Which military branch would be best for me?

Question

I have thought about joining the military for a long time, and I like the Navy and Army but can't decide between them. I wouldn't mind riding on a ship or being on the front lines. I am a history major in college and am thinking about going in after graduation. Which branch would be better pay, enjoyment, satisfaction level.

Answer 1

When serving aboard a ship, you can expect to be away from the USA for six to eight months when you deploy overseas. You won't spend that entire time out at sea. You will be able to visit various foreign ports. You will spend anywhere from six to eighteen months between overseas deployments in the USA or off it's coasts. However, there are sailors who serve their entire tour on shore.

If you enjoy living outdoors in the woods and forests, then you will enjoy being in the Army.

With a college degree, consider attending officer candidate school. As an officer, you will enjoy better living conditions and higher pay. But you will have more duties and responsibilities for those extra benefits.

You will have the ability to travel extensively in both services. Pay and vacation are the same for both. You will be entitled to 30 days of paid vacation every year. And what you don't use up can carry over to the next year.

I served as an officer in both the Army and Navy. In the Navy, I served aboard an aircraft carrier. In the Army, I served in a combat engineer battalion.

Answer 2

As a Vet, I would say it's not so much the branch you go into as much as the job you end up doing when you do get in. Would you believe there is a to part Navy, one stays on shore as support the other stays at sea on ships. Not every one who goes into the Army ends up as a fox hole infantryman.
Myself, since I left the service, I'm always astounded to meet other guys stationed the same area I was stationed same branch Army, because they were in some support job hardly had much duty at all, while I was in a strike infantry armored unit with lots and lots of sweat training. You mention your college education - go for officer training , would make a big difference in conditions as to how you might serve. Also officers, if an when they might be wounded are better taken care of, in the long run.

Answer 3

It really depends on you. I'm an Army veteran and could never imagine being on a ship for any long periods of time; unless I was gambling.

How much physical fitness are you about. In order of program toughness:
Marines
Army
Navy
Air Force

You can get promoted faster in some MOS's in the Army than in the Navy or Air Force, so that can address you pay scale, but it is a points based system. A lot of the time, when an MOS has a lot of non-coms already, the points can stay maxed and getting promoted after E-4 could be difficult. Now if you go in as an officer, you won't have to worry too much about that.

I cannot tell you about life as an officer as I was a Sergeant, but whatever you choose, good luck!

Answer 4

I spent 20 years in the Air Force, so I'm a bit biased. If you don't care where you go and what you do or whether or not you'll learn a marketable trade the Army is for you. If you're suicidal and like being abused and tortured, then the Marines are the way to go. If you like sleeping in the same bed that someone else sleeps in, like cramped spaces, and spending months at sea, the the Navy is your best bet. If you want your best chance of learning a skill that doesn't involve a mop or a potato peeler, you're allergic to combat, prefer blue to green, and think intelligence isn't a handicap I'd recommend the Air Force.

Answer 5

Army and Navy are both good choices.

I went with the Army.

Check with ROTC at your school, I did and I think it is an outstanding program.

If you want to lead troops Army. In the Navy you have to serve 20 years before you make tactical decisions (unless you are a SEAL but I'll bet you your not going to be a SEAL).

If you want to sleep in a bed every night (a very small bed), eat food prepared for you every meal (it ain't club med but it's prepped for you), and do the same thing every day in peace time and war (on a ship you will not know the difference between peace and war until you sink). You have to go with the navy.

I would say just go with what ever you feel.

Answer 6

I sincerely hope nobody tells you what to do.

You're a to be a college graduate. You should be able to do the research and make your own decisions.

Personally, I enlisted in 1960 with a degree in math. When I reenlisted, somebody dusted of my degree and recommended me for OCS. Spent 25 years in.

But I'm not you. I can't tell you what you would like. I can't tell you where you would be satisfied.

The pay is the same in all the branches.

To start your research I'd direct you to:
http://www.navy.mil Navy
and
http://www.army.mil Army

Pay and benefit information is available on the Navy site... I'd presume it's also available on the Army site... but, as I said, they're the same.

Once you get some facts under your belt, go to their recruiters.

Answer 7

well fortunately i served in both so i guess i can say hands down the navy......in the army i chose 63 sierra which is heavy duty engine machanics i worked on the duce an ahalfs got tired of it and figured i was capable of so much more so i talked to a navy recruiter about flying and was informed i needed college not having any at the time i asked what else i could do well in the end my contract was bought out by the navy an i went off to aircrew candidate school from their rescue swimmers school then navy seals school my original rate was anti-submarine warfare in the end i had achieved 4year degree the rank of 1st class petty officer and after my 6 year enlistment i got out and became a merchant mariner i now work on the houston ship channel in texas as a tug boat captain making about 185,000.00 to 230,000.00 a year so yeah id say navy as far as planning ahead for your future.....oh yeah an hears the kicker to become a tug boat captain i needed sea time an all my navy sea time was excepted by the coast gaurd.....made it real easy to get into my profession ......pretty sure i wouldnt have made this much money as a macanic wouldn't you say.....skipper

Answer 8

My husband has been in the Army National Guard for 6 years now and he loves it, he gets to live at home and just goes once a month to drills. He went to Iraq for a year too. It would depend if you mind relocating or being a ship for a year at a time. In the navy you have to train in freezing cold water and be out to sea the majority of the time. In the Army you get relocated wherever they want to send you and in the National guard you get to have a normal life most of the time and just go once a month. My husband always says if he could he would love to be in the special forces they get to do so much cool stuff and the training is awesome. Good luck! I'm sure you'll make the right decision, thanks for getting ready to serve our country haha.

Answer 9

All branches have the same pay. As for satisfaction, that is an individual measure. I was a Marine and am now a former Marine and am very proud of it. However there are proud members of all the services.

The best way to gage is to speak to all the recruiters and see what they can offer you based on your knowledge, skills and what you would be interested in doing.

Good luck

Answer 10

I have friends in both branches and both love and are loyal to their own service branch. The difference I think is that if you are more active and want to be in the middle of action, army might be more suitable for you.

If you love travelling and experiencing different cultures, navy might offer more of an option.

Both are admirable choices and you can't go wrong serving your country. I just hope that the government will earn you by only fighting in just wars.