Posted on Apr 30, 2015
TSgt Joshua Copeland
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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 in these groups: Ega Marine CorpsRe enlistment logo Re-enlistment3916126932 armedforces xlarge Branch
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PO2 Michael Mayeda
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Hard to make higher rank
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SSG William Fairbotham
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It's simple. I hated my job in the Corps. I loved being a Marine, to this day I still feel that they honor their history and heritage better than any other branch. But when the time came for re-enlistment I asked to change my job, "no" asked to change my duty stations, "no" asked to change units, "no". So I got out and joined the Army, did what I wanted to do to begin with anyway, and experienced more duty stations that I never would have had the opportunity to see. Needs of the Marine Corps is more important than individual wants or needs.
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SFC Joseph Weber
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Edited >1 y ago
Not sure about today but I remember a friend of mine from the 90s who was a small arms repairer in the Marines. When his reenlistment came up he was told that he could reenlist but only as a rifleman. He was mad, ets'ed and joined the Army as a small arms repairer. He told me that was how the Marines did things.
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LTC Michael Garrison
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The only branch with upward mobility is infantry. The specialty branches are so small it's hard to make them a career.
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Cpl Bill Johnson
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The answer is simple: Because they can receive the same benefits with an easier life. Additionally, Marines get promoted faster of they join the army... the corps is relatively small in comparison.
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SGT Robert Hawks
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Simple more chance for advancement in the Army
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SSG Scooter Drake
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You know I spent 14 years in the Army and saw many ex Marines and the story was always the same "they down sized my MOS or did away with it". So if they still wanted a military career they had to transition to another branch. As far as Marines being so badass, my battery was attached to the 1st Marine Expeditionary as artillery support for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. They were a great team to fight with and would do it again but I saw really no difference in the intensity, discipline and fighting will we all fought together as a team in the worlds largest sandbox under some extreme, butt puckering conditions. To some it up, the enemy doesn't care what branch your in they just want to kill you.
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SFC Darrell Adams
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There are many reasons. For me it was the opportunity to go to Europe. The Marine Corps has limited duty stations, whereas, in 1989/90 at the time, the Army had a lot of based in Germany. Not the case now.
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PV2 Infantryman
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My cousin's waiting till he's up and he's switching to the army. His explaination: army literally offers you more on terms of compensation and advancement. I'd say just as well their more direct style complements most teams very well.
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SFC Telecommunications Operations Chief
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I was denied reenlistment in the Marines, I did get a 30K exit bonus. But I still had a good enlistment code, so i joined the Army.
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SGT Bryan Remines
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Once a Marine always A marine! We sometimes we take a cation join other branches of service. We do not need to go through their boot camp! If they want to be a Marine they have to go to our boot Camp
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Phil Young
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To see what its like to do less with new equipment.
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PO3 David Greeley
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I can't speak for others, but I knew a couple of military personnel who had been in different branches of service. The first one was drafted in the Army during Vietnam and served as a medic. got out and a few years later reenlisted in the Marine Corps and did one enlistment. He got out, reenlisted in the Navy and became a Hospital Corpsman because loved the medical field and stayed as a HM until he retired. The other one served in all 4 services because he wanted to experience each branch of service.
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MGySgt Freddie McDonald Jr
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It's all abou opportunity. One can go as only far as they could go in one branch so they go to another. It's like going from one like job to another. Only difference is going from one culture to another while still wanting to serve your country. No shame.
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SSgt Ben Cavell
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After getting out, a friend talked me into attending a ANG drill. Kinda like hang around, for a bit. Next thing I know Im surrounded buy former Marines who eyeballed my tatoo. Well one thing led to another, next thing I know, I was a New Mexico ANG member. I broke away from Guard to Reserves to attend Total Army Instructor Course, along with another instructor course. Then back into the Guard with a promotion, Training soldiers coming into the guard from other services, in the Warrior Transition Course at Ft. Knox, White Sands, and Santa Fe. With the Marines I spent most time in Nam. Then Recon in Reserves. Loved it, but had more fun time with ANG.
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Sgt David Hesser
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The Marines have a 8 year plan that for most means you are not going to retire a Marine most Marines do not know this especially if you are infantry because your body will be so beat up, now the Army and Air Force are a little smarter here, why spend money on training when you can grab someone already trained.
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SFC Company Motor Sergeant
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Cause even the Army and Air Force need a few good men.
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SGT S1 Personnel Nco
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I personally went from the Marine Corps to the Army. I tried to re-enlist but it was during Obama’s drawdown and because I was in 29 palms when my reenlistment package had to be in, as well as the boat spaces went down cuz the government shut down in 2013, I got denied reenlistment for my MOS. I could have LAT moved but decided to get out and try college. Realized college wasn’t for me and tried to get back in the Marine Corps but due to their new tattoo policy I got told I could enlist but got told I could enlist in the Army so here I am now. The Army is way less disciplined and militaristic as I expected but it isn’t that bad. I just came to the realization I’m a Marine that happens to be working in the Army
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SSG Jim Lentz
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My reason for switching to the Army was the lack of availability of a USMC Aviation reserve unit in my area. I had a USAR Drill Sergeant Unit in my neighborhood (walking distance) and was able to go from PFC to SGT in 9 months.
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Cpl Daniel Bowles
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I went ANG out of the Corp and it sucked so I went active to get out of the gard then I went to ft benning where they made me go back through boot camp but one of my drill Sgt was a former marine so he took to me and I went and told him this sucked it was nothing like the Corp and he told me go ranger that's where most marines go and it is more like the surrounding like the Corp so I went that route and there was a lot of marines there but it still wasn't the marines
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