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

I switched from Marine Corps to Army in 2012 as a SSgt. Army will take anyone to include prior service Marines. I left the Corps because I was forced out due to budget cuts when the 2012 administration was downsizing the military. I couldn't come back in as I had sleeve tattoos while on active duty, but S1 didn't log the paperwork correctly so I couldn't come back in after. I spent 10 years with the Army fighting to get to E7. I spent a total of 13 years as an E6 and 10 of those years was with the Army reserve. Be prepared to deal with nonsense regarding reciprocity. I did all the schools on the Marine side to promote to Gunny, Army didn't even know where to begin with me. Took ten years to get to SLC (Army's apparent equivalent for career staff academy). Don't take this decision lightly. If I could have stayed Marine I would have in a heart beat. Don't expect the Army to be like the Marines. Army NCO leadership is different from that of a Marine NCO or SNCO.

Grew up reading about military and inclined to join. Three yrs high school USMC JROTC left me enthralled with them but Army recruiters dangled an enlistment bonus and intel career in front of me. Eleven years active I often mused on and sometimes wished I'd gone Marines for the perceived improvement in esprit de corps and higher standards. Still muse on that sometimes and now I'm in my sixties. I think it boils down to what's in your heart. I didn't hate the Army; it was good for me. But if I'd gone Marines, maybe I would have done a full retirement. Who knows. Follow your heart, with some input from your brain.

I can’t speak for the other services, but during my nearly 25 year Army career I saw dozens of former Marines transition to the Army due to career advancement and opportunities, but never once saw a soldier transition to the Marines

I did my four-year hitch, in the Marine Corps. I got out in 1981. Received my Honorable discharge in 1982. I started missing it, the problem was all the Marine Reserve units were infantry. My ass rode in trucks, that's what I did in the Corps. I was a 3531 (heavy vehicle operator), I wasn't walking, I was driving, I would pick you grunts up and take you to destination. I joined a National Guard unit close to my house. The guard in 1985, had the same ole shit I drove in the Corps. I stayed in all total 35yrs. and 2 days retired as a 1SG, deployed overseas did convoys supporting Marines, worked side by side with all branches on the road in Iraq and Afghanistan. I will always be a Marine first, but it was all the same a truck is a truck, same hardships in combat zones no matter what branch. There were a lot of Marines that went into the Guard, actually the Guard has all prior branches in it. Your right, the Army always had new shit, the trucks I drove in Marine Corps were built in the 60's some still had amour plating on them from Vietnam. I as in over 2 years and we got new tractors that were Army hand me downs, we thought we were the cock of the walk, really glad to have them, LOL. All in All, I don't regret going Army. Bottom line is it's all about the RED, WHITE, and BLUE, OOOAH,or HOOAH

Semper Fi
Once a Marine always a Marine. With that being said. I concur with his assessment. Exclusively relative to promotions.
Ret SGM

I agree 100% once a Marine always a Marine but the Army is easier to go up in ranks and a lot better in many ways!

I served in the corps for almost 9 years , I then got out and shortly after went Army . where i served over 20 years . I will always be a Marine but also a Soldier . The Army does have both better and more Options but don't regret my service in the Corps one bit . Because it's the smallest of the services there is a strong brother hood the other services don't have . Making it through Basic is your entry exam into that brother hood . LOL

I won't say there are many pros & cons.I will mostly say it's mainly it's a big adjustmnt.

ZI understand whole heartedly. I spent 12 yrs in the marine corps, then 8 in the Army and retired with a total of 20 yrs actve duty.



I

when i was in coast guard boot camp in 1962 we had one army one air force and one navy in our company hotel 37. when we talked about their jumping ship the coast guard offered something they did not have in the other services. in those days you had to attend boot camp all over again but they put an end to that to get the rates out in the field. but we learned a lot from them about boot camp.