Marine 2311 Ammunition Technician vs 2336 EOD Technician
Both 2311 and 2336 live inside OccFld 23 Ammunition and Explosive Ordnance Disposal, and both work with live ordnance. The comparison ends there.
The 2311 Ammunition Technician enters on a standard first-enlistment contract. The 2336 EOD Technician enters only after serving in another MOS and competing through a formal lateral-move screening process.
One job is about keeping every unit in the Marine Corps supplied with serviceable ammunition. The other is about responding when that ammunition or something worse turns up in the wrong place.
Quick Comparison
| Decision point | 2311 Ammo Tech | 2336 EOD Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Core role | Enlisted specialist responsible for receiving, storing, issuing, accounting for, and disposing of all categories of ammunition and explosives. Manages Class V supply operations from the ammunition supply point through the point of use, applying strict safety and accountability standards at every step. | Detects, locates, accesses, diagnoses, renders safe, neutralizes, recovers, exploits, and disposes of explosive hazards including UXO, IEDs, chemical and biological munitions, nuclear devices, and foreign military ordnance. Supports the MAGTF, joint services, federal agencies, and Host Nation forces. |
| Test gate | ASVAB (MM 100) | ASVAB (GT 110) |
| Score summary | Requires MM (Mechanical Maintenance) composite score of 100, on top of the AFQT minimum of 31 for high school diploma holders. MM is built from AR + MC + AS + EI. | Requires GT (General Technical) composite score of 110 minimum for lateral-move consideration; competitive applicants score higher. AFQT minimum 31. GT = VE + AR + MC. Not available as a first-enlistment contract. |
| Training path | Boot Camp (13 weeks) at MCRD San Diego or Parris Island, Marine Combat Training (29 days) at SOI-West or SOI-East, then Ammunition School approximately 8-10 weeks at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach (Detachment), CA or designated site. MOS awarded at Ammunition School. | Boot Camp (13 weeks), Marine Combat Training (29 days), then initial MOS service before lateral-move selection, EOD Selection Screening (days to weeks at unit or designated site), then Naval School EOD (NAVSCOLEOD) approximately 41 weeks at Eglin Air Force Base, FL. MOS awarded at NAVSCOLEOD. |
| Work setting | Ammunition supply points, forward ammunition holding areas, and ship-board operations on MEU deployments. Primary duty stations include Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, Twentynine Palms, MCB Hawaii, MCB Camp Butler (Okinawa), MCAS Miramar, and MCLB Albany. | Small teams of two to four Marines. Garrison work includes installation EOD support and training. Deployment attaches to infantry battalions, Combat Logistics Regiments, MEUs, or special operations elements. Primary duty stations include Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton, MCB Hawaii, MCB Camp Butler (Okinawa), MCAS Cherry Point, and USSOCOM-aligned units. |
| Deployment pattern | Deploys with supported units including infantry and artillery units on MEU cycles of approximately six to seven months. Installation ASP-assigned Marines may have different profiles but still support exercises and contingencies. | High deployment tempo relative to most support specialties. EOD companies support MEFs and Marine Expeditionary Brigades across all theaters. Most EOD Marines accumulate significant deployment time across a career. |
| Best fit | Best for applicants who are methodical, take inventory accountability personally, find satisfaction in technical mastery of a well-defined system, and want a first-enlistment MOS with strong civilian demand in logistics and hazmat fields. | Best for applicants who are calm under pressure from preparation, find procedural technical work satisfying, want a small-unit environment where individual performance determines outcomes, and are prepared to spend significant time away from home and years in a first MOS before pursuing selection. |
| Less ideal if | Less ideal for those who want highly variable tactical fieldwork, prefer improvisation over procedure, or are not willing to maintain documentation standards under field conditions. | Less ideal for those drawn to EOD for the image rather than the technical mission, whose GT score is below 110, whose physical profile is not PULHES 111111, or who want frequent large-unit conventional combat work. |
These two jobs share an occupational field number and some foundational familiarity with explosives, but they are different enough that the comparison is really about your timeline, your test scores, and the kind of work you want to do for a career.
Four things separate them:
- The access path: 2311 is a standard enlistment contract you can sign on day one. 2336 requires an existing service record and a competitive lateral-move selection. You cannot walk into a recruiting station and contract for EOD.
- The ASVAB bar: 2311 needs MM 100. 2336 needs GT 110. Those two composites test different aptitude profiles, and both are published minimums.
- The clearance level: 2311 requires a Secret clearance. 2336 requires Top Secret with SCI access. The investigation scope and timeline differ significantly.
- The mission: 2311 manages Class V supply through accountability and safety procedures. 2336 renders safe explosive threats in the field after everyone else has pulled back.
Neither job is a stepping stone to the other. A 2311 who wants EOD applies through the same lateral-move process as any other Marine. The shared occupational field is useful context, but it does not shorten the selection timeline or lower the GT 110 requirement.
These structural differences make the choice real before you ever talk to a recruiter. The ASVAB is the first gating factor, and which composite you build toward determines which door opens.
A candidate who scores well on both MM and GT composites has the most flexibility. A candidate who is close on one score and weak on the other is effectively choosing a path by default.
Read the full 2311 Ammunition Technician profile or the 2336 EOD Technician profile for detail on each path. Both pages live inside the OccFld 23 Ammunition and EOD hub.
Qualification Gates
Both jobs require the same minimum AFQT of 31 for active-duty high school diploma holders. Both require a security clearance. After that, the requirements diverge sharply.
The 2311 Ammunition Technician requires an MM composite score of 100. The MM composite is built from four ASVAB subtests: Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mechanical Comprehension (MC), Auto and Shop Information (AS), and Electronics Information (EI). A score of 100 reflects the mechanical and technical aptitude this MOS demands.
The 2311 also requires a Secret clearance and normal color vision for ammunition inspection.
2336 Score and Access Requirements
The 2336 EOD Technician requires a GT composite score of 110. GT is built from Verbal Expression (VE), Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), and Mechanical Comprehension (MC). GT 110 is the published minimum for lateral-move consideration, and competitive applicants score higher.
EOD also requires a Top Secret clearance with SCI access, a PULHES physical profile of 111111 with no waivers available, and basic swimming qualification.
The access-path difference matters as much as the score difference. A 2311 applicant goes to a recruiting station and signs a contract when they meet the MM threshold.
A 2336 applicant enlists in a different MOS first, builds a service record, then applies when an EOD solicitation message is released. The process includes command endorsement, records review, and a physical screening test before a school seat is offered.
Here is how the two composites are constructed:
| Composite | Name | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| MM | Mechanical Maintenance | AR + MC + AS + EI |
| GT | General Technical | VE + AR + MC |
The 2311 MM 100 threshold screens for mechanical aptitude across shop and electronics subtests. The 2336 GT 110 threshold screens for technical reasoning and verbal capability. Candidates who score well on both composites have the most flexibility going into OccFld 23.
Normal color vision is required for both jobs. The 2311 requires it for ammunition inspection. The 2336 requires it for identifying wire colors on explosive devices.
Both are disqualifying if the requirement is not met.
If either job is the target, the ASVAB is where preparation starts. Work through the ASVAB study guide for composite-specific prep and score context before you talk to a recruiter.
Training Path
The two pipelines share a common start and then split at different points in a Marine’s career.
Both paths run through Boot Camp and Marine Combat Training. The 2311 then moves directly to MOS school and the fleet. The 2336 pipeline does not begin until a Marine has completed initial enlistment in a different MOS and been selected for EOD through a competitive process.
| Phase | Duration | Location | Who attends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boot Camp | 13 weeks | MCRD San Diego or MCRD Parris Island | Both paths |
| Marine Combat Training (MCT) | 29 days | SOI-West (Camp Pendleton) or SOI-East (Camp Lejeune) | Both paths |
| Ammunition School | Approximately 8-10 weeks | Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach (Detachment), CA or designated site | 2311 only; MOS awarded here |
| Initial MOS school (first enlistment) | Varies | Varies by first MOS | 2336 path (before EOD selection) |
| EOD Selection Screening | Days to weeks | Unit or designated screening site | 2336 path candidates |
| Naval School EOD (NAVSCOLEOD) | Approximately 41 weeks | Eglin Air Force Base, FL | 2336 only; MOS awarded here |
Ammunition School covers the technical foundation for Class V supply: ammunition identification, classification, storage rules, condition codes, and ammunition supply point operations. The school also covers hazardous materials transportation requirements. Students work with inert training rounds and learn the publications that govern the work.
NAVSCOLEOD and EOD Attrition
NAVSCOLEOD at Eglin Air Force Base is the joint schoolhouse for all U.S. military EOD technicians regardless of branch. The course runs approximately 41 weeks and covers conventional ordnance, improvised devices, nuclear weapons familiarization, foreign ordnance, and underwater ordnance.
Attrition is significant. Candidates who fail standards after one recycle are dropped from the program.
After NAVSCOLEOD graduation, Marines are assigned to an EOD company and begin unit-level qualification before they can lead operations independently. That qualification period adds several more months before a Marine can run operations without supervision.
The time difference is the clearest structural fact here. A 2311 can be in the fleet in a working MOS within about six to seven months from the start of Boot Camp. A 2336 will spend years in a first MOS before ever entering the EOD pipeline.
What the Work Looks Like
The two jobs have different rhythms at the unit level, and that difference follows them through every assignment.
The Ammunition Technician Role
The 2311 works at the ammunition supply point in garrison: inspecting incoming shipments, verifying lot numbers and condition codes, placing ammunition in correct storage configurations, processing issues to supported units, and maintaining detailed inventory records. The chain of custody for Class V materiel is documented at every step.
Field support changes the pace. During exercises and operations, 2311s work at forward ammunition holding areas, prepare basic loads, support resupply runs, and coordinate with supported unit supply shops. The accountability requirement does not change in the field.
On a MEU deployment, the work includes ship-board ammunition management and offload operations. MEU cycles typically run six to seven months.
Marines assigned to infantry or artillery units deploy on MEU cycles. Marines assigned to installation ammunition supply points may have a different profile but still support exercises and contingencies.
The work is procedural by design. Decisions about how to handle, store, or dispose of materiel are governed by technical publications. Success here depends on following the right procedures correctly under varying conditions, including adverse weather, time pressure, and field environments.
The EOD Technician Role
The 2336 EOD Technician works in small teams, typically two to four Marines. In garrison, teams train, maintain equipment, complete required qualifications, and respond to requests for EOD support on and around the installation. That support includes clearing unexploded practice ordnance from ranges and responding to callouts for suspected devices.
On deployment, EOD teams attach to infantry battalions, Combat Logistics Regiments, Marine Expeditionary Units, or special operations elements depending on the mission. Each Marine carries significant individual responsibility. There is no large formation to absorb a weak performance.
The full EOD bomb suit weighs approximately 75 pounds. A technician wears it over uneven terrain and makes technically precise manual decisions under conditions that test composure as much as technique. The field has one of the stronger retention rates among enlisted specialties because Marines who complete the pipeline tend to be committed to the mission.
Which One Fits You
These two jobs sort different candidates. The sort happens before you walk into a recruiting station. The ASVAB composite you build toward is the first decision, and it determines which door opens.
2311 Ammunition Technician
The 2311 is the right starting point if you want a technical MOS in the ordnance field from day one, can meet the MM 100 threshold, and are motivated by accountability, precision, and the structure of a defined supply chain. The MOS is accessible through standard enlistment and produces a service record with strong civilian transferability in logistics, hazardous materials management, and supply chain operations.
The work is procedural and documentation-intensive. An inventory error at an ammunition supply point is a serious consequence, not a paperwork inconvenience.
Marines who take that accountability as a personal standard rather than an imposed burden tend to advance faster and leave with a stronger post-service credential. Marines who find procedural discipline frustrating tend to leave.
- Best fit: methodical, takes inventory accountability personally, finds satisfaction in technical mastery of a well-defined system, wants a first-enlistment MOS with strong civilian demand in logistics and hazmat fields, prefers structured environments where procedures reduce ambiguity.
- Poor fit: you want highly variable tactical fieldwork, prefer improvisation over procedure, are not willing to maintain documentation standards under field conditions, or want a role where physical action is the primary daily activity.
2336 EOD Technician
The 2336 is the right target if you are calm under pressure from preparation rather than from underestimating the situation, you find procedural technical work satisfying, and you are prepared to spend years building a service record before you apply. The GT 110 bar, the Top Secret clearance requirement, the PULHES 111111 physical standard, and the attrition rate at NAVSCOLEOD are all real filters. Meeting the minimums does not guarantee selection.
The field is small. There are a few hundred active-duty EOD Marines at any given time.
Performance is visible in small teams. The deployment tempo is high relative to most support specialties. Marines who complete the pipeline tend to be committed to the mission specifically, not to the Marine Corps in general.
- Best fit: calm under pressure because you have prepared, find procedural technical work satisfying rather than frustrating, want a small-unit environment where individual performance determines outcomes, are prepared to spend significant time away from home across a career, meet or exceed every published screening threshold before applying.
- Poor fit: drawn to EOD for the image rather than the technical mission, GT score is below 110, physical profile is not 111111, you want frequent large-unit conventional combat work, or you are not prepared to serve years in a first MOS before pursuing selection.
If you are unsure which composite profile you have, build both. GT 110 keeps the EOD path open as a future option.
MM 100 gets you into the 2311 pipeline now. The ASVAB study guide breaks down both composites subtest by subtest.
More Information
Before you choose between 2311 and 2336, your ASVAB composite scores are the first filter. MM 100 opens the 2311 door. GT 110 is required for future EOD consideration.
Start with the ASVAB study guide for composite-specific prep and a structured plan, then talk with a Marine Corps recruiter about current MOS classification rules and EOD solicitation message timing.
Explore the 2311 Ammunition Technician profile and the 2336 EOD Technician profile for the full detail on each path. Both sit inside the OccFld 23 Ammunition and EOD hub. Browse the rest of the Marine Corps guides for more decision-stage comparisons.