Or to be a private practice attorney specializing in military law?
There’s a student where I work who I know is a major league bullshitter but I’m not sure how much of one he is, and while I’ve caught him in outright lies and whoppers at that I do know some of what he says is true.
I know he was in the Navy at one point, but he claims he’s going to join the Air Force next year. Is joining two different branches of the service (consecutively) possible and does it happen? And do you have to go through basic again and would any rank you accumulated transfer (i.e. if you were a ROTC lieutenant before [or whatever its equivalent in a particular branch] would you go in a lieutenant again?
He also claims (again- this guy has some issues and I know he lies, so I ask because this might be on the level) that he eventually wants to go to law school and specialize in being a private practice military lawyer. Does that exist as a specialty for attorneys in private practice?
Yup, it’s done, though I can’t say how often. In fact, my grandfather did it – went from the Army Air Corps to the Navy. He was able to in effect keep his rank; didn’t have to start over, in other words. Now, obviously, this was some years ago, so I don’t know what the specific policies are. But I know it can be done.
Yes, you can finish you enlistment in one branch and then join another. Due to current enlistment standards, I am currently working with 3 former Marines and a former National Guard Soldier who are joining the Army.
As to what rank you will come in as, that will depend on how long you have been out and the needs of the branch you are enlisting into. Currently, the Army can enlist up to pay grade of E-6 with prior military service.
As to becoming a lawyer specializing in Military law, yes there are those, and a Recruiter that I currently work with had the need to hire one recently.
SSG § Schwartz
ETA: As to whether to person would have to go through Basic Training, Boot Camp, etc again, would again depend on the branch and how long it had been since the person got out of the military.
More likely, He’s been in the Navy as active duty and intends to be in the Air Force Reserve or National Guard.
It’s not uncommon for folks to be in the Reserve (AF or Navy) or Guard (AF or Army) with a background in a different service. It’s not a huge percentage, but it’s not zero either.
It’s also not unusual for a lawyer involved in the Guard or Reserve to take military-related cases as a civilian too.
My dad went from the Navy (10 years) into the Air Force when I was born. He wanted to be closer to home. His duties changed. He was a radioman in the Navy. They trained him in instruments in the Air Force.
My grandfather did this too. He was in the Army, then the Army Air Corps, then the Air Force. He retired as an Air Force colonel and had an Air Force burial at Arlington in 2004.
Does that really count as switching services, though? The Air Force was basically formed out of the Army Air Forces in 1947, at which point I assume all members of that organization became Air Force guys.
One of my bosses at work told me his father did it. He went from Navy to Air Force to private Department of Defense contractor. He didn’t tell me why but the story seems legit based on the different places he lived growing up. I asked him about it in detail because it sounded unusual which it is but it can be done.
My father came out of the USMC as an infantryman, came home and decided that civilian life sucked, then went into USAF officer school. Then realized that they weren’t anything like USMC (he was particularly offended at being issued sneakers instead of boots, and shorts instead of BDUs… and the no gun thing). Surprisingly, they allowed him to quit just before graduation, despite him being right around the top of his class. Credit for prior service, or something like that… and the instructors saw how miserable he was in a non-combat sort of gig.
Not uncommon, especially for some enlisted rates / MOSes.
My father was in the Air Force, and his drill sergeant in Basic was an ex-Marine DI, who’d been posted to some non-DI post, and decided to join the AF so that he could continue doing it.
I was in basic with a guy that had done a hitch in the Marines before signing up for a hitch in the Air Force. He did an accelerated version of basic with us…only about 2-3 weeks, I think.
When I was in the Army ('86 - '91), none of the other branches would take prior service enlisted from the Army, except in special circumstances (rare skill/training); not sure how it was for commissioned officers.
I did my first hitch in the regular Army, did a year in the Army Reserves, and then enlisted into the regular Navy, retiring from the last. For Enlisted, switching from one service happens after completing an enlistment; retaining one’s paygrade can happen, of course that depends on the needs of the gaining service. For officers, they can transfer from one service to another depending on the needs of both services.
Regarding civilian attorneys, when the accused (the military’s term for defendant) is informed of Article 15 or court-martial proceedings, he is also informed that he may have a civilian lawyer (at his own expense) in addition to the appointed military lawyer.
Larry Flynt of Hustler fame served both the Army and the Navy.
The next Senator from South Carolina, Alvin Greene served both in the Army and the Air Force.
I was heard that a Marine can enter another branch of the military without boot camp, but an Army/Navy/Air Force Veteran has to do the boot camp for the Marines.
Each service decides on if, and how much of, “boot camp” an “other service” veteran must take. For me, it was zero when I joined the Navy after my time in the Army. Factors in that decision were how long ago I’d attended Army Basic Combat Training, how long I’d been out of the service, what my rank at discharge was, and my rate when joining the Navy. I did have to attend, though, “prior service training” along with those who had separated from the Navy and then later on re-enlisted into the Navy.
For the OP: If the dude getting on your nerves keeps it up, just ask him to put up or shut up. If his initial entry into the military was less than 8 years ago, he must have an ID card. He can allay your doubts by showing you that. Or he can show you his separation document from the previous service. If he’s touting his service in combat, then he can present to you documentation showing awards for that time and service.
Technically I suppose it doesn’t really count going from Army Air Force to the Air Force due to its inception as you say. I just wanted to mention the old man!
I read your link. That was interesting. I did not realise that Hap Arnold retired from the Army, I thought he just went from the Army to the Air Force.
