Marine 0321 Reconnaissance Marine vs 0313 LAR Marine
Both the 0321 Reconnaissance Marine and the 0313 Light Armored Reconnaissance Marine live inside the 03 infantry field, and both carry reconnaissance in the job title. They are not the same mission, and they are not interchangeable contracts.
The Recon Marine goes in on foot, by water, or by parachute: a small team of four to eight collecting intelligence in terrain the main force has not yet entered. The LAR Marine goes in mounted on a Light Armored Vehicle at high speed, screening routes, engaging targets directly, and reporting what the crew sees from inside a 14-ton armored platform.
Quick Comparison
| Decision point | 0321 Recon Marine | 0313 LAR Marine |
|---|---|---|
| Core role | Conducts multi-domain reconnaissance and surveillance in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, gathering intelligence that shapes operational decisions before main force commitment. Executes deep reconnaissance patrols, beach reconnaissance, urban reconnaissance, and battle-space shaping using combat swimming, parachuting, and small-boat techniques. | Operates as part of a Light Armored Vehicle crew to conduct armored reconnaissance, surveillance, and security missions in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force. Employs the LAV-25 and its weapons systems to locate and report on enemy forces, terrain, and obstacles while maintaining the capability to engage targets directly. |
| Test gate | ASVAB (CL 105 or GT 105) | ASVAB (CL 90 or GT 90) |
| Score summary | Requires CL 105 or GT 105 minimum, on top of the AFQT minimum of 31. | Requires CL 90 or GT 90 minimum, on top of the AFQT minimum of 31. The line score reflects vehicle systems, navigation, and reporting demands of the LAR mission. |
| Training path | Boot Camp (13 weeks) at MCRD, Marine Combat Training (29 days) for non-infantry entrants, then RTAP (screening gate, duration varies), then the Basic Reconnaissance Course (approx 9-12 weeks at Camp Pendleton) where the MOS is awarded. Timeline from enlistment to 0321 qualification typically 18-24 months or longer. | Boot Camp (13 weeks) at MCRD San Diego or Parris Island, Infantry Training Battalion (59 days) at SOI-West or SOI-East, then the Light Armored Reconnaissance Marine Course at Camp Pendleton. WS-B is required at accession and WS-I before completing the LAR course. MOS awarded on completion. |
| Work setting | Small reconnaissance teams of four to eight Marines operating in ocean, jungle, mountain, desert, and urban environments. Primary installations are Camp Pendleton (1st Recon Bn), Camp Lejeune (2nd Recon Bn), and Kaneohe Bay (Force Reconnaissance). | Vehicle maintenance bays, ranges, and field exercises. Primary LAR battalions at Camp Pendleton (1st LAR Bn), Camp Lejeune (2nd LAR Bn), and Twentynine Palms and Okinawa (3rd LAR Bn). Schedule driven by maintenance cycles. |
| Deployment pattern | Deploys with MEUs as part of the Force Reconnaissance platoon or Division Reconnaissance Battalions. Typically one seven-month deployment every 24-36 months, consistent with other infantry units. | Deploys with Marine Expeditionary Brigades and MEUs at standard infantry tempo, roughly seven-month deployments every 24 to 36 months. |
| Best fit | Best for highly self-motivated applicants who are physically elite, strong swimmers, calm under extended discomfort, detail-oriented in reporting, and comfortable with unwitnessed work in denied or sensitive terrain. | Best for applicants who want combined-arms and reconnaissance work from a fast armored vehicle, enjoy mechanical systems, meet the height and vision requirements, and accept the maintenance burden of crewing the LAV-25. |
| Less ideal if | Poor fit for applicants who are not strong swimmers, are uncomfortable with extended physical discomfort, prefer predictable schedules, or struggle with ambiguous and unwitnessed work. Attrition at RTAP and BRC is real. | Less ideal if you dislike vehicle maintenance, do not meet height (65-75 inches) or vision requirements, or want a foot-infantry mission without the mounted crew component. |
This is a fork at the concept of reconnaissance, not a ranking. Both jobs exist to gather information and protect the force. The difference is the platform, the physical profile, the test-score gate, and the pipeline you commit to when you sign.
Three things separate the choice:
- How you move and fight: on foot or by water in a small team operating unseen, versus mounted in a crew on a fast armored vehicle that can engage with a 25mm cannon.
- The ASVAB gate: CL 105 or GT 105 for the Recon Marine, versus CL 90 or GT 90 for the LAR Marine.
- The training length and attrition risk: a multi-year pipeline with real screening cutoffs for 0321, versus Boot Camp and Infantry Training Battalion followed by a specific LAR course for 0313.
Each of those gets its own section below.
The LAR Marine is the more accessible contract of the two. The seat count is still limited because LAR is a specialized community, but there is no multi-year internal selection pipeline with real attrition like RTAP and the Basic Reconnaissance Course. The Recon Marine contract is one of the most selective enlisted paths in the Corps.
To go deeper on either job, read the 0321 Reconnaissance Marine profile or the 0313 LAR Marine profile. Both sit inside the 03 Infantry field.
What Each Marine Actually Does
Both jobs serve a reconnaissance mission for the MAGTF, but the daily work is distinct enough that a Marine in one would find the other unfamiliar on a normal training day.
The Reconnaissance Marine’s Role
The 0321 Reconnaissance Marine conducts multi-domain reconnaissance and surveillance in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, gathering intelligence that shapes operational decisions before main force commitment. These Marines execute deep reconnaissance patrols, beach reconnaissance, urban reconnaissance, and battle-space shaping operations using combat swimming, parachuting, and small-boat techniques.
A typical day in a recon unit includes long-range patrol planning and rehearsals, combat swimming and open-ocean training, parachute currency jumps for qualified Marines, communications exercises using HF, SATCOM, and burst-transmission equipment, weapons qualification with primary and secondary arms including demolitions, and physical conditioning that exceeds the Corps baseline.
Recon Marines pursue advanced qualifications after earning 0321 that show the range of the work:
| NMOS | Qualification |
|---|---|
| 0322 | Reconnaissance Marine, Sniper Qualified |
| 0323 | Reconnaissance Marine, Parachute Qualified |
| 0324 | Reconnaissance Marine, Combatant Diver Qualified |
| 0326 | Recon Marine, Parachute and Combatant Diver Qualified |
| 0327 | Reconnaissance Team Leader |
The LAR Marine’s Role
The 0313 Light Armored Reconnaissance Marine operates as part of a Light Armored Vehicle crew to conduct armored reconnaissance, surveillance, and security missions in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force. These Marines employ the LAV-25 and its weapons systems to locate and report on enemy forces, terrain, and obstacles while maintaining the capability to engage targets directly.
On a typical training day, a 0313 Marine performs before-, during-, and after-operations maintenance on the LAV-25 and assigned variants, runs crew gunnery drills on the 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon and coaxial machine gun, conducts mounted route reconnaissance, operates vehicle-mounted radio communications systems, and executes dismounted infantry tasks when the mission requires getting off the vehicle.
The platforms each Marine answers for define the difference:
- 0321 Reconnaissance Marine: individual weapons, sniper systems, underwater breathing apparatus, combat rubber raiding craft, military freefall parachute equipment, long-range communications gear, thermal and night-vision optics.
- 0313 LAR Marine: the LAV-25 with M242 25mm cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun; also operates LAV-AT, LAV-M, LAV-L, LAV-C2, and LAV-R variants; carries standard infantry weapons alongside vehicle-crew duties.
The simplest way to see the split: the Recon Marine’s signature is the patrol that returns without being seen. The LAR Marine’s signature is the vehicle that moves fast enough to get there and has firepower enough to fight if required.
Qualification Gates
Both jobs require the standard active-duty AFQT minimum of 31 for high school diploma holders. The line-score bar is where they separate, and the separation is meaningful.
The 0321 Reconnaissance Marine requires CL 105 or GT 105. The 0313 LAR Marine requires CL 90 or GT 90.
| Requirement | 0321 Recon | 0313 LAR |
|---|---|---|
| AFQT minimum | 31 | 31 |
| Line score (minimum) | CL 105 or GT 105 | CL 90 or GT 90 |
| Water survival | WS-I (RTAP), WS-A (BRC) | WS-B at accession, WS-I before LAR course |
| Security clearance | Interim secret required | Not required at accession |
| Height | Standard | 65 to 75 inches |
| Vision | Standard infantry | 20/200 correctable to 20/20, normal color vision, normal depth perception |
| Driver’s license | Not specified | Valid state license with qualifying record |
The CL 90 or GT 90 threshold for 0313 reflects vehicle systems, navigation, and reporting demands of the LAR mission. The CL 105 or GT 105 minimum for 0321 is a real cognitive filter: only a fraction of ASVAB takers reach that threshold on either composite.
Here is what those composites are built from:
| Line score | Name | Built from |
|---|---|---|
| GT | General Technical | VE + AR + MC |
| CL | Clerical | VE + MK |
Beyond the ASVAB, the recon path adds a physical screening program with no parallel in the LAR contract. RTAP requires 8 pull-ups, a 3-mile run in 22:30, and a continuous 500-meter swim in 15 minutes. Those are minimums, not targets.
The LAR contract requires water survival qualification and normal infantry physical standards, but there is no multi-event assessment designed to screen out a significant fraction of candidates the way RTAP does.
If recon is the target, the ASVAB work starts early. CL or GT at 105 is the threshold that keeps the door open. Start with the ASVAB guide for composite prep before talking to a recruiter.
Training Path
Both pipelines start with Boot Camp and a School of Infantry phase. The paths diverge after that, and the difference in length and attrition risk is significant.
| Phase | Duration | Location | 0321 Recon | 0313 LAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boot Camp | 13 weeks | MCRD San Diego or Parris Island | Both | Both |
| Infantry Training Battalion | 59 days | SOI-West or SOI-East | 0321 path (or MCT) | 0313 (continues to LAR course) |
| Recon Training Assessment Program (RTAP) | Varies | Varies | Screening gate | Not attended |
| Basic Reconnaissance Course (BRC) | Approx 9-12 weeks | Camp Pendleton | MOS awarded here | Not attended |
| Light Armored Recon Marine Course | Varies | Camp Pendleton | Not attended | MOS awarded here |
The 0313 LAR Marine moves from Boot Camp into Infantry Training Battalion, the MOS-producing school for the 03XX field. The recon path can run through Marine Combat Training or ITB before its selection pipeline begins.
For the 0313 LAR Marine, ITB covers infantry fundamentals, then the Marine moves into the Light Armored Reconnaissance Marine Course at Camp Pendleton. LAV-25 operations, crew gunnery, mounted tactics, and WS-I water survival qualification are taught there. The MOS is awarded on completion.
LAR Commander Course
Sergeants in LAR later complete the Light Armored Reconnaissance Commander Course before assuming vehicle commander responsibilities.
For the 0321 Reconnaissance Marine, the School of Infantry phase is followed by a multi-step internal selection process. After establishing a baseline record and earning WS-I for RTAP and WS-A for BRC entry, Marines move through RTAP and then the Basic Reconnaissance Course. The full route from enlistment to 0321 qualification typically spans 18 to 24 months or longer.
Attrition at RTAP and BRC is real. Marines who meet the published minimums but do not exceed them face a harder attrition risk.
Advanced Qualifications After MOS Award
After earning 0321, recon Marines pursue military freefall parachute (0323), combatant diver (0324), SERE, Scout Sniper Basic Course, and advanced HUMINT programs. LAR Marines pursue LAV maintenance and gunnery refresher courses, advanced land navigation, joint training exercises with Army and allied armored units, and combined arms staff development.
Vehicle Operations and Physical Load
The weight you carry and how you carry it is a concrete daily difference between these two jobs.
The Recon Marine carries 80 to 100 pounds in water and on land during operational missions. Sustained multi-day patrols, full mission capability after exhausting water or parachute insertions, and the physical conditioning required to maintain dive and jump currency are permanent features of the role.
The LAR Marine operates inside the LAV-25 but dismounts when the mission requires. Vehicle operations add rollover, mechanical failure, and fire risk on top of standard combat exposure. Hearing damage from the 25mm cannon is a real occupational hazard.
The LAR Marine also carries the maintenance burden of a complex armored platform. Before-, during-, and after-operations checks are required every time the vehicle moves, and that maintenance time adds to the daily workload beyond what a foot-infantry Marine faces.
Work environments differ:
- 0321 Reconnaissance Marine: ocean, jungle, mountain, desert, and urban environments. Teams of four to eight. Primary installations at Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, and Kaneohe Bay.
- 0313 LAR Marine: vehicle maintenance bays, ranges, and field exercises. Primary LAR battalions at Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, and Twentynine Palms and Okinawa. Schedule driven by maintenance cycles more than fixed hours.
Both fields deploy with Marine Expeditionary Units. Recon Marines deploy as part of the Force Reconnaissance platoon or Division Reconnaissance Battalions. LAR Marines deploy with Marine Expeditionary Brigades and MEUs at standard infantry tempo, roughly seven-month deployments every 24 to 36 months.
Career Progression
Both jobs promote through the same enlisted grades on roughly the same schedule. The billet each rank points to is different.
| Rank | Grade | 0321 Recon | 0313 LAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private | E-1 | Schoolhouse pipeline | Schoolhouse, initial qualification |
| Lance Corporal | E-3 | Team member in recon unit | Qualified crewman, driver or gunner |
| Corporal | E-4 | Senior team member, advanced courses | Section crewman, fire team leader duties |
| Sergeant | E-5 | Team leader, pursue NMOS qualifications | Vehicle commander, section leader duties |
| Staff Sergeant | E-6 | Team chief, platoon sergeant duties | Platoon sergeant or staff billet |
| Gunnery Sergeant | E-7 | Senior enlisted advisor, recon battalion | Company gunnery sergeant in LAR battalion |
For the Recon Marine, advancement past Sergeant means pursuing and holding NMOS qualifications: parachute currency (0323), combatant diver currency (0324), or team leader designation (0327). Those qualifications are required for senior billets and shape how competitive a recon Marine looks at promotion boards. A Sergeant without them is behind peers who have them.
For the LAR Marine, advancement through Sergeant ties directly to vehicle commander responsibility. The Light Armored Reconnaissance Commander Course is a prerequisite for Sergeants assuming vehicle commander duties. Gunnery Sergeants run company-level maintenance and crew readiness in LAR battalions.
LATMOVE opportunities exist for both fields. Recon Marines sometimes transition to MARSOC through a separate selection process, or into intelligence and special operations support billets. LAR Marines have precedent for moves to reconnaissance and intelligence given the reconnaissance-focused mission.
Both fields produce Marines with small-unit leadership that civilian employers in law enforcement, security, emergency management, and vehicle fleet operations value after service.
Which One Fits You
Both jobs require high physical performance and a clean record. The ASVAB line score is the first hard gate, and it matters before fitness or screening is ever considered.
0321 Reconnaissance Marine
Choose it if the intelligence-collection mission appeals at the same level as direct combat. Reconnaissance Marines go in first, operate in small teams in denied terrain, and depend on individual reliability with no safety net. The training investment is significant and the pipeline is long.
- Best fit: highly self-motivated, physically elite, strong swimmer, calm under extended discomfort, comfortable with unwitnessed work in hostile environments, detail-oriented in reporting.
- Poor fit: not a strong swimmer, prefer predictable schedules, uncomfortable with extended physical discomfort, or want a vehicle-mounted combined-arms mission.
0313 LAR Marine
Choose it if you want combined-arms and reconnaissance work from inside a fast armored vehicle, enjoy mechanical systems, and accept the maintenance burden that comes with crewing the LAV-25. The seat count is limited but there is no multi-year internal screening pipeline.
- Best fit: interested in vehicle operations, comfortable with mechanical maintenance, want reconnaissance with direct-fire capability, meet the height and vision requirements, and accept the physical demands of combined-arms infantry work.
- Poor fit: you dislike vehicle maintenance, do not meet the height or vision requirements, or want a foot-infantry mission without the mounted crew component.
If both still appeal, let the ASVAB decide the order. Clearing CL 105 or GT 105 keeps both doors open, because the 0321 threshold covers the 0313 minimum. Build the score first with the ASVAB guide, then confirm current contract and school seat availability with a recruiter.
More Information
Before you choose between 0321 and 0313, get the ASVAB handled. The line score decides which door is open. Start with the ASVAB study guide for the CL and GT composite prep and a 30-day plan, then talk with a Marine Corps recruiter about current 03 infantry contract availability and school seat timing for both the Basic Reconnaissance Course and the Light Armored Reconnaissance Marine Course.
Explore more in the 03 Infantry field, compare the full 0321 Reconnaissance Marine and 0313 LAR Marine profiles, or browse the rest of the Marine Corps guides for more decision-stage comparisons.