Posted on Mar 31, 2017
PFC Cinnamon Hack
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I have this weird fascination of being the "jack of all trades" as a civilian i did things from cosmetology, to truck driving and allot in between. I recently just swore into into DEP (army) and already making plans to see if I can cross train into other MOS fields and eventually after my contract to other branches (USMC? Navy? Air Force)

Anyone here serve in 2 or more branches? Any tips?
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MSG Mechanic 2nd
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I joined the navy, corpsman , served with the marines, then went army
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CW3 Harvey K.
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Heinlein said it all, "Specialization is for insects".
The best advice I can give you is to seek to be a polymath, and not a dilettante.
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PFC Cinnamon Hack
PFC Cinnamon Hack
>1 y
Not sure what you mean... but Thanks for the advice , lol
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CW3 Harvey K.
CW3 Harvey K.
>1 y
PFC Cinnamon Hack - The full quote should make things clear:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-Robert A. Heinlein
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PFC Cinnamon Hack
PFC Cinnamon Hack
>1 y
CW3 Harvey K. - I like that. Thanks for further explaining it to me. :)
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CPT Andrew Wright
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Prior service from any branch will most likely find it hard to get into the Air Force. Spend a few years in the Army and look into a commissioning program like ROTC. All the branches have ROTC but you will have to look around for a college that has the branch of service you want. If you end up in a medical field (Doctor, Nurse) all the branches want you. Best of luck!
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LTC Operations Officer (Opso)
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PFC Cinnamon Hack as a Company Commander I had several people who came from the IRR that served in the Marines before. Depending on the service you are going to, where you are coming from, and how long you have been away you may have to redo your basic training. Also, you may have to do their individual training to learn a new trade/job/MOS if they do not have the same type of job that you had before. If your goal it to switch from service to service then you should look into what job you want to do in each and what you have to do to be qualified for them. But do not look too far ahead that you are not able to focus on the here and now and be successful. Good luck.
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PFC Cinnamon Hack
PFC Cinnamon Hack
>1 y
Thank you for your service and your advice .
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PO1 Dee Lee
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I served 3 years in the Air Force and 17 years in the Navy. I had to go to boot camp again but it was well worth it to me.
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SSG Dwayne Soblosky
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I served 12 years in the US Navy and 15 years in the US Army with a 6 month break in service.
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SGT Darryl Dykes
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I suggest that you concentrate on the Army, do the very best you can do learn how to do your chosen job. Once you finish AIT go the extra mile. Study on your own, use the internet to learn more about the job you chose. Read the Commanders reading list for enlisted persons. The list is laid out for you to be a better soldier. Jumping around the services does not make you a better soldier. You will be able to add as secondary MOS later in your career.
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CPO Daren James
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I'm an example of crossing over. Worked 10 years in the Navy as an OS and after an 8 month break in service, enlisted in the USCG to the same rate and grade I departed the Navy from. The Coast Guard was in need of OS's so I was able to get my rank back and was sucessful in requesting the west coast. I guess the main thing to look for is do the branches of service have the same MOS your working in, if not crosstrain into a job that does.
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MSgt E 7
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Yes
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SSG UH-60 Helicopter Repairer
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Army Aviation to Air Force CSAR back to Army to retire.
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SFC Alan Payne
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You can do different nations if you really want to get froggy. I started in the British Army, then USMC, then NC Guard. Serving in different nations isn’t uncommon in the British Commonwealth and i met lots of folk in the Guard that had been in. The other services including coasties. Quite common for Army and Marines to switch also.
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CW3 Kevin Storm
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Keep in mind not every service is eager to accept prior service members, often it can come with a voluntary reduction, which if you make a career out of this can affect you in income and retirement.
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Sgt Graeme Payne
Sgt Graeme Payne
>1 y
When I went into the AF Reserve after 6 years as a Marine, they wanted to take a stripe (E5) away from me. I said in effect "no you're not" and made it stick. Another six years in the AF.
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SPC Panzerdeal Deal
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Enjoy it while you got it..there's nowhere to go from "UP".. I actually had 4 schools under my belt, if they REALLY wanted to count em up in 90 when I ETS'd totally..basic [1] AIT for Chapparal [ 2 OSUT at Bilss] a 54E, Divisional NBC school, Camp Casey, Korea, prior to service in the NBC room for D 2 -61 ADA, [3]. and 11 B relcass at McCoy 89..[4]. Didn't help the rank points or pay, but I knew i did it well..that's all that really counts. Wether the Military recognises it with hard stripe or not..
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SPC Panzerdeal Deal
SPC Panzerdeal Deal
>1 y
TYhen again , what does a "Full Bird Private" over 7 know..? BEFORE any CSM takes offense..
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SSgt Daniel d'Errico
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While stationed in Thailand in 1972, a Chief Master Sergent, who was our first sergentwas assigned to our squadron. He had over 30 years in both the ARMY and Air Force. Didn't know what his original AFSC (MOS) was, but he finished 24 years in the ARMY as CSM. He knew a lot about aircraft maintence, so he was most likely in aircraft maintence.
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SSG Ray Elliott
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It is possible to serve in two branches of the Armed forces. I did it 6 years active duty in the Navy in a Weapons rating, and after being out for a little over a year I went into the Army as a Bandsmen. I would say concentrate on your first enlistment, and see how it goes, you may like it in the Branch of service you've selected. There are some disadvantages to changing services, most likely it will include a reduction in Rank, and you may or may not have to go through Basic training again depending on which Branch you are going from, and which you are going to. Going from Navy to Army I didn't have to do Basic training again, but it might be different the other way around.
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PO2 Steven Hardy
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About half of my company at USCG boot camp were prior service; from all branches. After that, there was always at least one prior service guy at each unit I was assigned to. Even one unit that was only 24 people strong had one prior Navy guy.
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MAJ Infantry Officer
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Serve out your first term. If you still want to, go see a navy recruiter and fill out a dd form 368 and submit through your chain of command. Try to get that 368 around mid august as new job slots open generally on 1 october.
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LTC Jason Mackay
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Edited 8 y ago
Is it possible ? Sure. I have met people who have been two or three branches. met a USAF COL that was enlisted in he Army and Marines, also fought in Korea....maybe no longer relevant. A buddy from college went AD enlisted Navy, ETSed, went to college, joined the ARNG, then transferred to the ANG, retired as a MSGT. Probable? Unlikely. Considerations
- the USMC doesn't recognize anyone else's basic training. You will do it again for them. Recommend you start there if this is your goal.
- you will likely lose rank each time you hop.
- your MOS in one is a consideration for another.
- it will likely take you four enlistments to do this. Renetry is tricky. That is 12-16 years. Do you want to be a 40+ year old PFC? Also consider that you may rack up injuries along the way.
- if commissioning is in there anywhere, that is something that varies widely over time based on needs of the service. It will likely be the terminus of this junket. Officers branch transferring is difficult. I have seen two succeed (Army Infantryman to Navy Helo Pilot the other was an Army Warrant Attack Pilot to USCG Helo pilot).
- reclassifying inside a service happens, but it is always to an understrength MOS, vice "hey! That's cool I wanna do that!". Used to be the BEAR program in the Army. If your MOS is thin, you won't be able to leave. If the gaining MOS is overstrength, you won't be able to leave.

Would recommend you focus on the one at hand and see what happens. Positive performance opens doors.
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SSG Chris Gursky
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Yes, I joined the Navy at 17, in boot camp we had a soldier and a marine going thru with us. After I came off active duty I went into the army with my younger brother. Served 3 active Navy and 8.5 yrs active Army.
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SSG Chris Gursky
SSG Chris Gursky
8 y
FYI, for more travel and better pay switch over to the Navy and pick a job that goes onboard ship. Sea pay is a good thing.
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TSgt Prescott Pranke
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Absolutely YES - I served 10 + USMC, 8 + Nati0nal Guard, 7 mos Active AF, 3 1/2 Air Force Reserves - total just over 22 years
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