What are the Pros and cons of switching from the Marine Corps to the Army?

What is your major? Are looking to apply your education in the Military? Review the positions of interest to you. All branches of Service have good and bad characteristics. Select which can provide experience with your degree. Good luck!

Know a guy who was an E5 or 6 in the marines and joined NJANG. Within a year he was fulltime, had a college degree and was off to OTS. Stayed as a security type and was very 'squared away'. In ten years he was an O-6 out in AZ.

once a Marine always a Marine. as a senior sgt in the Army I ran across many Marines in the runt
other soldierly uniform. You are certainly welcome n the US Army. your TIS will transfer and the rank will be reduced temporarily but all promotion boards will come quick and you will pass easily enuff
some new leadership courses are online as well as required attendance. don't discard the camoflage uniforms until you make E5 again. At that time some army clothing store may make a trade. Good luck in your career marine

Depending on your MOS, the Army has a greater range of opportunities for advancement as it is a much larger organization with more positions to fill. There is no other organization like the Marine Corps for dedication and motivation but if you are in Armor for instance, there are so few units that growth can be stymied and many Marines either transfer or change MOS. That is just one example. I am still proud to have been a Marine, but I would not have reached my career goals there.

If you are looking for a sleepy career the Army is better. Having served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam as a grunt along the DMZ, and as a civilian in Germany at the end of the "Cold War" near Nuremberg; knowing many US Army soldiers. The Marines are more inclined to attract young idealists who love the comradeship of fellow Marines and the warrior ethos. Even the rear echelon types in the Marines are macho. The Army it seems to me attracts the carrier minded Americans more often than the Marine Corps. There without a doubt Army idealists in units like what I saw in the "Cold War ’ Army’s 2nd ACR in Nuremberg, but as a whole most are in the Army I knew are serving in the US Army as a career. Which in itself is not bad.

Honestly, you need to communicate your concerns with you career advisor, you first sergeant, or up your chain of command. If you're looking for special forces, look within your service for those things like MARSOC, Marine Sniper, or Force Recon. I don't know if there are Marines in the SEALS. The thing is, you need to research what is available, what you need to do to apply and be eligible, and then shoot for that standard and opportunity.

Changing a military branch just to chase a beret is just the wrong thing to do. I don't know how many times, I knew of individuals who switched services to try and earn jump wings, get hurt or something else disqualifying and then end up wasting four years as a clerk typist or cook -- sometimes evening leaving the new service in disgrace.

I've served with Marines and former Marines who chose to pursue Air Force careers. The thing is, they're sill Marines in every way and that background tends to positively rub off on others, making everyone else that much better, but you are doing a disservice to your self if you don't try to achieve those elite forces options already available to you first.

I was Navy for four years before taking my commission in the Corps. I never regretted it. And while I was never a soldier, I have worked with the Army throughout my career.

Army schools are amazing. I went to jump school at Benning (and Navy dive school), then half-a-dozen other schools over my career. I served with Army SF in North Carolina (and SEALS many times). I had an Army boss at the Pentagon and another at PACOM. The single officer who affected me the most in my professional development was an SF battalion commander.

If you're looking for skills that you can use in a civilian job, the Army is the way to go. And if you're just gung ho and want to serve, then there are plenty of units that have the esprit de corps that can scratch that itch. But no one service, not the Army, not the Royal Marines, not anyone, has the service-wide pride and esprit de corps as the Marines. A pay clerk has the same spirit and pride as a Raider.

There are pros and cons with both services, but it really boils down to what you want out of it. For me, the only choice was the Corps. For others, the choice is the Army, hands down.

I changed over from the Marines to the Army after 8 years. I would have got out after 4 years but I was stationed Iwakuni, Japan and was guaranteed a year extension there. I was having too much fun to leave.

Being 8 years prior active duty marine, the Army recruiters were eager to snag me up. I didn't have to go through Army basic so it was a very quick and easy.

Here are some distinct differences between the Marines and Army

-NCO responsibilities / Subordinate discipline:
Being an E5 or E6 in the Marines comes with a huge amount of responsibility. But the E1 though E4 Marines were mostly disciplined and on auto pilot. Didn't have to provide much baby sitting. If you tell a Marine to climb a tree and bite off a branch and bring it to you, there's good chance he/she will do it. Even if its a small branch.

Being an E5 or E6 in the Army didn't come with too much responsibility. But the E1 though E4 Soldiers are filled with troublemakers galore. So therefore Army NCOs end up being overpaid baby sitters. Taking care of Soldiers in the Army is like a whole extra MOS that will sometimes take more management and time than your primary MOS. The discipline and training doctrine is just very "different" in Army basic.

-Dutiy stations and Deployments:

The Marines has the fewest large duty stations but the best deployment locations.
The Army has large duty stations all over the world but the worst deployment locations.

In the Marines I went to all kinds of countries some good some bad. If you get stationed in Japan and don't end up in Australia, Thailand, or Philippines something went wrong. But of course I spent a couple deployments in Afghanistan as well while I was stationed stateside.

In the Army When someone says "deployment" its 95% chance you will being going to the sand box (although this changed recently with Operation Atlantic Resolve and Korea rotations).

-PT tests:

The Marine PT test is really easy to pass but really difficult to max out.
The Army PT test is easier to max out but more difficult to pass.

*update* The Marines did change their standards a bit last year. And the Army is supposed to implement a new PT test in October 2020.

-Dining Facilities:
They are better in the Army. Enough said.

-Barracks clean up:
In the Army the 1SG calls for a formation at 1800 for all soldiers in the barracks to clean it. This will happen MAYBE once a month. When I was stationed in Fort Hood it happened once during the 9 months I lived in the barracks

In the Marines EVERY Monday (or Thursday) you whole day is shot. Because at 1800 your apointed place of duty is at the barracks cleaning it thoroughly.


-College:
In the Marines college is just not really a thing. I can count on one hand of how many Marines obtained a degree on active duty (or ever enrolled in college at all). On a few occasions some Marines had to dis-enroll due to deployments or field ops.

In the Army there are countless Soldiers and NCOs that had degrees and were enrolled in college. For Hood even has the Central Texas College campus on base.

*update* with the prevalence of online college, it has made it easier for both branches.

Best and most realistic response I've ever read on this from any former Marine.
I trained with Corp often and had numerous Marines come over from the Cotps and relished their time in the Army much moreso for the same reasons the gtest Captain stated.
Salute!

I'm Army all the way. Would have never considered switching to any other branch. Duty, Honor, Country