Posted on Dec 30, 2013
Should former Marines who join another service give up the Title?
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I first joined the Army and after my enlistment, I joined the Marine Corps. I no longer call myself a Soldier, but a Marine. Should former Marines give up the title of Marine once they join another branch of service? It's analogous to a woman taking the name of her husband, then once the marriage has ended, she re-marries and takes her new husband's name. Me, I'm married to the Corps!
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Responses: 358
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MSgt, two of my NCO's that I am in charge of in my platoon are former Marines. They did their time in the Marines and then they left and went and tried the outside for a while and then decided that the military was in fact a better life for them. However the only option available to them was the Army and so they came in as Tankers. However, they are former Marines because they are currently in the Army. They earned their title of Marine on their DD214. I give them all the respect that they earned for their time they served in the Corps, the same as I do any current jarhead. I do love those guys regeardless of any ribbing that I may give them. Bottom line is their are Marine Tankers just the same as their are Army tankers, and I feel that the Marines are an amazingly trained bunch of troops. However if they give it up and go to the Army, then they are in the Army, after they leave then they can claim what they want. While they are in the Army though, they are not Marines. It would be the same as me wearing my Stetson and Spurs in a Non-Cavalry footprint. So I give my props to the Marines, but as long as they are wearing the ACU's they have given up the title of Marine while they are at work. (At least on their chest). Maybe your heart belongs to the Corps, but for however long your chest wears the "US Army" tape on it, you belong to the Army.
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Cpl Clinton Britt
I have a friend that is retired Army but served In the Corps first. He is still a Marine and gas the Tatts to prove it....
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A1C Rene Boucher
Never, an Army Ranger earns his tab,and keeps it so I am told, As the son a Marine, father and uncle of others, I know you have to earn the title, U. S. Marine
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Sgt Logan Lemmond
There would be an astonishing number of Marines who would (less than politely) disagree with you.
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Makes no difference to me! We've all had military experiences where we felt special, that we belonged. For that - to each his own! <div>We're all Brothers and Sisters anyway! I've served with many "former marines" (which is how they put it). Some still called themselves Marines, others called themselves Soldiers. Honored them equally! </div>
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Cpl (Join to see)
CW2 with all due respect. Those individuals who call themselves former Marines are wrong. There are no former Marines. Once a Marine Always a Marine!
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CW2 Geoff Lachance
I would never tell a Viet Nam vet he was wrong. The comment he made was in a response to someone calling him an ex - Marine to which he said, "there are no ex - Marines only former Marines". He also felt very strongly that once a Marine, always a Marine. I totally agree with you! Like I said, makes no difference to me as we are all brothers and sisters period!
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Cpl (Join to see)
If they were in the Marine Corps first , and enlist into another branch later then yes
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Once a Marine, ALWAYS a Marine!<br><br>The Marine Corps instills a sense of pride in being a Marine...the Army prides itself through unit specific history.<br><br>Because I graduated Marine Corps Boot Camp (not simply 'basic training') and served honorably, I've earned the right to identify myself with the greatest brotherhood of them all...the Marine Corps!
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MSG (Join to see)
OOH- RAH, and to think we are now Army Career Counselors! Love my Job but still love the Corps!
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SPC William Wambolt
As a Marine from the 1970's 80's era. I believe that if you enlist in another branch as I did 16 yrs. after leaving the Corps you still hold the title. It was earned through your sweat and commitment and that can never be taken away!
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SGM Matthew Quick
MSG Garcia,
The Marine Corps (like other services) went through a down-sizing in the late 90s. I was a Personnel Clerk (0121) and was told that if I wanted to stay in the Corps, I'd need to switch to Infantry (0311)...I did the next best thing and joined the Army.
The Marine Corps (like other services) went through a down-sizing in the late 90s. I was a Personnel Clerk (0121) and was told that if I wanted to stay in the Corps, I'd need to switch to Infantry (0311)...I did the next best thing and joined the Army.
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Thanks all for the frank responses. I value the time I spent in the Army. It prepared me for my service in the Marine Corps. Back then, I told my Marine friends that I "Ain't Ready for Marines Yet!" LOL, (friendly banter)
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MSgt Roger Settlemyer
A good friend of mine was a PFC at Iwo Jima, wounded. He lost 75% of his company. He later became a Major in the Regular Army. He still considers himself as a Marine.
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I think that once a Marine always a Marine applies, even if you join another service. I know several individuals who consider themselves Marines even though they got out and joined the Army or National Guard.<div><br></div><div>Because Marine is one of the hardest titles to earn I dont think we ever really give it up. All the other services if they decide to join the Marines, have to go through boot camp to earn the title. Going from Marine to another branch, correct me if I am worng, but boot camp is not required.</div><div><br></div><div>So being a Marine is more pride in what you have accomplished, where as being a Solider is more of a job or career title. Dont get me wrong other branches have pride in what they do, but do they still consider themselves soldiers once they leave the service? Or do you say that you were a solider, Marines will always say they are a Marine, no matter what job they hold next.</div>
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SSG (Join to see)
Being a Marine is not just a title, but something deep in your soul. Regardless of the branch you serve in now, the old adage always remains, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine!" Semper Fi!
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MSG (Join to see)
I left the corps in 1992, had a 9 year break and when decided to return to Military, went through Army Basic (Ft Knox), could have requested a waiver, however, wanted to go through what other Soldiers went through. Trust me when I tell you, there was no comparisons, I earned the title Marine, The title Soldier felt like it was given to me. Maybe easier for me due to going through Paris Island before but was still a bit disappointed.
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SSG (Join to see)
In response to MSG Garcia, when an individual gets out of the Marines he or she has many reasons why, but when they decide to come back and try to get back into the Marine Corps, depending on how long they have been out, they will have to start back at E-2. Especially if they got out as an NCO, let me tell you the traditions and "initiation" to get back that NCO Blood stripe as well as the rank, is not easy. Most of us have joined the Army because of the promotion opportunities, but please don't make it seem that because we got out of the Marines that it still does not signify that they are better than the Army, Air Force, or Navy. Every branch has it's lineage and those who have earned the title know what I am talking about. Thank you though for your input.
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This is a personal choice. If you started out in the Marines, went to the Army, transferred to the Navy, then retired out of the Air Force I don't think anyone cares but you. Call yourself a potato so long as you perform your duties and don't act like a bone head.
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MSgt, I fully comprehend tradition, "The Few, the Proud, the Marines". However, once a Marine leaves the Corps, for whatever reason, and join the Army, I do not need to hear Marines this, Marines that. If that's the case, Why are "you" still not a Marine? Many Marines are given "pink-slips", thank you for your service, but we don't need you anymore. "They" then decided to join the Army and run around units with this "I used to be a Marine" attitude. I get it, tradition, but when a Marine joins an adjacent branch, they are now Soldiers, Airmen, Seamen or Coast Guard. "They" will always be Marines, but I have had to address this issue before; You are no longer a Marine, you are now a Soldier. I am not going to refer to any of my Soldiers as former Marines, they are Soldiers first then Marines. Regardless of how "they" feel about the situation. If being a Marine to them was such an honor/tradition, why are "they" no longer in the beloved Corps? I use "they", because not ever "former" Marine falls in this category.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
MSG Oscar Llamas, you sure know how to rain on a Marines parade...you'd do better just letting them thump their chest. You think it a superiority complex, actually having a dual service under your belt is equally something to be proud of. Of you tapped into your Marines capabilities, you'll find them to be a fine soldier through and through. You're asking for a mutiny on your next big mission with that I-hate-Marines mentality...or so that is how I read it. The Guard is truly inique, we don't have this playing conteat, because our unit has a little bit of everything...and I mean everything. We are a group of professionals, and demeaning someones prior service will get your mentioned working against you instead of for your....for what it's worth this goes for all guys that that your same 'feelings' about Marines. We just have an ingrained pride that only a Marines would understand.
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SSG (Join to see)
A few years ago I was inprocessing a new class of OCS Candidates - one happened to be a "former" Marine who made a point to tell me that he was a Marine. After checking him in I told him that at 0530 there would be a APFT and to be ready. He gave me the schtick about Marines and physical fitness. I told him that was good but all I wanted for him to do was to pass the standard Army APFT. Next day he blew it. He failed all three events and had to picked up by the ambulance to bring him in because he was a 26 minutes on his run. The best Marines I have run into in my career have been the ones who never made it a point to verbally stand out and draw attention to themselves.
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CSM (Join to see)
SSG Michael LoGiudice, the limitations with reading information is not being able to fully grasp what the intent of the message is. By no means I hate Marines, I appreciate and utilize all available resources when dealing with training. What was meant was that I will not address an individual by their former rank or their former service. A Marine will always be a Marine, a Soldier will always be a Soldier. However, if you are no longer in your initial service branch and crossed over, you are now a member of that Service and should not "run-around" with the mentality that one is better than the other. I appreciate your feedback as it allowed me the opportunity to go back and attempt to re-direct what was meant in the initial post. Thanks again.
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Only if a Marines who join the TSA or work for Google are also no longer Marines.
Is it still like being Married?
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