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?
Marine Corps
Re-enlistment
Branch
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 294
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I'm the son of a Marine, and for that reason I have a great deal of respect for the USMC. It's a tough place, for sure. When I was with the 1/11 FA at Ft. Lewis, WA, my barracks mate was a US Army SSG, and he was a Marine, and had served in Viet Nam. Had a combat action ribbon, too. I don't know why he was in the Army (either forgot to ask, or forgot what he told me). In US Army Advanced Infantry Training one of my fellow trainees was former USMC. The reason he was in the US Army was because of family -- he had 2 children, and at his pay grade the USMC wouldn't let him serve on active duty, or at any rate, permanently. And on reserve he couldn't accumulate rank fast enough. So he joined the Army. He was a gung-ho as he could be -- a great soldier, and I am sure would make a good leader. I was aware that later he joined the US Army Rangers (2nd / 75th), so he found the part of the Army that is most like the Marines.
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Lack of billets is the main reason. Many good NCOs competing for limited slots. Being small means the Corps can't hide bodies very well. My son's Army Reserve unit had 4 former Marines. At a change of command ceremony prior to deployment, I was able to spot 3 of them just by observing their pressed uniforms and military bearing. Now they are setting the bar for the Army from within.
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My first four years of active duty was in the USMC, lots of pride, but had the worst, oldest equipment and few opportunities. After a break in service I went back to the USMC to reenlist and was having a difficult time getting the recruiters the make it happen. The recruiter said "You F'd up, you got out", so when the Army recruiter next store said he could enlist me I listened and enlisted within a week, best decision I ever made. The Army was full of opportunity for promotion and schools and everything we had was brand new. If I had to do it all over again I would have joined the Army first.
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I know for me, after 9 years in the marines I decided to get out. After a 6 year break, the Marines wanted to drop me by one rank and that put me over RCP. The Army let me in as if I had never had my break in service. I got my rank and time in grade I had when I got out of the Marines.
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I served in 8th Marines, if I had to do it again, I would in a heartbeat. The reason I joined the Army National Guard and not the marine reserve was because there was a National Guard unit close by and the marine reserve unit was over 4 hours away. Then I found that the guard deploys more than any reserve unit, they deploy for both state and federal issues and you can go to the same schools as active troops. Once we deployed to Iraq, there were other advantages. I always thought I wouldn't want to go to war with a guard unit. Then I deployed and learned that guard units have resources that active units can't compare with. I would go into combat with a guard unit anytime now.
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TSgt Joshua Copeland
The State funds really help and having 2 senators and at least 1 congressperson doesnt hurt either
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Not only that, but my nephew as a Marine was offered a bonus to go through Army Infantry School!
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Easy they cannot maintain our standards of our Glorious Corps. Served many joint tours! Thomas Mobley . MGYSGT. ret, Additonally many join national guard so they can be closer to home stay closer to their families, after so many deployments!
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LtCol William Bentley
On the reserve side, absolutely right. There are far, far, more Army and Air Force Reserve, and Guard, units, with more opportunities, than USMCR units.
Many States have only one USMCR unit...anywhere. A couple don't have any units at all. But ALL units have Guard armories scattered all over, and thus there is a built-in opportunity for Marines to find a new home in the USAR, USAFR, or Guard, often getting a new (often considered "better") MOS, training, bonuses, quality of life, etc.
There are also far fewer billets in the USMCR, and for many MOS's there are no billets AT ALL...anywhere. Or there may be, but only in one unit, across the country. That is not motivating to most young Marines, officer or enlisted, so they seek out other opportunities.
Since all incoming prior service to the USMC, reserves or not, must go through boot camp again and won't get higher than E-3 at finish of boot camp, you have to REALLY want it.
No other Service makes Marines go back through their basic training. That says something, and many of our former Marines who go on to bigger and greater things in other Services are just simply proud Marines...who happen to be doing something else in another Service for their paycheck and retirement, benefits, etc.
No harm, no foul.
Cheers, WB
Many States have only one USMCR unit...anywhere. A couple don't have any units at all. But ALL units have Guard armories scattered all over, and thus there is a built-in opportunity for Marines to find a new home in the USAR, USAFR, or Guard, often getting a new (often considered "better") MOS, training, bonuses, quality of life, etc.
There are also far fewer billets in the USMCR, and for many MOS's there are no billets AT ALL...anywhere. Or there may be, but only in one unit, across the country. That is not motivating to most young Marines, officer or enlisted, so they seek out other opportunities.
Since all incoming prior service to the USMC, reserves or not, must go through boot camp again and won't get higher than E-3 at finish of boot camp, you have to REALLY want it.
No other Service makes Marines go back through their basic training. That says something, and many of our former Marines who go on to bigger and greater things in other Services are just simply proud Marines...who happen to be doing something else in another Service for their paycheck and retirement, benefits, etc.
No harm, no foul.
Cheers, WB
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I don't like Marines. It took three Marine Boots to kick my butt back in the day when I was fresh out of the jungle wearing my "Pretty Ribbons" when they insulted me. One got a broken jaw from my arm cast, one was rendered childless but the third one somehow got behind me and the broken jaw kicked me in my teeth. But, they knew I had been there. lol
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MSG Loren Tomblin
Sgt (Join to see) - it's not that I don't like them. That was 50 years ago. I have gotten over it but the Corps should teach boots early on to respect combat veterans. I doubt that that happened to very few. I just hope they survived Tet.
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CWO3 (Join to see)
There's your answer - Boots. Most don't know where they shit last. They've just come from boot and are so full of themselves. It passes more quickly with some than others.
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