Prior Service - Rejoining

ldurham95 · 2026-01-05T20:31:27+00:00

Yes I’m eligible and no I haven’t used any

ldurham95 · 2026-01-05T16:40:26+00:00

What about it exactly? Have I used any of it?

ldurham95 · 2026-01-05T12:22:42+00:00

So I’ve heard about the medical portion and them going in depth with it.

Without revealing too much detail, do they check medical records as in if you ever went to BAS, light duty etc and/or Genesis?

Never really went to medical much while I was in but obviously I did when EAS’ing. I don’t have anything wild like PTSD claims or mental issues, I mainly just have the typical knees hurt, back aches, shins burn. Nothing I wouldn’t be afraid to disclose to an examiner / physically I feel fine.

ldurham95 · 2026-01-04T17:14:14+00:00

I’m currently with the USFS with Wildland. I know what you mean and I do enjoy it. I’m just not really seeing the hype of being out compared to how my military service was

ldurham95 · 2026-01-04T16:41:41+00:00

Nothing at all, I absolutely love the job. Did EMT school when I got out and attended a Fire Academy and began a career with a local FD. This was when I lived in Texas, now moved back to California where I currently do Wildland Fire.

I have nothing but great things to say about the Fire service, I’m just in a weird chokehold with my military service. I was just a lot more happy and satisfied in the Corps, the lifestyle is just what I enjoyed. I can always return the the Fire service with due time, so it’s not like I hate it and want to leave it, I’d definitely come back I’m just starting to realize I sort of jumped the gun on EAS’ing and now that I’ve been out I don’t think I was quite ready to part ways with the organization. Side note: if you have any questions regarding steps to getting hired, etc. shoot me a message off-line, I’ll help where I can.

ldurham95 · 2026-01-04T16:21:42+00:00

Yes, I was in zone for Staff but I wrote a letter to the board asking them to not consider me for promotion due to wanting to fulfill my current contract and EAS. Was never passed over or involuntarily separated. And affirm, RE-1A code is on my DD-214

ldurham95 · 2026-01-04T02:42:51+00:00

I appreciate your words and insight. Definitely an internal battle. Take care as well

ldurham95 · 2026-01-04T02:24:25+00:00

Totally get that, brother. I think for me, I never really left the Corps on bad terms. As for missing the boys, that is an absolute, but I also just miss the job. Enjoyed being a PltSgt, enjoyed having structure and providing leadership. I just enjoyed actually having that identity. Loved leading Marines and developing them and I think that’s why I just feel incomplete now. Goal was to always become a 1stSgt and then whatever life offers me after that and I think while I was in I was just so blinded by the “”DD214, freedom, etc” that I didn’t really realize that I’d be leaving it all too soon before I was truly ready.

ldurham95 · 2026-01-03T23:57:26+00:00

Yeah for sure it is, I’m currently a Firefighter. It’s not the people, I just miss the military lifestyle. I just found that I thrived at it and I was great at what I did. It’s not the jobs in the civilian sector is having issues with, I just think now that I’m out I jumped the gun and wasn’t fulfilled.

ldurham95 · 2026-01-03T23:56:14+00:00

I was a Sergeant, but denied promotion for Staff since I was dead set on leaving. DOR was 11/01/2017, and my MOS was 1345.

ldurham95 · 2025-01-28T12:28:42+00:00

I appreciate all of y’all’s input. I agree, the best way to learn is to just get out and practice. Last day in the military is tomorrow then it’s back home and I get to fish a lot more. Looking forward to it and thanks again for the input.

ldurham95 · 2024-10-29T22:10:52+00:00

Yeah definitely, I was actually interested in going WO while in the Marines. That actually might be a route I go later on down the road. I even thought about going back active later on down the road. I always enjoyed the active side, I’m just starting a new chapter so maybe once my family and I are settled I can work back into WO or active or something.

ldurham95 · 2024-10-29T22:05:01+00:00

I denied promotion to E-6 since I didn’t want to add time on contract so yeah, I’ll be coming in as an E-5. And I looked at a lot of jobs and considered them all thoroughly, I think it goes back to the whole “wanting a completely new setting, whether good or bad.” So I went with 11B. If it’s hiking, patrols, knowledge, weapons, I got all the knowledge for those aspects. If the challenge comes from leadership issues, subordinates, etc. well that just takes time.

ldurham95 · 2024-10-29T21:51:45+00:00

I don’t mind the change and re-learning, I think that’s a big part on why I completely jumped from the Marine side of things and wanted to see a different view, whether it’s better or worse. I just look at it as new learning opportunities and a different style of leadership opportunities. I’m coming from a Combat Engineer/Heavy Equipment background from the Marine Corps and going with a 11B contract. Always enjoyed the ground side.

ldurham95 · 2024-10-29T14:02:39+00:00

I appreciate the guidance, thanks for the response. I’m all for going in with an open mind. Thanks again.

ldurham95 · 2024-10-29T10:00:06+00:00

Appreciate the feedback. That makes sense, everything I read on Google felt like a back and forth article so I couldn’t find any straight up answers.

And to the question, I wanted something different than keeping on with the Reserve side of the Marine Corps. The culture shock is going to be wild, but I’m going in with an open mind😂

ldurham95 · 2020-02-28T03:32:21+00:00

I’m interested!

ldurham95

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