Airman to Marine

[JLGodinez]

Marine1011 I want to apologize if I have offended you sincerely. I don’t want to give the impression that I don’t respect the Air Force I do and you’re right I’m being unprofessional. My best friend who I meet through the Air Force is now separated. As an NCO we are expected to lead by setting and enforcing the Air Force standards all while serving the airmen entrusted under our care not the other way around. I was led to believe the system is flawed but I disagree, the core values follow a simple moral code but I have seen individuals manipulate it to meet their needs. The service has lost numerous good airmen because of the lack of integrity like my friend but there is still many great airmen and I still believe the Air Force is great service and my desire to leave is mostly due to an unfulfilled dream more so than the disappointed over the expectations I had. All the branches deal with the same issues, some more than others and I not naïve into thinking otherwise. Again I Apologize and did not mean to belittle any one branch over the other, my opinions where based on my own experiences which might be different from others.

[Marine1011]

(almost) never a need for anyone to apologize here for anything about their own opinions and things like that. I myself came across too harshly, perhaps, just commented about generalizations, but hell, we all have views and opinions, did not mean to come across like a DI. Accept my own apology! We all wish you the best in your attempt to do what you described as a goal.

[USMC 2571]

Very true---very rarely do we feel called to apologize for anything in the way of opinions or whatever. Welcome to the site, keep us posted as to how you make out with what you want to do.

[JLGodinez]

No need for an apology. You did not come across too harshly at all, it just brought to my attention that I was being petty. My opinions is not why I'm here and its not right for me to force them on anybody. I'm here to learn from everyone willing to teach and give advice. I always welcome the individuals that call me out on my BS because I want to be better than that.

[Tennessee Top]

Let us know how your age waiver goes and good luck.

[MunkyVsRobot]

If its what you want to do might as well just dive in and swim just bear in mind it is going to suck. They may be a bit more lenient to you if they know that you "Get It" but also if you dont get it stand by to get hazed, you will also have a lot of hard time getting used to being an NCO giving orders and having airmen underneath you to being a fresh boot PFC possibly being given orders by an 18 year old lance and possibly even having to roger up to him your every day business.

I went through recruit training at 27 and I was the 30 year old lance for a bit it isnt fun. Now i am in the intel community so i could get away with a bit more and I had more of my own chance to lead because a lot of intel is based on what you know not your rank.. But there are times when rank comes back into the equation where it is a lot less fun thank it seems.

[JLGodinez]

I appreciate the support. Yes I'm an NCO but not by choice, I'm not ready to lead Airmen but that's the card I was dealt with and am making the best of it for the time being. The time will come when I truly will feel like I can lead I will embrace it fully. I don't mind at all being led by those more knowledgeable than myself regardless of age.

[USMC 2571]

Well, you have a good attitude and seem to know what you want, so go for it, and be sure and keep us updated by resurrecting this same thread, even if it falls to the bottom of the pile in no time at all, due to all the new threads in this section. Good luck.

[MunkyVsRobot]

30 years old and not ready to lead airmen? that is a scary statement you just made how is that possible? You should have some leadership if not even just life leadership skills. If you cant lead Airmen as an NCO how do you expect to lead Marines as not an NCO?

There have been times Marines who are LCPLs have had SNCO type duties so if you think being an NCO somewhere and feeling unfit to lead is going to translate into you are a great leader and not an NCO youre gonna have a bad time. In the Marine Corps junior Marines are sometimes tasked with monumental leadership tasks.

In the Marine Corps you dont always have tome to be fostered into a leadership role or be shown what properleadership is like. You have to be able to adjust on the fly and go. The Marine Corps mentorship program is still supposed to be a thing but I have never once been properly mentored.

Im not trying to jump down your throat or discourage you but that last post you made would make me start to question.

[JLGodinez]

MunkyVSRobot i don't take it as discouragement at all. If the situation calls for it I will step up into the leadership role as I always have and will do it to the best of my ability. I would rather earn the title of a leader than have to be thrown into it, but i realized that might be far fetched. I don't think is wrong for me to want to follow for the purpose of learning and improving. I has been mentioned that the Marines is a different world on its own and from the Air Force so it would make sense for me to start from the beginning and earn my way through the ranks to build the desire to lead and be all the better for it. When is say I am not ready for it doesn't mean i'm not competent in it, I have proven that several times, I just don't have the desire for it just yet. I should have clarified that.

I appreciate the concerns and questions, they really get me thinking and prepare me for this process to not go in blindly.

[josephd]

Just understand the Marine Corps pushes leadership/command down to the lowest level(Rank) possible. You WILL be placed into leadership positions early on, especially being "prior service", whether you like it or not...or want it or not.

If you have the attitude with your leaders(NCOs) that you do not want any responsibility or don't want to take charge you will be skylined within your unit and will be labeled as a "turd"....good luck getting promoted.

I completely understand what you are talking about, you also understand the Corps is a much different animal than the Air Force and being such you are expected to take leadership roles from VERY early on....you are allowed to fail, as a matter of fact it is expected of you...it's a learning process

[Tracker]

I was stationed with a guy who had been in the Army for four years and the Air Force for four years before he joined the Marine Corps. He was about 28 or 29 years old when he joined the Marines. He was plenty squared-a-way. We were only stationed together for about six months, but I bet he made a career out of the Marine Corps. John Basilone a legendary WWII Marine was in the Army before he joined the Marines. Good Luck! I certainly wouldn't want to try it at 30 years old.