Posted on May 19, 2019
What are the pros and cons of transitioning from AD Army to Marines? What impact is there on promotions and awards?
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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?
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?
Posted in these groups: 
Transfer
Re-enlistment
Transfer Re-enlistment
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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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.
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Cpl Gerald Tucker
Oh yea! You’re going to PI with the sand fleas, gators and the infamous DI’s. This believe it or not was the best part of being a Marine!
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I served in the Marines, Army and AirForce.....Stay in the Army...don't waste your time.
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SGT (Join to see)
How did you not get kicked out for TIS over Rank in the service you were in at the time? (goes back to my initial question of TIS vs time in current service and rank)
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SGT (Join to see)
Honestly I wanted a real answer because if I do this I want to know I won’t get screwed over and if there is a way around it I might actually consider the switch. If there’s not it’s career suicide and I’m not about that but if there is well that’s a different story.
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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.
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.
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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
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SSgt Greg Willard
Close SSG. It's not "Marine Combat Training", it's Infantry Training Regiment...for everybody from bottle washer to grunt (your 11 bang, bang as I hear it called). That's why we're all referred to as basic rifleman. You don't get "volunteered" for recruiting duty, or "pick" drill instructor. The selection board for recruiting duty and D.I. School were (along with Recon) were some of the most demanding boards you can face in the Corps, but they are considered rungs on the ladder to E-9. Good duty stations?? Not so much SSG, unless you hit The White House, Embassy Duty, Captain's Orderly (Navy Ship Capt's armed guard), Camp Lejeune on the Atlantic ocean, Camp Pendleton on the Pacific, Okinawa, Japan, and of course, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Hmm...you might be right about the duty stations. LOL
Aside from that, I appreciate your respect, and I suspect from your picture you're an outstanding soldier!! One of my uncles, Airborne, Ranger, WWII, Korea, and on, retired Lt. Col (Mustang) would brag on you.
Aside from that, I appreciate your respect, and I suspect from your picture you're an outstanding soldier!! One of my uncles, Airborne, Ranger, WWII, Korea, and on, retired Lt. Col (Mustang) would brag on you.
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SSG Danny Anderson
SSgt Greg Willard . In my case, I was voluntold for recruiting duty because I turned in a packet for drill instructor duty and couple of months later I came up on orders for recruiting duty and couldn't get out of the orders.
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SSgt Greg Willard
The Army has their way, the Corps has theirs. Been there, done that. By the way, your comment on "Very sharp uniforms": your black and gold doesn't look too shabby either. Have a smartass friend of mine (soldier), and I commented on how good that Army black and gold polo shirt he was wearing looked. Without looking up from his desk he said, "Thanks. What size do you wear?". Took five minutes for everybody to stop laughing enough to get back to work.
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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".
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Cpl Gerald Tucker
Roflmao! Staff Sgt Willard, I consider myself semi-old corps. 78-83. I fought physically with my Nam Vet DI’s on 3 or 4 occasions. And loved every minute of it!!! Now I’m a Ret. Detective. It made me who I am today. Semper-Fi
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SSgt Greg Willard
From a Drill Instructor point of view Cpl. Tucker: It took two, the Corps and you! (-;
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SGT (Join to see) 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.
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SGT (Join to see)
Thank you for the insight. I'm not interested in going to the Navy or Air Force and can't see myself outside of active duty. Currently I'm not sure I even want to leave the Army however having the information in my back pocket wont hurt.
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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)
( Not throwing shade on the scouts, it's a good accomplishment, but so is making E5)
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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!
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SSgt Greg Willard
That's what Letters of Commendation are for Cpl., and they'll go a lot further come promotion list than 10 ribbons ranked BELOW the NDSM. Hope he listens to you. I rarely read RP because there's so much Army trash: what can I get away with, can I get a ribbon saying I'm a soldier to put on my uniform (huh???), etc. Pull half the crap they try to pull and I'd have your ass hanging from the yard arm in the BN C.O.'s office on an Article 15!! I feel for the tens of thousands of Soldiers, including my family, who work so hard to represent the United States Army with honor.
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Cpl Charles Trump
SSgt Greg Willard true but ribbons do count for points. But Army service, even the NDM ribbons for leadership school all that is entry into a Marines page11. Not on his her uniform. . Shooting brass Silver Star Bronze star V. That's noteworty.
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SSgt Greg Willard
True. Even as a Corporal you must realize that ribbon points won't overcome such things as Letters of Commendations and top out pro/cons from superior officers who carry some weight. By now you must certainly have seen Marines with fewer ribbons or less time in with more stripes or rockers. I've seen Lance Corporals with a "firewatch" ribbon working in the same billet as a PFC with 2 or 3 or more ribbons. Just stay sharp, look for the hardest working Marine in your unit....and outwork her or him. It's late, and it's the first of the month. Semper Fi
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Cpl Charles Trump
SSgt Greg Willard excessive. Pro a cons or Fitness report are a make or break absolutely.
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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.
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SSgt Greg Willard
Fatigues and boots for recruits and we D.I.'s into the '70's. My opinion on women was, "If you're drawing the same paycheck I am saddle up, lock and load, and let's rock! I don't care what you're wearing under your fatigues, can you shoot??". And, that's exactly what I told my grand niece, 4th generation Marine. Semper Fi "Marine"!
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