Change of Service Branch

[JDWarren]

I am currently an Airman First Class (E-3 soon to be E-4) in the Air Force. After being in the Air Force for just over 2 years I've had plenty of time to realize that it is not what I want out of my time in the military. I'm looking to change branches within the next year when I'll become elligeable at the half way point of my enlistment contract (3 out of 6 years). I live in Germany and I'm "deployed" to the Middle East right now so it's a bit of a pain in the ass to find a recruiter. Is there a way I can contact a recruiter through emails?

I have a pretty good ASVAB score (79), but I'm looking to go into infantry. Would my ASVAB score pose a problem? If I wanted a desk job I'd stick with my job in the USAF.

I want to cross over to the Marines to get what I'm not getting out of the Air Force. My career field has very little unit cohesion at all. I want to be more in the fight. I've worked with Marines before. I get along better with them and respect them more than the Airmen I work with.

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[Zulu 36]

The way things are right now in the Corps with downsizing, etc, the likelihood of crossdecking into the Corps is slim to none. The Corps is being very picky with recruiting and isn't even allowing former Marines to re-enlist in most cases.

In any event, you do know that infantry is one of the hardest MOS fields to get due to popularity? Also, you will have to go through boot camp as the Marine Corps does not recognize basic training from any other branch.

Your ASVAB score is probably fine as far as getting into infantry, it's all the rest that is going against you.

[JDWarren]

I understand that everyone is downsizing so I won't get my hopes up about crossing over to the Corps. I know infantry is a highly sought after MOS. Grunts are typically the face of the Corps to the public just as TACP and Combat Control are the Air Force's face of the battlefield.

As for basic training, I actually don't mind going through it all over again. Boot camp is where you learn the core values and beliefs for each individual branch. Plus, I'm curious how different it is. Hopefully it's a hell of a lot more difficult and different than what I did. "So what'd you learn in basic training?" "Don't rape people." While I already have a high amount of attention to detail, I'm sure there are a lot of other useful concepts I could learn while going through basic training again.

[MunkyVsRobot]

Good luck being a peace time garrison infantryman. I am a POG and I can only imagine what garrison grunt life is like doesnt sound like itll be too fun.

You also need to check to see if they will even take you as a recruit from another service, i dont believe you speak to a regular recruiter i think there are prior service recruiters. Im sure though if you initiate with a recruiter they will guide you in the right direction.

Also be prepared for it to be a lot different from the air force. In the Marines you might want to start embracing the suck now.

[JDWarren]

Peace time. That's funny. We won't be at peace for long. We might not have many ground pounders in Iraq right now, but it's only a matter of time before ground forces have to go back in. There's only so much that can be done from the air.

I thought POG was a derrogatory term? I know what it stands for, but the only time I've normally hear it is if someone is talking ****.

I'm still trying to find a recruiter I can contact about it. I'm in Qatar so it's a bit of a pain in the ass.

I'm looking forward for the change. The Air Force is far from what it used to be. I get along better with the Marines I work with than the Airmen. A lot of my issues with the Air Force stem from my career field and the people in it so it's not all bad. My career field in the Air Force is similar to the Marine MOS 7236.

[Zulu 36]

JD, have you tried the Marine Recruiting web site, www.marines.com ? You might be able to contact someone via email through that site.

Politics is a verboten topic on this particular forum, otherwise I'd have further to say on the subject of your crossdecking possibilities. Meanwhile, I think you might be stuck serving your Air Force enlistment out before you even have a crack at the Corps.

[MunkyVsRobot]

Peace time. That's funny. We won't be at peace for long. We might not have any ground pounders in Iraq right now, but it's only a matter of time before ground forces have to go back in. There's only so much that can be done from the air.

I thought POG was a derrogatory term? I know what it stands for, but the only time I've normally hear it is if someone is talking ****.

I'm still trying to find a recruiter I can contact about it. I'm in Qatar so it's a bit of a pain in the ass.

I'm looking forward for the change. The Air Force is far from what it used to be. I get along better with the Marines I work with than the Airmen. A lot of my issues with the Air Force stem from my career field and the people in it so it's not all bad. My career field in the Air Force is similar to the Marine MOS 7236.

Fixed it for you. And yes it is a more peacetime force now. If you think you will be deploying at the same rate they used to stop fooling yourself now because you will not. Plan on being in the field more, doing drill, uniform inspections as much stupid crap as can fit into one day because when Marines get bored stupid happens.

POG can be seen as derrogatory because some infantry are ungrateful for some of the support they receive, but it is also a true statement if you are not a grunt you are a POG. some people just get offended by it because infantry marines are a diffferent breed inorder to get their respect you have to earn it.

What is something worth if it is given freely? Ask yourself that.

[JDWarren]

Zulu 36, I've tried the website, but the website needs a phone number. All of my phone numbers are too long since they're German phone numbers. I understand why you would say that politics are verboten (good use of a German word btw). Many people tend to get heated over politics very quickly. You're probably right about how I probably will have to finish up my enlistment with the AF before I can change branches.

Munky, I don't doubt that the deployments rates have dropped a large amount, especially since I clearly see many of the Marines that were in Afghanistan are transiting through the base I'm at. I also understand that without a ground war there will be more time in garrison resulting in more training exercises and things of that sort. My career field is similar in the way that if we aren't stationed at one of the major air defense command units in the US like NORAD, Western Air Defense Sector (WADS), Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS), or the narcotics task force in Key West, we're either deployed the majority of the time, TDY, or are in some kind of training. In garrison, there is nothing for my MOS to do other than volunteer work or training exercises.

Thanks for explaining why POG is and isn't derrogatory.

I get why you ask that. I want to change branches for a long list of reasons and I'm very determined to do whatever it takes to get it. Some of the reasons why I want to changes branches are that the Marines have more respect for one another, better unit cohesion, and from what I've seen Marines typically have more common sense. The Airmen I work with don't get along and don't respect each other. We're more like a major corporation because at the end of the day we go home, take off our uniform, and pretty much tell our coworkers to f*** off. I also highly disagree with the way we're having to become more politcally correct just because the media put a few negative articles on the internet and in the news. We also aren't really trained to use firearms or any kind of combatives. I actually don't trust any Airmen with guns. Our basic training firearms course is a few hours of weapons handling then only being given about 80 live rounds to fire. I like the idea that every Marine is a rifleman first. That's the way every branch should be. If you can't protect yourself, how are you supposed to protect your country?

[josephd]

from what I've seen Marines typically have more common sense

LOL.....IF you get into the Corps, your point of view on this will change....quick!

[JDWarren]

haha, that may be so. I've met some of the stereotype Marines, but I've also met some very intelligent ones. I thought Airmen were smart until I joined. Then I realized they're just a bunch on book smart morons that are good at taking tests. Common sense is much more useful than book smarts