Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Anyone serve in more than one branch of the armed forces?

  1. #1
    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    7,665

    Question Anyone serve in more than one branch of the armed forces?

    When I was in the Navy I knew a couple of guys that had been in the Marine Corp or Army before joining the Navy. Another guy was drafted into the Army during Vietnam. When he got out of the Army he enlisted in the Air Force, did one or two hitches and got out then a few years later joined the Navy where I met him. The other day I ran across a story about a guy in New Jersey, gotta see if I can find it again, anyway he lied about his age at the beginning of WWII to join the Merchant Marines. Don't recall how long after that he used his Merchant Marine paperwork to enlist in the Navy. Took about a year for the Navy to find out he was underage at the time of his enlistment so they kicked him out.

    Apparently he was now old enough so he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and flew in bombers during WWII. He was discharged at the end of the war but when the Korean War started he joined the Army. IIRC after the Korean war he did something for a year or two then got into the Marine Corp. Seems like the article said he retired from the Marines and went on to do something with aircraft in the U.G. Coast Guard. I'd say he was pretty dedicated cause I can't think of any branch he missed serving in.

    Also got to wondering about special forces and found one guy who was a green beret, got out of the Army and joined the Navy and became a SEAL. While he as in the SEALs the Navy sent him through the Army Ranger school. I always figured some special operations guys might try different branches but I guess other than the Air Force PJ's and Marine Recon this guy had 3 of the five that I consider SF covered. I guess if you have what it takes to make it in one you pretty much have the tools to make it through any of them.
    Gunsnet member since 1999
    USN 1978-86
    BCCI Life Member #2068

    •" We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. " George Orwell

  2. #2
    Team Gunsnet Platinum 06/2016 ltorlo64's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Back in the Pacific Northwest!
    Posts
    8,174
    I have only been in the Navy, but I have been in twice. I got out after my first enlistment for a little less than 2 years. I went back in and have just went over 30 years (24 continuous) on active duty.
    "Nothing ever gets so bad that government "help" can't make it worse." Pat Garrett, March 22, 2014

    "HATE IS GOOD, WHEN ITS DIRECTED AT EVIL." PROBASCO, April 20, 2012

    I tried to push the envelope, but found that it was stationery.

    Have you heard about the new corduroy pillows? They're making head lines!

    NRA Endowment Member

  3. #3
    Team Gunsnet Silver 02/14 - Moderator recon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    4,378
    I did. US Navy 75'-79' US Army 82'-85'.
    Buy It Cheap!
    Stack It Deep!

    Original Member-July-1999!

  4. #4
    Junior Member

    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    3
    Howdy,

    I served in the Air Force for 4 years as a Security Police, got out, played 2 seasons of college football, then I had the bright idea that I wanted to be a Navy Seal.

    I joined the Navy and shortly before going to BUD/S I fail a hearing test, placed on medical hold and was eventually dropped. I was in a group with several other OSVETS ( Other Service Veterans ) that like myself were in another branch that joined the Navy to be a Seal.

    I diid 3 years and got out.


    Paul

  5. #5
    Team GunsNet Platinum 02/2014 Hatedbysheeple's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    714
    I was army national guard, got out did underwater welding for a bit and am now in the navy. If I changed to another branch it would be a huge pay cut as I know of only one group that gets more money and they are also in the navy, they get one more special pay and a little bigger re-enlistment bonus.
    Initial Success or Total Failure

  6. #6
    Team Gunsnet Platinum 06/2016 ltorlo64's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Back in the Pacific Northwest!
    Posts
    8,174
    Quote Originally Posted by Stengun View Post
    Howdy,

    I served in the Air Force for 4 years as a Security Police, got out, played 2 seasons of college football, then I had the bright idea that I wanted to be a Navy Seal.

    I joined the Navy and shortly before going to BUD/S I fail a hearing test, placed on medical hold and was eventually dropped. I was in a group with several other OSVETS ( Other Service Veterans ) that like myself were in another branch that joined the Navy to be a Seal.

    I diid 3 years and got out.


    Paul
    Welcome to the group and thanks for your service. Bother to miss out on BUDS because of hearing. You would have thought they would have caught that on the initial physical. What did you do for the 3 years that you were in the Navy?
    "Nothing ever gets so bad that government "help" can't make it worse." Pat Garrett, March 22, 2014

    "HATE IS GOOD, WHEN ITS DIRECTED AT EVIL." PROBASCO, April 20, 2012

    I tried to push the envelope, but found that it was stationery.

    Have you heard about the new corduroy pillows? They're making head lines!

    NRA Endowment Member

  7. #7
    Team GunsNet Platinum 07/2011 nfa1934's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    1,730
    Quote Originally Posted by ltorlo64 View Post
    Welcome to the group and thanks for your service. Bother to miss out on BUDS because of hearing. You would have thought they would have caught that on the initial physical. What did you do for the 3 years that you were in the Navy?
    You would be surprised at what they don't catch. I knew a guy who graduated Navy OCS a class ahead of me who had an aviation contract. After he graduated OCS and was commissioned, they decided he was too tall to be a pilot when he reported to API. I think he ended up going Surface Warfare. He at least had the option to move to another community or be released from service, since he had contracted specifically for aviation.

    I've been Navy and Army.
    If I had a dollar for every time CAPITALISM was blamed for problems caused by the GOVERNMENT, I'd be a fat filmmaker with a baseball cap.

    12 string guitars only have 6 extra strings, but they're 85 TIMES as likely to be used in a song about wizards.

    I like big 'bots and I cannot lie...
    I got the model from Bandai.

  8. #8
    Team Gunsnet Platinum 06/2016 ltorlo64's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Back in the Pacific Northwest!
    Posts
    8,174
    Quote Originally Posted by nfa1934 View Post
    You would be surprised at what they don't catch. I knew a guy who graduated Navy OCS a class ahead of me who had an aviation contract. After he graduated OCS and was commissioned, they decided he was too tall to be a pilot when he reported to API. I think he ended up going Surface Warfare. He at least had the option to move to another community or be released from service, since he had contracted specifically for aviation.
    I know they miss things, it just surprises me. I had a friend that was getting his radiation worker physical, which those of us who work in nuclear propulsion have to get every 5 years, that failed his physical and had to get a waiver to continue to work in the nuclear field. At the time he had been in about 10 years, so he had at least 2 physicals previously that he passed. The problem they found? He was born with only one kidney.
    "Nothing ever gets so bad that government "help" can't make it worse." Pat Garrett, March 22, 2014

    "HATE IS GOOD, WHEN ITS DIRECTED AT EVIL." PROBASCO, April 20, 2012

    I tried to push the envelope, but found that it was stationery.

    Have you heard about the new corduroy pillows? They're making head lines!

    NRA Endowment Member

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •