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Do You Have to Go to Meps Again if You Switch Branches

At that place are many reasons people want to rejoin the armed forces later they are discharged. Some miss the camaraderie and benefits of the piece of work they did with their brothers in arms, while others may want to re-enlist because of the financial and insurance benefits.

Reenlistment and Rejoining the Military

No matter the reason, information technology can be harder than most people think. Yous cannot simply fill out an application every bit y'all did before and expect to start where you left off (in most cases). You may even have to go back into basic training.

Hither is what to expect if you lot want to re-enlist in the military.


Re-entry (RE) Codes

Re-entry or reenlistment codes , play a huge role in whether you are eligible to become back into the military machine. For the Army, if you take a re-entry code of RE-i (or any of the variants), you lot can rejoin the military without whatever special conditions, whereas you may exist ineligible with an RE-2 unless you lot meet certain qualifications first. An RE-3 code means you require a waiver dependent on the separation code given to you (we will get to that presently) when you were discharged.

The RE lawmaking is a big factor in how much problem you will have getting back in and whether you tin qualify for prior service. Sometimes an RE-ii condition may require you to go through basic grooming again, lose weight or retake the ASVAB  examination and score higher than your previous results. This besides depends on what branch of service you want to get into.

Separation Codes Matter

The separation code is a list that tells your recruiter what they will have to prove to get you lot back into the military machine. A separation code will often impact whether or non your recruiter volition pursue your case.

These separation codes go hand in paw with your RE lawmaking to determine your eligibility, also as how like shooting fish in a barrel it will exist for y'all to get a waiver if needed. For case, if you go a JFV separation code (concrete status, not a inability interfering with the performance of duty), with an RE-3 re-entry lawmaking, you will need a full general surgeon's waiver and, more than than likely, you lot will take to see a slew of specialists to ensure your condition is fixed and will not pose a problem for you in terms of your job part.

The downside to this is that many recruiters will not desire to do the intense paperwork involved in getting you back in when it is much easier to take on recruits. Some specialize in getting soldiers dorsum in and volition spring through any hoops, and those are the recruiters you want. If your electric current recruiter is giving you the runaround, try finding some other recruiter or even join a unlike branch of service, if possible.

What Is Required to Re-enlist (Bated from RE Codes)

Besides the re-entry code, your blazon of discharge  (honorable, other than honorable, bad conduct or dishonorable) will likewise profoundly touch whether you volition be able to go dorsum in. There are special prior service placements that you will demand to consider as well, as it also depends on whether the branch of service you are trying to join has a position to fill up that y'all tin can go into.

For case, in contempo years (from 2011-2018), the positions the Army primarily has to make full are in special forces, which is an exceptional job. Requirements are extremely tough for this branch, and if you were in a previous branch of the military machine or a dissimilar MOS (military occupation specialty), and then you volition probably take to do basic training again and consummate special forces grooming. If you exercise not have to do basic training, y'all will still take to endure their special forces preparation form. Other branches of service may have different jobs available, but many are similar to this.

At that place are as well age requirements when information technology comes to prior service, just similar in that location are for recruit enlistments, even though the historic period for prior service is often higher than joining the armed forces for the first time. The age limits for prior service to join (and all other recruits) is as follows:

  • Army:            35
  • Navy:            35
  • Marines:       35
  • Air Force:     39

What Nigh Basic Training?

When yous want to re-enlist, to get prior service, y'all must accept a minimum of vi months of post-bones-training feel. If you were nonetheless in advanced individual training (AIT) or agile duty for preparation (ADT), y'all may have to go dorsum to basic training even if you do have 180 days in the war machine. The branch you are entering can as well decide whether or non you volition do basic training once more. Many military branches as well consider the time you have spent abroad from service equally a gene.

With the Marines, you lot volition probable have to become through boot army camp again, particularly if you are transferring from some other branch. In the Ground forces, other branch members (except for the Marine Corps) will take to attend a special course. Marines but accept to do the course if they take spent more than than 3 years out of service. The Navy requires basic training on a case-by-case basis, and most soldiers with prior service who are joining the Air Strength will attend a familiarization course, although some will accept to go through basic training over again anyway.

The Declension Guard is a special example in which someone from a not-Coast Guard branch who has served two or more than years of active-duty service will only accept to become to a xxx-day basic campsite, while anyone else with less than two years will take to exercise the full grooming class.

Who Cannot Re-enlist?

As mentioned in a higher place, at that place are special exceptions when yous receive an honorable belch from a military service co-operative. If you fall under one of the categories below, in that location is a proficient hazard yous will not get back into the armed forces. Continue in mind, whether these conditions occurred while you lot were in service  the first time or after you lot got out, they may still disqualify you:

  • Mental conditions – PTSD , bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression
  • Any discharge other than those labeled "honorable"
  • Gastric or built conditions
  • Severe dental problems (and braces)
  • Bad hearing or ear problems
  • Diabetes (fifty-fifty gout)
  • Limitations of motility in hands, knees, arms and legs
  • Heart conditions that may pose a threat to your health
  • Severe vision loss
  • Kidney or urethral problems
  • Tiptop problems (existence too short or as well tall)
  • Weight and trunk-build issues (body mass tin be a problem, especially body-fatty pct)
  • Severe medical lung conditions
  • Astringent allergies
  • Spinal problems

This list could go along, merely these are some common atmospheric condition that may hinder your re-enlistment.

Be Squared Away

If you want to re-enlist, ensure all your paperwork is in club. Talk to a recruiter, make sure you can perform the available jobs and be sure that you will not require too much paperwork or waiver bending, and you should exist fine.


About The Author Justin Williams is a certified Microsoft specialist and U.South. Army veteran. Serving in 2008, he was a multichannel manual systems operator with the 15th Signal Brigade. Later an honorable discharge, he struggled to get access to military benefits for service-related injuries. Justin has committed to helping other veterans navigate the system and go the about out of their hard-earned veteran status.


Do You Have to Go to Meps Again if You Switch Branches

Source: https://militarybenefits.info/reenlistment-military/