**MILITARY ONLY**Does anybody have any experience serving in the Army & the Marines?

Question

I used to be in the Army about 2 years ago, it was ok but I thought it could've been better. My job was NBC and I never really liked it to much. I spoke with the Marines recruiter and found out that I could have basically any MOS in the corp. Im leaning towards aviation electronics.

My main question is has anybody served in both and if so how did they differ? How are they the same? Which one is better?

Answer 1

I served in the Army only, however I did have some buddies that served in the Marines that had transferred into the Army. Some said they preferred the Marines because of the camaraderie, and some said that they didn't like their jobs...all in all there is always something not to like you just have to find the things that you do like and enjoy them to the fullest. I was in the Infantry for 3 years then re-classed to Aviation in the Army, I thought the Infantry sucked until I had gotten into Aviation I missed the camaraderie and the cool things that I did in the Infantry. So you should be asking which one is better you should be wondering which one would benefit you more, like do you want to go to school which branch will allow you more time to attend, or do you want to spend more time with your family, do you want to travel more, do you want to gain more working knowledge so on and so forth. So like I said there is pros and cons to everything.....even on the civilian side.

Answer 2

I'm in the Army Reserves - I haven't served in the Marines, but I'm friends with the local Marine recruiter as well as some of the Marines stationed at Quantico.

The main thing I've noticed in the Marines is that it's very hard to get promoted. I assume this is due to the fact that the Marine Corps is so much smaller than the Army, so there are less slots to get promoted into. There are also less jobs available overall, so your choices are fairly limited.

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe the Marine Corps does not guarantee your a job, only a job FIELD. So while you might enlist in order to go into aviation electronics, you may end up doing something else in the field "aviation electronics" falls under.

What I would do would be to talk to a Marine recruiter and ask them what your options are. If it's just that you didn't like your job in the Army but liked the Army overall, I would also talk to an Army or Army Reserve recruiter to see what your options are there. The Army has a lot more jobs to choose from than the Marine Corps has and you have better chances of getting promoted, too.

Answer 3

Watch out for those recruiters! They will tell you what ever you want to hear to get you to sign up, so make sure you double check everything. My brother joined the Marines and wanted to go infantry. The recruiter told him it would be no problem, but when he got to basic, he found out he wasn't eligible for infantry. I had the same problem with recruiters when I signed up for the Air Force, as did my Dad (Air Force also). So, while I can't give you specifics on the differences between Army & Marines, I can tell you to double check everything, don't take the recruitment officers word on it.

Also, remember. It's the military. When it comes down to it, they will put you where they need you most. End of story.

Oh, and another thought if you have a family. My dad was Air Force, but we were stationed on Army and Navy stations during his enlistment. The Navy housing (where Marines often live) is much better than Army.

Answer 4

I served in the Navy, and the Army National Guard, including 11 months in Iraq. I served a total of 36 years. And let me take this opportunity to point out that the Department of Homeland Terrorism is a threat to our form of government. The real extremists are in Washington, DC. The military protects the nation. The Department of Homeland Terrorism is a threat to our freedoms.

Answer 5

Not saying there is anything wrong with either of them but since being in the Navy for the last six years I have met over 20 people in your circumstance that joined the Nav. Sometimes its because they have got a bit older and are looking forward to all the extra running that comes with both those services other times they would just rather not get shot at. If you are looking into Aviation related jobs I would contemplate both the Navy and the Air Force. I was going to college to become an avionics technician and ran out of cash for school. I asked my instructors what they thought and most of them recommended the Navy for an Aviation related education.

Answer 6

well as far as I know you have to go back to basic if you go from army to marines, you don't if you go from marines to army.

my expierence is the marines are more brain washed but they have a much closer brotherhood than the army, except its probally about the same in army infantry.

marines I have found are smarter than your typical army grunt.
but have a higher psyco factor.

and you probally will lose some of the rank you had in the army, but if I were you I would demand that your rank be included in your contract you sign and if possible try to get out of the marine boot camp.

Answer 7

Here is how a Marine put it on a USMC board:

"Okay being a Marine that has switched services (you can read why in the Marine only board) I have first hand experinces with the NEW Army.

I joined the Army National Gaurd for a "try one" I ended up going to OIF III with them and I will tell you that yes the Army is alot different from the 'Corps.

In the Army there are only Cpl's in "combat arm" MOS's me being Arty turned Security Forces (basically convoy escort, QRF, gate guard) I was allowed the privilage of retaing my NCO status as Cpl. The wierd thing is the Army has Spc's which are also E-4's these guys are paid the same as a Cpl but have no responsibilty as far as an NCO, being a Cpl in the Army is kinda like being a senior lance cooly, you don't get much respect you just kinda make the best of it and make people respect you through hard work, persaverince, and your Marine Corps leadership traits.

The majority of the Army doesn't understand the meaning of pride and is about instant gradifacation, awards, patches, and of course screwing around with women.

The 101st Airborne was coming in theater around the time my unit was rotating out and we shared plenty of time at the chow hall with them. We called the 101st the "hundered and worst" here they were, the pride of America's Army units "Air-Assualt" but in fact they were more like horny rabid dogs, that would steal anything they could and hit on every female on post, (not that its a bad thing to explore your options) but for a female Sgt to allow PFC's and Spc's to call her "sexy girl", and "baby doll" openly and in front of other NCO's and Soldiers and did nothing. It was appauling to say the least.

I don't want to go as far as saying that the recent events that have happened in Iraq with that unit are just but i will say that the new Army's way of allowing **** bags to do as they want to keep the "numbers up" is just pathetic.

The Army is at war with itself as far as the best way to lead, train and motivate young people to go to war.

The Army belives that giving berrets and badges away to everyone will make the young troops to as they are told, however, as I said instant gradification only goes so far.

I could go on and on about the faults of the New Army, but I'm not gonna bore you with the mindless *****ing.

simply put, the Army and the Marine Corps are like apples and oranges. just right now the army is rotting and the Marine Corps is not. "

Answer 8

I spent a few weeks in the ATC.

The squaddies leading us seemed to be most committed at trying to make us laugh while on parade by braking wind loudly inbetween instructions.

Answer 9

Army has more MOS"s