Prior Service Marine Requirements

As a former or current member of the United States Marines, you know what it means to be part of America's most respected military organization.

You've served in a branch that defines honor, courage and personal commitment.

You’ve enjoyed a sense of personal accomplishment and achieved high goals on behalf of your country.

Now you can continue to serve—and join other former Marines in your own community—when you join the Army National Guard. You can live at home, hold a civilian job or go to school, and still serve both your state and your country.

For U.S. Marine Corps personnel enlisting into the Army National Guard, the following requirements will apply:

Age

  • Minimum: Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
  • Maximum: After applicant is given credit for total prior service (Active and Reserve Component), the applicant must be able to qualify for non-regular retired pay by age 62. For applicants processing for entry into the Army National Guard, age is not a factor as long as the applicant qualifies for non-regular retired pay by age 62.

Physical

  • Applicants must meet height/weight and current medical requirements to join the Army National Guard.

Education

  • Prior Service applicants must meet the education standards for the MOS or option for which they are enlisting.

Background

  • Prior Service applicants must have most current DD 214, NGB22, or discharge order.
  • Current Marine Reserve must have approved DD Form 368 Conditional Release.
  • Current Dept. of Army policy below:
    1. No conduct waivers authorized at any level.
    2. No DAT waivers.
    3. No prior separation/discharge for misconduct, or any other type of involuntary waiver that involved misconduct.
    4. No administrative waivers for performance. Other administrative type waivers for prior service applicants with less than 180 days of Active Federal Service (AFS) such as entry-level separation waivers may still be processed.

Dependents

  • Applicants must meet the current dependency criteria standards.

Basic Training

  • Prior Service Marines enlisting into the Army National Guard are not required to attend Basic Combat Training and will report directly to their assigned unit.
  • Applicants with a break in service of over 10 years must re-take the ASVAB to establish current line scores. If not already qualified (MOSQ) for the position the applicant must attain the qualifying score for the MOS in which they will be enlisted per DA PAM 611-21.

Benefits vary state to state; check with your local recruiter or Reserve Component Career Counselor (on Active Duty posts), or click on the Join the Guard button below for the most up-to-date information.