National Call to Service program and it's effects on career Marines and MSG Duty

[Accord]

My recruiter informed me that i'm eligible for the National Call to Service program, the part about it that really peaked my interest was a 100% guaranteed MOS, not just occfld but an acutal guaranteed specific MOS. I know you serve two years active duty and then after those two years are up you either reenlist for another 2 years or you do 2 years in the reserves, I would of course reenlist for AD since I hope to become a career Marine.

I did numerous searches for different keywords relating to the National Call to Service program and read everything, but there are still some questions I have, if it's not too much trouble.

I want to do MSG duty early in my career and since they now accept "highly qualified" PFC's with at least 1 year in the fleet, I would like the chance to do it early on. Now since MSG duty is 3 years long and if I enlisted under the NCS program and applied for MSG duty after 1 year, I would only have 1 year remaining on my current contract.

So here is my question: If I enlisted under the NCS program, would I not be allowed to even apply for MSG duty or would I be allowed to apply and if accepted into MSG school I would simply have to extend my enlistment for however long is required?

Also, how would enlisting under the NCS program effect someone who wants to be a career Marine? I don't want to just do 2 years active, 2 years reserves, and be done with it, I want to make the Corps my life for the next 20 years and i'm wondering if the NCS program would effect me later on in my career or if there are any downsides to enlisting under the NCS program as opposed to a traditional enlistment if someone wants to become a career Marine.

Thanks, any information and advice is greatly appreciated.

[Gunny McMillan]

Originally posted by Accord
"highly qualified" PFC's .

Now there's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one!

[yellowwing]

If you really want to be a lifer, don't forget to look into Sea Duty. One of my Drill Instructors served afloat. During our combat training he was the one that really made sure we learned our lessons well.

[iowasurfer2]

Originally posted by Gunny McMillan



Now there's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one!

AMEN, Brother!

[cjdoyle]

You took the word out of my mouth Gunny

Sgt D

[USMCgrunt0331]

I'm kinda confused about what your saying, but it seems to me like you think you'll have a 2 or 3 yr. contract. Your total minimum military obligation is 8 yrs., 4 yrs. active, and 4 years "individual ready reserves" which is reserves, but not like a regular reserve, you don't actually go anywhere once a month or anything, your just there in case sh!t really hits the fan. Also, if you have a long MOS school or your security forces, you will have a 5 yr active duty contract. So your gonna be serving 4 or 5 yrs active duty no matter what, longer if you get extended.

[iowasurfer2]

Originally posted by USMCgrunt0331
Your total minimum military obligation is 8 yrs., 4 yrs. active, and 4 years "individual ready reserves"

No offense to you, Grunt, as these statements you make were probably true when you enlisted. However, if you have watched the news you have seen that the services are all failing in the recruiting business. The Marine Corps just had it's worst month in 10 years. So to remedy this problem, congress passed the National Call to Service Initiative. It requires all services to offer a 2 year enlistment option in order to boost the number of acessions because 2 years is nowhere near as intimidating as a 4 year obligation. There are, as common sense would tell you, numerous restrictions and stipulations to this program. The main things being that you must either re-enlist on active duty for an amount of time designated in your original contract, or 2) Serve 2 years in Reserves, Peace Corps, Americorps, or any combination of those. At the end of that period, you may then choose to re-enlist or serve the remainder of your 8 year commitment on the IRR. The other thing about this program is that it is not REALLY a 2 year contract. It is 15 months of active duty following initial training or 2 years total, whichever is LONGER. So if you have a longer MOS school, it could be a few months longer. The MOS list is limited however, as you would expect. This is a very beneficial program for the few who will qualify. (less than 1% of total enlistments) They are given either a $5000 enlistment bonus, Education Bonus (payment equivalent to 12 months of G.I. Bill payments to be used for school) or (1/2 amount of G.I. Bill benefits for 36 months) or payment of $18000 on outstanding Student Loans) So things have changed a little, but like I said this is a VERY limited program. Most applicants will not be able to qualify. I'll put it this way: the Marine Corps accepts 3% non high school graduates (GED, Adult H.S. Diploma, etc) That is 1200 per year. NCS contracts are limited to 1%. 400 per year. There are 2700 recruiters nationwide. Only 15% of all recruiters will get to write one of these contracts. So for the originator of this thread, go for it and try to get this program. But don't get your heart set on it. Good luck!

[Phantom Blooper]

Summary of National Call to Service Program

{NOTE: This summary is for informational purposes only. Please see your Military Recruiter for additional information on this program.}
Updated May 19, 2005 .

Eligibility Requirements for Incentives

There is a 3-tiered service requirement to qualify for incentives under the National Call to Service program:

First, after completion of initial entry training, individuals must serve on active duty in a military occupational specialty designated by the Secretary of Defense for a period of 15 months.

After this, and without a break in service, these individuals must serve either an additional period of active duty as determined by the Secretary of Defense, or a period of 24 months in an active status in the Selected Reserve.

After completion of this period of service, and also, without a break in service, the remaining period of obligated service specified in the agreement will be served as follows:

· on active duty in the armed forces;
· in the Selected Reserve;
· in the Individual Ready Reserve;
· in the Peace Corps, Americorps, or another national service program jointly designated by the Secretary of Defense and the head of such a program

Any combination of the service referred to above may also be approved by the Secretary of the military department concerned pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense and specified in the agreement.

· Choice of Incentives. Individuals who participate in this new program have a choice of incentives as follows:

Cash bonus of $5,000

Repayment of a qualifying student loan not to exceed $18, 000

Entitlement to allowance equal to the 3-year monthly chapter 30 rate for 12 months ($1,004 effective Oct 1, 2004)

Entitlement to allowance equal to fifty percent of the less than 3-year monthly chapter 30 rate for 36 months (Fifty percent of $732 effective Oct. 1, 2004)

Coordination with Montgomery GI Bill Benefits

The basic rule is that National Call to Service (NCS) participants are not entitled to additional assistance under chapter 1606 or chapter 30 benefits. However, if the NCS participant has eligibility under either of these chapters, he or she may be paid the amount of chapter 1606 or chapter 30 benefits minus any amounts paid under the NCS program. The education benefit options will be administered to the extent possible like chapter 1606 of title 10.

Period of the National Call to Service Program

The effective date of this program is October 1, 2003. The program will end on December 31, 2007.

[Phantom Blooper]

Marine Corps National Call to Service Program


As do the other services, the Marine Corps participates in the National Call to Service Program. While this program is often referred to as "two year" enlistments, the actual required time on active duty is 15 months, following basic training and job training. After that, members must either re-enlist for two years, or spend at least two years in the active (drilling) reserves.

It should be noted that the Marine Corps strictly limit the number of slots it allocates to this program, each year, to a very small percentage of their total enlistments.

Test Scores Required: GT 100, EL 100, or MM 95. Applicant must have an AFQT (overall ASVAB) score of 50.

No Test Score waivers will be considered for this program.

[thoms]

I know this is a Marine Site, but I have a question to ask and it sounds like maybe one of you brothers can answer it for me. This is the situation:

I received a letter from the Army National Guard, they are asking me to join.

I have been out of the Marines for almost 20 years.

My feeling is that because the recruiter's are not making their quota's, they are now coming after prior service members.

Can anyone explain this?

Thanks & Semper Fi

Thoms

[Accord]

Originally posted by iowasurfer2
So for the originator of this thread, go for it and try to get this program. But don't get your heart set on it. Good luck!

As I did some more research on the NCS initiative, I learned that I was misled about it by my recruiter. He tried to sell it to me as I would be receiving a guaranteed MOS which is the only reason I was interested, what he failed to tell me was while I would have a guaranteed MOS, I would not get to choose an MOS from the list of a dozen or so MOS', the Corps would choose it for me and I could end up as an 0311 or I could end up as an admin clerk and would have no control over it. He led me to believe that I would get to choose an MOS which would then be guaranteed and that was cetainly not the case. So i'm just going to proceed as planned with a normal enlistment.

Thanks for all the advice, input, and information everyone, it is more than I could have ever asked for.

Thanks again!

[USMCgrunt0331]

Thanks for the info Iowasurfer, I had heard something about that program, but I thought it was only the army. If there doing all this, they must be really hurting bad, probably won't be long before they start stopping you from getting out when your contract is up and involuntarily extending you. Everybody needs to just quit being pu$sies about joining the military now. What do you think of the chances of them going back to the old ways and start giving criminals the choice of military service or prison? Hopefully they'll draft before they'd do that again.

[Gunny McMillan]

Originally posted by USMCgrunt0331
What do you think of the chances of them going back to the old ways and start giving criminals the choice of military service or prison? Hopefully they'll draft before they'd do that again.

That hasn't totally disappeared Grunt...although it's nowhere near as common as it used to be, I've known quite a few Marines who chose The Corps as an alternative to prison...and then reenlisted 4 years later. "4 more years without parole"

[iowasurfer2]

Yeah, I know as a recruiter I had to make a few "deals" with judges, etc to make Marines. The funny thing is the absolute BEST Marine I ever enlisted was a double felon. (totally disqualified by Marine Corps standards) Kids do a lot of stupid stuff, and I believe everyone deserves a chance to turn their lives around. The Corps is a good place for that. It worked for me. I know for a fact that if I had not joined the Corps 15 years ago, I would be in prison or drug rehab right now. The Corps made all the difference for me, and I know it makes a difference for a lot of kids. I don't believe the Corps needs to take in every scumbag on the street, but you can tell the kids who are really wanting a change, and they deserve a chance, I believe. And someone who believes that the Corps is their only chance, is going to put out that much more.

[cknow]

Please correct me if I'm wrong ...Aren't Marines on MSG, Sea Duty,
and Marines at 8th & I ALL 0311's?