0913 Combat Instructor

You run recruits through the Crucible. You correct their rifle grip before a live-fire relay and pull aside the one who nearly quit at week three. The 0913 Combat Instructor is where the Marine Corps puts proven Marines when it decides their knowledge is worth copying. This isn’t entry-level work, and you don’t apply for it from a recruiting station. You earn it through years of performance first.

Job Role and Responsibilities

The 0913 Combat Instructor teaches combat fundamentals and enforces Marine Corps standards inside formal training environments. Instructors at recruit depots and Schools of Infantry supervise student Marines through physical, weapons, and tactical training events, evaluate individual performance against published benchmarks, and correct deficiencies before those Marines reach the fleet. The billet carries direct responsibility for training quality, range safety, and the integrity of every standard an instructor is assigned to uphold.

What the Day Actually Looks Like

There is no desk job version of this assignment. Your schedule runs around the training cycle for your current class.

• Lead physical training formations and enforce safety compliance during contact events
• Teach assigned subjects: land navigation, weapons handling, combat formations, close-quarters skills, or field skills depending on your billet
• Evaluate individual student performance against the published standard, not your personal preference
• Document results, flag students who need remediation, and execute corrective training when required
• Maintain weapons, range areas, and training aids between classes
• Mentor junior Marines in the unit; you are the standard they are watching

What you teach depends on where you’re assigned. An instructor at MCRD Parris Island runs a different daily script than one at Infantry Training Battalion East in Camp Lejeune. The obligation underneath is the same: hold the line.

MOS Codes and Specializations

Not every 0913 instructor carries a secondary code. High-performing instructors at certain commands may be nominated for additional qualifications based on the specific billet.

How This Fits the Corps’ Mission

The Marine Corps produces roughly 30,000 new Marines per year through recruit training. Every one of them moves through a schoolhouse where instructors define what standards look like in practice. The Corps does not train by reading manuals. It trains by watching someone who already knows how to do it correctly. That’s the function a combat instructor fills.

Equipment and Environment

Combat instructors work with the same gear used throughout the training pipeline: M16A4 or M4 service rifles, qualification ranges, land navigation equipment, obstacle and endurance courses, physical fitness facilities, and training aids that vary by command. At recruit depots and Schools of Infantry, the work cycles between classrooms and extended outdoor field environments. Range control and safety management are constant professional responsibilities, not periodic ones.

Salary and Benefits

Base Pay

Combat instructors follow the same DFAS active-duty enlisted pay table as every other Marine. The MOS carries no dedicated monthly incentive, though instructors serving in specific billets may qualify for Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP).

Pay increases each January. Use the DFAS table directly for the most current figures.

Allowances

Base pay is only part of the picture. Marines receive additional monthly allowances on top of it.

• Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS): $476.95 per month for all enlisted Marines, regardless of assignment
• Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH): Varies by duty station, pay grade, and dependent status. A single Sergeant at MCRD Parris Island carries a different BAH rate than one at MCRD San Diego. Use the DoD BAH rate lookup at dfas.mil for current location-specific figures.
• Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP): Some formal school instructor billets qualify for SDAP. Rates vary by billet designation and must be confirmed at the receiving command.

Healthcare and Retirement

Active-duty Marines receive TRICARE Prime at no cost. That covers medical, dental, vision, mental health, and prescriptions for both the Marine and enrolled family members. The Blended Retirement System (BRS) combines a 20-year pension at 40% of high-36 average basic pay with automatic and matching Thrift Savings Plan contributions. The government auto-contributes 1% of basic pay starting at 60 days, then matches up to 4% once you reach your third year of service.

Leave

Marines earn 30 days of paid leave per year, accruing at 2.5 days per month with a 60-day maximum carryover.

Qualifications and Eligibility

The 0913 MOS is not an enlistment PMOS. You cannot walk into a recruiting station and ask for it. It is an assignment-driven designation reached through fleet performance and command selection.

What the Requirements Actually Are

No published GT, EL, MM, or CL minimum applies exclusively to 0913. Any Marine selected will have already cleared the ASVAB requirements tied to their primary MOS at enlistment. If you’re earlier in the process and still preparing for that test, the ASVAB guide covers how Marine line score composites are built and what to expect on test day.

The Path to This Assignment

The selection sequence runs in a specific order, and none of it can be skipped.

Some Marines pursue instructor duty voluntarily. Others are identified and approached. In both cases, command trust and a clean service record are prerequisites, not formalities.

Service Obligation

Instructor tours typically carry a service obligation tied to the tour length. Exact terms depend on the specific orders issued and any incentives attached to the assignment.

Work Environment

The schoolhouse runs on structure. Combat instructors work in one of the most visible, high-accountability environments in the Marine Corps. Every move you make is observed by students who are learning what a Marine looks like. That’s not an exaggeration; it’s the design.

Daily Schedule and Tempo

Most training commands operate on a cycle-based schedule tied to the current class. During the cycle, your day starts early and extends into the field. Between classes, the pace shifts toward planning, equipment maintenance, administrative work, and professional development.

MCRD Parris Island and MCRD San Diego run 13-week recruit cycles. SOI courses are shorter but stack differently. At any depot or school, the physical demands stay high from the first day of a cycle to the last.

Chain of Command and Performance Feedback

Instructors report to a series chief or comparable SNCO supervisor. Performance shows up in two places: your fitness reports and your students’ qualification rates. An instructor whose students consistently underperform gets noticed quickly. That visibility cuts both ways. Instructors who produce strong graduates and maintain personal standards build a reputation that compounds over time.

How the Team Works

Instructor work is collaborative at the planning level and individual in execution. You coordinate with other instructors on safety coverage, curriculum sequencing, and student evaluations. When you’re running a training event, the decisions in the moment are yours. You manage the training area, correct technique in real time, and adjust pacing without waiting for approval.

Job Satisfaction

Marines who perform well in instructor billets consistently describe them as among the most rewarding assignments of a career. Watching a struggling recruit become a qualified Marine is a different kind of feedback than what you get in a line unit. Retention in training-side billets tends to be strong among Marines who were selected through rigorous screening.

Training and Skill Development

Getting to the Billet

The path to 0913 runs through the full standard Marine training pipeline before the instructor assignment begins.

There is no shortcut through that pipeline. The instructor assignment only becomes available after completing initial training, earning a primary MOS, and building a record in the fleet. If you’re still preparing to enlist, the PiCAT guide explains how to take the ASVAB-equivalent from home before your recruiter visit.

Instructor Qualification

The specific course depends on the receiving command. Marines assigned to formal schools typically complete a structured program before or upon reporting that covers adult learning principles, curriculum delivery, safety management in training environments, performance evaluation and documentation, and communication and demonstration skills. Some commands run in-house qualification courses; others send Marines to a formal school beforehand. Completion is mandatory before an instructor conducts independent training.

Additional Certifications Available

High-performing instructors can pursue additional credentials during their tour. What’s available varies by command.

• Marksmanship coach certification for rifle and pistol
• Range Safety Officer credentials
• First aid and casualty care instructor certification
• Leadership and management coursework through Marine Corps University at Quantico

Combat instructors who later seek lateral moves or promotion to SNCO often benefit from the combination of fleet credibility and formal instructor credentials. That record tends to stand out in competitive promotion boards.

Career Progression and Advancement

Rank Progression

Sergeant is the most common entry grade. A Corporal can be selected at high-performing commands, but the assignment typically favors Marines with more time and a broader performance record.

How Promotion Works from This Billet

Promotion boards evaluate fitness reports. For Corporals and below, that means proficiency and conduct marks. Staff Sergeants and above receive formal FITREPs from their officer in charge or series chief. Instructors who produce high-quality graduates and maintain personal standards are well-positioned because both metrics are measurable and visible to senior evaluators.

The Marine Corps watches several specific performance indicators for instructors:

• Student pass and qualification rates for each class cycle
• Safety record across range and training events
• Personal PFT and CFT scores
• Administrative accuracy and on-time training documentation
• Peer and supervisor evaluations

Lateral Moves

Marines can apply for lateral moves through the standard manpower process. Combat instructors with strong records have transferred to billets like 8411 (Marine Recruiter) and various staff roles. The instructor tour builds communication, leadership, and documentation skills that carry weight on any service record.

Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations

Combat instructors model the standards they teach. The expectation is not that you barely pass, but that you perform at a level that is worth watching. A Marine who scrapes through the PFT loses credibility in front of recruits immediately.

What the Daily Physical Load Looks Like

• Morning physical training with students or the instructor cadre
• Running, rucking, and sustained outdoor fieldwork across the training cycle
• Demonstration and coaching of weapons handling, combatives, or obstacle events
• Long hours standing and coaching during range operations
• Carrying gear, training aids, and weapons in varied weather conditions at Parris Island (hot and humid) or San Diego (temperate with occasional heat)

PFT and CFT Standards

All Marines pass the PFT and CFT annually. The table below shows minimums and first-class thresholds for the 17-20 age bracket.

Both tests are scored 0-300. PFT and CFT standards apply to all Marines regardless of MOS. Current Marine Corps physical fitness standards are updated periodically; always confirm with official sources.

Medical Standards

Marines receive periodic health assessments throughout their careers. Instructors who sustain injuries or develop conditions that affect physical performance can be reassigned. Commands take instructor physical readiness seriously because the students are watching.

Deployment and Duty Stations

Where Combat Instructors Serve

The 0913 billet is tied to the Marine training base, not the operating force. Primary duty locations include:

• MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina. East-coast recruit training for recruits from east of the Mississippi. Beaufort County offers affordable housing, a tight Marine community, and access to coastal South Carolina.
• MCRD San Diego, California. West-coast recruit training within the city of San Diego, with strong off-base housing options and access to Southern California.
• SOI-East, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Post-Boot Camp infantry and combat skills training for east-coast recruits. The broader Jacksonville area supports a large Marine community.
• SOI-West, Camp Pendleton, California. Post-Boot Camp training for west-coast recruits. Pendleton sits between Los Angeles and San Diego, with on-base and nearby housing options.
• The Basic School (TBS), Quantico, Virginia. Some 0913 billets support officer and enlisted training at Quantico, where the Marine Corps University campus and nearby Northern Virginia area offer different living conditions than the depot assignments.
• Marine Corps University (MCU), Quantico. Select instructor billets at the schoolhouse level support professional military education.

Assignment to any of these locations depends on billet availability at the time of lateral transfer or orders.

Deployment Tempo

Combat instructor duty is largely a non-deploying assignment. The mission is the training base, and the training base is stationary. That said, Marines are still subject to individual augmentee (IA) tasking during contingency operations regardless of their current assignment. Marines who want sustained operational deployment should understand upfront that an instructor tour trades deployment time for teaching time.

Assignment Requests

Preference submissions go through the normal Marine Corps manpower process. They influence but do not guarantee location. Marines with families should evaluate each installation’s housing market, school systems, and spousal employment options before submitting preferences.

Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations

Hazards That Are Real

Training environments carry genuine risk. Combat instructors manage daily exposure to conditions that can cause harm if mishandled.

• Range safety during live-fire and qualification events, where a lapse in procedure can cause serious injury
• Heat casualties during physical training, particularly at MCRD Parris Island during summer months, when heat index values regularly exceed safe thresholds
• Musculoskeletal injuries from sustained high physical output across multi-year instructor tours
• Close-combat and water survival training incidents that require immediate instructor response

The safety burden on an instructor is not administrative. It’s operational. A single failure in range procedure or heat monitoring can result in a casualty. Commands hold instructors directly and personally accountable for protocol compliance.

Safety Systems in Place

Every formal schoolhouse operates under detailed range safety orders, training safety plans, and emergency action procedures. Instructors complete safety training before running live events. Range officer designations, control checkpoints, and documented casualty response plans are standard operating procedure, not extras. Combat instructors are expected to know these documents and execute them without prompting.

Legal Obligations

The 0913 MOS does not require a security clearance for most billets. All instructors are bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Marine Corps has a zero-tolerance policy for hazing. Instructors who abuse authority or mistreat students face serious professional and legal consequences. That line is clearly drawn, and the command watches it.

Impact on Family and Personal Life

Living at a Recruit Depot

Instructor duty stations at MCRD Parris Island, MCRD San Diego, SOI-East, and SOI-West are mature installations with full family support infrastructure. Each offers:

• Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) facilities covering recreation, youth programs, education support, and child development centers
• Marine Corps Family Team Building programs for spouses and dependents
• Military OneSource counseling, financial planning, and family support resources
• On-base housing options and well-established off-base communities nearby

Parris Island families live primarily in the Beaufort area, a small coastal town with a lower cost of living than most Marine installations. San Diego families face a higher housing cost but gain access to one of the strongest job markets for spouses in the entire Marine Corps.

Schedule Predictability

Instructor tours are predictable by Marine Corps standards. Training cycles are published well in advance and instructors know their schedule weeks ahead. Deployments during the tour are rare. Field exercises during active cycles mean long days, but the calendar is readable. That predictability matters for families with children in school or spouses building civilian careers.

Tour Length and Stability

A standard instructor tour runs approximately three years at one installation. For families with school-age children or two-career households, that stability is a genuine benefit compared to faster-moving assignment cycles in some other billets.

Marine Corps Reserve

Component Availability

The 0913 MOS is primarily an active-duty assignment. The combat instructor role is built around the active-duty training base at recruit depots and SOI commands. Reserve Marines should verify current billet availability directly with their reserve command; comparable training-instructor assignments are less common in the reserve force than in broad PMOS fields.

Drill Commitment

Reserve Marines in training-related billets follow the standard monthly drill commitment: one weekend per month (approximately 48 drill periods per year) plus two weeks of Annual Training. Some training-support billets require additional field exercises or qualification renewals beyond the standard schedule.

Active Duty vs. Reserve Comparison

Reserve pay for a Corporal calculates at the drill period rate: one day’s base pay per four-hour period. A standard drill weekend with four periods pays roughly the equivalent of one week of active-duty base pay.

Benefits Breakdown

Healthcare: Reserve Marines and families can enroll in TRICARE Reserve Select, a premium-based plan. It costs more than active-duty TRICARE Prime but far less than most commercial insurance options.

Education: Federal Tuition Assistance is available to qualifying reserve Marines during service. Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for reserve service require 90 or more days of activated service under Title 10 orders for partial benefits; 36 months of activated service qualifies for the full benefit rate.

Retirement: Reserve retirement uses a points-based calculation under the Blended Retirement System. A “good year” requires 50 or more points. Twenty good years qualifies for retirement, though the pension is typically smaller than an active-duty pension because most reserve years accumulate fewer than 365 points.

Mobilization

Reserve Marines with training-related MOS assignments are subject to mobilization under Title 10 orders. When activated, they receive full active-duty pay and benefits. Mobilization frequency has varied over the years; reserve instructors should plan for the possibility of activation for major training support or contingency requirements.

Civilian Career Integration

Instruction and coaching skills transfer directly to civilian work. Reserve Marines in instructor billets commonly work in education, corporate training, law enforcement, coaching, or emergency services in their civilian lives. The reserve commitment tends to complement those careers rather than conflict with them. USERRA protections at the federal level guarantee job protection during activated service.

Post-Service Opportunities

What the Transition Looks Like

The skills a combat instructor builds are the ones civilian employers talk about but rarely find: the ability to teach under pressure, manage safety, evaluate performance, and hold people to a standard. Those skills map to real civilian jobs with measurable salaries.

The Transition Readiness Program (TRP) at every major installation helps Marines assess civilian options, build resumes, and connect with employers before separation. Marines leaving instructor tours often articulate their skills more clearly than peers who only served in line units, because the teaching role forces you to put what you know into words.

Civilian Career Prospects

Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. Pay varies by location, employer, and certification level.

Many Marines leaving instructor billets pursue teaching credentials, federal law enforcement positions, or corporate training and safety roles. Federal contractor positions that require training and safety expertise are particularly strong fits for Marines with a formal instructor record and no security clearance issues. Commands at Parris Island and San Diego have established relationships with Hiring Our Heroes for employer connections before separation.

Education Benefits

Post-9/11 GI Bill covers full in-state tuition at public universities, up to $29,920.95 per year at private schools (AY 2025-2026 cap), a monthly housing allowance based on E-5 BAH rates at the school’s ZIP code, and up to $1,000 per year in book stipends. Marines who served 36 or more months qualify at the 100% benefit level.

Federal Tuition Assistance ($4,500 per year, $250 per semester hour) is available during active service, making it possible to start coursework before separation. Marines who later want to pursue a commission can review the ASTB-E guide if that path becomes relevant.

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

Who Thrives Here

The 0913 assignment works well for a specific kind of Marine. If you recognize yourself in this list, the tour is probably worth pursuing.

• You get real satisfaction from watching someone else improve, not just from executing the mission yourself
• You can model physical and professional standards consistently across months, not just on test day
• Patience with repetition doesn’t drain you. The same training event runs with every new class, and you have to care as much the fifteenth time as the first
• You want a tour that is more predictable in schedule and location than a deploying unit
• You’re mid-career and see value in a billet that builds your reputation as a force developer, not just a tactician

Combat instructor duty is described by many who’ve done it as among the most meaningful assignments of a career. The feedback is immediate and visible. Teaching the next generation of Marines is the Corps’ most foundational work.

Who Should Think Twice

This assignment isn’t right for every Marine, and being honest about that upfront matters.

• Marines who want sustained combat deployment as their primary career focus will find an instructor tour pulls them away from that for three years
• If a fixed curriculum feels like a constraint you can’t work within, this assignment will frustrate you
• Disciplinary history or physical fitness issues undermine instructor credibility immediately. The students are watching everything.
• Mid-career Marines competing for operational leadership billets should weigh three years in a schoolhouse against three years building fleet experience

The tradeoff is real. Three years at a depot means three years not in a deploying unit. That matters if your goal is a specific operational track.

Long-Term Alignment

For Marines aiming to reach 20 years, an instructor tour at the right career point adds depth that promotion boards notice. Senior NCOs and SNCOs with formal instructor experience tend to be viewed as force developers, a reputation that carries real weight. For Marines who separate after one or two enlistments, the instructor background opens doors in civilian training, education, law enforcement, and safety fields where that record speaks clearly.

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

Your nearest Marine Corps Recruiting Station is the best starting point for current questions about training field assignments, instructor billets, and what your background might qualify you for. Visit marines.com or contact a recruiter directly for up-to-date billet availability. If you’re in the early stages of enlisting and want to understand the ASVAB before you walk in, the ASVAB test prep guide walks through every subtest and how Marine line scores are calculated.

Explore more Marine Corps enlisted careers to browse all occupational fields.

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

Related Resources

Start with How to Enlist and How to Become an Officer, and 03 Infantry as you narrow the field down.