Army or Marines?

Question

I'm kinda looking towards a career in the Military. But I can't decide which to join, Army or Marines. I heard that the Army boot camp is 6 weeks while Marines boot camp is 16 weeks. So I have a couple questions.

1) The most important thing though, is college. I know for a fact that you can go to college when your service time is up. So which branch offers better college benefits, like more scholarships, better schools, ect.

2) Is there a 2 year plan of 2 years active and 2 years inactive? (Well really 4 years all together)


Well thats it. So I'm kinda leaning towards Marines since 10 weeks more of training might help me stay alive if I were ever in combat.

And don't suggest joining the air force or Paramilitary since I could never learn to fly a plane and I'm too scared that my parachute wont work while I'm falling.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Well, first of all, Army BCT is longer than 6 weeks, though the Marines are still in boot longer. (Army is 8 weeks + reception, Marines is, I think, 13 weeks.)

Both services will provide money for college through the same program. The Montgomery GI Bill. The Army does match dollar for dollar with the Army College Fund, and I think the Marines have a similar program.

Both services will require an 8 year initial enlistment contract. You can choose to serve 2 years active, but then you'll be on IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) for the remaining 6 years. During this time, you'll be subject to active duty recall.

You do have more job options in the Army. A lot of the support personnel are provided by the Marines by their parent force, the Navy.

What it will ultimately come down to is, what are your goals. I would strongly suggest talking to both recruiters and getting all the information for both services before deciding on one.

Whichever service you finally choose (even if it's Air Force), you will be challenged both mentally and physically. Good luck to you.

Answer 2

Last I knew army boot camp was around 12 weeks... I think only the air force is 6 weeks. Both will give you the GI bill which will help you go to school, one of them might give you an extra bonus to go to school. College benefits are pretty much the same though. You don't have to worry about joining the air force if you're afraid of flying planes, cuz you'd have to be an officer for that, and you're obviously not. You can be in the air force and not jump out of planes... in face I'm willing to bet more army soldiers jump out of planes than air force airmen. Anyway, you need to do more research cuz no offense but you seem pretty clueless.
The marines are a harder service, but the Army is hurting for more people. So its still up to you =]

Answer 3

You join the Marines to be a Marine not to get college money... therefore you should go into the army or something like that.... by the way the Marine Corps boot camp is 13 weeks if you want schooling the Corps isnt for you go in the army those nasties will give you a fat bonus check and about anything hell i heard you even get congical visits and phone calls in the boot camp of the army...

Answer 4

It is the VA that pays out your GI Bill benefits, not a specific branch of the military. It is the same bill for every veteran. No, the Army BASIC is approx 8 weeks. Now, while the USMC Boot is the toughest of all the branches, depending upon what job you pick, the job school can be a cakewalk. I was MP in the Army [initially anyway, I was also Infantry]. My BASIC was nowhere near as tedious as my friend's Boot in the USMC, but while my 12 week long MP school was the EXACT same environment as Basic :marching in formation everywhere, lights out 2100, wakeup for PT at 0430, NO weekend passes until last weekend, same 80 man barracks, etc; his USMC job school was in a two man room in a building similar to a college dorm. He had to be at class at 0800, break for lunch and back to class, then released at 1800. He was free to do [just about] whatever until 0800 the next duty day. Now, there are job schools in the Army that are a cakewalk too, and if you go Infantry in USMC extend Boot by like three weeks, so again it all depends upon the job. What do you want to REALLY do? Also, remember that the USMC will 99.9% of the time be the first ones into any "hostile" theater. Why? Cause that is how they are structured and already set up: for rapid deployment. However, the Army will be close behind. For large areas of territory, there just aren't enough Marines. When I left the Army, there were more MPs in the Army than there were Marines in the entire USMC.
First decide what job you truly want to be doing everyday. Then look at the environment of that job in each branch [if they have it, for example there are NO medical jobs in the USMC. Marine medics are called US Navy Corpsmen.]
Good luck, have fun [even in a combat zone], and thanks for signing the dotted line.

Answer 5

I would say both would be a good choice regarding college but remember the Army is at 15 month deployments and going to college in that 15 months is very hard.

By the time you get to BCT it will be at the extended time of 13 weeks for Army and im not sure for Marines but 6 weeks in airforce like before stated.

The reserves might also be an option you wish to explore just think the problem out and dont make it rash. or based on uniforms or anything stupid like that look what they are offering and make your choice.

Answer 6

Any branch of the military is as good as the other in terms of extra benefits.

Army or Marines, that depends on how far you want to be challenged. Challenge isn't just a case of doing more pushups and being yelled at more, it could very well mean the difference between having a stressed, if otherwise decent time and having a miserable, what-did-i-get-myself-into experience. Both paths will turn you into a tough rifleman, no doubt about that. However, the Marines tend to be held in higher regard overseas.

Answer 7

You've been misinformed. Army Basic Combat Training is 9 weeks long. Marine Corps Boot Camp is 12 weeks long. Add in the week of in-processing, and you get 10 and 13 week totals. Air Force Basic Military Training is 6 weeks.

The Marine Corps is more disciplined. Go with them.

Regardless of active time, the enlistment contract is for 8 years total.

Answer 8

Join the Marines because you want to be a Marine. Join the Army if you don't. Both have excellent college plans. Ask the recruiters.

Answer 9

Well Army for college of the two. Second question is kinds funny. Thats a no hands down. Honestly research the Airforce. They are your best bet for anything.

Answer 10

Why would anyone that wants to go to college and improve their life want to go into the marines and get themselves killed for nothing? You have two totally opposite thoughts there,and they cover it from one extreme end of the spectrum to the other! Let the marines use your body to stop bullets. Does that make any sense what so ever?