Expert: Jason Grabill - 12/10/2007

Question
Hello my name is Melissa. My husband is in the Marines and just returned from Iraq in November. We have three children, 2 from a previous marriage and one I just had in November( the very next day after he got home!!!) I am a homemaker and I used to be a single mom raising 2 children. I know how the civilian world is! My husband on the other hand is 5 years younger than I am and has not ever had to deal with raising kids and making ends meet on your own in the real world. He will have the chance to get out of the Marines in 2 years and all I have been hearing is how he can't wait and he WILL get out. I have talked to him and tried to make him see how difficult it would be with 3 children and daycare expences because I wouldn't have a choice, I would have to work in order to make it. He doesn't have a plan and neither do I. I expected him to retire, since that is what he has said for the past 2 years. I am so very nervous for our whole family and I was hoping you would know what I could say to him to make him see the consequences of getting out. He has mentioned that it is his job he hates and maybe he might just go to another branch or maybe change jobs. He doesn't follow through with those thoughts with checking into things. I feel like I need to do all the research to hand him what he should do but I don't know what to do or where to go to do it. I know that it is 2 years away, but I know how time flys!! Thanks, Melissa, A very concerned Marine Wife!!

Answer
Melissa:

  Sounds like he's at the point all of us get to sooner or later.  We hate it, but we love it too.  I can tell you, and him, that quite likely he will regret getting out, plan or no plan.  Talk to any former Marine, esp. those of us who have been out for some time, and most would go back in in a heartbeat.   

 Getting out without a plan is not only foolish, but virtually assures him of coming back in!   Even those who get out with a plan, alot of times, re-enlist within a year or so, or try to.  

  I'd suggest a lateral move to a different MOS if he really doesn't like his job.  If he is a first termer, he has all sorts of options open to him for re-enlistment.  Now is the time to start looking.

  Lateral move means basically he switches to another job.  As a first termer, as long as he has a clean record, pretty much any job is available to him, but he is the one who will have to make the request.   You can find out what jobs are available by reading the Marine Corps Times.  Explosive Ordance Disposal, for example, is hurting for qualified Marines, and they have a large bonus for going there.  (Over 50,000 dollars) and an automatic promotion to Sergeant.   That's just one example.  The message authorizing that is Marine Administrative Message (MarAdmin 628/07 dated 23 October 2007).  Not sure if this link will work, but check here:

http://www.usmc.mil/maradmins/maradmin2000.nsf/37f49138fc3d9c00852569b9000af6b7/...

If you go to the www.usmc.mil/maradmins site you can also find it that way, as well as ALL messages that relate to lateral moves, bonus money, and 'short' MOS's.

 Drop me another line if you need more information.

Jason