Expert: Howard Lorenz - 12/3/2007

Question
Hello, My name is James and I'm 18 years old

I recently joined the Army and am scheduled to ship out for basic at Fort
Jackson on January 16th.  January 9 I am scheduled to report to MEPS to sign
some more paperwork, which I was told would "officially" (The "no turning
back now officially") put me in the Army.

Before I say more, I have to say that when I became interested in joining the
military I was 16 and had my heart set on being a Marine.  I planned on
joining as soon as I graduated, but had some problems due to my private
high school diploma that was not accredited by the state of Texas.  So I went
to college to gain my 15 college credit hours needed to join, and enrolled in
Army ROTC.  The class was fun and had many students that were apart of
Army Reserve.  I decided that I would join the Army Reserve and continue the
ROTC classes to gain my commission.  Now that my ship date is approaching,
I'm realizing that I made a mistake.  It is my dream to be a United States
Marine and I constatnly kick myself for Marine Corps is the branch for me.

I've talked to the Army XO of the Reserve unit I'd be attached to and he told
me it was possible to switch.  I've also talked to two Marine Recruiters that
Have told me it was possible as long as I could get the Army to discharge me.  
However, as expected, my Army recruiter and her CO are giving me the red
light, saying I'm in already.  They've tried to make it easier for me by telling
me I could switch jobs and other things like that, but I told them it wasn't the
job, it was the branch.

Is there any possible way to make this switch?  Or just not join the Army and
wait a while to join USMC?  Please help with any information you have.  Thank
you.

James

Answer
James,

If you are going to make the decision...Now would be the time. If you had dreams of joining the Marines, then you should have went with the Marines. If you decide to leave the Army before your ship date, then the Army will hold you in their system so that you cant join anything up to 6 months or so. I had this happen to a guy that decided to go Air Force. I had to tell him that when the Army officially let him go, then come talk to me, but untill then I couldnt do anything...The marine recruiters are not supposed to talk to you while you are in the Army Dep, but this doesnt mean that they wont. So keep in mind that you will not be alber to just go and join the Marines the next day. The Army has to give you a DEP discharge letter, this is what they will hold on too for a long time. The Army has a right to hold that letter till the commander tells them to release you...They spen the $$ to send you to the MEPS and thats not cheap. It costs the Department of Defense approx 1000 per applicant that they send for processing.

To make a switch between services, you first have to leave the one you are in and then enlist into the one your going into. I have never heard of a Marine Army switch program.

You could be in for a long wait to get to where you should have been to begin with. From this point on, make sure that when you decide to do something, that you stick with the decision you make. It doesnt matter where you serve your country as long as you are serving her. The Army can give you the same as what the Marines can or the Navy or Air Force for that matter. There was something that you liked about joining the Army or you wouldnt have went to begin with....and on the flip side, what make you think that you will like the Marines any better?

The one thing that you can do as an option is go and do your stint in the Army, after you have been in for a tour you dont like it...then make the switch if you so choose. That much I know you can do. I have seen the Marines take prior service before...

The choice is yours as are the consequenses... I cant tell you what decision to make, but it soulds to me like you already have your mind made up?

HW