Which Branch Would You Join?

[Life Long Learning]

For the record, these are the 7 Uniformed Services, not branches.  Great list!

One study one never reads is what % who join retire with that service.  The Marines would be dead last (hardest).  AF would be #1 of the DOD types.  Not sure where CG, NOAA, and USPH fall in order but higher.

Kids never think of retirement as an opportunity.  # flaw in our education system.  Long-term planning is not there.

They are branches of the uniformed services; they just aren't branches of the armed forces.

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Aside from the money for school, I've never really understood why people enlist.    I never really knew anyone that did, so perhaps I just missed out on hearing about the other benefits.   It seemed like less freedom on the job front with some obvious major risk depending on what you get assigned to.     So, I went with international business.  Not saving any lives, but I've traveled the world.

I would be interested in understanding why it was appealing to people that enlisted.   I always thank those that have enlisted (and buy them a drink in the airport,) but never understand it personally, so would be interesting to know more.

Some just want to serve; some like the benefits. The uniformed services have benefits that are nearly impossible to find anywhere else: 20-year retirement, free training for civilian occupations, and the GI Bill and tuition assistance that are unmatched by most tuition reimbursement programs.

Most won't go to war. I think only a couple of Coast Guard members died in the last couple of wars. If the military ever needs to send large numbers of the Coast Guard to war, then they've likely gotten to the point of needing to draft.

Where do you see all 7 called branches?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniformed_...ted_States

[jsd]

Your wiki link calls them service branches in the info box.

Not that I would know what is accurate.

[Life Long Learning]

Your wiki link calls them service branches in the info box.

Not that I would know what is accurate.

Interesting.  I have never seen anyone call them a branch.  Even themselves.

[sanantone]

Your wiki link calls them service branches in the info box.

Not that I would know what is accurate.

Interesting.  I have never seen anyone call them a branch.  Even themselves.

The Uniformed Services University, NASA, Oregon, and USPHS also call them branches. 

https://www.usuhs.edu/uniformed-services

https://nasajobs.nasa.gov/jobs/militaryjobs.htm

https://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/ccis/documents/CCPM26_1_2.pdf

https://www.oregon.gov/DOR/about/Documen...6-0320.pdf

[docmarvin]

I would choose Space Force if it on the list. 

Proud Navy Corpsman!

[jkerns]

I would be interested in understanding why it was appealing to people that enlisted.

I was 18, and had no idea what I wanted to do (but knew I didn't want to be a short order cook for the rest of my life). I also knew I wanted to travel, but had no idea where. The Navy pretty much made both decisions for me. I got OJT in electronics and communications, have been all over the world, and got an honorable discharge which has given me several advantages being a veteran. No complaints.

Same here. 18 years old, wanted to travel and get training in a field that would help after military life. Got both, IT rate.

PS: in my observation (regarding standard of living) the Air Force wins hands down ?

[MNomadic]

I would be interested in understanding why it was appealing to people that enlisted.

I was 18, and had no idea what I wanted to do (but knew I didn't want to be a short order cook for the rest of my life).  I also knew I wanted to travel, but had no idea where.  The Navy pretty much made both decisions for me.  I got OJT in electronics and communications, have been all over the world, and got an honorable discharge which has given me several advantages being a veteran.  No complaints.

Same here. 18 years old, wanted to travel and get training in a field that would help after military life. Got both, IT rate.

PS: in my observation (regarding standard of living) the Air Force wins hands down ?

In the Navy, my Division Officer told me that he had a higher quality of life as an E-4 in the Air Force than he did as an O-3 in the Navy(at least on deployment/out to sea).

[dfrecore]

Same here. 18 years old, wanted to travel and get training in a field that would help after military life. Got both, IT rate.

PS: in my observation (regarding standard of living) the Air Force wins hands down ?

In the Navy, my Division Officer told me that he had a higher quality of life as an E-4 in the Air Force than he did as an O-3 in the Navy(at least on deployment/out to sea).

They call it the "chair force" for a reason...  

[sanantone]

I would be interested in understanding why it was appealing to people that enlisted.

I was 18, and had no idea what I wanted to do (but knew I didn't want to be a short order cook for the rest of my life).  I also knew I wanted to travel, but had no idea where.  The Navy pretty much made both decisions for me.  I got OJT in electronics and communications, have been all over the world, and got an honorable discharge which has given me several advantages being a veteran.  No complaints.

Same here. 18 years old, wanted to travel and get training in a field that would help after military life. Got both, IT rate.

PS: in my observation (regarding standard of living) the Air Force wins hands down ?

In the Navy, my Division Officer told me that he had a higher quality of life as an E-4 in the Air Force than he did as an O-3 in the Navy(at least on deployment/out to sea).

I find the Air Force appealing because it's known as the brainy force with the second highest ASVAB score requirement and some of the most educated recruits, but that's really just a result of what kinds of positions they have the most need for. With the higher enlistment requirements, it's no wonder that the Air Force does most of the cybersecurity work, which is the main medium for conflicts between developed nations in the 21st Century. If I liked water, I would find the Coast Guard more appealing. They have the highest ASVAB score requirment, are mostly involved in homeland security and law enforcement, and have short deployments. 

NOAA Corps would be second on my list if it didn't require being on ships for so long. The areas you can serve in are also limited, which is similar to the Coast Guard. As a matter of fact, NOAA Corps recruits go through basic training with the Coast Guard. Since the Army is so large, it has a lot of opportunities. For me, personally, I wouldn't have a reason to choose the Navy or Marines unless they had openings for positions that didn't have openings in the other armed forces. The Navy is great if you like water and travel or want to provide medical services to the Marines since they don't have their own. Navy members also rarely die in modern wars. The Marines are great if you like combat.

[dfrecore]

I would be interested in understanding why it was appealing to people that enlisted.

I was 18, and had no idea what I wanted to do (but knew I didn't want to be a short order cook for the rest of my life).  I also knew I wanted to travel, but had no idea where.  The Navy pretty much made both decisions for me.  I got OJT in electronics and communications, have been all over the world, and got an honorable discharge which has given me several advantages being a veteran.  No complaints.

Same here. 18 years old, wanted to travel and get training in a field that would help after military life. Got both, IT rate.

PS: in my observation (regarding standard of living) the Air Force wins hands down ?

In the Navy, my Division Officer told me that he had a higher quality of life as an E-4 in the Air Force than he did as an O-3 in the Navy(at least on deployment/out to sea).

I find the Air Force appealing because it's known as the brainy force with the second highest ASVAB score requirement and some of the most educated recruits, but that's really just a result of what kinds of positions they have the most need for. With the higher enlistment requirements, it's no wonder that the Air Force does most of the cybersecurity work, which is the main medium for conflicts between developed nations in the 21st Century. If I liked water, I would find the Coast Guard more appealing. They have the highest ASVAB score requirment, are mostly involved in homeland security and law enforcement, and have short deployments. 

NOAA Corps would be second on my list if it didn't require being on ships for so long. The areas you can serve in are also limited, which is similar to the Coast Guard. As a matter of fact, NOAA Corps recruits go through basic training with the Coast Guard. Since the Army is so large, it has a lot of opportunities. For me, personally, I wouldn't have a reason to choose the Navy or Marines unless they had openings for positions that didn't have openings in the other armed forces. The Navy is great if you like water and travel or want to provide medical services to the Marines since they don't have their own. Navy members also rarely die in modern wars. The Marines are great if you like combat.

They all have their pros and cons.  If you want ROTC, Navy has the best options outside of the academies.  AF is harder to get in to, and doesn't seem to pay as much for tuition.  The Army requires 4 years active duty plus 4 years in the reserves in exchange, while the Navy only requires 4 years for Marines/nurses, and 5 years for Navy, unless you do something specialized like pilot.

If you want to be a lawyer, I think only the Marines and AF will pay for law school.

If you want to be a doctor, all of the branches will pay for med school, and you'll do your residency in a military hospital.  You'll owe 4 years to the military after that, but be paid a decent amount while you're there (I think it's about $125k-ish per year).  You most certainly will be deployed at some point, as they need docs out in the field, but you'll get very good training while you're doing that.  They say that one of the reasons the murder rate in Chicago is so low in comparison to the number of gunshot victims is because so many docs are so good at emergency medicine and dealing with gunshot wounds after being in the military.  Fewer and fewer people die as a result of being shot now than they used to.