Posted on Apr 30, 2015
If being a Marine is so awesome, why is it that there are so many Marines that join the Army and Air Force?
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If being a Marine is so awesome (I am the son of 2 Marines), why is it that there are soooo many Marines that join the Army and Air Force?
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 294
Once you get out of the Marines it's too hard to get back in..So you go to the Army..plus I was a Ranger qualified Marine.. Infantry in both, not alot of difference...Marines are more discipline...
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They can't cut it. You don't join the core for schools and perks. You join the corps to go to war and shoot people.
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I spent three years out of twenty as an Army Recruiter and you wouldn’t believe how many prior service Marines I put in the Army. When I left Recruiting Duty, I got my first Platoon (Infantry) in Germany and was surprised to know I had three prior service Marines in my Platoon. None of them were Marine Infantry, but Infantry was the only thing the Army was offering any prior service...
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The prior service Marines that I served with all told me basically the same reason for the switch. The Mythos of being a Marine as a young, dumb & full of you know what appeals to their youth. As they get older, they start thinking farther down the line for a career after service. Alot has to do with Rank. It takes a special breed to serve period, but it takes even more to do the full 20. If you do, if you went in at 18, you're retired at 38. What are you gonna do for the next 30? That's where a switch becomes a viable alternative. School options are not always available, at least when I Reenlisted, in your current Organization.
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Ok i served in a marine infantry unit and at that time our deployment schedule was 1 year state side 6 month deployed. It was very family friend, and was not easy to get promation to e4, as in the Marine e4 is a NCO postion. We dont have spc postion.
Most of my fellow marines switch service to get a new mos which was more deploymemt friendly for family life, or cause they where unable to change MOS. Some where forced out durning military down sizing. Remember the marines are only at 184k right now. Back in 92 when i join it was 184, by the time i got out it was 172 in 96, and my only option to reenlisted was become a cook or stay a grunt with no hope of picking up e4 for another year as their was a promation freeze.
So alot of my fellow marines where forced out. And while the navy and army where also downsizing they where able to pick up trained marines vs raw civilians. Some of my marine buddies switch as they still had a desire to serve, and the army or navy or air force had a opening they wanted.
In 2009 2010 the marines where cut again in size from 202k to its current 184k. So again Marines where denied re enlistment, and the other service while also facing cuts could take marines vs civies. Also remember the army has had a very hard time meeting it recruitment goals in some years heard in 2016 is was 3 in 10 that applied could make it pass the entry requirements. So service members forced out of other branch are a easy fill.
Most of my fellow marines switch service to get a new mos which was more deploymemt friendly for family life, or cause they where unable to change MOS. Some where forced out durning military down sizing. Remember the marines are only at 184k right now. Back in 92 when i join it was 184, by the time i got out it was 172 in 96, and my only option to reenlisted was become a cook or stay a grunt with no hope of picking up e4 for another year as their was a promation freeze.
So alot of my fellow marines where forced out. And while the navy and army where also downsizing they where able to pick up trained marines vs raw civilians. Some of my marine buddies switch as they still had a desire to serve, and the army or navy or air force had a opening they wanted.
In 2009 2010 the marines where cut again in size from 202k to its current 184k. So again Marines where denied re enlistment, and the other service while also facing cuts could take marines vs civies. Also remember the army has had a very hard time meeting it recruitment goals in some years heard in 2016 is was 3 in 10 that applied could make it pass the entry requirements. So service members forced out of other branch are a easy fill.
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After my Active Duty time, I joined the Reserves, went to Drill Sergeant School and eventually became the Company Senior Drill Sregent.
Unfortunately, the reserve Drill Sergeant component always has vacancies and is in constant need for E-4 (P) through E-6 to refill it's ranks. Yes, I also served as a recruiter.
Being on a Navy base, half a mile from an Air Force Base and maybe fifty miles from Parris Island and Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station but over 100 miles from the closest Army installation, it made the most sense to recruit from the ranks of those getting out of other branches.
During my time in that unit, I was able to recruit only one prior service Army but two from the Navy, two from the Air Force and about 15 from the Marine Corps.
If you want to see something cool, take a trip to a basic training unit during the summer when the reserve component is doing their rotations and watch two (Marine) Army Drill Sergeants compete with eachother on the parade field.
The Army does not perform rifle movement in cadence during marching D&C. The Marine Corps does. It for sure is a sight to see two Maines try to out do eachother with a bunch of Army privates.
Unfortunately, the reserve Drill Sergeant component always has vacancies and is in constant need for E-4 (P) through E-6 to refill it's ranks. Yes, I also served as a recruiter.
Being on a Navy base, half a mile from an Air Force Base and maybe fifty miles from Parris Island and Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station but over 100 miles from the closest Army installation, it made the most sense to recruit from the ranks of those getting out of other branches.
During my time in that unit, I was able to recruit only one prior service Army but two from the Navy, two from the Air Force and about 15 from the Marine Corps.
If you want to see something cool, take a trip to a basic training unit during the summer when the reserve component is doing their rotations and watch two (Marine) Army Drill Sergeants compete with eachother on the parade field.
The Army does not perform rifle movement in cadence during marching D&C. The Marine Corps does. It for sure is a sight to see two Maines try to out do eachother with a bunch of Army privates.
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Some join the Army to get a higher rank they couldn't get in the Marines and switch back to the Marines after their Army enlistment and get to keep the rank they achieved in the Army.
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While in the AF, had a 1Sgt (e-7) 16 yrs Marine, went to AF for more stable family time as did other former Marines I served with. An e-4 and an e-5.
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My personal opinion and only that, is that Marines enjoy being Marines and enjoy service to their nation. But the Marines Vorps being a smaller branch of the Armed Forces do not have as many opportunities for advancement that larger services offer, plus the Army most likely have more job specialties available, same with the Air Force. So if one wants to make a career out of the military promotion and special job availabities are important.
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