The Gun Counter

When I got out of the Air Force, the only maintainers I knew who were staying in had started families and needed stability. Every last one who hadn't either bailed to do the job for better pay and hours in the private sector or decided to make the most of their GI Bill. Or in one case, killed himself. It wasn't just the long hours, it was all the other BS on top of it.

Re: Tattoos, it sounds like the Marines were as clear as the Air Force was with me when I joined:

Those Marines were also told they could remove their tattoos if they paid for the procedure, Garn added. Marines are now told what the consequences are of getting a tattoo that violates policy, such as not being allowed to re-enlist.

This is pre-enlistment briefing and basic training. "Stay in regs or get it removed at your own expense, or there will be consequences." If their tattoos were considered in-regs when they got them (or were waivered for enlistment), then it's worth noting because this crackdown would be in bad faith. If not... meh. Sometimes it takes awhile for the regs to catch up with you, but they will eventually.

On the day that Davenport found out that he could not re-enlist because of his tattoos, he went straight to an Army ­recruiter, who was able to get him into the Army two days after he left the Corps, he said.

If the Marines denied him reenlistment in bad faith, it sounds like their loss was the Army's gain. If not, well, whatever.

Jericho941 wrote:If the Marines denied him reenlistment in bad faith, it sounds like their loss was the Army's gain. If not, well, whatever.

From what I gather, the Marines must not want people sticking around to make retirement, period. Husband of a former co-worker was kicked out at 17.5 years due to having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The Air Guard was happy to have him, and he was able to finish out his 20.