USMC to USAFR...then to USMCR...???

[Brent2651]

This is probably best suited for a prior service recruiter, but here goes: <br />
<br />
I was born on Parris Island, 3d Battalion and served 8 active years in our beloved Corps from 1986 to 1994. I was forced...

[DocGreek]

QUESTION: why do you want back in the Corps?
QUESTION: what's your current MOS, and what WAS your MOS, in the CORPS?
QUESTION: could you retire at the end of this year, as an E-7, or E-8 from the USAF??
QUESTION: life goals?

Just wondering......DOC

[Brent2651]

Hey there Doc. Thanks for checking in. Here are my responses to your inquiries: <br />
<br />
Why go back to the Corps? (1) I miss the unique comradery that only Marines have. (2) I miss drills, ceremonies,...

[Brent2651]

I feel kind of stupid for posting this thread now. Chalk it up to mid-life crisis and a little self-pity and whining.

Consider this one closed.

[JWDevilDog]

Still...perhaps I should just shut up, work towards E-9 and retire as an Airman. Either way, I'm still more Marine in my thinking. It's tough to reconcile.

Negative, Sgt. I say get back into the Corps. I wish I had specific answers to your questions, I really do. This seems like a unique situation, and I want to help, but I can't.

Get in touch with a recruiter, and explain, in detail as you did here, your situation. Make him work for you. Make him do everything in his power to get your rank back. I don't know how much you can get, but some is better than nothing, right?

You say if you switch over to the USMCR right now, you won't be able to retire until you're 60. Well, the way I see it is that's plenty of opportunity to get your rank back, right?

Either way, talking to a recruiter can't possibly hurt. Give him a shot, and see if he can work wonders for you.

Good luck and thank you for all your service. Semper Fidelis.

[Wyoming]

Excuse me there, David Isbell, 'Once a Marine, Always a Marine'.

What's that old movie line, something about, what if I had never got in the backseat of the car.

Don't grow old with a ****ed up dream.

Go for it Brother!!

[Brent2651]

......

...Still thinking...

...Might consider the Reserve Warrant Officer angle, provided I'm not too old or under-qualified...I'll be 41 this year...Associate's Degree in Electronic Systems Technology, federal security clearance since '98, two DoD 8570.1m certifications (Information Technology) and a CCNA cert (IT/Networking). Working on CISSP (Information Security).

Continued upward momentum is my ultimate goal, regardless of my final path.

Not really thinking of an active duty path for a variety of reasons...age and a decent civilian career are the top two.

First trick is to figure out what flavor of recruiter to talk to.

[JWDevilDog]

What flavor, eh? I say the good, Marine, kind. Everything else is second best. Do you really wanna be second best??

[Brent2651]

What flavor, eh? I say the good, Marine, kind. Everything else is second best. Do you really wanna be second best??


No doubt. :marine:

Actually, I'm not sure whether to speak to an enlisted or an officer recruiter (whatever they're called).

I suppose the best thing for me to do is to start walking into offices and asking questions.

[JWDevilDog]

No doubt. :marine:

Actually, I'm not sure whether to speak to an enlisted or an officer recruiter (whatever they're called).

I suppose the best thing for me to do is to start walking into offices and asking questions.

It is an "Officer selection officer." They deal mainly with commissioned officers, I think. Like you said, start walking into offices. Eventually someone will point you in the right direction.

God speed.

[Petz]

don't know if this was said, but you'd be forced to come back in as the last MARINE rank you held... so you'd be throwing away a lot of retirement money at 62 because before you could get E8 in the Corps reserves you'd be forced out... best to stick with the chair force reserves.... I hate saying it.

[Brent2651]

It is an "Officer selection officer." They deal mainly with commissioned officers, I think. Like you said, start walking into offices. Eventually someone will point you in the right direction.

God speed.

Copy that. I suspected as much but was not positive.

I'm getting the feelers out there: initiating correspondence with a retired Marine officer I served with and have maintained close contact with over the past 11 years. I originally served under him 22 years ago.

Also pinging a CWO3 I work closely with on a daily basis.

Chipping away at the PT, working towards a solid 275 score.

All things in good time. The worst the Corps could do is tell me no. The Navy and Army have Warrant Officer programs as well, though I would probably wrap it up with the Air Force if denied by the Corps.

Either way, I'll never quit until they kick me out the door again.

[Brent2651]

don't know if this was said, but you'd be forced to come back in as the last MARINE rank you held... so you'd be throwing away a lot of retirement money at 62 because before you could get E8 in the Corps reserves you'd be forced out... best to stick with the chair force reserves.... I hate saying it.

I hear you Staff Sergeant,

I am Reading the Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual, Section 7-14. Also researching the various elements of U.S.C. Title 10 as it pertains to military retirements.

Looks like my back is against the wall on this one, unless I were previously commissioned in the Corps then reverted back to the enlisted ranks for some reason.

Since that is not the case, it appears you are absolutely correct.

I still have to try, though.

Even if I have to retire as an Airman, I will always be a Marine. They cannot take that from me and I will not give it up.

I just wish the Corps had never forced out so many career-minded Marines back in the day. I also kick myself for never having gone Marine Reserve in the first place. Sadly, I was so ****ed off at the active duty that I wouldn't even talk to the Reserve Recruiters, though they were ringing my phone off the hook.

Hind sight is always 20/20...

Do not make my mistakes, Marine (whoever might be reading). Do not throw away a perfectly good career, even if the options are not the ones you are looking for at the moment.

[Petz]

just thank clinton.... it was a sad day for the military as those who stayed are running it now... and made it kinda soft.

[Brent2651]

Indeed.

Win or lose, nothing says I cannot still maintain my old Corps standards, even as a "cross-dresser." :usmc:

[Chumley]

I THINK .... IF you were able to get back in as enlisted, and get your E-5 rank back, your retirement is based upon the two highest years of career pay....double check that one. I remember hearing about a wartime field promotion from enlisted to Lt. At the conclusion the Marine was reduced in rank to E7 but was eligible for retirement pay at Lt scale....long time ago...unclear.

Anyways, it seems to me that when one is motivated and relentless, and unwilling to accept a negative answer, they frequently get their way. Unless there is a direct fixed policy that make you in-eligible, then a waiver may be granted if someone accepts your side of the argument. You won't have a chance in hell, however if you can't keep up/overtake with the young Dawgs, so start spit-shining yourself.

The CWO option seems like a better chance for you.

All in all, You are already a Marine, no matter the uniform you wear today. Which branch of service you retire from is inconsequential. Just don't show up to the MC Ball in your "other Blues" OOORAH

HEY - I was a 3451 too....

Good luck!
SFi
C

[Brent2651]

You won't have a chance in hell, however if you can't keep up/overtake with the young Dawgs, so start spit-shining yourself.

Just don't show up to the MC Ball in your "other Blues" OOORAH

HEY - I was a 3451 too....

Good luck!
SFi
C

Yeah...I'd smell funny with a goblet of cocktail shrimp shoved up my "arse."

That "other" uniform could get a brother Marine needlessly wounded in the wrong neighborhood.

Hopefully a Warrant or "Regular" Officer will come across this and provide some input from the other side of the fence.

PT is my primary objective at this point, as I have a Senior NCO Academy to attend soon, and I have generally kept myself in a state of Marine Corps fitness ever since I got out. Currently doing a lot of "8 count body builders" as part of my workout. They remind me of a cross between push-ups and bends-and-thrusts.

A lot of territory to cover: professional reading, fitness, continued education, familiarity with current rifle qualification standards, uniform reg's, etc, etc.

Hoepfully I can get this thing well underway and build up a fighting chance by January. The prepation has already begun, but it cannot be accomplished overnight.

[Brent2651]

HEY - I was a 3451 too....

Good luck!
SFi
C


Did you ever have the pleasure of working with/for (now retired) MSgt Ronald A. Palmer (0311 turned 3451)?

I haven't viewed your profile yet, so I don't know what years you served. Big Ron retired about a year ago, following his final tour in Iraq.

I think Pendleton was his final PCS.

[Chumley]

Did you ever have the pleasure of working with/for (now retired) MSgt Ronald A. Palmer (0311 turned 3451)?

I haven't viewed your profile yet, so I don't know what years you served. Big Ron retired about a year ago, following his final tour in Iraq.

I think Pendleton was his final PCS.

Negative, but I'm sure we know a few of the same Marines from that timeframe - such a small MOS field.
SFi
C

[sniper 217]

Well I can understand that. There is no service like the good ole Corps. There are many who make you think its easy, and want you to join but that where it stops. I have a good friens who left the corps for the Army and has regreated it ever since.

[Achped]

Why do they regret it? I may cringe a little putting on ACUs but at least I'll be able to dress how I want, get the newest gear and not have to use weird words like "deck" or "bulkhead"

[smadge]

My thoughts as I read your story:
I ets'd out of the CORPS after 20 months in Viet Nam and concentrated on "geting The rest of my life in order. Various friends and accuaintances I made over the next few years kept trying to talk me into joining the Army National Guard (many of whom were marines and other branch viet nam vets).to try and make a long story short, I joined and entered The Guard as a A Sergeant (e-5) My Marine Corps rank. After a year there I realized that for those few years I really missed the military and all the things all of you know comes with being a part of that.I was cruising along and was alwas tasked with providing all the "tactical type training" for the unit. I was in heaven but still did not hesitate to voice my opinion about "stuff". Finally the old Command Sergeant Major called me in and said,(and this is my point),"boy, you can F--- around here and ***** about syuff or get qualified for promotions and attend training to get to a position to do something about it and I will help you if you want ". That was about 1984 or so. I then decided that I would do it and the rest is history.I am now retired (forced at age 60 in 2005) with 14 years and 10 months as a Command Sergeant Major and many years of service the soldiers with whom I have worked and led.
When my wife talkes about me she always says "He was in the army,but he Is a Marine'.
I always used me experiences in the Marines for a benchmarke for what I said and did for those twenty-five years in the Guard.
Just for what it is worth while you are trying to decide what to do.
I am proud of my Army service and proud of my Marine Corps service!!

Semper fi
Smadge

[William Hardy]

This may be a bit late but....
I spent the first 11 1/2 years of my military career in the Corps. Came out as a Gunny. I left due to family problems... I later joined the Army Reserves and they took me in as an E6. Didn't like being a tank DI so before they sent me to DI school I joined the Army National Guard. I had to go in as an E5 and after several years got my E6 back. I retired with 21 years back in 1994. In 2004 at the age of 55 I passed my physical and rejoined the NG. I was finally able to join up with a group that was going to Iraq in 2006. Did my 18 months and returned home and retired again just before my 59th birthday. I would have stayed until 60 but the few extra points I would earn wasn't worth it. Effective this month, I begin drawing my retirement pay. With a little over 13 years of active duty it added up to over 5400 points and a sizeable retirement check. I was able to retire as a SFC(E7) since I was a Gunny in the Corps. I went from E5 to E7 during my last 3 months in the Guard.

What's the point? Why change branches now? You will lose rank changing from AF to MC. You may get to retire at your highest rank, but you are close enough to making E9 in AF so stay there and go for the higher multple and more retirement pay. You'll never lose the Corps, it's part of you. Take care of your retirement. If you don't, you will regret it later.

[Brent2651]

Certainly not late at all (any of the above responses. They are all greatly appreciated). The main reason I have not responded to this thread in a while is that some interesting developments have occurred, and I'm waiting to see the results.

For starters, someone in my unit, of considerable influence, suggested that I apply for our First Sergeant's position. The position of the "Shirt" is an E-7 slot, though several E-8's and E-9's have held it. Odd, yes, but the Air Force "Diamond" can be held from E-7 to E-9, as the position is precisely that: a position, not a specific rank. E-9 Shirts are extremely rare, though, as E-9's at the Command level typically become Command Chief Master Sergeants instead of Shirts.

So...

I applied and stood before a board, against several exceptionally qualified Senior NCO's. Not sure how soon I will know the outcome.

Secondly, I managed to acquire a seat in the Senior NCO Academy coming in October. The significance? Eligibility for promotion to E-8 as early as December.

After looking at the pay charts for E-8 with 20 years as compared to WO1, considering the odds of reverting back to E-5 or lower and having to claw my way back up, and after reading the responses here and considering the sound advice of other retired Marines, I am inclined to stay my present course in the Air Force.

I want to keep my options open though, just per some weird unearthly chance something should fall out of the blue. You never know.

Still...I occasionally get the itch to buy a set of Marine Corps Blues that actually fit, throw on those dusty old Sergeant's stripes and show up for one more birthday ball. Air Force birthday balls are very similar and a lot of fun, but still a very different culture.

My wife cannot understand it at all. she constantly says, "Honey, you're not in the Marines anymore. Why can't you accept that and think of the Air Force the same way you think of the Marines?"

We are what we are.

Semper Fi. :usmc:

[6yrforMar]

I know a little about getting the shaft,I was in the Pa.Air National Guard,I had all of my requirements for E-7,they done away with the slot I held in the Vehicle Maint.section,started all over in the operaters section [Veh.].Got done all of special training required,Politics again,New Supervisor brings in his own people.No upgrade to E-7,got ****ed off and got out.I had 24 years in Air Guard.It is a decent unit,But it is not the Marine Corps.When you retire,pension is the Highest grade held.

[6yrforMar]

I was in the USMCR from 65-71,got promoted 5 times.Was in the Air Guard from 81-05,got promoted 1-time.You are handicapped from the get go,differant branch.Same slot problem in Vehicle Operations-Maint. as in Motor Transport in the Corps.Could not go back in USMCR due to injuries from auto.accident.We had former Marines that were E-8's,and came into Guard as E4's.I guess I lucked out I was allowed to keep my E-5,got E-6 after 7 years and that was it. Semper Fi,"Once A Marine Always A Marine"

[Brent2651]

Bad news: didn't get selected for the Shirt's position by the board, though they said I was a strong contender (for what that's worth). Colonel told me in person, after the board had made a decision. Also told me my opportunities for bigger and better things are far from over.

Good news: slated for Senior NCO Academy after Korea. Might pin on E-8 in December. Think I mentioned that before.

Still wish I could don those Marine Corps blues again. There's just no substitute for the real thing.