Former Active Duty interested in SMCR

[mayesie]

Hi Everyone,
This forum serves as a testament to the Marines and their high standards. Keep up the outstanding work!

Here's my story:
- Active Duty Marine Corps (Jul 1991 - Jul 2000)
- Separated as a SGT w/ 68 months time-in-grade
- MOS 2823 Tech Controller
- Re-enlistment code RE-1B
- IRR 2000 - 2003 (never did anything during this time)

I was involuntarily separated after getting passed-over twice for SSgt. I believe this happened due to a couple of somewhat-tepid fitreps I received (though nothing that could be considered 'bad'). 1st Mardiv petitioned to keep me in for another look at the board. A Major General went to bat for me, and asked that I get a 1-year extension. Despite this, it still got turned down by HQMC. I was rather shocked that a Major General was unable to resolve this!

Looking back, I know I was immature and naive. I paid too much focus towards 'working and playing hard', and not enough towards always representing myself in the best possible manner. I'm also pretty certain that I moved-up too quickly (21 year-old Sgt w/ 40 months of service); it would've benefitted me to have had a little more time and experience to grow up. However, I have no adverse entries in my record (i.e. Page 11, NJP, etc).

Though things didn't go my way in the Marine Corps, I'm very grateful for the life I've been able to lead ever-since.

Anyhow, I had a few questions regarding the transition to SMCR after a 9-year hiatus (Disclaimer: I've performed some searches on this site, and on the internet):

- would it be considered an enlistment or re-enlistment? I think it's re-enlistment, but wanted to double-check w/ someone who may know for certain.

- would it be possible to re-train at my MOS School? It's been completely overhauled since I attended back in 1996, and is almost 6 months in-length. When I went through, only SGT and above could attend. Now, there's a Tech Controller MOS for PVT-SGT (2821) and SSGT-GYSGT (2823: Tech Control Chief).

- since I'd be transitioning to SMCR, would I retain my Time-in-Grade (TIG)? I performed some searches, which revealed that you'd lose your TIG upon return to Active Duty. I'm not so sure about SMCR.

Thanks in Advance!

[gammyland]

Good luck!!! That's all I'v got to say. I've got a bud who was fired from his job, tried to re-enlist and got shot down. He was a good Marine, with a good history. Just didn't make the reg's I guess. You'd think they'd want some grunts with 2 wars going on right now...

[mayesie]

Good luck!!! That's all I'v got to say. I've got a bud who was fired from his job, tried to re-enlist and got shot down. He was a good Marine, with a good history. Just didn't make the reg's I guess. You'd think they'd want some grunts with 2 wars going on right now...

Thanks....it's much appreciated.

The good news is that there's an open billet not far from where I live.

The bad news is that I'd likely lose all of my time-in-grade, since I've been out for so long. Perhaps I can find a way to keep some of it......we'll see how it goes.

Also, I just got my OMPF. Unfortunately, I never got a fitrep for the final year I was in (I went on terminal at about the same time they were due, and never followed-up). I still keep in-touch w/ the Reporting Senior, so I should be able to get the fitrep done w/out too much trouble (though he retired back in 2003).

In the meantime, I'm getting back into shape.

[gammyland]

I got out in 04, right before my reserve unit went back to Iraq. My enlistment was up in May, we were deploying in June. Was going to re-up when my wife at that time told me she was pregnant. I decided to get out because I wasn't going to miss my kid, my only kid being born. I'm glad I got out for the reasons I had. I only miss it now! I want to go back, but I'm to beat up! 7 years of law enforcement had ruined my back. I have to see my chiropractor twice a month. I'm 100% but without those visits my back would get ****ed up too quickly, so if I was ever deployed again I'd be screwed! Good luck!! And I hope things work out! I'd give up all my TIG and a stripe if it would fix my back and reup!

[Supersquishy]

You might want to lat move, I know you will loose TIG, but should keep your rank. Im in the waiting process now, got out of AD in 01, going to lat move and go reserves. My prior service recruiter had some fam problems so I might be holding for a week or two before progress is made with my packet. GOOD LUCK!!!

[mayesie]

You might want to lat move, I know you will loose TIG, but should keep your rank. Im in the waiting process now, got out of AD in 01, going to lat move and go reserves. My prior service recruiter had some fam problems so I might be holding for a week or two before progress is made with my packet. GOOD LUCK!!!

I was in a critically short MOS (2821/2823). Thus, there would be no cause or justification to lat-move.

[mayesie]

I got out in 04, right before my reserve unit went back to Iraq. My enlistment was up in May, we were deploying in June. Was going to re-up when my wife at that time told me she was pregnant. I decided to get out because I wasn't going to miss my kid, my only kid being born. I'm glad I got out for the reasons I had. I only miss it now! I want to go back, but I'm to beat up! 7 years of law enforcement had ruined my back. I have to see my chiropractor twice a month. I'm 100% but without those visits my back would get ****ed up too quickly, so if I was ever deployed again I'd be screwed! Good luck!! And I hope things work out! I'd give up all my TIG and a stripe if it would fix my back and reup!

I'm sorry to hear about your back problems, but happy to hear that the chiropractor is helping.

I also think you made the right call by getting out when your kid was born.
Though I had sour grapes when I got passed-over twice for no apparent reason, I also had a newborn. Thus, taking the involuntary seps pay and moving-on seemed pretty attractive back in 2000.

TBH, if anyone had told me back then that I'd be looking to come back 9 years later, I wouldn't have believed it.

Since I'm looking to go into the SMCR, losing my time-in-grade is far from the end-of-the-world, especially since I still consider myself well-qualified to become a Warrant Officer! Unfortunately, I only had one shot at it while on Active Duty (1999), and didn't get selected.

Best of luck to you as well!

[JWDevilDog]

Well I just wanna say good luck, Sgt. And welcome to the site. I don't have any personal experience on this matter, but I bet if you talked to a recruiter he might be able to find a way to wheel and deal and have you keep some of your rank. I don't know about TIG.

Toledo, eh? I'm from Ashland. Do you know where that is?

[mayesie]

Well I just wanna say good luck, Sgt. And welcome to the site. I don't have any personal experience on this matter, but I bet if you talked to a recruiter he might be able to find a way to wheel and deal and have you keep some of your rank. I don't know about TIG.

Toledo, eh? I'm from Ashland. Do you know where that is?

Thanks LCpl. I've been talking to a Prior Service Recruiter. He mentioned that I'd most-likely keep my rank, and lose all of the time-in-grade.

Yes, I'm familiar w/ where Ashland is located. It's not far from Mansfield.

[JWDevilDog]

Well, keeping your rank is definitely a good thing. Again, I wish you the best, and Semper Fi.

[mayesie]

Well, keeping your rank is definitely a good thing. Again, I wish you the best, and Semper Fi.

Semper Fi! I noticed you're currently stationed in Okinawa. My time in Oki was the best I had, while in the Marine Corps (Sep 92 - Sep 94 (MWCS-18, Camp Foster), May 95 - Nov 95 (UDP 1/5, Camp Hansen)).

The scuba-diving out there is awesome, as is the mojo!

Good times...........good times!!!

[JWDevilDog]

I'm on Camp Foster too. I like it here, for the most part. I don't like the libo card policy, though. I don't know if you had to deal with that or not, but in my unit it's nearly impossible to get a gold card as a junior Marine. But I definitely enjoy Okinawa, and don't even get me started on the deployments...

[mayesie]

I'm on Camp Foster too. I like it here, for the most part. I don't like the libo card policy, though. I don't know if you had to deal with that or not, but in my unit it's nearly impossible to get a gold card as a junior Marine. But I definitely enjoy Okinawa, and don't even get me started on the deployments...

I'm sorry...I've never heard of libo cards. It doesn't sound good.

[JWDevilDog]

Basically there's a red card and a gold card. Red card holders have to go out on town with at least one buddy, and have to be back at midnight everynight. Back signed into their barracks' duty logbook by midnight.

Gold card holders can be back by 0500 the next working day, so they can leave at 1630 on Friday and come back at 0500 on Monday. And they can sign out by themselves.

Some junior Marines in other units have gold cards, but it is fairly rare, I think.

[devildame]

3 months after my EAS I joined the SMCR. I thought it would be fun, like Marine Corps lite. Big mistake! The reserve kids (weekend warriors, not the Active Reserve) are lost and nasty and it is nothing like the fleet. Very disappointing and I would not reccomend it unless you can deal with unsat everything to reach your goal of WO. They are only to happy to encourage and facilitate that kind of track since they don't actually have any missions to complete. IN MY EXPERIENCE, no offense to squared-away reserve units.