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8878 - Historian

Summary

Marine Corps Historians function as coordinators of historical activities, including conducting collections, teaching military history, and participating in a military historical writing program of military historical institutions.

Primary assignments are to the United States Naval Academy and the Marine Corps History Division.

Prerequisites

Must be slated to or assigned to an 8878 historian billet (including field history branch/marine corps historian division).

Must be slated to or assigned as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy teaching history.

Must be slated to or assigned as an instructor at an institution similar to the United States Naval Academy, including professional military education schools and joint/combined/exchange institutions, teaching history.

Requirements

Marines in historian billets should submit credentials to Marine Corps University Marine Corps History Division for assignment of MOS 8878 via their chain of command.

Marines who believe they meet intent of the MOS should contact the Director, Marine Corps History Division, for review of credentials.

MOS 8878 will be awarded after 12 successful months in a historian billet as determined by director, marine corps history division.

Marine reservists belonging to the field history branch/IMA detachment of marine corps history division will complete a managed on-the-job training program overseen by the officer-in-charge of the IMA detachment.

Personnel assigned to the United States Naval Academy or similar institutions as military historians require a masters degree in history or closely-aligned discipline with evidence of coursework in military history.

Similar institutions may include professional military education schools, undergraduate education institutions, or joint/exchange billets, but the marine must be teaching a military history course.

Marines who previously served successfully in a historian billet will be assigned MOS 8878.

Any marine who served in a historian billet but does not see that reflected in their record should contact the director, marine corps history division, for adjudication.

Marines who believe they meet intent of the MOS should contact the Director, Marine Corps History Division, for review of credentials.

Rank waivers will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

POI CID

None

Duties

Researches and writes official histories of marine corps activities.

Supervises, as required, the preparation of such histories with background in historical references, libraries, and archives.

Participates as researcher, interviewer, and editor in oral history interviews with senior officers and key participants insignificant marine corps activities.

Monitors the conduct of oral history interviews by field organizations.

Instructs or may instruct in military history, with emphasis on amphibious warfare, at officer schools.

Prepares lesson plans and supporting instructional material.

Advises commanding officers on historical matters.

Instructs or may instruct in naval service educational institutions such as Command and Staff Colleges or the U.S.

service academies.

Related SOC Title & Code

Historian 19-3093.

None.