"Every Marine is, first and foremost, a Rifleman"

What happens when your Marine leaves MCRD? The next stop for all new Marines is SOI. Your Marine should ask questions about his/her orders prior to departure from the Recruit Depot. Your Marine is entitled to one day travel, and ten days leave after recruit training. Your Marine may report to SOI early in order to save leave, if desired. While on leave, non-infantry Marines may be contacted by their recruiter for participation in the Permissive Recruiter Assistance Support Program (PRASP). If selected by the recruiter for the program, your Marine should bring all endorsements related to such programs upon checking in to SOI.

After your Marine completes processing with SAC, he will be assigned to Infantry Training Battalion (ITBn) if he is an 03xx, or Marine Combat Training Battalion(MCT) for any MOS that is not an 03xx.

SOI: School of Infantry
All graduates of Marine Corps recruit training attend the School of Infantry (SOI). At SOI, they will train with one of two training battalions, either MCT or ITB. All non-infantry Marines attend training at Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT), while infantry Marines (all Marines with an MOS of 03xx) attend training at Infantry Training Battalion (ITB).

MCT: Marine Combat Training
Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT) trains all non-infantry Marines in the infantry skills essential to operate in a combat environment. All non-infantry Marines, upon completion of recruit training, will undergo Marine Combat Training. MCT consists of 17 days of battle skills training that enables Marines, regardless of MOS, to operate in a combat environment.

ITB: Infantry Training Battalion
Infantry Training Battalion's (ITB) mission is to train and qualify infantry Marines in the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 0311 Riflemen, 0331 Machinegunner, 0341 Mortarman, 0351 Assaultman, or 0352 Anti-tank Guided Missileman and 0313 Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) Crewman. ITB consists of a 36-day 0311 course that must be completed by all infantry Marines regardless of specific MOS. Upon completion of the 0311 course, all Marines with the 0311 MOS report directly to the Security Forces or Operational Forces of the Marine Corps. The remainder will then transfer to Weapons company for 18 additional days or LAV for additional 30 days of training in the specific technical and live fire qualification skills required of their particular MOS prior to graduation.