Is it possible that I can become a Marine Recon/Raider being prior service Army?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 12:45:31 -0400

I'm have just barely over a year left in my 6 year contract in the Army. When I got out of high school i wanted to go Marine Reconnaissance, but was talked into going Army by my Dad. Now that I'm able to start planning my future I would like to know if I have a chance of being allowed into either being prior service and an E-5. Thank you.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2019 12:49 PM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 12:49:37 -0400

Have fun being a Private again. I had about 4 prior service army guys at PI and 2 of them went from e5 in the Army to E2 in the corps. But only way to know about being prior service is talking to a marine corps recruiter.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Aug 5 at 2019 1:06 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 13:06:15 -0400

1. Like most SOCOM units- you can seldom enlist for them, but the option of trying to pass the selection course. 2, Being an E5 could work either way- all you can do is ask a jarhead recruiter

Response by Sgt George Kinyaevsky made Aug 5 at 2019 7:27 PM

Sgt George Kinyaevsky — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 19:27:37 -0400

One of the issues you'll face is the drop in rank. Not only will you have to go through boot camp, the highest you can possibly leave boot camp is an E-3. Then you'll go through SOI and after SOI you'll try for Recon. If you pass, you'll go to further training, if not you'll most likely become an 0311. In order to to go Raider A&S you have to submit a package and do a physical as well as a psych screening, but you already have to hold an MOS and as far as I know it's not a guarantee on a contract like Recon is. Being prior-service won't place any restrictions on recon/MARSOC other than the fact that the Crops might not be accepting prior-service enlistees, or you'll be limited by what MOS you can hold being prior-service.

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 5 at 2019 10:59 PM

SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 22:59:54 -0400

Interesting!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2019 11:23 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 23:23:58 -0400

Why would you want to? Recon Marines leave the Corps all the time to join the Army. We have better training, better missions, and all around better opportunities, funding, and utilization. While I was a Career Counselor in Okinawa, I received phone calls on a weekly basis from Recon Marines asking how to switch over and try out for SFAS or 75th Ranger. You'll find lots of former Marines in both of those organizations.