Reserve to Active
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  1. #1

    Reserve to Active

    Good evening Marines,
    Before some comments are posted about how there are other threads about this topic, I have read them all and did not find the information I was looking for.
    Anyways, here is my story. I enlisted when I was 17 years old in my senior year of high school as an active 03XX, 6 months later I was second guessing my choice and backed out of the DEP. (biggest regret of my life). After attending college for half a semester, on Thanksgiving break I was home and begged my recruiter to let me reenlist. He did and he said I could only go in as a reserve 0844. I said yes because I already messed up once and did not want to take a risk of not getting the opportunity to earn my title as a Marine. ( now that I look back I wish I would have caught harder to get an active duty spot).
    Now I am in MOS school right now and my active duty time ends come November. I am not ready to give up my active duty life, I love this job day in and day out and the thought of doing it part time makes me feel sick.
    I have been doing a ton of research and Know I need to fill out a DD form 368 Unconditional release and have my recruiter fill his part on it, Fill out a NAVMC Form 10274 Administrative Action, and write a letter why I would be better active duty rather than reserves.
    I know it will be a long and hard process, but I can't picture myself as a Reservist. I am a squared away Marine with perfect PFTs and CFTs, I work hard, and love this life. Is there anything else I should know before trying to switch over. I haven't been to my reserve unit yet, but I plan to have all this material ready, so once I get home I can start the process. Does anyone have any advice/ recommendations for me?


  2. #2
    Chris, I did almost the same thing that you are doing. I initially went in the Reserves thinking that I would go to school, the active duty bug bit me. I filled out the appropriate paperwork, the recruiter did his part but I had to stay with my unit for 12 months before I could transfer to active duty. My experience was from 1981 so keep that in mind. Check with your recruiter and find out if there is a 'required' time in the reserve unit before you go active duty.


  3. #3
    Thank you very much for the response. I will talk to my recruiter as soon as I finish MOS school.

    Does anybody else have any advice?


  4. #4
    You can try man, but money has ran out and it's not going to be easy moving to the active side. I'm nearly in the same spot as you, backed out because they wanted me to become admin after promising me intel, I left and went to another recruiter who told me MEPS would only let me go reserves. I did and got 0231 and I was happy until I had to return home. I like the guys in my unit, but there's that constant nagging feeling of wondering why I'm not doing my job full time.

    In the reserves you'll have the opportunity to do stuff like Toys for Tots, funeral detail, and even REC AID if you want to work as a recruiter.


  5. #5
    josephd
    Guest Free Member
    I went through the whole process about 3 years ago. Getting the active duty side to accept you and place you somewhere is where the problems start. And especially now that the Corps is downsizing it wouldn't be a stretch me to say that going active duty from reserves is gonna darn near impossible.


  6. #6
    You won't be competitive for a spot until you're a sergeant or staff sergeant. Because at that point the Marine Corps will start negotiating for bonuses and school slots to get those guys to stay in, when a reservist will take his spot just to have the spot. The E2-E4 will be filled by the promotion process.


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