Im thinking about joining the air force. Is that the "safest branch" to join?

Question

How long will I have to be active, and will I ever be in any combat?

Answer 1

Wait until we have a sane man or woman in the white house. You will need to be active for 4 years. With Bush in office your chances of being in a useless combat are great. He is looking at Iran and North Korea with his ego maniacal war eye. Wait. You are too young t die without a just cause.

Answer 2

If you join the military do so fully expecting to be in a life threatening combat situation. That is kind of what they do you know. Especially in times of war.

Here's the run down from nitty and gritty to proper and pretty.

Marines: They're hard core military.
Army: This is the largest branch of the military and still pretty gritty.

Navy: Now you're filing those nails. The sea and air over the sea is typically the realm of the navy. Sailors aren't supposed to see much ground combat on land but then again, reserves aren't supposed to be called to war until everyone else is dead and the National Gaurd is supposed stay at home and where are the National Gaurd and reserves? IRAQ. WHich is exactly where some of our Navy is too.

Air Force: What can I say? Best food. Nice facilities. The Air Force is the smallest branch of the military and probably the most "white collar". You don't hear of them doing much in the way of ground patrols but you can still get shipped off.

Coast Gaurd: Ok I still don't consider them military.

Answer 3

Safety has no place in the military.
You want safety, join in the drum circle down at the University of San Francisco and sing Koombiyah while drinking your soy half-calf and complaining about how people don't drive hybrids.
Seriously, the Air Force while "safer" than the army and Marines is really trying to avoid looking like a bunch of vaginas. I'll tell you what my recruiter used to tell me "Butch up and join up or wimp out and stay out"
Three things to remember;
You are not asked to die for your country, you volunteer for it.
If the president orders you fight a tank with your face, you do it, no questions.
Cowardice is not acceptable
If you were join up you'll serve a minimum of four years active, four years inactive. Expect to see combat, though chances are you'll go to Iraq and be a FOBitt

Try the Coast Guard; they've only had one death from the war in Iraq.

lion_sim_bob: The Coast Gaurd currently falls under the Department of Homeland Security, before that the Department of Transport. It rarely sees combat. Their primary mission is to fight against drug/ human trafficking. While I think it's honorable what they do they are not a branch of the military, they're on a whole 'nother tree.

Answer 4

Any branch can be safe if, it all depends on your MOS. If you have a combat MOS then you will see combat. If your MOS is accounting, I doubt you will see much. My buddy was a Marine for 4 years and never left the country; he was an accountant. However, to be sure you don't see combat but still make a difference I would suggest the Air Force or Navy and become a Mechanic or another such support role so you can play an integral part in a mission without actually risking your life.

Answer 5

The answer is the same for every other military branch. You will have to be active at least 4 years and there is a good chance that you will be in combat these days. I'm going to Iraq in August to drive convoys and I'm in the Air Force.

Answer 6

Minuteblue has no clue...sounds nice doesn't it?? In the Air Force we do plenty of ground combat. Not only that but we had to take over control of the prison's over there with the Marine Corps because the Army couldn't hack it. If you want to be safe, don't join the military. Don't believe me? Ask the Navy guy that is assigned to a attack submarine that was promoted while deployed to a ground combat role in Afghanistan.

Answer 7

The coast guard is actually probably the safest branch, but a lot of people don't even consider that a branch (even though it totally is!) The air force seems like it'd be relatively safe too...not really a lot of combat I don't think.

Answer 8

Probably what you should be looking at is what is the safest MOS as well as the safest branch. If do sign up and get deployed though, no complaining. You tried to play it safe and it didn't work out.

Answer 9

Air Force is minimum of 4 years active 4 years inactive. My friend was sent to Saudi in the USAF and was issued a gun. She had what you would think was a safe job.

Answer 10

Seriously if your not ready to deploy to the Middle East then don't join the Military. If your not ready to fight for your country and the beliefs for which it stands, don't join. The Air Force has people who carry guns and do patrols just like the Army and Marines, maybe not as many, but they still have them.

4 years is a typical enlistment, although it can be shorter if you can't cut it.

Answer 11

Are you prepared to fight and die for this country? If not, I would seriously suggest that you reconsider joining the military. There is no "safest" branch. Anyone who tells you that, has not been to combat. If you can answer that question, I say GO FOR IT.