How did Rob Riggle go from the Marines to comedy and acting?

Rob Riggle. Retired Marine lieutenant colonel with deployments from Liberia to Afghanistan who built a comedy career on the side, landed Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show, and became a film and TV star while still serving in the Reserve.

In the military

Commissioned after the University of Kansas; active duty 1990 to 2000 (began naval flight training, earned a private pilot’s license, trained in T-34s at NAS Corpus Christi, then left aviation), then Marine Corps Reserve 2000 to 2013 as a public affairs and civil affairs officer. Deployed to Liberia, Albania, Kosovo and Afghanistan; searched for survivors at Ground Zero after 9/11. Retired in 2013 as a Lieutenant Colonel after about 23 years.

The transition

• Did stand-up and improv in his off hours while on active duty, then moved to the Reserve in 2000 so he could pursue comedy in New York and Los Angeles.
• Says there is ‘no direct path’: expect 2 or 3 jobs, a day job to pay the bills and comedy at night, with no guarantees.
• Endured a setback (being let go after one season of Saturday Night Live, 2004 to 2005), then within 6 months was hired at The Daily Show, where he had a 3-year run.
• Kept serving in the Reserve, including an Afghanistan deployment, until retiring in 2013.

What came next

• Correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for about 3 years (2006 to 2008).
• Film roles including The Hangover, 21 Jump Street, Step Brothers and 12 Strong (2018), in which he played his own former commanding officer from Afghanistan.
• Founded the Rob Riggle InVETational golf classic in 2016, benefiting the Semper Fi & America’s Fund.

In Riggle’s own words

“You just have to get in your head you’re going to have two or three jobs.” (Talk at Fort Riley)

“It’s a little bit of this slow transition, and there’s no guarantees at all that it’s going to happen.” (Fort Riley visit)

“It’s not fair. It happens. It’s fine.” (On being let go from Saturday Night Live)

“For me it was an opportunity to grow as an individual, learn about responsibility and to accept responsibility not just for myself but for others, too.” (On his Marine service)

“Thank you for your service and don’t stop. Keep serving, it gives you purpose.” (Message to veterans)

“Some of the funniest people I ever met were in the Marine Corps.” (Leatherneck profile ‘From Corps to Comedy’)

Lessons for your own transition

• Run 2 tracks at once: Riggle built a second career in his off hours and moved to the Reserve rather than making a single all-or-nothing leap.
• Treat rejection as a data point, not a verdict: losing SNL was followed within 6 months by The Daily Show.
• Purpose doesn’t have to end with retirement: he kept serving through the Reserve and veterans’ charities while succeeding as a civilian.

More veterans who made the leap

See them all, and practical steps for leaving after a long career: How do I transition from the military to civilian work after 30 years?.