Expert: Eric Ernst - 9/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: well my husband just went through army infantry basic training,but is now considering switching to the coast guard for many personal reasons.what needs to be done in order to do that?will he be required to go through bootcamp again or is it more or less just alot of paperwork?if he goes into the coast guard, what does that job entail?

ANSWER: Hello Lauren,
Ok I'm going to be up front about this. The chances of your husband being able to switch to the Coast Guard is going to be a hard one. He's a soldier now, in order for him to be able to switch he would need to be released from his contract. He is going to need to contact his chain of command, but the odds of him being able to switch right after attending the training that he received is going to be almost impossible. The Army has time and money invested into him and they are going to try and get there money's worth. I'm sorry if it's a bit of hard news to receive. I mean he can try but odds are it won't happen  until his contract is up. If you have anymore questions please let me know.
Thanks,
Eric

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: How does one go about getting released from contract, doesnt that give you dishonerable discharge or somthing of that sort? If odds are on our side and he gets to switch, would he have to go through boot camp again?

Answer
Hello Again Lauren,
One thing he doesn't want is a dishonorable discharge that is not a good one at all to have and it will follow him around for the rest of his life. Not to mention if he had any hopes of joining any other service it would be nearly impossible. I'm going to enlcose a link as well to a site that has information about the RE codes and wanting to get out. From what I am reading the odds of him being able to get out are slim to none though. There is always a chance but it's probably not going to be able to happen. He did take the oath and he did sign a contract obliging him to serve x amount of years. Here is the website as well http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalinfo/a/getout.htm   If he is interested in trying to get out he will need to talk to his chain of command first which would be his C/O or the captain of his company. May I ask why the sudden change of heart? Why does he want out of the Army for? Also is he reserves, national guard or active duty?  If he completes his 4 years in the Army he would not have to attend boot camp again they have a program in the Coast Guard called Pit Stop. (I was supposed to do pit stop but due to an error I had to do basic all over again, I had fun though and was treated a lot different lol) If you have any more questions please let me know.
Thanks,
Eric