Army? Navy?

Question

I know mostly about the Army and nothing about the Navy except for the fact that they travel a lot. Which would be the better branch to join when it comes to deploytation rates, living quarters, etc.?

Thanx for all the advice for a girl but it isn't for me, it's for my fiance. So he can deal w/sh*tty condtions. I was just concerned about him being away from home.

Answer 1

hmmm, don't know much about the Navy other than they have to get fleeted for 6 months at a time sometimes. Sounds pretty crappy to me, but then again I am in the Army and things here are pretty crappy too. Army probably deploys more, and probably have worse living quarters.

Answer 2

The Navy has the fastest advancement for enlisted of all the services.


Living conditions

Enlisted living quarters on a surface ship consist of large rooms with many stacks of 3 high bunk-beds. You have a 4" deep locker under your mattress and a locker room type locker somewhere else in the room.

Enlisted quarters on a submarine are rows of bunks 3 high, with much less locker space.

Neither offer any privacy beyond the curtain that closes in front of your bunk.

Food is better on submarines. 4 meals served per day for both.

More places for either socializing or personal time on a surface ship.

Subs - smaller crew, much less space.

Working conditions

As a junior enlisted, you will have a full schedule. You will not only have a work schedule, but will be required to complete numerous qualifications, both for in rate watch stations and various ship wide requirements (safety, basic damage control, phone talker, etc.)

Duty will usually be three section, meaning that every third day you are on board for whole day. For example if in your home port:

Duty Monday report for workday, on board for the entire day and night.

Tuesday relieved by on coming duty section in the morning. Complete workday and go home.

Wednesday Muster for workday. Complete workday and go home.

Thursday - Duty day - relieve off going duty section on board until Friday after work.

You could be in Port and Starboard also which means duty every other day, or in higher sections as you increase in seniority.

I had duty sections varying from port and report to 9 section.

The submarine fleet is a much higher stress job.


If you join the Navy ensure that you have chosen a rate BEFORE you enter active duty. You will advance more quickly and avoid a host of pitfalls associated with being non-rated.

In both the surface and submarine fleet, a "nub" will receive little or no respect and can expect some unnecessary grief at first. Get over it and demonstrate a willingness to both learn put in the effort required of you and this period will be short.

In the surface fleet, you can expect slower advancement, but much responsibility and respect of the senior personnel by the time you reach E-5.

In submarines, advancement is faster, but until you are a senior E-6, or better yet E-7, you will make no decisions.

Deployment

Prior to the wars on terror and Iraq surface deployments were a standard six months, with 1 or 2 month extensions not uncommon.

SSN deployments usually coincide with the surface group that they are assigned to.

SSBN deployments are on their schedule and are the most reliable due to a two crew rotation.

If you are not interested in seeing the front line stay away from the Army and Marines.

Air force enlisted are probably the safest, but advancement is ridiculously slow.

Navy has the fastest advancement, and if the military is your decision, then would be my suggestion.

Remember - which ever service you choose:

For the first 12 months you will be paying 100.00 per month to your education fund. That is a large chunk out of your small check.

Plan accordingly, if you drop during the year or withdraw the funds prior to your discharge, you will not be able to sign back up later.

Your best bet would be to complete a bachelor's degree prior to entrance into the military. Go in as an officer - the pay is much better, living conditions are not even comparable, and even the officer with a degree in basket weaving is treated better than any enlisted.

Answer 3

This really irks me when someone makes a comment like "The Coast Guard doesn't deploy." Maybe someone would like to explain this to the family of Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan B. Bruckenthal, 24, of Smithtown, N.Y. Sorry, but this man died for his country and deserves more respect than this!

Okay, I'll quit ranting now. Sorry.

You've gotten a lot of good advice/comments about the Navy, although I'd like to add to what Jack C said--you won't be serving on a sub as a female, so that part wouldn't apply.

I'd also like to stress the training/education opportunities that the Navy offers vs. the Army. Far more variety.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do!

Answer 4

I cannot make that choice for you. It varies from person to person. In general, navy bases are in nice places, typically port cities around the globe. The Army is more likely to send you to Iraq, but the Navy sends you to sea over and over throughout your career. Navy personel tend to be away more, but if you pick special forces, or get unaccompanied army tours you can be away even more.

If you do choose the Army, let me help you get the most for doing so.

The Army and Army Reserves are offerring more and more bonuses to fill their ranks. One now offers soldiers $2000 to refer potential new recruits. If you are considering joining either the Army or Army Reserves, and you allow me to refer you BEFORE you speak with a recruiter, I will give you 75% of the referral bonus that I earn. When you sign up, I should get $1000 from which I will send you $750. When you successfully complete your initial training, I get another $1000, and again I will send you $750. This does not in any way reduce any of the other bonuses that they will offer you, which can be as high as $40,000 to join the Army and $20,000 to join the Army Reserves. If you instead just call a recruiter, no one gets this $2000. If you do not want to do it with me, then before you talk to a recruiter let some other soldier refer you. If you are interested, e mail me your name, address, and phone # including area code. I will pass the information on to the Army, which will then have a recruiter contact you. When I get paid, you get paid! I am not trying to talk anyone into joining the Army or Army Reserves. But if you already plan to do it, you should get as much for it as you can. So e mail me at [e-mail] with the information that I nedd or with any questions that you have. For information about this program see http://www.irwin.army.mil/Bonus.htm.

Answer 5

I was about to join the Navy until I realized that the living quarters are bad. Sure they have bases but good luck getting stationed on one.

You also travel alot but 6 months at sea would me sick, then it's only a 5 day dock then back at sea.

Edit* When I say the living quarters are bad, I mean they are really small. Don't listen to them when they say large. Also the Army has about the same benifits as the Navy. But atleast they are on land and have nice living quarters. Unless of course you get stationed in Iraq/afgen.

As for the Air Force you have to be really good in mathematics and science to advance in it.

Answer 6

Just a little clarification in reference to the Coast Guard comment above...the Coast Guard does, and has been deployed out of the USA during wartime. During World War I they were transferred to Navy Command, and during the Vietnam war, they were sent to Vietnam at the request of the other military branches. A close family friend received one of the 151 Navy Commendation Medals handed out to Coast Guardsmen.

If I had to choose one or the other though, I'd choose the Army. I don't know why, but I would. I guess I just like their uniforms better.

Answer 7

Honestly, Steph, it depends on what you want to do. What kind of job you want.

Navy definately has it's advantages. The ports, the travel, and the bases. I would think that you would spend more time away from home in the Navy than the Army, but that's a matter of perspective, I guess.

Me personally, I had no desire to spend months at a time on a boat. That's part of the reason I went Army.

Answer 8

The Navy deploys more often I believe but you travel more and there is a lot of shore leave at some of the nicest ports in the world and living quarters is better but a little tight spaced when on a ship.

Answer 9

Alot of good answers there, except the Coast Guard does deploy, they do have ships in the Persian Gulf doing various duities. Talk to each branch, do your homework, know your GOALS!!. I was in the navy for 4 years and loved it. Got out for wrong reason, joinrd the natioanal Guard and love it more. Both are graet programs, make sure you use whats availible in training and benefits. Career ot training? Its up to you. Remember, reason why you join will be different thatn the reason you stay in the military.

Answer 10

The NAvy is the closest to having a real job in the Military. You can learn stuff that you can apply iin the real world. When You join tell them you want the Navy College Fund, it's an extra $10,000 for college in addition to the GI Bill.