How hard is it for a prior-service Marine to transition from Army IRR to active duty Army?

Sgt Landon W. — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 16:34:40 -0500

I am prior service usmc, IRR time is up in March and just dropped out of the reserves 2 months ago. Looking to go to army but up in the air about reserves or active. If o chose to go reserve how hard is it to make the jump from reserve to active component?

With the regards to available jobs in the area, I am wanting to switch over to a combat arms job but I don’t believe the reserve allows combat arms jobs in the reserves. If I did go reserves what could I do to be able to get a combat job would the only possible option be combat engineer?

I was communications in the usmc, got out stuck with it and I’m a network engineer and a project manager. I have a great job I’m just wanting back in the military but on the combat side.

I have no clue about the guard but I had a buddy that was in the guard and heard some stuff from him. I understand that combat mos are open in the guard but how realistic is it to actually be able to get on the next combat deployment can you request to get attached to units if I was a 19d or 11b?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2020 4:46 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 16:46:03 -0500

The Reserves are support MOS's. They don't have combat units (for the most part). They are things like admin units, finance, medical support units, communications, or MI units. They augment other deploying units. The National Guard is combat units that are mostly set up like the Active Duty Brigades Combat Teams. This is where you'll find your infantry and cav units. NG units vary drastically from one state to another, they each have their own personality. One NG state might be great to work with, while another might be terrible. For instance, Texas NG was awesome every time I worked with them.
As for being released from the Reserve Component to go active, that is at the discretion of your command team to approve or disapprove. Experiences vary. Guard units deploy about once every four years or so. You can also do an interstate transfer to deploy with a different unit, but again, experiences vary on whether or not it will actually get approved, it's based on unit needs and not your desires.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jan 1 at 2020 4:51 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 16:51:20 -0500

Sgt Landon W. to clarify, the Combat arms units (armor, infantry, artillery, etc) are in the ARNG. You will find some engineer units in both the USAR and the ARNG. So if you want Armor or Infantry etc, then the ARNG is the Route. the USAR Engineer units are part of Theater Engineer Commands with a variety of Engineer functions, not just combat engineers.

Being prior service, it is usually your former MOS that gets you back on AD. My recommendation is to go talk with a recruiter from each component (AD, USAR, and ARNG) and see what your options are as it is a moving target. USAR and ARNG recruiting are against current vacancies so you won't get snowed about opportunities. Not saying AD Recruiters will snow you, but they are filling slots in a much bigger organization with more diverse needs. Today's priority may change.

As for your friend who said <insert comment here about the guard>, put on your PM hat here: would you procure a new IT system or piece of software on one review? No, of course not. You'd use a deliberate decision Support tool based on data and verified information.

So you left the reserves, what is different now that make this viable? As for ARNG deployments, they are generally on a deployment + 5 years cycle. I say generally. It is really what force capabilities the Combatant Commanders are requesting and how the services elect to fill them. You can't generally wargame it off a deployment. There's is also the Tour of Duty MOBCOP that you can jump on a deployment as an individual.

Response by Sgt Landon W. made Jan 1 at 2020 5:35 PM

Sgt Landon W. — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 17:35:49 -0500

Thankyou gentleman for answering.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2020 6:33 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 18:33:12 -0500

So, hi.
Prior Service AD Marine switched to AD Army. The process was pretty easy. As far as jobs that’s up to the in and out call I went infantry to infantry which is under strength by a lot so it should be easy.
Hardest part will be finding a recruiter to give you the time of day. Give me a shout if you want i might be able to point you in the right direction