Serve in 3 Branches of Armed Services

My stepfather like the title says has been in 3 different branches of the u.s military, currently in the u.s air force. I believe in 1981 he enlisted in the navy and did that for 6 years on a nuclear sub. I believe sometime in the late eighties early nineties he enlisted in the army national guard and was a tanker, he did that for I think 4 years. After 9/11 he went into the navy reserve and worked at the u.s.s constitution as a security guard and he did that until 2006. Now he is currently in the u.s airforce, right now he is training in texas. Anyway is it rare for military guys to be in this many branches of the military?

Yes.

yes.

wondering if he took a hit in terms of retirement points by hopping from branch to branch.

as well if his rank took a hit.

3 basic trainings as well? no thank you.

why didnt he just stay in the navy?

[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
yes.

wondering if he took a hit in terms of retirement points by hopping from branch to branch.

as well if his rank took a hit.

3 basic trainings as well? no thank you.

why didnt he just stay in the navy?[/quote]

Actually after he finishes his tech training with the air force I believe he is getting E-8. He only had to do basic training for the navy when he first went in, he did not have to do that for the army national guard or the air force. I do not really know why he did not stay in the navy, but he went into the air force for the enlistment bonus, and education benefits to help pay for his masters degree. Oh he is actually going to be in the air national guard, which pays for all of the tuition and fees of any Massachusetts state college. He has been working as a boston police officer for I think 20 years now maybe more. The funny thing is my stepfather is a police officer and my “real” dad has served a good amount of jail time.

[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
yes.

wondering if he took a hit in terms of retirement points by hopping from branch to branch.

as well if his rank took a hit.

3 basic trainings as well? no thank you.

why didnt he just stay in the navy?[/quote]

If he would have just joined the Marine Corps to begin with, he wouldn’t have had to go through the other boot camps!

[quote]ironmaniac508 wrote:

Actually after he finishes his tech training with the air force I believe he is getting E-8. He only had to do basic training for the navy when he first went in, he did not have to do that for the army national guard or the air force. I do not really know why he did not stay in the navy, but he went into the air force for the enlistment bonus, and education benefits to help pay for his masters degree. Oh he is actually going to be in the air national guard, which pays for all of the tuition and fees of any Massachusetts state college. He has been working as a boston police officer for I think 20 years now maybe more. The funny thing is my stepfather is a police officer and my “real” dad has served a good amount of jail time.[/quote]

why was he exempt from basic training for the army or airforce?

what sort of enlistment bonus was the airforce offering? didn’t even know there was one

[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
ironmaniac508 wrote:

Actually after he finishes his tech training with the air force I believe he is getting E-8. He only had to do basic training for the navy when he first went in, he did not have to do that for the army national guard or the air force. I do not really know why he did not stay in the navy, but he went into the air force for the enlistment bonus, and education benefits to help pay for his masters degree. Oh he is actually going to be in the air national guard, which pays for all of the tuition and fees of any Massachusetts state college. He has been working as a boston police officer for I think 20 years now maybe more. The funny thing is my stepfather is a police officer and my “real” dad has served a good amount of jail time.

why was he exempt from basic training for the army or airforce?

what sort of enlistment bonus was the airforce offering? didn’t even know there was one[/quote]

I do not know why he did not have to go to basic, next time I talk to him I will ask though. I believe he is getting a $15,000 bonus for signing for 6 years in the MA air national guard.

Three is pretty rare, but it’s not uncommon to serve in two branches.

Holymacaroni, if you have gone through certain boot camps you are do not have to go through another one. I know for a fact if you go thru Marine boot camp your exempt from going through the 3 boot camps. I do not know the exact regulations on the other ones.

[quote]jre67t wrote:
Holymacaroni, if you have gone through certain boot camps you are do not have to go through another one. I know for a fact if you go thru Marine boot camp your exempt from going through the 3 boot camps. I do not know the exact regulations on the other ones.[/quote]

i know this.

i also know the OP didn’t mention marine boot.

this is why i asked.

thank you and have a nice day.

[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
jre67t wrote:
Holymacaroni, if you have gone through certain boot camps you are do not have to go through another one. I know for a fact if you go thru Marine boot camp your exempt from going through the 3 boot camps. I do not know the exact regulations on the other ones.

i know this.

i also know the OP didn’t mention marine boot.

this is why i asked.

thank you and have a nice day.[/quote]

Usually you do not have to go to another basic training once you’ve been to one. Supposedly, they are all supposed to teach you the basics of military life although we all know some are harder than other and some are easier than others. That does make it easier for soldiers to move from one branch to another. You know HM, I wouldnt expect a ROTC “soldier” to know that. Just throwing it out there to ya!

If he is an officer I see it to be more likely, but anymore than 2 is odd. Especially to go into the Air Force as a prior service member.

HM dont get your panties in a wad, I was just informing you.

And your welcome, and have a great day.

I guy I work with is currently in the Air National Guard. He originally served six years in the Air Force and then four years in the Army. He has served a tour in Iraq in the Air National Guard. He is a Master Sergeant in the Air National Guard.

[quote]slippery_banana wrote:
Usually you do not have to go to another basic training once you’ve been to one. Supposedly, they are all supposed to teach you the basics of military life although we all know some are harder than other and some are easier than others. That does make it easier for soldiers to move from one branch to another. You know HM, I wouldnt expect a ROTC “soldier” to know that. Just throwing it out there to ya!
[/quote]

lol. i’m not ROTC. never was. thanks for the assumption though.

not sure why you require quotations around soldier in that case anyways. not like the guys coming from USMA and OCS are all the next patton.

from what i’ve been told, with the exception of marine boot, you generall have to do the cooresponding basic training for that branch of service.

[quote]HEAVYMETALMATT wrote:
If he is an officer I see it to be more likely, but anymore than 2 is odd. Especially to go into the Air Force as a prior service member.[/quote]

it was said he’s an E-8

[quote]jre67t wrote:
HM dont get your panties in a wad, I was just informing you.

And your welcome, and have a great day.[/quote]

sorry dude. no sleep for the last few weeks makes me grouchy.

i had thought i had already mentioned knowing marine boot is accepted by other services.

like i already said, i thought that was the only exception, which is why i was curious

Not a problem, I know how you feel, still had to give you a rip. Buttebar?

[quote]jre67t wrote:

Not a problem, I know how you feel, still had to give you a rip. Buttebar? [/quote]

you know it. someone’s gotta be the dirty el tee. lol

Come on HM, We used to be roomates remember? Johnson Hall?? I know some of your military secrets!