OT-Any former military?

[skrewball]

Sorry for the OT, but I am in a quandry and wanted to pull on the extensive wisdom of this forum. I am a former marine (95-00, 03) and I have been toying with the idea of going back in. Active or reserve is yet to be determined. I can't do it for at least another year (current job obligation). I was wondering if anyone here "Got out" and went back in.

How long do you have? Do you keep your rank? Anyone go Enlisted -> Officer?

[Ron Saueracker]

2ndACR did, and basically paid for it. He put his lucrative business on hold and reupped to go to Iraq.

[2Stepper]

My best friend back in MN was active ARMY at Ft. Campbell for 8yrs. Got out, started teaching, etc and decided that he'd sign back up for the reserves. He didn't lose any of his rank and is pressing forward to at least get that 20yr retirement along with what he makes as a teacher.

Its worked out well for him.

As a rule though from what I've gathered when you stay enlisted and go back in? You generally keep your rank. As for anything else, I know (assuming a slot was open) that IF I were to seperate prior to my 20yrs in the AF and "GO GUARD" lets say, they'd put me at an E7 or higher. Just from having 18yrs of active duty time.

Varies a LOT with circumstances though.

I'm WAY too close to being retirement eligable to want to punch. Besides, I may be going over the pond in the next year anyway. Will have to see.

[Yamato hugger]

I was at Ft Benning from 75 to 78 training and medical support (I was a medic) for airborne, rangers, and green berets. Was deployed here and there in the world on various alerts (STRAF unit, basically like todays rapid deployment force ie anywhere in the world in 24 hours). 3rd US Inf Regt from 80 to 85. We had several ex-officers in this unit. One of those had been our Bn commander. He resigned his commission to remain with the unit. He was our 1st sgt. When he retired, he retired as a major. I first joined the unit as a medic. After a year, I switched my MOS to 11B to remain with the unit. We were an artic warfare specialist unit. I still have my old artic sleeping bag. It is rated to 75 below zero F. I have slept in it outside as low as 42 below and was just fine [:)]

My son was born 1 Dec 76 at Martain Army hospital, Ft Benning Ga.

[Twotribes]

Depending on needs of the Corps, you will probably lose some rank. If you stay for retirement, what ever the highest rank you honarably held is the rank you retire at, though I think they have changed the retirement pay to what ever the most was you got paid for a certain period of time.

Your best bet is to call a recruiter and ask them who you talk to about a former marine returning to active Duty. They will provide you with all the information you need. Deal with them in the same way you would a used car sales man, depending on how much you want to return to active duty determines how willing you are to work to get a better return deal.

All the services are retaining enough active members , they are however to varying degrees short on new recruits. The need is there for people, but depending on former rank, the need may be intially for lower level ranks.

I suspect if you were a corprol or below you have a VERY good chance to retain ( if you fight for it) the rank. Sgt and up may be a little tougher depending on, again, needs of the Corps.

You know how the Corps thinks, its needs all ways come first.

The reserves and the Guard handle recruitment a lot different then active Duty, and the Marines are generally more stringent on recruitment then the Army or navy ( not sure on airforce). It is probably easier to retain rank in the Guard or reserve than active duty, but even that depends eventually on the needs of the unit.

Good luck. I was medically retired ( after 16 years) from the Corps in 95. If I could return I would, in a heart Beat.

[Cutman]

skrewball

Sorry for the OT, but I am in a quandry and wanted to pull on the extensive wisdom of this forum. I am a former marine (95-00, 03) and I have been toying with the idea of going back in. Active or reserve is yet to be determined. I can't do it for at least another year (current job obligation). I was wondering if anyone here "Got out" and went back in.

How long do you have? Do you keep your rank? Anyone go Enlisted -> Officer?
[/quote]
Skrewball,
I am still a Marine and have been in awhile now. Was a recruiter. Every major college has an Officer Recruiter. Every Reserve Unit has a reservist recruiter and if you want to go active you talk to a normal recruiter. Reccemend you talk to all three and then make a good decision. With your time out you will lose some rank, but you get to look at the job, duty station, and rank that you will have before you sign anything if you decide active. There are lots of officer programs? Degree?

Cutman
[quote]ORIGINAL:

[Twotribes]

Old information, the highest age you can get in the service is adjusted by years alrady served. Meaning if the upper age is 40 and you served 5 years, you used to be able to get back in till age 45. In the last few years the upper age was raised for some if not all the services, I dont know it.

Again, best bet is to call a recruiter, remembering that his needs will come first and you have to be willing to play some hard ball with him, if he doesnt offer you what you want. Even with a year to go, call now, explain your goals and ask about options, the worse that will happen is the recruiter may become a pest and bug you about joining every so often ( especially when he is short on quote)

[Jim D Burns]

My brother left the Marines for a little over a year and when he tried to go back in he would have lost too much rank, so he went back into the Army instead. They let him keep most of his rank and within 6 months he was back at his rank he left the Marines at originally. The Marines were not willing to make a deal, I think this was in the mid 1980’s.

Talk to the recruiters for both services, they'll make you a deal if you ask them to, especially with the low recruitment numbers right now.

I can tell you as a former Marine, my brother enjoyed the Army a lot, they looked to him as a kind of rock star. [;)] He was Long Range Force Recon in the Marines and went through just about every special warfare training school there is. He saw action in every US conflict starting with Grenada and ending with the first Iraq war.

As a former Marine myself, I’ve asked him if he regretted going back into the Army and he said no. He would have liked to stay in the Marines, but his family’s needs came first. He still saw a lot of action in the Army, but the overall level of intensity was far less than his time in the Marines.

Jim

[skrewball]

THanks for the replies all. I have about 70 credits done towards my degree. I would like to finish that. I was a Sgt in the infantry. More than likely I will be able to retain that rank. NOt alot of NCOs around. I was recalled once, bad experience and I swore I would never go back. Now look at me [:)] The corps defintately gets into your blood.

[ChezDaJez]

Depending on needs of the Corps, you will probably lose some rank. If you stay for retirement, what ever the highest rank you honarably held is the rank you retire at, though I think they have changed the retirement pay to what ever the most was you got paid for a certain period of time.

Given today's situation, I would think its quite possible to retain the rank at which you left. Also depends a lot on your MOS or skill. Also consider that different districts have differing goals. So say you live in Seattle and they don't have any available slots. You can wait or go to Portland, Oregon and try there. Just beware that recruiting districts aren't exactly happy when you do that.

I served as the Recruiter-in-Charge in Yakima, WA for 4 years and we always had prior service attempting to get back in. The major limitation for them was (1) length of time out, (2) military speciality and (3) # of PS slots available. We also only considered those with an honorable discharge.

As far as retirement goes, you will retire at the rank you held at the time of retirement OR the highest rank held during the last 3 years if greater than your current rank, assuming of course your lesser rank wasn't the result of a punitive action. The retirement system has changed drastically in the last 12 years (thank you, Bill). It used to be do your twenty and retire at 50% pay with another 2.5% for every year beyond 20. I had 26 years so I retired at 65% base pay. Now its 40% at twenty and 3.5% for every year after (unless its changed again). Your retirement pay will also be computed on your average pay for the last 3 years. So just because you retire as an E-9 doesn't mean you'll get E-9 retirement pay if you only recently were promoted.

Now a lot of the rules have changed since I got out in 98. What I mentioned above is based on that info. Go down, talk with a recruiter, test the water and see what's up. Don't be afraid to go direct to the district HQ for info as some recruiters aren't up on the latest changes.

Chez

[GoofTrooper]

I left the Army in '03 as an E-5 19K(M1 crewman). I decided to go back in (I ship out 11/08) and they let me keep my rank. You have two years from your date of separation, to enlist and keep your rank. I was a little over two years so the recruiting station put in an EIS waiver request, which was approved (as well as re-class 11x). They can do it but I wouldn't wait too long. You will find out either way before you sign your contract, which us prior service types don't sign until their ship date. Just a warning though, most recruiters won't be very helpful unless you are serious. They told me no at first (re-class) and it took 9 months to get them to agree to send me up to MEPS. Also, make sure you check your services web site to see what bonus' you are eligible for, as prior service. If your MOS has an enlistment bonus that prior service is eligible for, don't take no for an answer. They always try to tell us P.S. guys that we aren’t qualified for a bonus (I got 15K).

Hope this helps.

[JeffroK]

skrewball,

Wasnt the first thing they taught you was don't volunteer for anything!!!

With my only experience of contact with the U.S.M.C being an "accidental" boot in the face, I cant understand how educated men could consider being a Marine, let alone going back for seconds.

[:D]

L/Cpl 16 RWAR
Campbell Barracks
Swanbourne . W.A

[skrewball]

It's all the brainwashing! I don't know, sometimes I feel as if I'm missing out on something. It's hard going from top of the food chain to just an ordinary schmoe. I do miss the Corps and the times I had. However, I don't know that after being a civilian for 5 years if I could go back. I think I could handle the reserves, but who knows.

[Twotribes]

I dont know how much the Marines are using the 4th Marine Division, but I wouldnt expect to not be , in effect, active Duty even if you join the reserves.

[el cid again]

Old information, the highest age you can get in the service is adjusted by years alrady served. Meaning if the upper age is 40 and you served 5 years, you used to be able to get back in till age 45. In the last few years the upper age was raised for some if not all the services, I dont know it.

There is an absolute upper bound to age at 55. Exceptions to that are trivial and you can count them on one hand - it takes political clout and almost always involves flag rank (although Eddie Rickenbacker managed it without). 55 is something of a cultural upper bound - it is the upper limit of British and US militia laws going back centuries for example. You are a part of the unorganized militia from age 18 to 55, by law. [Used to be only men - that is what the statutes all say - but US Supreme Court says it is everyone now]. Reserve units sometimes are better at letting you keep your rank - and many reserve units are better units. That is they are more skilled - even though they may be undermanned. This is particularly true in USAF where reserve units often win contests in competition with regulars. And if you have some civil job skill they want they can let you in at officer ranks - captain being the most common. An intermediate route exists for certain skills - warrant officers are specialists.

[skrewball]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

I dont know how much the Marines are using the 4th Marine Division, but I wouldnt expect to not be , in effect, active Duty even if you join the reserves.

That is true, I don't mind being activated, it's just knowing that at the end of the day. I will get to go home [:)] Actually I just got a letter from my old reserve unit (I was there for 4 months in 03) that they are getting activated and would like me to go. Kinda hard for me to do that in my current location [:D] However, that is what got me thinking about this in the first place.

[Jonny_B]

[:@][:@]

My son Robert is currently in the 3-7 Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, been stationed in Baghdad, Iraq for over 8 months as a front line combat soldiers. I did my time in Nam, 24th Inf Division, from 1969-1970.

I also have a nephew, Zack in the 505, 82nd Airborne division, for most of my family members have served in army infantry combat.

So Be It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[:@][:@]

[Raverdave]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

skrewball,

Wasnt the first thing they taught you was don't volunteer for anything!!!

With my only experience of contact with the U.S.M.C being an "accidental" boot in the face, I cant understand how educated men could consider being a Marine, let alone going back for seconds.

[:D]

L/Cpl 16 RWAR
Campbell Barracks
Swanbourne . W.A

I take it that it was your boot in his face????

Ex 5/6 RVR grunt.