Am I on the right path? (switching units/wanting to go active duty)

[ritdawg]

I've been in the Marines now for the last 5+ years, have been one deployment to Iraq in 2008. My contract is up sometime in the middle of May of 2012. My current MOS is 0311, with a current rank of Corporal. What I want to do is Lat move into the MOS of Air Traffic Controller (7257). My question is should I try and start the paperwork now to get a release from my unit, which by the way is an Air Support Wing in Colorado, so currently I am a mismatched MOS for this unit, and the unit is potentially shutting down, or should I wait till my contract is up, and try and reup then? I graduated college in Iowa, where I was recruited out of, with a degree in computer graphics/interactive media as well as flight operations. I then moved out home to Colorado, hence the transfer to an air support wing, and continued to go to college where I just graduated last week with an Associates in Air Traffic Control (scored a 96 on my final). I also took the AT-SAT (the sat/act of air traffic control test), where I scored a perfect 100 on the test.
I wasn't sure if any of college credits/test scores would assist me in actually getting that MOS if I was to Lat move. I do know that there is a bonus for lat moving into air traffic control, so it seems like that the Marines are needing controllers. If anyone has any ideas/suggestions, would be greatly apperciated!

Thanks
Semper Fi

[blackshirts]

I'm also interested in a lat-move to ATC for FY 13.

[BGW]

Well some one is going to say this eventually so I will just come out and say it first. Your best of bet on anything in this life is to perhaps go to your career planner and talk to him. Once you do then talk to another career planner if your able to, just for a second opinion in case your first career planner either does not know what he is talking about or two you might get additional more info.

Top it off try contacting some one that works in that MOS, as to how? That is a little more difficult and more up to you to try and find out. That is just what I would do. Chow bro.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

And I would start NOW, don't wait.

[Quinbo]

Contact this warrior

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/member.php?u=17967

[ritdawg]

My contract is up in about a month, and I keep getting the run around from my reserve unit, where I am a MOS mismatch, on how to reenlist but switch to active duty. I am currently an 0311 and want to go active duty but switch to 7257, air traffic control. I went to school and received an Associates Degree in ATC, so I have the background and the knowledge to successful complete the training. I am currently an e-4 that has not gotten in any trouble during my 6 years in the reserves. My current unit is getting shut down in July, so they are busy with the handover, so I am out of luck with my unit in trying to go active. The Career planner at the unit only knows about reenlistment into reserves or active reserves, and all the local recruiters that I have talked to are unfamiliar with the process. So if anyone had any help, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Apache]

I may be off target,sounds like your command is making it easy for you to ETS.
Anything you can get needs to come from your command.

If it were me-----
Answers cannot be obtained through your normal contacts.
START WORKING YOUR WAY UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.

Always show respect
No need to bad mouth those unable to help,just state they did not help

I say again,start with your immediate then request to see the next level
Continue till you have an answer.

Allowing your contract to expire at this time most likely is a very bad move.

Hope this helps

[weapons124]

putting a PSEP together is NOT going to happen. There is literally no funding for retrain allocations. Your only chance of getting active is to seek out your PSR and put a package in for the AR program.

[SgtMason]

putting a PSEP together is NOT going to happen. There is literally no funding for retrain allocations. Your only chance of getting active is to seek out your PSR and put a package in for the AR program.


^^He's got a point. Your local PSR is the only one with any power. Honestly, reserve units usually have a skeleton admin...which will only hurt you in the end. Look up your nearest PSR and he will have all of your answers. If he doesn't go to another one. If he doesn't, PM me and I will give you the number for the best PSR around. One that doesn't BS you and will shoot you straight. Good luck.

[Monkeyboy]

When I enlisted, and went to APG, MD. Met Sgt who went from Reserves to Enlisted. THink Bayonet Course > Dummy > Here's Health to you and to our corps?

[ritdawg]

Here is my current situation:
I am a non obligated reservist with my current unit out in Colorado. Currently I am a MOS mismatch with the unit (0311), and I want to lat mov into the air traffic control field (7257). Ideally, I would like to go active duty, and get stationed wherever, the whole point is I want to do ATC work. My test scores are up there (97 on ASVAB), no NJP's or any sort of punishment. I am on track to pick up e-5 next quarter. So I have been talking to the PSR about switching units, as the only unit that does Reserve ATC is located in Dallas/Ft Worth. I would switch units, go to school, and then get 18 months of OTJ training. After that 2 years of work is up, I would go back to a reserve status for my drill dates.

What I'm wondering if this is the path that I should continue on and switch units, with the chance that something might open up down the road for me to go active duty. And since I would already have the MOS training it may make it easier for me to switch to active duty. Or should I keep pushing to attempt to try go active and switch to ATC at the same time. I've tried to bring that up to the PSR and other recruiters, but with the draw downs it appears that it is damn near impossible to do so.

As far as the ATC job goes, aviation has always been something that's been part of me, and I do an excellent job of it at the same time. I've gone to school for aviation (a degree in flight operations/management and ATC) I scored a 100 on my ATSAT test (ACT/SAT of controllers) so I have the background and basics of controlling. If anyone has any advise or guidance for me, I would appreciate it.

Thank you

[Lisa 23]

I merged all of your threads together since they seemed to be asking the same questions.

[CarolinaChuck]

Ryan,

How old are you and how long have/did you serve on active duty? My gut feeling says there is more to your question. Your granduation date, years in service and platoon number don't add up, but I have been out so long the new Marine Corps has become a mystery to me.

How can you be unobligated? In my day it was an 8 year obligation with a 6 month early reenlistment clause for those serving on active duty; meaning 7 1/2 year obligation minimum. Do you mean you are on an inactive reserve status?

The only way to cut the 7 1/2 year minimun obligation of service would have been a reenlistment on active duty, and then take an early out offered by the Corps under the second 4 year active duty term of obligation... ask me sometime how I know.

How did platoon #2007 graduate in Aug of 2006 at MCRD? Have I been gone that long? August graduation platoon numbers would have been in the 30's or 40's back in my day... I graduated in Aug of 79 in platoon #3038.

At any rate, what was the first contract you signed for when you went into the Corps?

Chuck

[josephd]

Ryan,

How old are you and how long have/did you serve on active duty? My gut feeling says there is more to your question. Your granduation date, years in service and platoon number don't add up, but I have been out so long the new Marine Corps has become a mystery to me.

How can you be unobligated? In my day it was an 8 year obligation with a 6 month early reenlistment clause for those serving on active duty; meaning 7 1/2 year obligation minimum. Do you mean you are on an inactive reserve status?

The only way to cut the 7 1/2 year minimun obligation of service would have been a reenlistment on active duty, and then take an early out offered by the Corps under the second 4 year active duty term of obligation... ask me sometime how I know.

How did platoon #2007 graduate in Aug of 2006 at MCRD? Have I been gone that long? August graduation platoon numbers would have been in the 30's or 40's back in my day... I graduated in Aug of 79 in platoon #3038.

At any rate, what was the first contract you signed for when you went into the Corps?

Chuck

I am sure he'll chime in but he is un-obligated as in he is out of his mandatory drill time to where he can check out, drop to the IRR, and stop drilling at any time.

8 year contract in the reserves, 6 of that is obligated, 2 is IRR. After that first 6 you can drop to the IRR at any time if you like or you can continue drilling every month.

your platoon number is based on what battalion and company you graduated with....ie. 10xx for 1st Recruit Training Battalion, 20xx for 2nd, 30xx for 3rd. and then each company has designated numbers that get rotated for each cycle.

[ritdawg]

Josephd is correct, and I have never been active duty (was activated for a deployment) but my time has been spent in the reserves (was in college at the time). As far as my contract goes it was a 6x2 6 years of obligated drill time and 2 years of IRR time. One year was spent in the DEP program and the other year, I kept drilling. This is my first contract, and like stated above would like to go active duty with the ATC but seems like the most likely shot with how much time I have left on my contract reserves is the best option.

[josephd]

Josephd is correct, and I have never been active duty (was activated for a deployment) but my time has been spent in the reserves (was in college at the time). As far as my contract goes it was a 6x2 6 years of obligated drill time and 2 years of IRR time. One year was spent in the DEP program and the other year, I kept drilling. This is my first contract, and like stated above would like to go active duty with the ATC but seems like the most likely shot with how much time I have left on my contract reserves is the best option.

have you spoken with the CRS at your unit yet?....my suggestion would be to talk with him and see what your options are through him. If you can't get anywhere with that I would say drop to the IRR, quite a few doors open up for NCO's in the IRR. And you don't really have to deal with any sort of chain of command at that point, if you have a question on something you can call MARFORRES or MCHQ directly to find out what your options are and get your name in there with whomever the monitor may be.

[CarolinaChuck]

Ryan,

You are right when you say you have never been on active duty in the FMF, and your reserve time is going to be calculated differently if you go on active duty in the FMF. I can see now where your question comes from, and I kind of thought you were dealing with some kind of reserve status.

You can look into what your options are through your reserve unit, and the reserve monitor, or who ever looks after the reserve force. You do understand there is a difference between unit and force? You will probably get two vary different answers when talking to them.

And unless something has changed in the Corps, at your rank you can't talk to a monitor... So be very carefull with that thought because they have limited pull anyway; they can play games just like recruiters too.

You won't get out of the 03 field going active or staying in the reserves; I don't believe that will happen. You do understand that as a resevist you have almost ZERO street credit in the Corps?

Your best bet for a lateral move would be through your reserve unit if your CO is onboard, and has enough weight to throw around in the reserve force; but I can tell you he ain't going out on a limb for a trooper. He has his own career to look after. If you are a missmatch for him in your current MOS, his hands maybe tied dealing with you anyway.

I don't think going active will help you, but you'll have to go through a blood sucking recruiter to do it. And you need to a sit down a minute; you will not enter into the FMF at your current rank. Maybe an E-2, even if you make E-5 first, and your only best bet is to try it as an 0311.

If you shoot to high by trying to change your MOS, you could find yourself being handed your hat and shone the door in the end. You will just have to see what the need of the Corps is and go with the flow; always has been, and always will be.

I don't mean to seem hard on you or your fellow Resevists, but the Corps is going to be downsized and a lot of you are going to be weeded out for no apparent reason. It has always been a hardball world based on the needs of the Corps.

One other thing I would like to let you in on; company and battalion commanders don't have the pull you all may think they do. If you can't get higher then that, you got to understand that their job is to tell you how the cow eats the cabbage...

Granted, I have been out a long time and things have changed in the Corps, but some things I have to believe are still the same. Your mileage will vary...

Semper Fi Mack,
Chuck

[josephd]

I don't think going active will help you, but you'll have to go through a blood sucking recruiter to do it. And you need to a sit down a minute; you will not enter into the FMF at your current rank. Maybe an E-2, even if you make E-5 first, and your only best bet is to try it as an 0311.

NOT true at all....I know a few Marines personally that have gone from the Reserves after their obligated time is up to active duty at the same rank. While each component is separate, rank is rank, it is something you have earned in our branch. They don't take it away because you want to lat move or switch components.

[ritdawg]

Thank you for all the help, gives me a lot to think about, the issue that I have with my unit right now is they just transitioned from an airwing to a CLB unit, and they are still bringing in Marines and trying to get the unit organized. So right now the unit is a giant mess. I have talked with my career planner before, and I guess he was so busy with the unit when I told him when I wanted to go active duty he laughed at me and told me it was not possible. So that is why I went to the PSR to ask him and right now this seems like the best option for the air traffic control. Since my time is up in May, I don't want May to come and find out that I no longer have a unit to belong to and get kicked out.

[CarolinaChuck]

josephd,

No disresect, times have definetly changed; and I understand that. But if you think for a minute, how is an FMF troop in the 03 field going to look up to a weekend warrior "new guy" type supervising even a field day going to fly... ain't going to happen. What do you actually think would happen if they ended up in combat? The Corps knows this and has been around longer than those who are currently serving now.

I give a rats ass what you think they'll do: and you better start thinking about high you'll need to jump if you want to make a career in the Corps; they got loads more bloody underware than you do...

Oh, and by the way... a lat move is someone who constanly shoots over 245 out of 250 max score (old days) and wants to become a PMI. 0311 to a 72xx is a career change and not a "lat" move... I would not want to pull the pin on that grenade; would you, let alone his CO (Officer type) thinking about his own career?

Semper Fi,
CC

[ritdawg]

I understand the fact that I would be a sgt, and possible under the command of a corporal or even a lance and learning from him. I am fully aware of that issue, and would not have a problem with that. I understand that this a career move, and fully prepared to spend the rest of my time in the Corps. I'm not looking to do another 4 years, 6 years or whatever, I want to spend my time with the USMC ATC unit. I am not a stranger to the aviation field, I'm not someone off the street that has no knowledge of ATC and/or aviation. I know I will need to be trained by Marine Corps standards and have my bags packed to go to school. I went to college and have flight hours have CTI training in ATC, so I know that this is a life long career for me. As far as my CO and First Sgt goes, I have had a chance to talk to them in details about my plans on what I want to do with my career in the Marine Corps, and they have already said that they will help me with whatever they can to get me where I want to go.