoring, database administration, unified communications, storage systems, virtualization, and client-server configuration in both garrison and deployed settings.

Daily Tasks

In garrison, a 0671 Marine manages the health and configuration of the systems that keep the unit’s information infrastructure running. That means monitoring server uptime, applying security patches on schedule, managing user accounts in Active Directory, reviewing DNS records for errors, and resolving hardware or software problems that affect the people trying to do their jobs. In the field or during deployments, those same systems need to come up quickly from portable equipment, stay secure in austere environments, and keep running on generator power in a tent or a vehicle.

Common daily tasks include:

• Administering Windows Server, Linux, and Unix-based systems
• Managing Active Directory accounts, group policies, and organizational unit structures
• Configuring and maintaining DNS, DHCP, and PKI services
• Applying security patches and monitoring system logs for anomalies and intrusion indicators
• Administering database systems and storage area networks (SAN)
• Supporting unified communications platforms including VoIP and collaboration tools
• Configuring and managing virtual machine environments and hypervisor infrastructure
• Troubleshooting hardware failures, boot issues, and application configuration errors
• Documenting system configurations, change requests, and incident reports

Specific Roles and MOS Codes

Mission Contribution

Marine Corps command and control runs through servers, authentication systems, and data infrastructure that 0671 Marines keep operational. Intelligence reports move through authenticated sessions. Logistics requests route through directory-service-enforced access controls. Command communications depend on DNS resolution working correctly at every echelon. When Active Directory fails, nobody can log in. When DNS breaks, nothing on the network can find anything else. The 0671 administrator is the Marine who keeps those systems from failing and restores them quickly when they do.

Technology and Equipment

0671 operators work with enterprise-grade server hardware, storage systems, and software stacks that include Windows Server, Red Hat and other Linux distributions, and Unix-based platforms. They configure and manage VMware or similar virtualization environments, enterprise storage solutions, classified collaboration systems, and data replication platforms. The Marine Corps uses both commercial systems adapted for military networks and purpose-built classified platforms that require separate security handling beyond the standard server room procedures.

Salary and Benefits

Financial Benefits

Pay is based on grade and time in service. The table below shows 2026 active-duty basic pay for the most common enlisted grades in this MOS.

Source: DFAS 2026 pay tables. Figures reflect the 2026 pay raise.

Enlistment bonuses for OccFld 06 vary by accession cycle. Verify current bonus availability with your recruiter at contracting. The Secret clearance required for 0671 also increases civilian earning potential when you separate, particularly in defense contracting and government IT roles. Additional pay and allowances include:

• Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS): $476.95 per month for enlisted members
• Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH): varies by duty station, pay grade, and dependent status
• Tax exclusion on basic pay during qualifying combat zone deployments

Additional Benefits

TRICARE Prime covers active-duty Marines at no premium cost with no copay for medical, dental, vision, mental health, and prescriptions. Dependents are enrolled under the sponsor. The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers full in-state tuition at public universities or up to $29,920.95 per academic year at private schools, plus a monthly housing allowance tied to the school ZIP code and up to $1,000 annually for books. Tuition Assistance lets Marines pursue college coursework while on active duty, up to $4,500 per year with a per-credit-hour cap. The Blended Retirement System pairs a 20-year pension with Thrift Savings Plan contributions, including a government match of up to 5% of basic pay beginning in the third year of service.

Work-Life Balance

Marines accrue 30 days of paid leave per year (2.5 days per month) with a maximum carryover of 60 days. Operational tempo for 0671 Marines depends on assignment. Data systems administrators in garrison communications units work more regular schedules between exercises. Those assigned to deployable MAGTF headquarters elements or combat service support groups face more irregular hours during operational cycles. Data systems do not follow a work schedule. A server crash at 2300 on a Friday is still your problem.

Qualifications and Eligibility

Basic Qualifications

Your ASVAB line scores control which MOS options are available in your enlistment contract. The CL (Clerical) and EL (Electronics Repair) composites are the relevant screens for OccFld 06. Planning your score targets before you enlist gives you control over which MOS options appear in the contract discussion. Applicants who want to preview their scores can take the PiCAT as an unproctored prescreen before the required proctored verification test at MEPS.

Some 0671 billets carry DoD cyber workforce coding because the systems administration work overlaps with cybersecurity functions. That does not change the MOS code or the enlistment requirements, but it reflects an expectation of serious technical baseline performance from day one in the unit.

Waivers are available for some disqualifying factors. A failed background investigation or ineligibility for a Secret clearance at MEPS will result in MOS reassignment.

Application Process

The process starts with the ASVAB or PiCAT, followed by MEPS for a physical evaluation and initial security screening. Your recruiter presents MOS options based on your scores and current accession needs. You may receive an OccFld 06 field guarantee rather than the specific 0671 code at contracting. Processing time from first recruiter contact to ship date varies from a few weeks to several months depending on waivers, medical processing, and quota availability.

Selection Criteria and Competitiveness

0671 is moderately competitive. Demand for systems administrators is consistent across garrison and deployable units. Strong scores above the minimums, a clean background, and any prior experience with operating systems, IT support, or server work strengthen your application. Certifications like CompTIA A+ are not required but demonstrate commitment to the technical field and reinforce aptitude claims.

Upon Accession

Marines enter at E-1 (Private) or E-2 (Private First Class) based on college credits, DEP participation time, or JROTC service. The standard active-duty contract is four years. A Reserve obligation may follow for some contracts.

Work Environment

Setting and Schedule

0671 Marines work primarily indoors in server rooms, network operations centers, and communications facilities. The work is climate-sensitive because server hardware requires stable power and cooling. In the field, systems are brought online in tents, hardened shelters, or vehicle-mounted configurations where power, ventilation, and physical security are all variables that require active management.

Shift work is standard during major exercises and deployments because data systems must stay up around the clock. In garrison between exercises, duty hours are more regular with on-call rotations.

Leadership and Communication

Systems administrators work under NCO and SNCO supervision at the junior enlisted level. Daily communication involves tasking orders from section NCOs, coordination with users who report problems, and documentation of every change for the system configuration record. Performance feedback is delivered through informal counseling and formal proficiency and conduct marks for E-1 through E-6 Marines. Both marks operate on a 0.0-5.0 scale and feed directly into the promotion process. SNCOs at E-7 and above receive fitness reports with narrative and numerical peer comparison sections that promotion boards evaluate for advancement eligibility.

Team Dynamics and Autonomy

Most 0671 work requires independent technical judgment because server configurations are specialized and supervision in real time is not always possible during an outage. At the same time, changes in one system affect others. An Active Directory schema extension affects every application that relies on the directory. A storage volume reconfiguration affects every server using that volume. Good data systems work requires coordination with network administrators, security teams, and end users before changes are made. Junior Marines execute supervised tasks; experienced operators take on complex system migrations, platform builds, and multi-system troubleshooting that require independent analysis.

Job Satisfaction and Retention

Marines who find the work rewarding often cite the technical depth and the direct relevance to civilian IT careers. The practical exposure to enterprise platforms is more substantive than most entry-level civilian IT positions offer. Common frustrations include working with aging infrastructure in some units, navigating approval chains for system changes that would be routine in a commercial shop, and the physical demands of deploying those same systems to field conditions. Retention is steady. Many 0671 Marines separate after their first enlistment to move into civilian systems administration, cloud engineering, or IT security roles.

Training and Skill Development

Initial Training

All 0671 Marines follow the same sequential pipeline.

The Basic Communications Course runs before the Data Systems Administrator Course and gives all 06-field Marines a shared technical baseline. That structure means 0671 operators understand how their servers and services connect to the broader communications architecture rather than treating IT as isolated from the operational environment. The Data Systems Administrator Course itself runs approximately 14 weeks and covers Windows Server administration, Linux system management, Active Directory, DNS, PKI, cybersecurity monitoring, storage systems, and virtualization.

Plan for roughly seven to eight months of training at MCCES before you report to your first unit. Twentynine Palms is hot in summer and cold in winter, and the pace at the schoolhouse is demanding. That timeline matters for family planning, lease decisions, and any expectations about when you will have a stable schedule. Marines who understand the pipeline before they ship arrive better prepared for the transition.

Advanced Training

After initial qualification, 0671 Marines may attend the Data Systems Supervisor Course that prepares senior operators for the 0679 Data Systems Chief NMOS. Training in application development is the path toward the 0673 AMOS. Marines whose billets carry DoD cyber workforce coding may access additional cybersecurity training through service and joint programs. Tuition Assistance supports college coursework and certification study while on active duty, and those options are worth pursuing early in a career rather than waiting until separation approaches.

Career Progression and Advancement

Career Path

Promotion follows time-in-grade and time-in-service criteria, with competitive boards controlling advancement to E-5 and above.

Staff Sergeant is reachable in roughly eight to ten years for Marines who earn additional MOS qualifications, maintain competitive proficiency and conduct marks, and perform well in deployable billets. The 0671 Marines who advance most consistently document their certifications and technical qualifications formally in their service record, seek additional schools before they are needed for promotion, and build a pattern of performance across multiple reporting seniors.

Specialization Options

• AMOS 0673: Applications Developer (software development and application support)
• NMOS 0679: Data Systems Chief (senior supervisory designation)
• Possible lateral movement toward OccFld 17 (Information Maneuver), including the 1721 Cyberspace Warfare Operator path, with additional program-specific screening

Role Flexibility and Transfers

Marines may apply for a LATMOVE after completing their initial enlistment. The technical affinity between OccFld 06 data systems work and the 17-field cyber operations billets makes that lateral move a natural option for technically strong 0671 Marines. That path requires meeting the screening criteria specific to those programs, which are separate from OccFld 06 requirements and more selective.

Performance Evaluation

Proficiency and conduct marks (0.0-5.0 scale) are assigned semi-annually for Marines at E-1 through E-6 and feed directly into the promotion competitive file. Sustained marks near the top of the scale across multiple reporting periods are the clearest signal to a promotion board that a Marine is performing. SNCOs at E-7 and above receive fitness reports with narrative assessments and numerical comparisons to peers in the same competitive category. Above-average performance across multiple tours is the foundation for reaching the senior enlisted grades.

Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations

Physical Requirements

0671 is not physically demanding in the same way as combat arms on a typical garrison day, but the Marine Corps PFT and CFT are required regardless of MOS. Field exercises involve moving server transit cases, UPS units, cable runs, and equipment racks that can collectively exceed 100 pounds when configured for a forward command post. Setting up a deployable data center node is physical work even when the end result is entirely software-driven. The work does not stop when conditions are uncomfortable.

Marines who report to a unit with marginal PFT or CFT scores create two problems. They struggle with the physical demands of field operations, and they start their competitive file behind peers who are already performing above the minimum threshold. A first-class PFT score is expected for promotion and signals to leadership that a Marine takes the entire job seriously, not only the technical component. Come prepared to perform well before your first test at a unit.

Verify current standards at marines.com before testing.

Medical Evaluations

MEPS screening establishes the initial medical baseline. Periodic health assessments and annual dental exams continue on active duty. Clearance reviews are ongoing and require prompt reporting of any significant change in financial status, criminal history, foreign contacts, or personal circumstances that could affect eligibility. Loss of Secret clearance eligibility can result in MOS reassignment.

Deployment and Duty Stations

Deployment Details

0671 Marines deploy with the command-and-control elements they support. Headquarters units, MAGTF command elements, and combat service support groups all depend on data systems that must be mobile, resilient, and secure. A Marine in a deployable unit on a four-year contract will typically complete at least one significant deployment. MEU rotations run approximately six to seven months. Contingency deployments vary in length and notice time.

Okinawa and Hawaii are also common OCONUS assignments for 0671 Marines attached to III MEF commands and Pacific-based organizations. These tours typically run twelve to eighteen months and can include accompanied status for families depending on billet type and command policy.

Individual augmentation billets also exist. Some 0671 Marines deploy as individual fills to joint task forces, combatant command headquarters, or allied exercises where Marine data systems expertise is needed outside the organic unit structure. Those deployments can be longer and less predictable in timing than a standard MEU rotation.

Location Flexibility

Common duty stations for OccFld 06 data systems administrators include:

• Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (II MEF): Primary East Coast basing with a well-established military community. Onslow County schools serve a heavily military student population. BAH coverage for off-base housing is adequate at most grades, and spouse employment options in Jacksonville and surrounding counties include healthcare, retail, and service industries, as well as defense contractors with installations nearby.
• Camp Pendleton, California (I MEF): West Coast hub for I MEF forces. The San Diego metro proximity gives families strong spouse employment options and excellent school districts, though the cost of living is high and BAH at junior grades covers the area only modestly above basic needs.
• Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia: Smaller installation in the DC-area corridor. BAH rates are the highest in the Marine Corps, and the proximity to federal agencies and major defense contractors makes spouse employment and post-service civilian career options among the strongest at any Marine installation.
• MCAGCC Twentynine Palms, California: Geographically isolated training and exercise hub. Single Marines can manage the environment, but families with dual-income requirements or school-age children face more real constraints. Spouse employment in the 29 Palms area is the most limited at any major Marine installation.
• Okinawa, Japan (III MEF): High-tempo operational environment with extensive Pacific exercise commitments. Unaccompanied orders are common for junior Marines. The twelve-to-eighteen-month tour length gives motivated Marines significant operational exposure in a compressed period.
• Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH Kaneohe Bay): High quality of life with correspondingly high cost of living. BAH reflects the Hawaii market, but families still experience above-average out-of-pocket costs. The operational tempo for III MEF-adjacent units remains active.

Assignments are billet-driven. Junior Marines submit preferences but have limited influence over their first posting. The ability to shape assignments increases meaningfully at the NCO and SNCO levels through the monitor system.

Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations

Job Hazards

0671 is a lower-risk MOS on most garrison days, but the job carries specific physical and legal hazards that require active awareness. Server rooms involve high-voltage electrical equipment with real electrocution and arc-flash risk if lockout-tagout procedures are ignored or circumvented. UPS battery systems in server facilities carry both electrical and chemical hazards. Deployments to forward operating areas expose data systems Marines to the same indirect fire, vehicle accidents, and physical risks any Marine faces downrange.

The legal hazards in this MOS come from sustained access to classified data systems and sensitive personnel information. Unauthorized access, failure to follow change-management procedures, improper handling of classified data storage media, and non-compliance with network security policies are all UCMJ matters. Some 0671 billets involve access to information requiring higher-tier handling obligations beyond the standard Secret clearance baseline.

Safety Protocols

Electrical safety standards and lockout-tagout procedures govern all server room maintenance. Physical security for server facilities is enforced through access controls, visitor logs, and equipment accountability tracking. Classified data media handling follows Marine Corps and DoD regulations. Security violations are UCMJ matters, and the severity of consequence scales with the classification level involved and the operational impact of the incident.

Security and Legal Requirements

A Secret clearance is required at accession. Marines working in classified data systems environments may be briefed at higher classification tiers over time as billet requirements expand. The background investigation covers financial history, criminal record, employment history, and foreign contacts. The enlistment contract is a binding legal obligation. Separation under other-than-honorable conditions affects GI Bill eligibility and can affect civilian security clearance applications for years afterward.

Data systems administrators carry an ongoing personal obligation to report any changes that affect clearance eligibility: financial problems, arrests, new foreign contacts, or relationship changes involving foreign nationals. Failure to self-report known disqualifying information is treated as a separate violation that compounds the original issue. Marines who lose their clearance may be reassigned to a non-clearance billet or administratively separated if no suitable position exists.

Impact on Family and Personal Life

Family Considerations

A 0671 Marine in a deployable unit will spend significant time away from family through deployments, pre-deployment workups, and field training events. The impact on family life depends heavily on duty station, and the differences between installations are meaningful enough to be worth understanding before submitting assignment preferences.

At Camp Lejeune, families benefit from a mature military support infrastructure, functional schools across Onslow County, and reasonable BAH coverage for off-base housing. The Jacksonville area is not a major metropolitan center, but it offers the basic services a military family needs, and the large Marine and military community provides a social foundation. At Quantico, the DC-area proximity gives families the strongest spouse employment market at any Marine installation and among the highest BAH rates in the Corps.

At Twentynine Palms, families face the most constrained environment. Spouse employment options are the most limited of any major Marine base, schools serving the military community are functional but lack the breadth of larger metropolitan areas, and the geographic isolation from major population centers adds logistical strain. For families where dual income is a financial necessity, 29 Palms assignments require advance planning and realistic expectations. BAH at junior grades covers basic off-base housing in the Inland Empire market, but the selection is narrower than at coastal installations.

The Marine Corps provides support through Marine Corps Family Services, Military OneSource (free counseling, financial advice, and relocation resources), and MCCS programs at major installations. Family Readiness Officers maintain deployment communication systems and connect families to available resources during long separations.

PCS moves average every two to three years and reset schooling, community networks, and spouse employment situations. The School Liaison Officer at the gaining installation helps families work through school enrollment and credit transfer requirements for children when relocating.

Relocation and Flexibility

Junior Marines have limited input into their first and second assignments. Assignment monitors work from billet availability and unit needs. The ability to shape assignments increases at the NCO and SNCO levels through monitor communication and timing requests around open billets. Geographic stability improves meaningfully at E-7 and above, where assignment cycles tend to be more predictable and family considerations carry more weight in the conversation with the monitor.

Marine Corps Reserve

Component Availability

MOS 0671 is available in the Marine Corps Reserve. Reserve communications units include data systems administrator billets at various locations. Availability depends on what units are near you and which billets are currently open.

Drill Schedule and Training Commitment

Standard reserve commitment is one drill weekend per month and two weeks of Annual Training per year. Data systems units may require additional days for platform certifications, annual system qualifications, or field exercises beyond the standard schedule depending on the unit’s readiness mission.

Part-Time Pay

An E-4 (Corporal) with less than two years of service earns $3,142.20 per month on active duty. Reserve drill pay is 1/30th of monthly active-duty base pay per drill period. Four drill periods in a standard weekend at E-4 under two years equals approximately $418.96 per drill weekend.

Benefits Differences

Deployment and Mobilization

Reserve 0671 Marines can be mobilized for contingency operations, exercises, or augmentation of active units. Mobilization periods typically run six to twelve months. Command-and-control support requirements have historically generated 0671 mobilizations during high-tempo operational periods.

Civilian Career Integration

0671 reserve service pairs directly with civilian systems administration work. Active Directory, DNS, virtualization, storage management, and server administration are skills civilian employers hire for consistently across enterprise IT, federal agencies, and defense contractors. Many reserve 0671 Marines hold civilian IT positions during the week. The active Secret clearance is a competitive advantage in defense contracting and government IT markets. USERRA protections require civilian employers to hold your position during mobilization and prohibit adverse employment action based on reserve service status.

Post-Service Opportunities

Transition to Civilian Life

0671 has one of the clearest civilian transfer profiles in the enlisted Marine inventory. Active Directory, virtualization, storage, server management, and cybersecurity monitoring are skills employers recognize without explanation or military translation. The practical exposure to enterprise platforms that 0671 Marines get during a four-year enlistment matches or exceeds what most entry-level civilian IT candidates have seen.

Certifications accelerate that transition significantly. CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Microsoft Certified Administrator credentials, and VMware certifications all have direct overlap with 0671 training content and are achievable while on active duty through Tuition Assistance or self-study. Marines who earn two or three of these before separation compete at the mid-career level in civilian hiring rather than the entry level.

The Transition Readiness Program provides resume workshops, federal hiring guidance, and employer connections before separation. VA education benefits support continued degree or certification work afterward.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Cloud and DevOps roles are not a single BLS occupational code, but 0671 Marines who add AWS, Azure, or GCP platform certifications after separation consistently earn above the Systems Administrator median by two to three years in a cloud-adjacent role.

Certifications That Transfer

Key certifications to pursue while on active duty or before separation:

• CompTIA A+: Foundation IT certification valued across the hiring market
• CompTIA Network+: Validates networking fundamentals that connect to the data systems environment
• CompTIA Security+: Required by many DoD contractor roles; directly supported by 0671 cybersecurity training
• Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator or Windows Server certification: Validates the specific platform skills central to this MOS
• VMware VCP (vSphere): Validates virtualization skills directly relevant to 0671 hypervisor work

Is This a Good Job for You? The Right (and Wrong) Fit

Ideal Candidate Profile

0671 is a strong fit for Marines who:

• Score at or above 100 on the CL or EL ASVAB composite
• Want a technical MOS with direct civilian systems administration transfer
• Are comfortable working across multiple platforms, Windows, Linux, and Unix, without getting locked into a single environment
• Can apply procedural security requirements to daily work without taking shortcuts
• Want to earn IT certifications while on active duty and separate with a clearance advantage

Prior experience with operating systems, computer hardware, or server administration is useful context. What the Corps screens for is technical aptitude and a qualifying score. The schoolhouse builds the specific skills.

Potential Challenges

0671 Marines work with systems that can be older or more constrained than commercial equivalents. Change management in military environments moves slower than in commercial IT shops, with approval chains for system changes that can take days. Deployments and field exercises take data systems Marines away from the server room into conditions where the same work gets harder. For Marines who expect a purely indoor, desk-based job with consistent hours and no field requirements, the operational demands will be a real surprise.

Long deployments and PCS moves are also factors to weigh if geographic stability or dual-income family arrangements are priorities.

Career and Lifestyle Alignment

0671 is a good match for Marines who want to start a systems administration or IT security career during their service and exit with transferable skills, certification momentum, and an active clearance. It is less suited for Marines who dislike systematic technical problem-solving, want to avoid all field work, or prefer high-tempo physically demanding roles over careful administrative responsibility. The MOS rewards patience with complex systems, attention to procedural detail, and consistent documentation discipline.

This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Marine Corps or any government agency. Verify all information with official Marine Corps sources before making enlistment or career decisions.

More Information

Contact your nearest Marine Corps Recruiting Station (RSS) or speak with a recruiter to get current accession information for OccFld 06, including quota availability, bonus programs, and current ASVAB score requirements for 0671. Your recruiter can confirm which MOS contracts are available based on your scores and the active accession cycle.

Explore more 06 Communications careers such as 0621 Transmissions System Operator and 0631 Network Administrator.

Need score context? Review the ASVAB guide and the PiCAT guide before publishing permanent MOS content.