6842 METOC Analyst Forecaster

Weather doesn’t wait for the mission. The 6842 METOC Analyst Forecaster is the Marine who tells commanders whether the air is flyable, the sea is crossable, and the terrain is operable. An inaccurate forecast doesn’t just waste a sortie. It can put Marines in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you want a job built around data, judgment, and direct operational relevance, this one is worth a hard look.

Job Role and Responsibilities

The 6842 METOC Analyst Forecaster collects, analyzes, and disseminates meteorological and oceanographic data in support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) operations. Marines in this MOS observe weather conditions, validate sensor data, produce forecasts, and brief commanders on environmental factors that affect missions. The role spans aviation weather support, ground operations planning, amphibious assessments, and tactical environmental intelligence.

Daily Tasks

Your morning might start with a radiosonde balloon launch to sample upper-atmospheric wind and temperature data. By mid-morning you’re briefing the aviation element on ceiling and visibility for the day’s flight schedule. Ground forces want a soil moisture assessment before a tracked vehicle movement. The amphibious planning cell needs surf height and swell period for tomorrow’s beach landing. Then the intelligence section calls wanting an environmental overlay for a threat analysis. That’s a full day, and it’s fairly typical.

Specific tasks include:

• Observing and recording surface and upper-air meteorological data
• Operating and maintaining weather sensor equipment and rawinsonde systems
• Generating aviation, ground, and amphibious weather forecasts
• Producing environmental overlays and assessments for operations planning
• Disseminating METOC products through Marine tactical networks
• Supporting intelligence fusion with environmental threat analysis
• Briefing unit personnel on environmental conditions before operations

Specific Roles

Mission Contribution

Every element of a MAGTF operation depends on environmental data. Aviation planning uses wind shear and cloud ceiling data to determine whether aircraft can launch and land safely. Amphibious planners need surf height and sea state before any assault. Artillery units need ballistic wind profiles so rounds land where they’re aimed. A well-timed METOC brief can save sorties, improve maneuver timing, and prevent casualties. METOC analysts work directly for the operations section, meaning their products go into planning documents that shape real decisions at the command level.

Technology and Equipment

You’ll work with rawinsonde equipment, automated weather observing systems, AN/TMQ-52 meteorological measuring sets, tactical meteorological observing systems, and military weather dissemination platforms. At the advanced level, you’ll use numerical weather prediction model output and geographic information system overlays. The school phase covers roughly 60 college credits of atmospheric science content. Equipment changes regularly, so technical currency training is a constant part of the job throughout your career.

Salary and Benefits

Pay starts the day you ship to Boot Camp. Every Marine receives base pay, housing allowance (BAH) when authorized, and a monthly food allowance (BAS) regardless of MOS. Total compensation runs significantly higher than base pay alone once you factor in housing and food allowances.

2026 Base Pay

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

The table above shows 2026 active-duty monthly base pay per DFAS. Most new Marines enter at E-1. With consistent performance, promotion to E-3 Lance Corporal typically happens within 12 months. At E-4 Corporal, base pay ranges from $3,142 to $3,815 per month depending on years of service.

Additional Benefits

The full compensation picture for an active-duty Marine goes well beyond base pay. Here’s what’s included from day one:

• BAH: Monthly housing allowance based on duty location and dependency status; varies significantly by installation. A single E-4 at MCAS Miramar receives substantially more than one at MCAS Beaufort due to local housing costs.
• BAS: $476.95 per month for enlisted Marines (2026), flat regardless of location
• TRICARE: No-cost health, dental, vision, and prescription coverage for active-duty Marines and their families: zero premiums, zero copays
• GI Bill: Up to $29,920.95 per year for private school tuition (AY 2025-2026 cap) plus a monthly housing allowance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill
• Tuition Assistance: Up to $4,500 per year for courses taken while on active duty; you don’t have to wait until separation to use it
• TSP: Thrift Savings Plan with government matching up to 5% of base pay under the Blended Retirement System; the government’s auto-contribution begins after 60 days of service

At 20 years, a Marine under the Blended Retirement System receives a pension of 40% of their high-36 average basic pay monthly for life, plus continued TSP access. That long-term math is worth understanding before you decide between a 4-year enlistment and a career.

Work-Life Balance

Marines earn 30 days of paid leave per year, accruing at 2.5 days per month. METOC analysts work irregular hours tied to operational tempo and weather events. Pre-mission briefing cycles, extended forecasting watch periods, and deployments can stretch your workday significantly. Garrison periods between deployments are more structured, but don’t expect a predictable 9-to-5 schedule when the squadron is flying heavily or an exercise is ramping up. The trade-off is that between operational cycles, METOC Marines at garrison installations often have evenings and weekends free, which is more personal time than many combat arms Marines see.

Qualifications and Eligibility

Requirements Table

The GT 105 threshold puts this in the upper tier of Marine line-score cutoffs. GT (General Technical) combines Verbal Expression, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Mechanical Comprehension on the ASVAB. If you score well on those three subtests, you’re on track. Readers preparing to hit this threshold can use that guide to identify which areas need the most work.

Application Process

METOC is a low-density specialty. After meeting basic enlistment requirements and scoring a qualifying GT or EL, you enter the 68 field through the standard recruiting pipeline. The background investigation for SCI eligibility starts early and takes time, often 6 to 12 months to complete. If you have complex financial history, significant foreign contacts, or prior legal issues, expect a longer adjudication window.

Selection and Competitiveness

This field is small. Billet counts are limited, and class seats at the formal school fill quickly. Competitive applicants combine a high GT score with genuine academic interest in math, physical science, or geography. Prior coursework in those areas helps during the schooling phase even if it doesn’t affect initial selection.

Service Obligation

New accessions into 6842 typically carry a minimum 4-year active-duty enlistment, with 36 months of obligated service required after graduation from MOS school. Marines who separate before completing that obligation may face recoupment of training costs.

Marines enter active duty at E-1 (Private). Advancement to E-2 (Private First Class) normally occurs at the 6-month mark.

Work Environment

Setting and Schedule

METOC analysts split time between climate-controlled analysis centers, field observation posts, and expeditionary environments depending on where the MAGTF is operating. On a ship during a MEU deployment, the team operates out of a compartment inside the ship’s intelligence spaces. At an air station, analysts staff weather offices that run during flight operations. Expect shift work, early-morning briefing cycles, and on-call periods whenever the operational tempo picks up.

Two very different environments define this MOS:

• Garrison: Regular hours around flight operations, predictable work weeks between exercises, time for technical training
• Deployed/Expeditionary: Continuous operations, field observation sites, austere working conditions, and direct support to real missions

Leadership and Communication

METOC Marines work directly for the MAGTF headquarters element, usually reporting to the intelligence or operations section depending on the command structure. The section chief is typically a Staff Sergeant or Gunnery Sergeant with years of operational forecasting experience. Performance feedback follows the standard Marine Corps system: semi-annual proficiency and conduct marks for junior enlisted, and fitness reports (FITREPs) for staff NCOs and above. Good sergeants don’t wait for the formal cycle to give feedback; they’re on you constantly.

Team Dynamics

The team is small by Marine standards. A typical METOC element might have just four to six analysts supporting an entire regiment or MEU. Everyone carries their weight. Individual initiative and technical accuracy matter more here than in larger sections where you can blend into the crowd. If you underperform, the shop feels it. If you produce excellent products, the operations officer knows your name within weeks.

Retention

METOC retains reasonably well. The skills are transferable, the work is technically interesting, and Marines who invest in the schooling feel ownership over the specialty. The field’s low density also means senior analysts tend to get meaningful billets and real advisory roles earlier than they would in larger communities where the competition for good assignments is steeper.

Training and Skill Development

Initial Training Pipeline

Total time from Boot Camp through MOS school graduation runs roughly 9 to 12 months. Class days at Keesler run approximately 9 hours and cover three major blocks: foundational weather science, in-depth atmospheric analysis, and practical application of forecast products. You’ll earn roughly 60 college credit hours during the formal schooling phases.

The school runs through the Marine Corps Detachment at Keesler AFB in conjunction with Air Force and Navy meteorological training elements. This is one of the longer enlisted MOS pipelines in the Corps, and it is front-loaded with challenging classroom content. Marines who struggle academically during this phase face recycling or reclassification, so take the classroom preparation seriously.

Advanced Training

Senior METOC analysts can pursue the Naval Oceanography Officer certification pipeline, joint METOC courses, and advanced geophysical surveying schools. The Marine Corps sends select 6842 Marines to specialized training in tropical meteorology, ocean environment forecasting, and joint operational weather support. Marines who want a broader career can also compete for lateral moves into intelligence or aviation command-and-control fields, where the environmental analysis background translates well.

The METOC schooling at Keesler generates real, transferable education. Those 60 credit hours are recognized by many universities as part of an atmospheric science degree program, which means Marines who pursue college after service often receive significant transfer credit. That’s a meaningful head start on a bachelor’s degree compared to Marines who leave service without formal academic credentials. Some Marines complete an associate degree’s worth of coursework before they ever see their first operational billet.

Career Progression and Advancement

Rank Progression

Specialization and Lateral Moves

Marines who build strong METOC credentials can apply for Additional MOS (AMOS) designations in related intelligence or aviation fields. The LATMOVE program allows qualified Marines to apply for a primary MOS change, though the 68 field’s low density means spots are limited and competition for in-bound billets from outside the field can be tight.

Strong performers at the Sergeant level may be competitive for the Enlisted Commissioning Program (ECP) or Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) if they hold a bachelor’s degree or can complete one before the application window. The technical background from METOC, combined with the leadership track record of a Sergeant, makes a competitive commissioning package.

Performance Evaluation

Junior enlisted Marines (E-1 through E-4) receive semi-annual proficiency and conduct marks from their reporting senior. Staff NCOs and above receive formal FITREPs. METOC technical performance is assessed primarily on forecast accuracy, equipment proficiency, and the ability to produce timely, usable products under operational pressure. Marines who can brief complex environmental data clearly and concisely to non-technical commanders stand out quickly at every rank.

What actually separates top performers in this field isn’t just technical knowledge. It’s the ability to make a confident forecast call under pressure with incomplete data and communicate it in plain language to a commander who doesn’t know what a radiosonde is. That communication skill (technical expertise translated into usable information) is what gets you promoted and what employers pay for after service.

Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations

Physical Requirements

METOC is not a combat arms MOS, but all Marines maintain the same physical readiness standard. You’ll complete annual PFT and CFT events on the same schedule as every other Marine in your age and gender group. Field observation work adds real physical demands: carrying equipment to observation sites, working outdoors in severe weather, and sustaining operational posture during multi-day exercises.

PFT and CFT Standards (Ages 17-20, 2026)

Verify current scoring with fitness.marines.mil before any official testing cycle.

The physical fitness expectation in METOC doesn’t stop at passing the tests. A Marine who scores minimum on every event is technically meeting the standard, but scoring well builds credibility with leadership and matters in competitive promotion environments. METOC is a small field; your fitness scores are visible to everyone in the shop. Consistent first-class scores signal discipline and attention to personal readiness, which commanders notice.

Medical Evaluations

The T5 background investigation for SCI eligibility includes a medical and psychological component. Marines with significant pre-existing mental health history may face additional review. Annual readiness screenings apply throughout your career. Field observation work involves direct exposure to extreme weather conditions, including the severe events METOC analysts are trained to monitor, so heat illness and cold injury prevention policies apply whenever you’re working outdoors.

Color vision requirements at accession ensure you can accurately interpret color-coded weather charts, radar imagery, and equipment indicators. If you know you have color vision limitations, check this requirement before entering the recruiting pipeline; it’s easier to address early than after you’ve already been selected for the MOS. Hearing requirements are standard for most billets, though working near aircraft on an air station involves periodic audiograms throughout your career.

Deployment and Duty Stations

Deployment Details

METOC analysts deploy with MAGTF headquarters elements, Marine Expeditionary Units, and aviation combat elements. MEU deployments typically run 7 months. You’re at sea for most of that, working out of the ship’s intelligence compartment and supporting aviation and ground planning daily.

Operational deployments to CENTCOM, INDOPACOM, or EUCOM are possible depending on the threat environment and unit assignment. CENTCOM tours have historically included both ship-based and land-based positions in the Middle East and East Africa. INDOPACOM assignments often involve working with allied nations across Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, where environmental complexity (typhoon season, monsoon patterns, maritime boundary analysis) makes METOC expertise especially valuable.

Primary Duty Stations

METOC elements exist wherever MAGTFs are based. Common assignments include:

• Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (San Diego, CA): I MEF and aviation wing support
• Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (NC): 2nd MAW METOC billets
• Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (CA): I MEF ground and amphibious support
• Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (NC): II MEF and 2nd MAW headquarters billets
• Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni (Japan): III MEF aviation support; OCONUS with overseas housing
• Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe Bay): III MEF and MARFORPAC support
• Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort (SC): 2nd MAW fixed-wing support billets

Station assignments come through the Marine Corps monitor system. You can submit preferences, but the monitor fills billets based on unit need and available inventory. Low-density fields like 68 often have fewer assignment choices than larger communities.

Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations

Job Hazards

Field observation work means you’re outside in all weather, including the severe weather events you’re trained to monitor. You may be on a ship’s weather deck in high seas to take surface observations. You may be running a radiosonde launch in a thunderstorm. You may be setting up portable meteorological sensors on an active flight line.

Common hazards for METOC Marines include:

• Outdoor exposure to extreme heat, cold, lightning, and high winds during observation operations
• Aircraft hazard zones and FOD (foreign object debris) awareness when working on or near active flight lines
• Shipboard safety protocols during heavy sea states when working on weather decks
• Proximity to radio frequency (RF) emitting equipment during data transmission operations
• Night observation requirements in unlit or austere field environments
• Balloon launch operations near aircraft traffic patterns

The hazards are real but manageable with proper training and discipline. Most METOC Marines complete full careers without a serious injury. The job isn’t physically dangerous in the way combat arms billets are, but complacency near active airfields or in severe weather can result in preventable incidents. Awareness and adherence to established procedures are the primary protections.

Safety Protocols

METOC elements follow both command safety programs and aviation safety directives when working near flight operations. Weather observation sites on ships and in the field have established procedures for high-sea and wind conditions. Lightning safety standoff distances apply during balloon launches and outdoor observation operations. All Marines complete annual safety training regardless of MOS, and METOC-specific safety briefs cover equipment operation near live airfields.

Aviation units where METOC analysts are embedded run formal safety programs including hazard reporting systems, operational risk management (ORM) assessments before complex operations, and regular unit safety days. If you observe a safety hazard in your observation site or equipment setup, you’re expected to report it. The aviation community has a non-punitive safety reporting culture for honest mistakes; it’s a meaningfully different approach than some other Marine Corps communities.

Security Requirements

The T5 background investigation for SCI eligibility is thorough and time-consuming. It covers the past 10 years of your personal history, including foreign contacts, financial records, employment history, and prior conduct. Marines who provide false information during the process face discharge and potential criminal liability. Adjudication by the Department of Defense Central Adjudication Facility can take months, and complex cases take longer. Starting the process early in your recruiting pipeline is essential, since you cannot attend MOS school without at least interim Secret eligibility.

Annual security refresher training applies throughout your career. METOC products are sensitive because environmental data tied to specific operational areas can reveal military intentions. The classification of your work products varies by the nature of the operation, and understanding those requirements early makes daily work much smoother.

Impact on Family and Personal Life

Family Considerations

A 7-month MEU deployment is the main family separation event in this MOS. Pre-deployment work-ups in the months before deployment can also increase work hours and reduce family time at home station. Field exercises and training events add unpredictability to the garrison schedule, especially in the 3 to 4 months leading up to a deployment.

The assignment picture is narrower than in larger occupational fields. Most METOC billets sit at major air stations and MAGTF bases, which concentrates your options but also means your spouse and family can research those specific communities in advance. Locations like San Diego, Miramar, Cherry Point, and Camp Lejeune each have active military spouse networks, on-base schools, and support programs.

Support resources available to METOC families:

• Military OneSource: free counseling, financial planning, and relocation assistance
• Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB): unit-level family support programs
• Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS): childcare, recreation, and employment support at every installation
• Unit Family Readiness Officers (FROs) who coordinate support during deployments

Relocation

Expect two to three Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves over a typical first enlistment. Because the 68 field is small, your monitor’s options are limited to wherever METOC billets currently exist. That reduces the likelihood of exotic or unusual assignments but also means you’re generally not surprised by your destinations. Major CONUS assignments at San Diego, Camp Pendleton, Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune, and Beaufort are the most common. An OCONUS rotation at Iwakuni or Hawaii is possible and is generally viewed as a positive assignment.

Marine Corps Reserve

Component Availability

The 6842 MOS is available in the Marine Corps Reserve, though billet density is low. Reserve METOC Marines typically serve within I MEF, II MEF, or III MEF support elements. The small size of the field means not every Reserve unit will have an active 6842 billet, and some Marines may serve in an augmentation capacity or be attached to adjacent intelligence or aviation units during drills.

Drill Schedule and Training Commitment

The standard Reserve commitment is one weekend per month and two weeks per year for Annual Training. METOC’s technical currency requirements mean some Reserve Marines attend additional training beyond the baseline to maintain forecast proficiency and equipment certifications. If your unit doesn’t have access to the full METOC sensor suite or weather dissemination systems, maintaining real operational proficiency requires creative scheduling and occasional individual training orders.

Active Duty vs. Reserve Comparison

Civilian Career Integration

Reserve METOC service pairs well with civilian careers in atmospheric science, environmental consulting, and government forecasting roles. USERRA protections prevent civilian employers from discriminating based on Reserve service or activation. Federal agency employers, especially NOAA and the National Weather Service, often actively recruit veterans with operational military METOC credentials. Maintaining an active Secret clearance through Reserve service also keeps federal job options open that would otherwise close after separation.

Post-Service Opportunities

Transition to Civilian Life

The Transition Readiness Program helps Marines build resumes, network with employers, and connect with education benefits before separation. METOC training maps more directly to civilian careers than many military technical fields, particularly in atmospheric science and federal environmental agencies.

Your active Secret clearance plus operational forecasting experience puts you in a genuinely competitive position for federal hiring, especially compared to civilian candidates with similar academic credentials but no operational background.

The VA’s Post-9/11 GI Bill covers up to $29,920.95 per year in private school tuition plus a monthly housing allowance based on the school’s ZIP code; that’s a real financial tool for finishing a bachelor’s degree after service. Combined with the college credit from your METOC schooling, many Marines can complete a four-year degree in two years or less using GI Bill benefits. That path is faster and cheaper than most civilian routes into the atmospheric science profession.

Civilian Career Prospects

NOAA and the National Weather Service actively recruit candidates with operational METOC backgrounds. Veterans with a college degree and an active Secret or SCI clearance find federal agency hiring far more accessible than comparable civilian applicants who lack that clearance. Defense contractors supporting combatant command weather services are another strong market, particularly in CENTCOM and INDOPACOM areas of operation.

What to prioritize before separation:

• Complete any college coursework you can through Tuition Assistance while on active duty
• Document your METOC certifications and school transcripts for civilian hiring packets
• Apply for NWS or NOAA Pathways internship programs if you’re approaching EAS
• Pursue the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate if UAS work interests you; METOC sensor training transfers well

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

Ideal Candidate Profile

The right person for 6842 is intellectually curious, precise, and comfortable working under time pressure with imperfect data. Strong performance in math and physical science before enlisting is a real advantage. You’ll spend months in a classroom absorbing dense technical material before you ever see an operational environment, so academic resilience matters as much as physical toughness here.

Traits that tend to succeed in this field:

• Analytical thinker who notices patterns in data without being told what to look for
• Comfortable with early morning or overnight shifts; weather doesn’t observe business hours
• Interested in how environmental factors shape military operations
• Strong communicator who can brief complex information clearly and quickly under pressure
• Patient enough to work a low-visibility job where the best outcome is a mission that goes exactly as planned without incident

Potential Challenges

The training pipeline is long and front-loaded with abstract science. Marines who struggle academically or who want to start doing “real” Marine work immediately find the school phase frustrating. The field is also small, which cuts both ways: you get meaningful work earlier, but assignment options are limited and there are fewer peers to learn from.

Deployments in METOC are tied to MAGTF headquarters, which means you’ll be in the rear element when infantry units are forward. Some Marines find that disconnect genuinely difficult, especially early in their careers.

Career and Lifestyle Alignment

METOC is a strong long-term fit for Marines who plan either to stay for 20 years and build a deep technical specialty, or to separate with credentials that translate into federal employment or intelligence work. It’s a poor fit for Marines who want direct combat action or who expect a straightforward path into a commercial tech career. The field rewards patience and genuine intellectual investment. You won’t be famous for it, but the people who depend on your forecasts will remember when you got it right.

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

Talk to a Marine Corps recruiter to find out whether you qualify for the 68 field and whether METOC seats are available in your enlistment window. Your nearest Marine Corps Recruiting Station can answer questions about line score requirements, current bonuses, and the accession pipeline for this MOS. The ASVAB prep guide covers how to target the GT composite specifically.

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.