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QUANTICO, Va. -- “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” is a motto all Marines hold near and dear to their hearts. Whether they serve for four years or 20, they proudly maintain the title ‘Marine’ for the rest of their lives.
Nearly 25,000 Marines leave the Marine Corps annually. The majority of these Marines are eligible for reenlistment, but choose to separate for a number of reasons. Some of those reasons include going to college, spending more time with family, or going back home to start a new career.
Some Marines quickly realize they miss the Corps and wish to come back in. The Marine Corps’ Prior Service Enlistment Program provides an opportunity for these Marines to do just that.
“I wanted to come back in because I didn’t feel like I was doing what I loved,” said Sgt Jakob Williams, a native of Bronson, Fla., who recently reenlisted through PSEP. Williams said he had a civilian job but missed the camaraderie and brotherhood of the Corps.
“The goal of PSEP is to bring mid-level leaders back into the fold,” said Master Gunnery Sergeant William Barr, Operations Chief, Marine Corps Recruiting Command.
A Marine applying for PSEP a needed military occupational specialty for the Marine Corps. If the Marine’s original MOS is not accepting PSEP applicants, they may be offered a new MOS as long as they meet the occupation’s requirements. The MOS’s accepting PSEP applicants can be found in Marine Corps Bulletin 7220.
All applicants must still meet the mental, moral and physical standards for reenlistment, along with the MOS requirements. Along with these requirements, they must have completed at least 17 months but less than or equal to 14 years of active Marine Corps service.
“There is no PSEP mission for recruiters,” said Lieutenant Col. Jonathan Swope, Head of Enlisted Operations, MCRC. “We’re looking for a few good Marines to retain, and PSEP allows that. It is an opportunity to assist in the efforts of retention,” he said.
The Marine Corps looks for prior service Marines who can bring talent, experience and leadership back into its ranks.
“In the past three years, we have accepted nine PSEP applicants,” said Barr.
Every month, MCRC operations publishes a roster of occupational specialties in need of personnel, determined by the Total Forces Retention System. Marines interested and qualified for a particular MOS will work with a Marine recruiter to submit a package for review by the MOS monitor, who makes the final decision on whether or not that Marine will be accepted. The process takes somewhere from one to six weeks.
Master GySgt Michael Bragin, Career Recruiter Monitor, MCRC, said he is glad he came back. Bragin got out of the Marine Corps in 1991 after four years. However, 23 days later he began the process to get back in.
Eventually, he came back into the Marine Corps through PSEP and became a recruiter.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. “I knew I missed it immediately after I got out.”
| Date Taken: | 11.17.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2015 16:14 |
| Story ID: | 182179 |
| Location: | QUANTICO, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Once a Marine, Always a Marine, by Sgt Logan Block, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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