What is it like to switch branches from Marines to other branches, specifically USAF?

i went from army to Marines. i can tell you this, the Marines were more fun. believe it or not, the other services are more chickenshit about minor things.

I went from the Corps to the Air Force. The discipline, bearing and attitudes where very foreign in the beginning. Just a different mentality to get use to. But you will never remove the Marine mentality where ever you land. Truthfully I wanted to go back to the Corps. But due to circumstances beyond my control I stayed where I was at. In the end it all worked out. Good luck!

We are just gonna give you shit for it all the time. JSYK. but your still a brother to me

Going from the Marine Corps to the Air Force was not a good thing for me. Sworn in, sent to Moody AFB and told to go to work. Trying to learn a new airframe,New rank structure, New ways of doing things, New uniforms, and all the rest -- by what was essentially OJT.

"We're Marines, we work until the job is finished"? Don't try that in the Air Force, you'll get in trouble for working too long! I wish I'd strayed in the Corps.

Some people make it work,and they do quite well. I wasn't able to do so.

Sad but a fact of life for many career military who are Marines. I went from Army to Marines, so I really can't help you sort out your answer, but I can tell you that Prior-Service Marines are a breed apart in other branches. We tend to grind our teeth a lot over small things, and barely hold in our horror and shock at casual use of first names on the job... and a hundred other things that you are going to find in the USAF.
Some of those things are... bases are not in swamps, deserts or variations thereof. There are actually some large cities around their bases, and there are a lot more jobs available... and more rank.
If you make the jump, and if you have family, you probably will, because rank is a battle in the Corps, and no matter how much you love the Corps, sometimes, you have to consider what is best for you and yours.
Whatever you decide, baby brother, know that you aren't the first, and you won't be the last. Take advantage of what training you can, consider what will cross over to the civilian world when you take that leap, carry yourself like a Marine, and remember we've got your back when you want to start talking about "Back in the day...."

most of the folks i knew brought the Marines with them...

One thing to remember is that even within the services there can be huge cultural differences. When I switched from Tanks to Crypto Repair it was a huge cultural change. When I had to lead Cable Dogs as an Installer Team Lead, it was completely different than leading Tech's like myself in a GS Maintenance shop.

I will say that you probably want the Specialty that is most difficult to qualify for, that you can see yourself enjoying, and that offers the most ACE credits for MOS training. Next I would look at the clearance required for the specialty, when it comes time to get out you want to have the background that is going to transition into a good paying job.

I would say the differences in culture can vary not only between branches, but between jobs as well. The AF treats people differently than any other branch at least from my perspective. The way airmen act and speak around SNCOs and officers is extremely different than that of the MC. I know the Army and MC like to have barriers where typically young enlisted don't have much interaction with someone like a Lt. Col. However, even with less than a year in the Air Force I remember going to the chow hall with my Director of Operations (O-5) while deployed and eating and talking to him like he was just another leader similar to the same respect I would have given an NCO.

The Air Force doesn't indoctrinate their people the same way the MC does. The MC wants you to live and breathe the Corps and want you to know the history of it. The Air Force just wants you to have a sharp attention to detail and to show up, do your job, then go home. The AF also pushes people to go to college constantly and to do volunteer events with the base and local community as much as possible.

The Marines teach you how I fight. The Air Force won't do that unless it is your job and is expected that you may come into contact with an adversary. The majority of airmen I have met have very limited weapons training (you probably fired more rounds in a day during Boot than many airmen have fired in their career).

Some MOS/AFSC are more close knit and have a stronger since of espirit de corp than others. Some jobs deploy a hell of a lot more. Some units with the same type of mission statement deploy more than others like it.

I've been deployed with both Airmen and Marines. To be honest, I'd rather be deployed with Marines because they bitch and moan less and they understand comraderie and how to have fun even if we're supposed to be having a crappy time.

Now, not everything is bad. The standard of living in the Air Force is a lot higher. Typically get fed better and get better barracks. Being an E-4 you probably wouldn't even be put in a dorm. We also typically have more of a heads up about deployments than what I saw with the Marines I've worked with. And when we do deploy we don't normally get put on a ship to take as to and from the AOR. Depending on the MAJCOM, base, and unit you're with you may get a good bit of down time to spend with your family.

To me, it's more about what you want from your career; do you want a strong sense of brotherhood or would you rather have a high standard of living. If you want to be a trigger pulling grunt, every branch has those so be open to looking at all of them. I know the AF Battlefield airmen like TACP, CCT, PJ, and SOWT are taken care of pretty well. Weigh your pros and cons. Not every patch of grass is greener on the otherside. I've actually considered changing branches so I can find a better sense of brotherhood and comraderie.

The Air Force requires as much discipline as any other service. We need to end the myth that the Air Force is a soft service. Perhaps it is fair to say they require different qualities of discipline than other services. For example, when I was Navy enlisted, all I had to do was make it back to the ship alive after a heavy not of drinking. The chief would kick my rack and I would definitely be at muster call. There was no UCMJ involved. In the Air Force, you better be a grown up on day one and wake up to your own alarm clock or else your butt is getting kicked out next week. I remind my son of this as he aspires to enlist in the Air Force.

IDK about the AF but I can tell you about the other branches. I was an 0341 in the Corp and joined the Army and become a 52D. What a change. The older Army guys, mostly combat vets who had higher rank I got along fine. The testosterone level with the lower ranks E-5 and below sucked. I went from Combat arms to mechanic. Not the same world. I felt many of the E-5 felt threaten by my take charge additive and can do spirit. So, there was a lot of sabotaging, back stabbing and under cutting that happened. Also, the E-5's in the Army were holding positions that and E-4 in the corp would have. Maybe a Lance Coolie could do. I got out and went Navy Corpseman and fought to stay in the hospital branch, however, it was boring and not as challenging as I was used to. So, I went Fleet corpseman assigned to Marines. I was back in the life and enjoyed my 8 years as a Corpseman. So, in hindsight, if your a hard charger, it may be a bit of a drag in some jobs you pick.