Marine Corps COOL Summary - MOS 0372 Critical Skills Operator

MOS 0372 Critical Skills Operator

MOS Description

Critical Skills Operators (CSO) are Marines trained to execute missions in the Special Operations Core Tasks of Foreign Internal Defense (FID), Direct Action (DA), Special Reconnaissance (SR) and Counter-Terrorism (CT), the Secondary Core Task of Information Operations (IO) and tasks in Support of Unconventional Warfare (UW) as part of the Marine Corps component to USSOCOM. CSO Marines possess high levels of maturity, experience, judgment and the ability to rapidly apply critical thought to operational objectives. They are able to quickly achieve a commander's intent through mission orders and the effective application of these traits. They succeed in the face of adversity by being able to make the right decision, at the right place, and at the right time. CSO Marines are team-oriented, but are trained and ready to function as individuals and as members of an element, team, company, battalion or regiment. They are capable of operations across the entire spectrum of Special Operations, from employment in isolated and austere locales with little-to-no conventional support to operations as fully integrated units in a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) or other Joint task organized configurations. To facilitate this, CSOs are also intensively trained as a Subject Matter Expert in advanced communications, engineering, special weapons, intelligence, and advanced special operations, depending on their billet in the MSOT. CSOs operate as cross-cultural diplomats and global scouts, with the unique ability to exert influence in areas and situations that are absent authority. They may also posses advanced language capabilities and cultural familiarity, and are adept at working by, with and through partner nation forces in pursuit of strategic goals and objectives. CSO's possess a naval expeditionary character, and as such provides maximum versatility for Geographical Combatant Commanders. MARSOF Marines are capable of rapid integration and interoperability with the joint force.

National Certifications and Federal Licenses

You selected Early Career—this applies to Marines in paygrades E1-E3. To help you focus on the credentials most appropriate for early in your career, the National Certifications list below has been filtered to only show COOL-funded certifications that are related to Most or Some of the skills and training gained in your MOS. You can customize your search by clicking Select Filters at the top left of the credentials table or by using the keyword search at the top right of the table.

Obtaining credentials related to your MOS helps improve your professionalism and help prepare you for civilian employment when you do transition out.

You selected Mid-Career—this applies to Marines in paygrades E4-E5. To help you focus on credentials most applicable to this phase in your career, the certification list has been filtered to only show COOL-funded certifications that are related to Most or Some of the skills and training gained in your MOS. You can customize your search by clicking Select Filters at the top left of the credentials table or by using the keyword search at the top right of the table.

Obtaining credentials related to your MOS helps improve your professionalism and helps prepare you for civilian employment when you do transition out.

Once you have found a credential you want to pursue and are eligible for, you can apply for a voucher for COOL funding to pay for the exam. Make sure to check to see that you meet the eligibility requirements for a voucher before you apply. The Marine Corps will not pay for exams if you have less than six months of service left so you'll want to plan accordingly.

You selected Late Career-- this applies to Marines in paygrades E6-E9. To help you focus on credentials most applicable to this phase in your career, the certification list has been filtered to only show COOL-funded certifications that are related to Most or Some of the skills and training gained in your MOS. You can customize your search by clicking Select Filters at the top left of the credentials table or by using the keyword search at the top right of the table.

Obtaining credentials related to your MOS helps improve your professionalism and help prepare you for civilian employment when you do transition out.

You chose Transitioning-- this applies to Marines who are not reenlisting and are planning their next steps. To help you focus on the most applicable credentials, the certification list has been filtered to only show in-demand credentials that are GI Bill approved. You can customize your search by clicking Select Filters at the top left of the credentials table or by using the keyword search at the top right of the table.

Obtaining a credential can help prepare you for civilian employment, and can demonstrate knowledge and skills in a way civilian employers understand. The Marine Corps will not pay for exams if you have less than six months of service left so you'll want to plan accordingly. If you are already within that six-month timeframe, you can still choose to pursue the credential yourself or explore other funding options to pay for credentials.

As a transitioning Marine, you may also want to visit the Marine Corps' Transition Readiness Program for other guidance regarding reentering the civilian workforce.

You chose Veteran-- veterans are any former Service member who has been discharged from active duty military service. To help you focus on the most applicable credentials, the certification list has been filtered to show in-demand credentials that are GI Bill approved. You can customize your search by clicking Select Filters at the top left of the credentials table or by using the keyword search at the top right of the table.

COOL does not pay for credentialing exams for veterans, but you may be able to get your credential funded through the GI Bill. Explore your funding options to see what funding may be available to you. Also, visit our page of Related Sites and expand the Resource Sites For Veterans section to see what other resources may be available to you

The following civilian credentials are related to MOS 0372 Critical Skills Operator. These credentials may require additional education, training or experience. For more information about these credentials, click on the credential title below.

For additional credentials related to Free, Necessary, and Exception MOSs, go to the Collateral Duty search feature and explore more opportunities to get certified. (Click the Navigator icon on the upper-right corner of the screen, and then select "Collateral Duty/Out of Billet MOS" or "Go Back" and then "Collateral Duty/Out of Billet MOS"). Only Service members who hold a 03 Primary MOS and who are assigned in writing by their Commanding Officer or have attended related formal school training are eligible for collateral duty/billets.

For more supervisory and managerial credentials, please refer to the LEADER summary page.

Credential	Agency	Related As	Attainability	COOL$	GI Bill^®	Accreditation
Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Is In Demand	Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)	Other			GI Bill	Accreditation
General Radiotelephone Operator License (PG) Is Not In Demand	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Some	high	COOL Bucks	GI Bill
Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) Is In Demand	Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)	Other			GI Bill	Accreditation
First Class Radiotelegraph Operator's Certificate (T1) Is Not In Demand	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Other			GI Bill
GMDSS Radio Maintainer License (DM) Is Not In Demand	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Other			GI Bill
GMDSS Radio Operator License (DO) Is Not In Demand	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Other			GI Bill
Marine Radio Operator Permit (MP) Is Not In Demand	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Some	high	COOL Bucks	GI Bill
Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit (RR) Is Not In Demand	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Other
Second Class Radiotelegraph Operator's Certificate (T2) Is Not In Demand	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Other			GI Bill
Certified Protection Professional (CPP) Is Not In Demand	ASIS International	Other			GI Bill	Accreditation
Certified Mapping Scientist, GIS/LIS (ASPRS) Is Not In Demand	American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)	Other
Certified Mapping Scientist, Remote Sensing (ASPRS) Is Not In Demand	American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)	Other
Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) Is In Demand	American Society for Quality (ASQ)	Other			GI Bill
Master Parachute Rigger Is Not In Demand	Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks	GI Bill
Senior Parachute Rigger Is Not In Demand	Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)	Some	high	COOL Bucks	GI Bill
Certified Manager (CM) Is In Demand	Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM)	Other			GI Bill
Project Management Professional (PMP) Is In Demand	Project Management Institute (PMI)	Other			GI Bill	Accreditation
National Lifeboatman and Lifeboatman-Limited Is Not In Demand	United States Coast Guard (USCG)	Some	high	COOL Bucks
National Radio Officer Is Not In Demand	United States Coast Guard (USCG)	Other
Entry Level Tender/Diver Is Not In Demand	Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)	Some	high	COOL Bucks
Certified Corrections Officer (CCO) Is Not In Demand	American Correctional Association (ACA)	Other			GI Bill
Certified Jail Manager (CJM) Is Not In Demand	American Jail Association (AJA)	Other
Air Diver Is Not In Demand	Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks
Mixed-Gas Diver Is Not In Demand	Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks
Bell/Saturation Diver Is Not In Demand	Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks
Life-Support Technician (LST) Is Not In Demand	Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI)	Some	high	COOL Bucks
Professional Certified Investigator (PCI) Is Not In Demand	ASIS International	Other			GI Bill	Accreditation
Physical Security Professional (PSP) Is Not In Demand	ASIS International	Some	medium	COOL Bucks	GI Bill	Accreditation
Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) Is Not In Demand	International Association of Emergency Managers (iAEM)	Other			GI Bill
Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) Is Not In Demand	International Association of Emergency Managers (iAEM)	Other			GI Bill
Certified Corrections Manager (CCM) Is Not In Demand	American Correctional Association (ACA)	Other			GI Bill
Certified Corrections Supervisor (CCS) Is Not In Demand	American Correctional Association (ACA)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks	GI Bill
Certified Corrections Executive (CCE) Is Not In Demand	American Correctional Association (ACA)	Other			GI Bill
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Is In Demand	Project Management Institute (PMI)	Other			GI Bill
Certified GIS/LIS Technologist Is Not In Demand	American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)	Other
Certified Photogrammetric Technologist Is Not In Demand	American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)	Other
Certified Hazardous Materials Practitioner (CHMP) Is Not In Demand	Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks		Accreditation
Certified Jail Officer (CJO) Is Not In Demand	American Jail Association (AJA)	Other
National Master 200 GL and Inland Is Not In Demand	United States Coast Guard (USCG)	Other
Certified Corrections Officer/Provisional (CCO/P) Is Not In Demand	American Correctional Association (ACA)	Other
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) Is In Demand	National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT)	Other				Accreditation
Security Program Integration Professional Certification (SPIPC) Is Not In Demand	Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE)	Other				Accreditation
Security Fundamentals Professional Certification (SFPC) Is Not In Demand	Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE)	Other				Accreditation
Security Asset Protection Professional Certification (SAPPC) Is Not In Demand	Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE)	Other				Accreditation
General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1) Is Not In Demand	Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA-I)	Other				Accreditation
Certified Dangerous Goods Professional (CDGP) Is Not In Demand	Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks		Accreditation
Industrial Security Oversight Certification (ISOC) Is Not In Demand	Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE)	Other				Accreditation
Physical Security Certification (PSC) Is Not In Demand	Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE)	Other				Accreditation
Certified Sport Security Professional (CSSP) Is Not In Demand	National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4)	Some	medium	COOL Bucks
Resilience-Building Leadership Professional (RBLP) Is Not In Demand	Resilience-Building Leader Program	Some	medium	COOL Bucks
Resilience-Building Leadership Professional Coach (RBLP-C) Is Not In Demand	Resilience-Building Leader Program	Some	medium	COOL Bucks
Resilience-Building Leadership Professional Trainer (RBLP-T) Is Not In Demand	Resilience-Building Leader Program	Some	low	COOL Bucks

Department of Defense (DoD) Certifications

Some of these credentials may be funded thru the Marine Corps COOL program. To find out, search for these credentials in the "National Certifications and Federal Licenses" tab and look for the COOL Bucks icon.

Security Professional Education Development (SPeD) Program

The SPeD Certification Program is part of the Department of Defense's (DoD) initiative to professionalize the security workforce. This initiative is intended to ensure that there is a common set of competencies among security practitioners that promotes interoperability, facilitates professional development and training, and develops a workforce of certified security professionals.

For additional information related to the SPeD Certification Program please visit the website.

State Licenses

Some states have specific licensing requirements for the following related civilian occupations. These state licenses may require additional education, training or experience. Click on the occupation below to get more information on state requirements from the U.S. Department of Labor. For more supervisory and managerial occupations, please refer to the LEADER summary page.

Apprenticeship

The United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) is a formal military training program that provides active duty and Full Time Support (FTS) Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Service members the opportunity to improve their job skills and to complete their civilian apprenticeship requirements while they are on active duty. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) provides the nationally recognized "Certificate of Completion" upon program completion.

USMAP enhances your job skills and shows your motivation for more challenging military assignments. Having a DOL Certificate of Completion is an advantage in getting better civilian jobs since employers know the value of apprenticeships.

The following USMAP apprenticeship trades are related to MOS 0372 Critical Skills Operator:

Computer Operator

Completing an apprenticeship is a process with four major steps. Proceed to Step 1 on the USMAP website to select an apprenticeship trade that is related to your military occupation.

Related Civilian Occupations

The following civilian occupations are similar to the duties performed by MOS 0372 Critical Skills Operator. These occupations may require additional education, training or experience. For more information about these occupations, click on the civilian occupation below. For more supervisory and managerial positions, please refer to the LEADER summary page. To search for related civilian job opportunities, go to the Veteran’s Employment Center.

Civilian Job	Duties Matched	Bright Outlook	Registered Apprenticeship	Local Salary Info
Bailiffs	Some			find local salary
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels	Some			find local salary
Construction Laborers	Some	Bright Outlook	Apprenticeship	find local salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers	Some		Apprenticeship	find local salary
Emergency Management Directors	Some	Bright Outlook	Apprenticeship	find local salary
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters	Some	Bright Outlook		find local salary
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	Some			find local salary
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	Some	Bright Outlook		find local salary
General and Operations Managers	Some	Bright Outlook	Apprenticeship	find local salary
Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians	Some	Bright Outlook		find local salary
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers	Some	Bright Outlook	Apprenticeship	find local salary
Intelligence Analysts	Some			find local salary
Motorboat Operators	Some			find local salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	Some		Apprenticeship	find local salary
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	Some	Bright Outlook		find local salary
Private Detectives and Investigators	Some	Bright Outlook	Apprenticeship	find local salary
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists	Some			find local salary
Remote Sensing Technicians	Some	Bright Outlook		find local salary
Security Guards	Some	Bright Outlook	Apprenticeship	find local salary
Security Managers	Some	Bright Outlook		find local salary
Surveying and Mapping Technicians	Some		Apprenticeship	find local salary
Transit and Railroad Police	Some			find local salary
Transportation Security Screeners	Some			find local salary
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	Some			find local salary

A wide range of civilian job opportunities is available within the private and public sectors that align with MOS 0372 Critical Skills Operator military training and experience. More information about these opportunities and other considerations concerning occupations related to MOS MOS 0372 Critical Skills Operator can be found below.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

0132: Intelligence Research Specialist

Overview: This job series covers positions located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Intelligence Enterprise (IE). Specialty areas for this position include research, analysis, evaluation, coordination, and dissemination of intelligence information; assessment and hypothesis testing regarding known or emerging border security threats; and maintenance and control of classified material and derivative classification requirements that apply to national security.

Duties at CBP: Work within this job series requires an Intelligence Research Specialist to apply a full range of analytical knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide finished intelligence and intelligence products in support of operations to enhance the agency mission. Typical work assignments may include:

Execution of all-source intelligence compilation, analysis, production and dissemination;
Timely assimilation of disparate data; rendering of knowledgeable and accurate assessments regarding the intelligence implications of such data; and effective presentation;
Sourcing reliability and information validating determinations; incorporation of information from multiple sources into intelligence products;
Synthesis of information into coherent and meaningful pictures or visualization of trends and patterns to convey intelligence to the appropriate audience for awareness, status updates or to inform operations;
Identifying intelligence gaps, problems or potential difficulties; and
Assessment, estimation, and forecasting regarding evolving or emerging border security threats; recommendation of appropriate courses of action to counter those threats; and successful execution of intelligence initiatives.

Locations: Various

In addition to obtaining certifications in your field, advanced education is another way to enhance job performance.

For help in making informed choices on schools and education programs when using tuition assistance, see:

Tuition Assistance (TA) DECIDE