Posted on Mar 13, 2021
How difficult would it be to transfer services? For example Army to coast guard?
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This is a hypothetical question, although it would be nice to have served in more than one branch to experience the differences and learn more
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Retention NCO
Retention NCO
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 7
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Just ETS and contact their recruiters. Some branches are more receptive to prior service. The Army takes most everyone and all the other services have restrictions based on grade, time in service, and caps on total of PS they accept in a year
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LTC Jason Mackay
There is a not a direct path as an AD soldier before you ETS, which is what I think SPC (Join to see) was fishing for. Interservice transfers for enlisted personnel are rare and usually tied to major force management changes, like the recent retirement of Marine Corps Armor units. Some Marine Tankers ended up in the ARNG. Officers have more of a chance at it due to skills and quals transfer. I knew one Army to Navy transfer in 22 years, and they held a flight billet for him. I knew one Army to USCG in 22 years. It was a program to poach Army Warrant Pilots to become USCG pilots.
Call a USCG recruiter and ask, but I do not think they are looking to poach 19Ds from the Army.
https://www.gocoastguard.com/active-duty-careers/enlisted-opportunities/participate-prior-service#:~:text=Pending%20approval%20from%20the%20Coast,years%20of%20prior%20active%20service.
Call a USCG recruiter and ask, but I do not think they are looking to poach 19Ds from the Army.
https://www.gocoastguard.com/active-duty-careers/enlisted-opportunities/participate-prior-service#:~:text=Pending%20approval%20from%20the%20Coast,years%20of%20prior%20active%20service.
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SPC (Join to see) It would be difficult. As mentioned by SFC (Join to see), you can ETS and contact a recruiter. You can search on "Inter-Service Transfers", then click on "Answers" to find all the other posts with this question.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/transferring-between-military-branches-3357016
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/transferring-between-military-branches-3357016
Can You Transfer From One Branch of the Military to Another?
Want to switch between the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines? Learn how to get transferred from one branch of the military to another.
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I was once looking at ETS and about 8-9 months out I contacted a CG Recruiter, provided you qualify it's pretty simple. Hardest part of joining the CG is qualifying for the CG.....I didn't go through with it because they would have dropped me from E6 to E4, I could handle a 1 pay grade reduction but 2 was too far for me.
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SSgt (Join to see)
It was the same when I was talking to them a few years ago. If I was to stay Avionics I would have went from an E5-E3 eligible to take the advancement exam. I was looking to change job fields and they said that would require a reduction in grade from E5-E2
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CW2 (Join to see)
SSgt (Join to see) if my financial situation had been diffetent (or had I foreseen the divorce coming) I would've done it. But luckily I found a couple sweet opportunities in the Army.
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First and foremost you would be required to complete Coast Guard basic training. Both the Coast Guard and the Marines Corps have prior service from other branches compete basic. Also to not have a break in service you can try for a conditional release to enlist in the Coast Guard or any branch for that matter. Guard and reservists do it quite often, although it has to be agreed upon by all parties. But if you are active duty that’s another story. As others have said you pretty much have to wait until you ETS. And if you haven’t completed your total obligation, the 8 years I believe these days, then you would need the conditional release from the Army to enlist with another branch. The recruiters should take care of all that. Good Luck!
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I know multiple pilots that have done it. Obviously, it's a little different for Officers, but the biggest thing is just the qualification. The Coast Guard is a very small service so they can afford to be picky because they don't need the numbers like the Army. They typically have very strict time-in-service and age requirements. You will probably also loose at least one grade, but that may be worth it for a better quality of life. I know two CPTs that switched to the Coast Guard and had to go back to being O-2s. It took them over two years to make it back to O-3 and neither one of them regrets it because they say the quality of life is much better.
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It depends on two things a straight transfer without a break in service just requires a lot of work forms. The biggest hurdle will be your mos. if the coastguard doesn’t have an equivalent you’ll be required to come in at a reduced rank. I tried switching to CG when I was a Sgt but because I was an infantry cat at the time they offered me a transfer as an E3
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