Confusing Career Path

[KILOPrt]

Marines,

I am the father of a new Marine (PI 7/10). Son has been trying to understand his path through the corps but the reality he is finding is not exactly as his recruiter explained.

He's been planning on joining the corps since he was little, only being stopped by my wife not wanting him to join during a time of war. Spent 2 semesters in college, didn't quite like it. Has had a series of small, unsatisfying jobs and finally told us he was going to enlist. He's always been the sort that wants instant gratification and enlistment process was no different, he wanted to ship asap.

Recruiter told him no job he wanted was available till 2011 and earliest he go go to boot was 1/2011, this was in 3/2010. Only way for him to go right away was as a reservist. I tried to talk him out of this as I know he wanted active and did not want to have to come back to the civilian work force until his service was over. He has even mentioned making a lifetime career in the corps.

Recruiter talks him into it by telling him going active is not a problem. Once he gets to his reserve unit all he needs to do is request it. Tells him he may even be able to do it at MOS school.

Well. needless to say, he's finding the process is not as simple as explained to him as a poolee. He's getting answers like "we don't need no half Marines in the fleet" to "talk to your Reserve command when you get there" to "the commander and chief is cutting back so forget it".

He loves being a Marine and everything about the corps. He has absolutely no interest in developing a career in the civilian world once he's back and is miserable about the way he entered the corps.

My question here is can anyone explain the actual process for switching to active? Is there one way with better chances than another? Is there something he can do to better his chances? Does requesting a volunteer deployment help?

I have researched this and really can't find much information on it so I figured i'd go to those who'd know directly.

Thanks for reading.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

It has been years since I have been in, so for him going from Reserve to Active Duty, I cant give any sound advice. That said, whoever said "we don't need no half Marines in the fleet" is a disgusting Army pig and not a Marine as far as I am concerned.

I served 4 years active ground side and then joined a wing reserve unit for 3 years. I constantly heard from my active counterparts whine how the reserve Marines are not Marines. Well, lo and behold we get activated for support of Desert Storm. Our Reservists stepped up to the plate, took the bull by the horns and outshined the whiners.

A Marine is a Marine until he/she proves otherwise.
I did not like the wing, but at the same time, I could not deny how awsome a job these men and women did.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

On second thought. What I might suggest is that when he drills, to go thru his enlisted structure one by one all the way to the SGTMAJ or 1stSGT on the reserve side and then on the active side of the house (the parent command) go up their enlisted chain of command until he gets a satisfactory answer. If he is respectful but assertive, it will show them he has guts and his determination. Because he goes up the enlisted chain, it will show them that he is respectful of his NCO's and SNCO's. He should not go in demanding what he wants, but stating his desire and requesting their assistance. If they deny him the authority to go up the chain, he should remind them he is "Requesting Mast" through the enlisted chain and that his desire is not to have to go before an officer in the whole process.

[Muztang11]

He's kinda screwed...The recruiter lied about how easy it is to switch now,5 years ago sure no problem but with the impending drawdown coming...no way.After he gets some experience then maybe he can put in for active reserve but even those spots are hard to come by.Volunteering for deployment might work but you have to remember that is only temporary...

[MasterGunsmith]

Right now there is nothing he can do. He needs to earn that EGA before he has a voice to begin with. It takes awhile to learn the ins and outs. Something you learn later on is that your command has a Total Force Readiness quota they have to maintain copmpliance with. If they lose him he must be replaced with someone for the unit to stay combat deployable. I would suggest this man go for the reservist deal for now. He will need to speak with his chain of command once he has checked into his permanent duty station. Stay awhile, at least 2 months, voice his wishes to his Platoon Leader, then go up the Chain of Command as far as he can go. If he is still told "no" then a Request Mast is in proper order. In order to request mast you do this in written form and addressed to the Commanding General of your Division. This is because if every Marine in your chain of command has failed to satisfy your request then you will, and by rights, have the oppurtunity to speak with the Commanding General in person or by teleconference. He needs to use his time looking up Marine Corps Orders and getting to know his rights. Every Marine has rights. Beaware when Requesting Mast you will be upsetting your chain as this makes them look incompetent. If you feel retaltiation you can file on that as well. Heads will roll when you Request Mast, it is taken very seriously. Only use this when you feel strongly about an issue and are being gaffed off by your superiors. I had to request mast one time over medical issues and found this process to very rewarding. Not everyone in the Marine Corps is looking out for you, they are people too. Good Luck and Semper Fi!

[LandsNGrooves]

That said, whoever said "we don't need no half Marines in the fleet" is a disgusting Army pig and not a Marine as far as I am concerned.

Are you kidding? Reservists are talked down apon almost as much as the Army. You just called 80% of the fleet, "Soldiers".

Come on, trash talking "others" is something Marines do better then hitting black at the range. We even talk **** on units that are better trained, like SEALS and Green Barets.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

I stand by my statement. The Marine was asking for help and the reply he got from a "professional" superior was a stupid remark.

I had the same mentality about the Reserves until I went from the fleet to the reserves and saw what these men brought to the table when we were activated for a year.

[KILOPrt]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. He's pretty much to the point where he knows he's going to have to work hard at getting to the point he wants to be. He loves the corps and will report to his PDS in November. Until then he'll have to study up on how the system works so he can work his way through it then.

Thanks again.

[cmdr358]

Are you kidding? Reservists are talked down apon almost as much as the Army. You just called 80% of the fleet, "Soldiers".

Come on, trash talking "others" is something Marines do better then hitting black at the range. We even talk **** on units that are better trained, like SEALS and Green Barets.

SEALS and Green Berets are better trained than Marines? Bravo Sierra!

SEALS and Green Berets are just the cream of the crop among those who chose to join a lesser service than the United States Marine Corps.

See: LandsNGrooves was right!

[cmdr358]

The best he can probably do for now is make himself shine and work on his unit's First Sgt. or Sgt. Major to get where he wants to go.

[josephd]

Once he checks into his unit he can put in for a conditional release with his command, once that is approved he would then go back to a recruiter and get re-contracted. Getting the release is the easy part but getting re-contracted to active duty is very difficult almost impossible. I have done it twice now but with no luck, the FMF literally has no space for this kind of thing (augment). I was told last year when I did my first one that the only Marines they were allowing to augment over to AD were SNCO's.

The best chance he has to get on AD or AD orders/deployed is to check the MARFORRES (marine force reserve) web site for IA (individual augment) billets. If there is something in his pay grade and he can fulfill then call on it and get the process started. He will know what all this is once he gets in his unit and such.

[LandsNGrooves]

SEALS and Green Berets are better trained than Marines? Bravo Sierra!

SEALS and Green Berets are just the cream of the crop among those who chose to join a lesser service than the United States Marine Corps.

See: LandsNGrooves was right!

Wow. YOUR that guy. Holy crap.A real,live one.

Please explain there hardcharger, how is a Marine better trained then a SEAL or a 18x operator?.

[LandsNGrooves]

That's what I thought.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

And if this devolves any further from the topic, I'll be doing some extractions. Let it be.