Posted on Oct 26, 2016
Sgt Individual Material Readiness List (IMRL) Asset Manager
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I have recruiters calling and asking me for my interest in their branch. I don't have experience in any branch besides the Marines. A little bit of information regarding the culture and customs of each branch would be extremely helpful. I'm interested in the USAF because they are well funded, have better mess facilities, have ample job opportunities and other perks.
Edited 7 y ago
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SSG James Funaro
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A Marine should not go into the USAF and the USAF should not accept them. While it can work and sometimes does, the Marine's air of superiority can grow old in a hurry. Their training and mentality is foreign to Air Force culture. A Marine is trained to take an objective under fire and instantly listen to his platoon Sgt or squad leader without hesitation. An airman will never be asked to take an enemy objective and our senior NCO's are there to make sure that the technical work done by the airmen in their charge is done correctly because lives are at stake and our mission is all about putting aircraft into the sky, not charging an enemy position. So yes, AF discipline is different because the mission is different. Flightline work or shop work doesn't need Marine Corp discipline. It needs people to work in a relatively stable and comfortable environment so they can accomplish difficult and technical tasks. And it works for the AF, as our air power is without question, the finest in the world.

I fully respect the Marine Corp and what they do, but I get tired of people flaming the USAF because we are not like them.
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Cpl Chris Headden
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If you you a squared away Marine, then you shouldn’t have an issue becoming an airman. I’ve been on a few Air Force bases and agree about the chow halls. Some of the best in the DOD.
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CDR William Kempner
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I went from USAF to USN. As an officer in USAF, if you aren't a pilot, you're a second or even third class citizen, unless you're CCT or CRO, and even then others don't know what to do with you. USN is completely different- much more demanding, but more proud, and the genuine article. I was doing things as a USN LT that USAF would send an O-5/O-6 to do. And as a Line type, I had to know, or learn EVERYTHING, from standing bridge/engineering watches to conducting XOI/Masts/Summary Courts Martial to sword drills for parades/change of command. I swallowed a lot of crap along the way, but I never regretted the decision.
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CPO Dan Wiberg
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I am an OSVET, Other service Veteran. Served 5 years in a combat outfit and was doomed to stay in combat outfits for my career. So after the first 5 in the 5thCMBTCG I went 17 in the US Navy. What was better? Schools are better in the Navy. Working in your field is better in the Navy. Opportunities were better in the Navy as I earned 11 NEC codes compared to the one in the USAF. Opportunities for advancement were better in the Navy.

What was worse in the Navy. Being away from home and family with sea deployments and remote assignments, food, food was worse in the Navy, Housing was worse in the Navy, the bases were worse in the Navy, family care while you were gone, worse in the Navy.

I also had to repeat boo tcamp. I went from the Viet Nam War era USAF boot camp and then into Navy boot camp where little girly boys whined and complained about the PT and how their little blue shorts chafed them. We wore field packs and combat boots in the USAF running the PT, in the Navy it was Nikes and whining. I had 10 more medals that my Navy Company Commander.

The Navy said my USAF training would be useless, I challenged most every course, graduated honor student every time and graduated months earlier than expected.

What is also worse in the Navy? MEDICAL CARE! But then the Navy wants you to die first or labels you as a malingerer. Some how I served 9 years with an undiagnosed broken neck in the Navy it was only found by the VA 27 years after I broke it. I broke my back in the Navy as well in 1994 and the VA finally diagnosed it in 2015, but only after mis diagnosing me with ALS in 2002 and giving me End Of Life Counseling in 2005. In 2014 they figured I was the longest living Vet with ALS or THEY WERE WRONG. I now have 7 fused vertebrae and got out of a wheel chair after 17 years more of waiting for promised proper medical care.

But there is much more wrong with the VA Medical system and I am they guy they talk about when it comes to misdiagnoses and VA failures.
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1LT Kurt Mccarthy
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I don't know about switching branches, but as somebody who ended up disabled from too much pounding sand, pending surgery late this year. I say go for it, the USAF will preserve your body! My brother-in-law went from Army Infantry to the USAF. When I joined the Army, he said, "bro, you're an idiot, you could have had a good easy life". I should have listened. My father was a Marine Combat Veteran, he said the same go to the USAF. If you feel good, and you want to keep serving, I say go for it. You always have the title of a Marine for life, plus you can square away some of those Airmen!
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1LT Kurt Mccarthy
1LT Kurt Mccarthy
6 y
SSG James Funaro True, somebody has to eat steak and lobster while maintaining the aircrafts.
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SSG James Funaro
SSG James Funaro
6 y
1LT Kurt MccarthyWell, its pretty obvious what it had to do with your comment. You said we need to be squared away. Sorry Lt, but we don't need Marines to square us away, we've been doing fine without you for a few decades now.
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SSG James Funaro
SSG James Funaro
6 y
1LT Kurt Mccarthy And THAT'S why Marines don't belong in the USAF!!!
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1LT Kurt Mccarthy
1LT Kurt Mccarthy
6 y
SSG James Funaro ji got ya, and agree 100%.
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PO1 Riley Greenwood
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I am Navy. There is something special about being in one of the Sea Services. The Ocean makes everything more difficult. The Marine Corps is an important part of the most capable expeditionary Force in the world. If you want to learn more life lessons you should go Marine Corps
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LCpl Mario Salazar
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From Hero to Zero!!!
Lol
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SCPO Don Schulz
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During 22 years USN I spent a little time with our Soldiers, Marines, and Airmen in various exercises and operations. One thing that impressed me about the USMC is that a PVT does not become a PFC until he knows how to give an order. And the rest of the services, including my beloved Navy, eventually teach a PO or NCO the right way to give a "suggestion."
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SGT Kenneth Partyka
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I never switched Branches so I can't speak to that but I was Army (Intelligence) and the son of a Navy Officer. I'll say this though, the guy I respect the most who ever served was a Marine. 30 years after getting out, he's still Marine. Me, I'm a civilian veteran. Big difference in my eyes. I respect everyone who served but the Corps is just different and I have the utmost respect for those guys.
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1stLt Training Officer
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Switched Enlisted Navy Reserves to Active Marine Officer. Words cannot describe the discipline, bearing, and attitude difference I’ve experienced since making the switch.
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SPC (Other / Not listed)
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We can bust each other's balls ad nauseum, but don't let a civilian bust an Airman around a Marine!
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SSG Tim Thornton
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I went to two boot camps and had been in three different services. I went through OSUT in the Army at Ft Benning. I went to MCRD in San Diego. Most physical was The Army, most mental happen to be the Marines. I will always be a Marine but retired Army Reserves.
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GySgt International It Pmo & Portfolio Manager
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Round peg round hole. If you fit, stay. I was a grunt and moved to Intel, the main requirement was a good ASVAB.
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LTC Stephen Conway
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A caveat the Marine Corps doesn't accept service schoolzone others such as armor armor in the Army will not count toward armor in the Marine Corps so make sure the Air Force counts whatever you have while the Army will most likely accept your ncos school so you can make it to E5 so just food for thought in case you haven't thought about the Army National Guard or the Army Reserve or even the active Army
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Sgt Individual Material Readiness List (IMRL) Asset Manager
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Could you please elaborate, sir? I haven't heard of schoolzone. If it is the army, I would look at becoming a warrant officer.
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LTC Stephen Conway
LTC Stephen Conway
>1 y
Sgt (Join to see) - this may not apply to you I was just mad because I had a sergeant my platoon Sergeant was E7 he was a master gunner armor and he also worked at China Lake Naval Air Station he wasn't being transferred back east and due to a civilian job and he was thinking about joining the Marine Corps Reserves the Marine Corps Reserve would not accept any of his armor this guy had everything for our more complete it you know he was a Master Gunnery was instructor besides being a platoon Sergeant so that kind of gave me a bitter taste so what I'm trying to say is the Army should accept everything you have in the Marine Corps if you decide to go to Warrant Officer school or if you decide to be a concealed first I'm just saying the Army accept Marine but the USMC doesn't accept Army that's all I'm saying
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LTC Stephen Conway
LTC Stephen Conway
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Sgt (Join to see) - sorry I'm using my phone virtual text so sorry if my story didn't make a hundred percent sense but I think you understood
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SGT Sheri Lattimer
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Personally, I went Army seven and a half years after being discharged from the Marines. In no way did I just sit on my 5th point of contact but I didn't keep up with the fitness standards, either. Due to my break in service, I found myself at Ft Jackson SC in basic training. IMO if physical fitness is an issue, there should be effort to resolve it. There should also be something in place to teach those from different branches the rank structure, proper wear of the uniform, etc. Not everyone needs to go to basic training but don't just toss (for example) a Marine into an Army or Air Force unit without a clue. I knew the difference between a GySgt and a SFC but many don't.
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I went Marine Corps to Army. Iraq 2004, the Marine Commandant showed up for photo ops with Marines. I asked if I could get a picture since I was a former Marine in Viet Nam. He replied, "There are no former Marines, get over here!".
SrA John Monette
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depends if you can pass the IQ test for the Air Force. Minimum 130
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LCDR Operations Officer
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The easiest cultural transition appears to be into the Navy, although it is still a change. I’ve had several prior service Marines under me, and they have done well. Both were Recon.
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MSgt Rick Bauchert
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You can't do lat move into Intel or CI in the Corps with a reenlistment option?
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Sgt Michael Shelton
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The US Air Force is a fine outfit however they get chicken S$&@ over minor stuff.
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SCPO Don Schulz
SCPO Don Schulz
7 y
We observed that the "East Coast" Navy was far more chicken shit than the "West Coast" Navy.
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SCPO Don Schulz
SCPO Don Schulz
7 y
SCPO Don Schulz - And in order, max chicken shit went to Surface, then Gator, then Airdales.
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