Posted on Dec 30, 2013
Should former Marines who join another service give up the Title?
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I first joined the Army and after my enlistment, I joined the Marine Corps. I no longer call myself a Soldier, but a Marine. Should former Marines give up the title of Marine once they join another branch of service? It's analogous to a woman taking the name of her husband, then once the marriage has ended, she re-marries and takes her new husband's name. Me, I'm married to the Corps!
Posted in these groups: 
Marines
Marines
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 358
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Msgt. Short answer h**l no! They earned it..it was not given to them ,it was not leant to them but Earned...if they transition to another service that doesn't strip their title they just have to abide by the protocol of said service . I will never give up my title.
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<p>If we are to refer to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) thoughts on the subject, in the current CMC's own words: "A Marine is a Marine. I set that policy two weeks ago - there's no such thing as a former Marine. You're a Marine, just in a different uniform and you're in a different phase of your life. But you'll always be a Marine because you went to Parris Island, Sand Diego or the hills of Quantico. There's no such thing as a former Marine" The 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James F. Amos (CMC's Planning Guidance 2010 http://www.lifeasamarine.com/marines/story/252625-former-marine-or-e</p><p>http://www.grunt.com/corps/scuttlebutt/marine-corps-stories/its-official-once-a-marine-always-a-marine/</p><p>http://www.mcldanville.com/once-a-marine.html</p><p> </p><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://www.mcldanville.com/uploads/6/9/1/9/6919503/2563012.jpg?127"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a href="http://www.mcldanville.com/once-a-marine.html" target="_blank">Once a Marine...</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">Marines, listen up! The Commandant of the Marine Corps has spoken! No more "former" Marines! This is very important information to all of us. A quote from the Commandant, General James F. Amos: " A...</div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://www.grunt.com/skin/frontend/sgtgrit/sgtgrit/images/logo.gif"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a href="http://www.grunt.com/corps/scuttlebutt/marine-corps-stories/its-official-once-a-marine-always-a-marine/" target="_blank">It's Official. Once a Marine, Always a Marine! | Marine Corps Stories | Scuttlebutt | Sgt Grit</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">Sgt Grit is a place where Marines can come and meet other Marines, share tattoos and stories, keep up with Marine Corps news, or shop for USMC gear.</div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://www.lifeasamarine.com/images/masthead/marines_logo.jpg"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a href="http://www.lifeasamarine.com/marines/story/252625-former-marine-or-e" target="_blank">Former Marine or Ex-Marine? Neither - Once a Marine, Always a Marine</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">I was corrected once, back in 2000, to never call my brother an ex-Marine simply because he left the Marines. He was a Marine for seven years. I was told to refer to all</div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div>
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TSgt Scott Hurley
When I was at Cannon, in the mid 90's, we had a maintenance officer that was a former Marine. If I remember correctly, our squadron Commander said former Marine. I turned to our Chief and said to him. Once a Marine ALWAYS A MARINE! So it was always there unofficially. And the Chief responded with your right. So what the COMC(need clarification for Acronym) was doing was putting it into official policy. That is my take.
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I started out in the USMC,joined the Army guard, then ended up retiring from the Air National Guard. But I have always been a Marine, so much so that during my retirement ceremony the SNCO corps gave a Marine sword.
Once a Marine always a Marine.
But that is not to say that I did not have pride in the Air Force and the Army either.
I served my country with pride and that is what is important.
Once a Marine always a Marine.
But that is not to say that I did not have pride in the Air Force and the Army either.
I served my country with pride and that is what is important.
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Msgt, I have several friends who served in the Marine Corps and have now moved to other services. To the individual, all report once a marine, always a marine.
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"Once an FMF sailor, always an FMF sailor!" <div><br></div><div>OK, so I have a slightly different perspective on this, but I think it revolves around the same thing: Esprit de corps. I felt it when I was attached to Marines, and there was nothing comparable to it during my time on the blue side of the Navy. I got hints of it when I was with the Seabees, but it was palpable with the Marines. Their pride and confidence was contagious. Their brotherhood was real. And it became mine when I earned my 2401 designation (the RP equivalent to an 8404 corpsman) and then my Fleet Marine Force Warfare badge. I trained with these guys. I deployed with them. I was an extra rifleman on foot patrols. I pulled security details when we dismounted from our mounted patrols. I was in it with them and they treated me like one of them. When my Marine brothers say "Semper Fi" to me, I say it back with the same conviction. I know I didn't go through Parris Island or San Diego, but the day I put the EGA on my chest was one of the proudest days of my military career.<div><br></div><div>Although I was never a Marine, had I ever gone back to the fleet after my time with the Marines, I feel like I would have had similar "former FMF sailor" conversations. It almost seemed like I was in a different service, if that makes sense. </div></div><div><br></div><div>Semper Fi!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>
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Cpl Ray Fernandez
Docs are different, most get a choice in dealing with Marines and they do so willingly, and when we do something silly, stupid, or just get hurt the Doc is willing to risk their lives for us, and we appreciate that which is why Docs are held in the highest regard by most Marines (at least the ones with some degree of sense and intelligence). When you're an FMF Doc, you're as close to a Marine, as possible without setting foot on the yellow footprints of San Diego or Parris Island.
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PO2 Michael Marie
I'm an FMF RP, not a doc, but I appreciate the sentiment. Thanks brother. Most marines called me doc until they noticed the different collar device or once they got to know me. I worked with the chaplain, not for the aid station. I was like a one-man PSD for chaps, plus I handled admin and logistics for our chaps.
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CPT Keith Steinhurst
Hurrah Doc! Roger that! As I have written, all Marines are in the Navy, but not all sailors are in the Marine Corps! Cheeers!
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No, MSgt. Once you earn the title, it's yours to keep no matter here you go or what you do. You go back to being a civilian, you'll always be a Marine. You join the Navy, the Air Force, Coast Guard, I don't care. You're a brother/sister to me and I'd take you over any of my civilian friends. The Marines, and I'm sure any branch, once you're in, it's a part of you forever. If you join the Army after becoming a Marine, you're a soldier now, but inside I expect that Devil Dog to stay alive. That's what it was bred for.
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CMSgt James Nolan
I disagree with you Cpl Sturdevant. It is not yours to keep no matter where you go or what you do. You must continue to live with honor. For example, I recently arrested a child molester who was dishonorably discharged from the Corps. At his mother's home, when we were looking for him, mom answered the door. I told her why we were looking for her son, and she said "He is a Marine and would not do that" To which I replied, that he USED to be a Marine, that title is no longer his to claim, now he is going to jail. And he did.
But I do agree with you in part-that is: the title, when earned, stays.
We always pick back and forth between services-it is what makes each service proud of what they do. At the end of my career, which has been long and interesting, I will look back fondly upon my service, the people that I served with and those experiences. I have life-long friends from my time in these services, along with some Soldiers and Coasties that I have been fortunate enough to meet.
For me there wind up being two kinds of folks: Men/Women who have served, and the rest of the world.
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Cpl Craig Meaux
I agree with 1stSgt Nolan. A child molester with a dishonorable discharge is no longer a Marine.
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Cpl Christopher Sturdevant
You can call it what you like. For me, I'm no longer in, I'm still a Marine, I can go into the air force, I'm still a Marine. It's not just a title, it's an attitude and a mindset, it's a lifestyle. Just because you earn it, doesn't mean you can't un-earn it. The moment you lose what being a Marine is, is the day you no longer deserve the title. Being a Marine is not an excuse to do whatever the hell. Being a child molester is not being a Marine and in fact I would call it hardly being human. I should have clarified on the one sentence I left open to interpretation. For me an many other people, we are Marines first, then come men/women who have served, then the rest of the world. That's my personal opinion anyway.
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Being a former Marine, Soldier, Airmen or Sailor and transferring to one of the other branches is like being traded or signing a contract with another team. Sure you play for a set of different colors but the end state is still the same, to win our Nation's Wars! Regardless of what service came first each service member will always respect and hold dearly that service as their first.
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SSG (Join to see)
Thank you 1SG. We still fight under one flag! Regardless of the reasons we (Marines) got out on, we continue to serve for the same country and bleed the same color. Come on MSG Garcia, I understand your comments, but you are just creating reasons to respond, No disrespect intended.
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I see it this way.
Once a Marine, always a Marine
Once a Sailor, Always a Sailor
Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier
Once an Airman, always an Airman
Once a Coast Guardsman/women always a Coast Gardsman/woman.
But most importantly, once a service member Always a Service member; the biggest and most wonderful dysfunctional family out there.
Once a Marine, always a Marine
Once a Sailor, Always a Sailor
Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier
Once an Airman, always an Airman
Once a Coast Guardsman/women always a Coast Gardsman/woman.
But most importantly, once a service member Always a Service member; the biggest and most wonderful dysfunctional family out there.
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I am a Marine, Have been since 10 DEC 1997, and will be until the day I die. As of now, I am a Marine (in an Army uniform) that leads Soldiers to be the best that they can be, and I instill the "Cult" aspect of the Marine Corps to their Army service. Little by little I will infect the Army with the values and traditions I embody from the Marine Corps. I am not trying to change the Army, but I will make it (Army) and all the Soldiers under my leadership better and stronger. Semper Fi!
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