Ping Pong (Reserve to Active Duty)

[shapsug]

Hi Marines,

I am a reservist in my second year of my 6x2 contract. For eleven months now I’ve been trying to switch to active duty. In February I went to talk to the recruiter who put me in and he gave me a DD368 form to start the initial process. I brought that form to my career planner at my reserve unit. He told me that the Corps wasn’t excepting active duty packages until 2011 but he would put in my package regardless. Finally after waiting for eleven months my REQUEST FOR AUGMENTATION TO ACTIVE DUTY returned, approved. There are several signatures but the most important one looks to be from the commander of the Marine Forces Reserve. Here’s where I need some answers. My career planner gave me the approved papers and told me to take them to a recruiter and that he would know what to do with them. The career planner also told me that I would have to go through the hole MEPS process over again and sign a new contract. So I did what he told me and went to a recruiter. The recruiter I went to see told me that his boss is telling him that my unit is supposed to take care of my paperwork. So of course I called my career planner and ever since I’ve been feeling like a ping pong ball. The recruiter doesn’t know how or what to do to help me and the career planner keeps telling me that a recruiter is responsible for the work. In boot camp my DI used to tell me to run to my other DI as fast as possible (usually a pretty far distance away) and say “ping”. When I got to the other DI he would tell me to run back and reply with “pong”. Pretty funny looking back on it now but I’ve been out of boot camp for some time now and would prefer not to play **** **** games when time is valuable. Could anybody please tell me who is supposed to handle my situation and possibly give me a detailed list of procedures. Maybe a prior recruiter, career planner or maybe even someone who’s been in my situation can help. Thanks a lot.

[Wood5831]

I would contact the next person in your chain of command(Platoon Sergeant). Get him/her involved with your CO and the career planner and make some phone calls.

Here is my take on this being I am in a similar boat(trying to get back in on IMA Reserves and then go on active duty). You are going back on active duty so your recruiter should be the one to do the paperwork. After all if you were to do a PSEP packet, the recruiter would be the one who does the packet. I don't see why this is no different.

Congrats btw.

[shapsug]

My Plt Sgt. told me to speak to a prior service recruiter. I got in contact with one and he told me that i need to speak to a regular recruiter and do a PSEP. He said that prior service recruiters only put people into the reserves or active reserves. All the recruiters i've talked to said they 1. don't know what paperwork needs to be filled out and/or 2. that their opsO told them specifically that they don't deal with this kind of situation. I know that recruiters don't get any points for putting me on AD and im starting to feel like that is the reason im not getting anywhere. Now that i know what paperwork needs to be filled out i can start from scratch with another recruiter. Thanks for the help.

[Wood5831]

Yes. A PSR only deals with getting you in the Reserves. A regular recruiter handles getting you on active duty. The problem is they can be lazy and don't want to deal with it and supposedly they do not get credit for you as a contract.

I know for a FACT they do. I have a friend who is an Ops Officer for a RS and he told me they handle the PSEP package. You might be different being you have already been approved!

Fvck it. Request Mast and see if that opens eyeballs!

[josephd]

You are exactly right on your recruiter does not get their quota points for getting you re-contracted. I have been through this process twice already, denied both times by the AD side. At the time I was pursuing this only SNCO's were being allowed to augment/change over to AD. Not sure if this has changed or not. So basically a recruiter is doing a huge favor to you if he is willing to get you contracted.

If you are still under your conditional release it is up to you and you alone to get this pushed through before your release expires. Once it does you have to re-submit the DD368 all over again.

I gave up after going through this twice. My suggestion to you is if you can't get this done then volunteer for deployment, IA billets, or AR billets. These will at least get you out of your unit and on active duty for a time being.

[april0720]

is there a different recruiter station you can go to? we've been rounds withthis as well, lay your foot down and say NO a PSR does NOT handleprior service going back in Active..YOU do. If you don't know how, give me the name and number to someone who does. Persistance is KEY! if you must, show up in person and say you're not leaving til you speak with the correct person. That doesnt work...contact Head Quarters My husband & i have (and are) going down this road, been dealing with it for over 3 months straight every single day, its an emotional frusterating roller coster. You just gotta find that ONE person who will help you out...our person ended up being in VA lol

[josephd]

is there a different recruiter station you can go to? we've been rounds withthis as well, lay your foot down and say NO a PSR does NOT handleprior service going back in Active..YOU do. If you don't know how, give me the name and number to someone who does. Persistance is KEY! if you must, show up in person and say you're not leaving til you speak with the correct person. That doesnt work...contact Head Quarters My husband & i have (and are) going down this road, been dealing with it for over 3 months straight every single day, its an emotional frusterating roller coster. You just gotta find that ONE person who will help you out...our person ended up being in VA lol

I believe you are thinking of re-enlisting, he is trying to switch over to active duty from reserves. A LCpl putting his foot down with a Sgt/SSgt recruiter or a GySgt PSR is not going to happen.

[april0720]

no i'm thinking about a Marine going back into Active. And it sounds like the same circumstance as if he was Prior Service (already EASed) or a Reservist trying to go Active. i KNOW the run around, persistance is KEY like i already said.

[josephd]

no i'm thinking about a Marine going back into Active. And it sounds like the same circumstance as if he was Prior Service (already EASed) or a Reservist trying to go Active. i KNOW the run around, persistance is KEY like i already said.

he is not going "back" into active as he was never active before and it is nowhere near the same circumstance as if he was prior service and he had EAS'd.

I KNOW the run around also as I have been through it twice. While I agree persistence is key, as a LCpl. you can't just put your foot down and demand an NCO or SNCO take care of something for you as a favor

[april0720]

jesus i certainly am NOT going to argue with you. This young man can do as he pleases. Possibly *I* have more pull since i'm "just the wife" because i've put my foot down MANY times, i've emailed people who I probably shouldn't have, went around the little pip-squeeks who don't know WTH they're doing, you want something done? Then you gotta push forward, press on, call everyday, say you KNOW someone can help you whose at the recruiter station, email or call Headquarters etc etc. period that's that. Private, PFC, LCpl, Cpl, Sgt, SSgt whatever you still deserve respect and people to try and help you accomplish what you're trying to accomplish. You can always "put your foot down" in a respectful manner, by NO means and i saying to disrespect your higher ups.


On another note they're only taking between 16-24 into Active, that's in January. Not sure if its only prior service, or reservist trying to go active, all i know is they're only taking the BEST and i would call a recruiters station asap and ask about the spots; you should already have a package going though, but still you never know Best of luck to you, its tough trying to get what you want in the Marines LOL another option is the AR program which is just like Active...just a different name lol you train Reservist, its full time, full benefits etc. As i'm sure you probably already know about it.

[shapsug]

Well it looks like i found a motivated Sgt who's all about the Marines. I called him yesterday at his recruiter station and although he wasn't completely aware of what to do, he said he would help me out. I met with him today and he copied my paperwork and said he would take it with him to HQ. As far as putting my foot down, there's always a tactful way to say something to a higher rank in my opinion, and yes! persistance IS key. I hope that it isn't as difficult as you all say it is to get approved by the active side. What specific things do they look for as far as only "accepting the best". Im no where near a shlt bag but im not perfect. And no offense to anyone but the reason im trying to go active is because i can't stand to be in a reserve unit, so AR wouldn't be an option for me. I have a pretty good job and am living comfortably, but like pinocchio i want to be a real marine, don't get me wrong tho, there are great reservists who i look up to. My paperwork is good until March, and after reading all the comments im motivated enough to nag whoever it is i have to until i get what i want. Thanks again for your support

[Bwub]

Well it looks like i found a motivated Sgt who's all about the Marines. I called him yesterday at his recruiter station and although he wasn't completely aware of what to do, he said he would help me out. I met with him today and he copied my paperwork and said he would take it with him to HQ. As far as putting my foot down, there's always a tactful way to say something to a higher rank in my opinion, and yes! persistance IS key. I hope that it isn't as difficult as you all say it is to get approved by the active side. What specific things do they look for as far as only "accepting the best". Im no where near a shlt bag but im not perfect. And no offense to anyone but the reason im trying to go active is because i can't stand to be in a reserve unit, so AR wouldn't be an option for me. I have a pretty good job and am living comfortably, but like pinocchio i want to be a real marine, don't get me wrong tho, there are great reservists who i look up to. My paperwork is good until March, and after reading all the comments im motivated enough to nag whoever it is i have to until i get what i want. Thanks again for your support

I am very curious to see where your at with this process. My husband is in a similar boat, but has been in for close to 5 years and wanted to wait to trasnfer/augment until after he deployed with his Marines. We didnt think it would take this long to deploy. He has spent enough time on active duty to know that is where he needs to be. And do to our own ignorance we defaulted to the reserves when he joined. Anyways he just got back from deployment and is being told still that as for FY11 there are no openings in active duty. So he is trying for Rec Aid now and hoping to keep being persistent for FY12. But he is in the process of still putting a pkg in just in case. My husband is an above average Marine. Anf this deployment only confirmed that. He wouldnt say this...I am just being honest.

Again...I am very curious to see where you are at now that we are past the first of the year. I would appreciate any insight you may have.

And good luck Lcpl. Its nice to see a locked on reservist.

[GySgtRet]

When I was on recruiting duty 80 - 83 at Buffalo New York when somebody wanted to go from IRR to AD I got an assesion and or credit for that contract. It is tracked differently by OPS, but you do as a recuiter get to have recruiter as record on the contract. Be prepared and offer to do the leg work. You seem to have your s*&t together. If your command has signed and approved I don't see any reason that you can't go AD.

Gunny out
Semper Fi

[josephd]

If your command has signed and approved I don't see any reason that you can't go AD.

Gunny out
Semper Fi

It is not up to his command to whether or not he gets to go active duty, all his command does is release him thereby allowing him to pursue AD. The active duty side of the Corps still has to accept his package/request.

[shapsug]

When I was on recruiting duty 80 - 83 at Buffalo New York when somebody wanted to go from IRR to AD I got an assesion and or credit for that contract.
Gunny out
Semper Fi

Just for the record I am a drilling reservist and not IRR. Recruiters get no credit for putting me on active duty, which is why this process is so painful. So far from my experience, every single recruiter i have went to told me that they do not do these packages. I have been referred to prior service recruiters, and also told that my unit is supposed to do it. I've even had a recruiter Sgt. from Tinton Falls NJ pretty much tell me in these exact words "bro get any thought of going active duty out of your head, you're a reservist". That was the last straw for me. So since my last post i haven't had much progress. Only because the SSgt in charge of the recruiting station that was helping me fell into the "what are we getting out of this" category. But i think im starting to move in the right direction. I brought up word "Request Mast" to my units career planner and suddenly things started to click. He called the Recruiting School in San Diego CA and they said that putting reservists on AD is the job of AD recruiters. So someone important from san diego gave someone important in NJ a well deserved ass chewing and now i am being taken more seriously. So bottom line, IT IS ACTIVE DUTY RECRUITERS JOB TO PUT RESERVISTS WHO HAVE BEEN "APPROVED FOR AUGMENTATION TO ACTIVE DUTY VIA DD368" ON ACTIVE DUTY. I've talked to a lot of people who have been in the same situation i have been in and the only thing i can say is don't give up. I've learned something a little late but i am going to start using it more often. If you're not getting the answers you want and deserve from your chain of command or whoever is directly helping you, then request mast, it is what is there for. Good luck to you all.