If you were in the military, would you join as an officer or enlisted?

Question

This goes for any branch of the US military. GO TROOPS! WE MISS YOU! GOD BLESS!

Please don't explain to me how to join and what you would need to do so. I am a veteran, trust me I know. I just want your simple opinion. Hooyah

Answer 1

I was a Chief in the Navy, I worked for a living.

LOL


GO NAVY BEAT ARMY!!!!

Answer 2

Most people don't have a choice. Few fit the officer criteria. Not everyone is into the officer life style. Huge difference in the two. Especially later in the careers of both, officers are almost like politicians, have to do everything politically correct, go to social functions, etc. Unless you reach a high level such as E-9 in the enlisted ranks, you don't play that game. I choose enlisted 1980, served 21 years, and loved it. I'm just not the suit and tie type of person. Give me a plastic tray and paper cup to eat on over fine china and crystal any day. I prefer a picnic over a formal social setting. Now that said, however, not the same for every branch. Now that I am retired, I do have some neighboors who are retired officers, they seem to like a good picnic too :-)

Answer 3

I was an Air Force officer for 11 years - and if I had to do it again, I'd go in as an officer. (BTW - I pulled some real garden spots for assignments - don't let anyone tell you an officer's life is a bed of roses; did my share of sleeping on the ground, cleaning up at a water buffalo; also spent a year above the Arctic circle and several months in the desert during Desert Shield/Storm).

Answer 4

Enlisted:
Join with a high school diploma (or equivalent)
Fill office, transportation, mechanical, human service, and combat jobs
Make up about 85% of service personnel*
Any service member with a pay grade E-1 through E-9

Officers:
Join with a four-year college degree or better
Fill managerial, professional, and technical jobs
Include: doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, pilots, etc.
Make up about 15% of service personnel*
Any service member with a pay grade O-1 through O-10

Answer 5

Look at it this way. Officers make more and such, but officers cannot run it by themselves. Enlisted make less, but can run it without officers.

If you want cushy, go Air Force
If you want earned respect and very close knit, go Marine
If you want the biggest, go Army
If you want technical, go Navy

The Navy is the only branch that can wage war:
1.) Under the sea ,,,,, sub
2.) On the sea surface,,,, ships
3.) In the air,,,, own air wing
4.) On the land,, Medics and Seals

Also it is generally accepted that the Seal are the toughest Special Forces to get accepted into and complete training.

GMG2 Holloman
U.S.S. Missouri BB-63
16" 50' Turret 3

Answer 6

I'm retired Army, I was in the 82ND Airborne Div., my rank was E-5, SGT, with this division, I went to the Panama Noriega Conflict, Persian Gulf War ( Desert Shield / Desert Storm ) and Somalia ( Aristide Conflict ). If I had the chance to take the OCS ( Officers Candidate School ), I will not take it, I preffer to be enlisted.

Answer 7

Enlisted- they are the ones who do the real work, even though they don't get the real credit it for it. But being enlisted you get more free time and sleep time compared to an officer, and you don't have to play the officer BS that they play all the time such as dinners, meetings just to name a few.

Answer 8

I was USCG for 10 years.
I was quite content enlisted.
Officers work too hard.
When we got a new officer onboard USCGC DAUNTLESS right out of the USCG Academy that ENSIGN had to work his/her butt off.
A lot of them took over as COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.
Had to learn the in and outs of the ship.
And got every dirty little job.
New officers had to run the gedunk.
That is the ships store where the crew bought Smokes, and snickers bars.
That new officer must have put in a 16 hour day....easy.
Enlisted people have it easy compared to officers.

Answer 9

I would do Officer if I was going to make career out of it. But if Im only going to do my 4 years id do enlisted

Answer 10

Enlisted all the way. We're the backbone of the military. We work for a living.

Answer 11

You have to be qualifed, (BA) to APPLY for an OCS packet when signing, I was enlisted and preffered it that way, before getting medically retired I was putting together a Warrant Officers packet though. It just depends on what your into. I know officers who gave up a commission to become enlisted because they liked it better "on the line"