Reserve to Active

[woodchuckdrum]

Sorry I know this has been answered but the question i have hasnt been specifically addressed that I can find. So I have been talking with a recruiter for a 2 months now(still got 10 more pounds to drop but hey i'm down 30 since january). I was all set for reserves than my wife and I sat down and decided active would be better. However I have 4 dependents so I am unable to enlist active in the Corps, but I am able to enlist reserve. He told me today that I can switch to active in Boot, I asked a current Marine friend and he said it happens. But I would like to know if I can count on it, or is it a maybe maybe not thing. If I can't count on it, I may need to go Big Green and give up on my dream to hold an Eagle Globe and Anchor in my hand . Thanks in advance.

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[Zulu 36]

No, you will not be allowed to switch to active duty during boot camp. If you sign a reserve contract because of too many dependents, what has changed once you're in boot camp? Plus, it doesn't work that way in any event regardless of dependents.

Once you've signed a contract, you're obligated to fulfill it. Things change, wars happen, but as of right now, for you, its the reserves or nothing.

[woodchuckdrum]

Thank you for the reply. That is exactly what i expected. I dont trust recruiters but when it got repeated by a non recruiter im like better do some more lookin. I think the plan will be walk into army recruiter and if they cant contractually give me everything i want stick with reserves. Thanks again

[Rocky C]

Army ???

[TolzerVman]

Army, AR 601-210, dated 1 Feb 2013, para 2-10b:

b. An applicant does not meet dependency requirements if—
(1) The applicant is married and in addition to the spouse has three or more dependents under the age of 18. (Recruiting battalion commander may consider waiver.)

(2) The applicant is married and in addition to spouse has two dependents under the age of 18 and wife is expecting additional children. (Recruiting battalion commander or equivalent member of the ARNG may consider waiver.)

(3) The applicants processing as a husband and wife team and have one or more dependents under the age of 18. (Waiver will be considered.)

[USMC 2571]

I think the OP meant Corps, as he referred to the Corps in his first post. Let's seriously hope he said ARMY as a mistake. (Ain't Ready To Be a Marine Yet=ARMY)-----also, this comes up all the time here, where people "don't trust recruiters". It's like a fad nowadays. Don't talk with one, don't waste your time, if you go along with this trend nowadays of distrusting recruiters. LOL. Otherwise, YEAH, go talk with one! Maybe they don't trust potential recruits, for all we know.

[Rocky C]

If I can't count on it, I may need to go Big Green and give up on my dream to hold an Eagle Globe and Anchor in my hand . Thanks in advance.

This is what he said in his first post. Big Green is ARMY.

[woodchuckdrum]

Its not that i dont trust recruiters. But when they say something that doesnt make sense to me i try to verify it. I did mean army because im trying to go active so if the corps wont take me ill talk to the army.

[LCPL1341]

Neither the Army nor the Marine Corps will take you as active duty with 4 dependents. Also, the reserve salary is small and the benefits are nowhere near the benefits you'll be getting as an active duty Marine. My question is; with a wife and 4 kids, why exactly are you enlisting in the reserves to go away for 13 weeks of bootcamp, 1 month of MCT, followed by however long of MOS school, only to come back home and be in the same financial situation you're in now? This seems like misplaced priority. You have 4 kids, 4 mouths to feed, you should be focused on that.

[Tennessee Top]

^^^maybe that's why he wants to get away! Cant blame him. lol

[woodchuckdrum]

Tennessee top. Thatll come when all 3 girls hit teens haha. Theres a few things to be gained by reserves. The army has made no indication about an issue. It requires a waiver yes but they have seemed good to go. I've been offered advanced enlistment and a bonus. But I want the honor of earning the title. Thats my dilemma

[USMC 2571]

ah, now I see. Corps Corps Corps, then "maybe I'll have to go Big Green"....takes three readings to make sense out of some of these threads. LOL. So it is in fact BOTH Army and Corps he's talking about.

[woodchuckdrum]

Usmc 2571. I apologize for my ramblings. To sum it up. I can go active army but my marine recruiter told me i could start reserve then go active and that didnt make sense to me so i was seeking clarification. The initial answer was clear and sufficient. So now i must choose between part time marine or full time soldier. Thank you all for your responses

[USMC 2571]

Good luck to you, and as we say to nearly everyone, please keep us updated here on this same thread, if only to help out someone else who might have similar questions down the road.