What are the pros and cons of transitioning from AD Army to Marines? What impact is there on promotions and awards?

2019-05-19T05:38:35-04:00

pros/cons

does your time in service mess with your promotion time? (with 8+ years moving down to an e-2 how long would one have to pick up rank before getting the boot)

do awards transfer?

is the adjustment unreasonably difficult?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2019 8:33 AM

2019-05-19T08:33:31-04:00

I am very surprised you are dropping grade that much. An NCO is an NCO, regardless of branch, and that should count for something. Even an Eagle Scout can come in as an E3.

( Not throwing shade on the scouts, it's a good accomplishment, but so is making E5)

Response by CW2 Michael Bodnar made May 19 at 2019 10:41 AM

2019-05-19T10:41:56-04:00

SGT Private RallyPoint Member that's an interesting change. First and foremost, you'll have to attend Marine Boot Camp. As a prior service Marine, I will tell you that it will be a few years before you actually pick up Cpl depending on the MOS you get. Everything is tougher in the Marines and they will challenge you every single day - t's a different mentality all together. I'm not sure I would accept going from a SGT to a PFC though. You might want to consider other services to see what they have to offer you.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2019 1:01 PM

2019-05-19T13:01:28-04:00

That's very surprising that you'd be rolled back to E2 with 8 years active service. In the Marines and Navy what we call RCP is called high year tenure. In the Marines the HYT for E4 is 8 years and for E5 is the 10 years. You'd have to move from E2 to E6 in less than 2 years.
As for awards, Marines are only authorized Marine awards. We tried to give some Marine students of ours an award and found out its not allowed.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2019 1:29 PM

2019-05-19T13:29:02-04:00

https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/1713185/enlisted-active-duty-service-limits-and-high-year-tenure/

ENLISTED ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE LIMITS AND HIGH YEAR TENURE The Official United States Marine...

R 132003Z DEC 18MARADMIN 696/18MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//SUBJ/ENLISTED ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE LIMITS AND HIGH YEAR TENURE//REF/A/MSGID:MSG/CMC MRA MP/101900ZOCT17//REF/B/MSGID:MSG/CMC MRA MP/021526ZJUL18//REF/C/MSGID:DOC/CMC MRA,

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2019 1:30 PM

2019-05-19T13:30:36-04:00

https://www.marines.mil/News/Publications/MCPEL/Electronic-Library-Display/Article/899517/mco-p140032d-wch-1-2/

MCO P1400.32D W/CH 1 - 2 The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website Electronic...

MARINE CORPS PROMOTION MANUAL, VOLUME 2, ENLISTED PROMOTIONS,

Response by CPL Gary Pifer made May 19 at 2019 3:32 PM

2019-05-19T15:32:23-04:00

I served in the Marines, Army and AirForce.....Stay in the Army...don't waste your time.

Response by CPL Gary Pifer made May 19 at 2019 3:33 PM

2019-05-19T15:33:48-04:00

Or..might go Marine Reserve....then transfer to Active Duty.....maybe.....

Response by Cpl Gerald Tucker made May 19 at 2019 7:29 PM

2019-05-19T19:29:06-04:00

Hey Sgt. I actually did that. I went from the Army NG. To active duty USMC and never lost rank. Awards & comedations I was able to keep. But think hard and long about your move. The Corps is a different breed. Promotions are very slow and you won't get the assignment you want. The old saying " Every Maine is a grunt!" Is true! So think long and hard.

Response by SSgt Greg Willard made May 20 at 2019 12:03 PM

2019-05-20T12:03:24-04:00

Best advice? Listen to Cpl's McNeely and Tucker!! They know the "New" Corps. It HAS to be a labor of love. These days not uncommon to see an E-5 with more than one hash mark (4 years). In my day we occasionally had a former soldier transfer, but they had to go thru RTR (Recruit Training Regiment), it was that much of a culture shock. My rise to the E-6 list in 4, even for my day (1972), was uncommon, an anomaly, but I lived Corps day and night and loved it; took every MCI Course available and attended U of So. Carolina on days off and evenings. A Series GySgt I was on the Drill Field with at P.I. in the '70's had made the E-7 list in 6, and damn well deserving of every stripe and rocker!! So, listen to Tucker and McNeely!! They know the "new" (lol) Corps. SEMPER FI McNeely and Tucker. When they make fun of you: "I AM....and you never will be".

Response by Cpl Julie Smith Strickland made Nov 7 at 2019 12:00 AM

2019-11-07T00:00:51-05:00

I joined the Army in 1977 when we still had WACS for three years and got out as a Corporal. Joined the Marines in 1981 and had to go to boot camp again and lost 2 ranks. I was amazed at Marine boot camp because we ran in tennis shoes, shorts and T-shirt but Army boot camp, I ran in boots and fatigues. Being young and single I enjoyed both branches but I wished I would have stayed in the Army. Back then women were put down from the old Marines who didn’t think we should be Marines. I had no problem because my dad retired Army as an E8, I grew up in Military towns and after joining the Army I didn’t take shit and I always had a SNCO to back me up cause I knew my job. Best experience of my life.

Response by SSG Danny Anderson made Jan 2 at 2020 1:22 PM

2020-01-02T13:22:23-05:00

Here are the pros: Very sharp uniforms, highly respected, you'll be in the best shape of your life, great training, pride of belonging, good duty station assignments . Here are the Cons: Have to go to boot camp again even if you was Special Forces and go to Marine Combat Training, may have to retrain in another MOS, you'll lose rank but gain back quickly, you'll only keep some awards because certain ones are not authorized for wear, run more miles for PT, once you make E-5 may get voluntold to be a recruiter if you don't pick a special assignment such as drill instructor, embassy duty, or combat instructor, Promotions in the staff ranks (E6 to E9) are very competitive so it is highly recommended that you do a special assignment, take on leadership responsibilities, and do some college classes. Last but not least EVERY MARINE IS A BASIC INFANTRYMEN REGARDLESS OF MOS

Response by Cpl Charles Trump made Apr 1 at 2020 4:36 PM

2020-04-01T16:36:03-04:00

No, no. I did that, got out for a year then crossdecked into USMC. They took my rank, sent me to the PI. Graduated as a PFC. Any loss of rank is devastating no matter how it occurs. But you do have a chance for Meritorious promotion though. Be hard, be physical, know your job inside and out and keep your ear and eye out. Talk to your LT and Staff Sgt, Staffs are Platoon Sgts not Squad leaders in the Corps. So let them know your intrested in a meritorious board. Awards, your awards will cross over. Except for your CAR if you got it. CIB for u I think. Then you get 3more, Army service ribbon, yes the rainbow ribbon. WOT, and GWOT ribbons, when you go to leadership schools, like BNOC ANOC more ribbons!! Enjoy!

Response by Cpl Charles Trump made Apr 1 at 2020 11:10 PM

2020-04-01T23:10:48-04:00

Well then again. I have, now it's a no brainer that if they did the Gulf, Afganistan you know been somewhere. Then if that's the uniform of the day. I mean DIs wear em all day long with Charlie's. They dont wear cammies all the time. So I'm not toatally against it. But some of that stuff is just exsessive.

Response by Cpl Charles Trump made Aug 5 at 2020 12:56 AM

2020-08-05T00:56:18-04:00

Please don't do that! You got too much time in service to do that. I went ADArmy to AD MC in 86. Listen, if they can't do you better then PFC with 8.5yrs in then tell em to forget it!!! You could pull off a couple meritorious promotions, but what if that don't happen? Awards, yes some do,some don't! Army service ribbons, CIBS, EIBs and PLDC and ANOCA ribbons are not transferable! If you have a CIB you will lateral to a CAR ribbon. The rest of that junk goes away. Combat patches and any other patches are not worn on a USMC uniform. Yes their is a patch for everything in the MC but not wearable. They probably want to send you back to boot camp, yes I graduated from PI as former Army. Hope it helps.