Transferring branches

[JMercer]

Any one have experience or advice on transferring from enlisted active duty in one branch to enlisted active duty in another branch? More specifically USMC to USCG.

[socal147]

Any one have experience or advice on transferring from enlisted active duty in one branch to enlisted active duty in another branch? More specifically USMC to USCG.

I was going to go to army officer candidate school. Had to be discharged from navy first. Ended up not going that route. This was back in 91. Doubt the rules have not changed since then.

[Snoopy47]

Any one have experience or advice on transferring from enlisted active duty in one branch to enlisted active duty in another branch? More specifically USMC to USCG.

Can't help your specific route, but generally going from any other service to the Army is pretty easy assuming you finish your original obligation and MOS's line up.

I've only seen it done at E5 and below without any problems with having to take a hit on pay grade.

[JMercer]

Thanks for the help so far

[jasheb]

I went from the USMC to the Army back in the 90's. Though I was out for about 15 months before I re-upped. You will have to go though the whole process to enter the CG after you EAS from the USMC.

Go speak with the USCG recruiter. You won't be the first re-tread they see. They will be able to tell you exactly what they can do.

Semper Fi

[JMercer]

Thanks jasheb. I've emailed him but have yet to get a response. Nearest on is San Diego so I plan on making a quick trip down there as soon as I can to see them in person.

[VictorFranko]

Long out with no experience transferring branches (let alone departments), just wanted to wish you the best in the USCG!

Semper Paratus

[Che762x39]

Any one have experience or advice on transferring from enlisted active duty in one branch to enlisted active duty in another branch? More specifically USMC to USCG.

It will not be a problem. I went from USMC to CA Army National Guard. My active duty time was up but technically I was still in the Marine Reserves but that was no problem.

Any reason to Coast Guard?

[Endless]

Any one have experience or advice on transferring from enlisted active duty in one branch to enlisted active duty in another branch? More specifically USMC to USCG.

Just goto your local CG recruiter with your DD214 from the USMC. Talk to them. It shouldn't be that difficult aside from high enough ASVAB scores. We had a lot of Navy and Marine folks in the CG. I worked with a couple. They said it was very easy to switch. You will lose a stripe coming over though. Keep that in mind.

[jmsenk]

Make sure you know all the regs and rules. They're different in every branch, and the CG has some very specific requirements. One of my sergeants was planning on going to the Coast Guard after he got off of active duty (top notch soldier, Airborne Infantryman with several combat tours... even went to the Combat Divers Qualification Course and wanted to be a rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard... right before he ETSed and transferred over, they shot him down because of his tattoos. He had more or less full sleeves, but everything was fine by Army standards... not so much in the Coast Guard. The recruiter wouldn't even talk about a waiver or anything else. Just said "Sorry man..." and cut him off.

All that said, my cousin is a Coastie and loves it. He just pinned on Chief and is stationed in Key West. Lots of cool drug interdiction missions.

[JMercer]

Any reason to Coast Guard?

Couple of reasons. Currently I work on satcom gear but would like to transition to maritime communications if I stay in this field. Would also like to be way more involved in law enforcement, humanitarian aid or search and rescue. CG seems like it could be the best opportunity to expand my experience while still working towards a possibility of retirement. 4 years in and 1 left to go and I've never left Cali. CG has a lot more possibilities of stations. As well as closer to home which is Michigan.

[JMercer]

We had a lot of Navy and Marine folks in the CG. I worked with a couple. They said it was very easy to switch. You will lose a stripe coming over though. Keep that in mind.

Thanks for that. Been wondering about that but it's nice to confirm. Figured the rank loss won't matter if it means I stay in for more years in the long run. Wife's a bit apprehensive though. Gonna go talk to the recruiter together.

[RickD427]

I served with quite a few ex-Marines who upgraded to Coast Guard service during my years in the guard. They were all top notch folks and served well.

You have to keep in mind that each service is quite different, and the Marine Corps and Coast Guard are kinda at opposite ends of the scale. Make sure that you know what you're getting into, and once you make the change, make sure you accomplish the cultural change. "Oorah" has got to leave your vocabulary. Replace it with "Cool".

The ability to transition will vary based on your MOS and the needs of the Coast Guard. You'll need a recruiter to guide you through the process. CG recruiters are quite different from the other services. They simply don't "recruit." They "gatekeep." For the entire time that I was in, they always had many more candidates than openings. To a CG recruiter a "quota" was a limit on how many people they could bring in. My first challenge with my recruiter was to convince him that I was serious and worth his time. I didn't have to do that when I spoke with the Navy and Marine recruiters.

Most of the other service folks had to give up at least one pay grade to make the transition. That's not entirely a bad thing. Your learning mistakes are more easily forgiven in lower grades, and you'll have more time before you have to deal with high year tenure retention issues.

Choose your rating well. It's hard to change, and CG advancement is very dependent on rating. Some move up fast, others you almost need to assassinate an E-7 in order to make E-6.

Good Luck, Semper Paratus...

[Endless]

Thanks for that. Been wondering about that but it's nice to confirm. Figured the rank loss won't matter if it means I stay in for more years in the long run. Wife's a bit apprehensive though. Gonna go talk to the recruiter together.

You may lose a stripe but with needs of the service I saw some E5s come over as E5s from the Navy and advanced quickly. But most of the time they lost a stripe.

My last duty station I had a Marine that used to work on tanks. He lateraled over to a damage control man or engineer on a ship. He could have went MK as well.

Just keep in mind when I retired they started up the higher tenure again.. so keep this in mind.

https://www.uscg.mil/announcements/alcoast/114-15_ALCOAST.txt

Rick is correct about some rates. Aviation rate advancements are very slow. Sometimes they make 3-10 E7s in a year. Plus once you hit E6 you can only test once a year for 7, 8 and 9. E4-E6 you get two shots a year. I remember a buddy of mine that was an E8 that wrote number 1 for E9 and didn't advance for 3 years. Each year he took the SWE and was number 1 of 19 but did not advance. When he finally advanced he retired after 1 year as a 9. He came in after 1980 and was on the high 3 and should have done 2 more at 9 but he was ready to leave so his retirement pay will be his years of service plus an average of 2 years at 8 and one at 9.

My last bit of advice is once you hit 15 years of service do not take the redux. It's just not worth it unless you are staying for 30 and making 9 or CWO.

[JMercer]

Choose your rating well. It's hard to change, and CG advancement is very dependent on rating.

Is this pretty similar to how one would choose an MOS in the Marines? Or is it a different process all together?

I'm a digital wideband repairer(satcom tech) so I was looking at the electronics technician rating. Though I'd prefer gunners mate.