Airforce, Marines or Army?

[MaSonZ]

Have you considered the service academies?  I guess not because you must be a senior at your age and should've applied already.  However, if you are a junior you still have time to apply. 

Also west-point grads make on average 0k more after they leave the service then other academy grads so the army must do something right after you retire.

im a junior, in the 3rd marking period out of 4, my grades arent so hot this year... had an 80 GPA goin into this year, but my english teacher gives so much work I focus on her class and still fail, but ti drags my other classes down too. I'm not lookin for an ecuse or sympathy there, but with anything below a 70 failing at my school, and a 60 average in english its gonna hurt me a little. I doubt my grades will get me to west point.

I know i'm gonna sound like a typical ignorant stereotypical teenager, but I do wanna get out of school and strt something soon too.

I know I opened a can of worms with this post, but thats my thoughts here.

[gyrene81]

finish high school...the military has raised some standards these days...you go in with a g.e.d. and the "after" you're looking at won't be there.

and the education doesn't end...some branches require you to go to "schools" to become expert in your m.o.s. just so you're eligible for promotions...

if you're wanting the challenge...army or marines...if you're wanting a career to fall back on once you decide to get out...airforce or navy.

[MaSonZ]

I plan on walking next year, I just want to get as many opinions and point of views as possible before jumping into any one branch.

[M0nkey_Man]

im thinking about joining airforce rotc

[MaSonZ]

im thinking about joining airforce rotc

I would go for rotc, but that would require my bachelors in something at an accredited college. no worries, I could do that with ease, but I would never use that bachelors degree for something. The town I grew up in is very blue collar and working man, same with most of the neighboring towns for a 15 mile radius. a very blue collar community. I know I could do better then blue collar and working man, but that isnt me. I just cant see getting my degree in something I will never use. thats been my issue with air force. I would love to be a pilot.

[Plawranc]

I wanted pilot like every dweeb, but when I looked at my math, and when I looked on the height scale (6-3) I thought. "aint gonna happen"

So I decided, Army, part of the Aviation battallion (Air Mobile Equiv in Australia)

[mthrockmor]

What do you want to do? I spent time in the Army playing with tanks and loved it. My bro-in-law is  Special Forces/Green Beret in the Army. He has done 5 or 6 tours in Iraq. As of late he has been doing training with CIA, actually offered a job to be an agent for them but turned it down since the CIA will abandon you in the field in a heart beat.

I would spend a lot of time figuring out what you want to do. Make sure you figure getting an education. Think about the GI Bill, college, etc. Have fun but make sure it prepares you for the next step. One day will get married and have kids. Spend the next many years putting yourself in a good position for this.

Boo

[redman555]

personally, im going army. i wish to become an ah64D apache pilot. jobshadowing at fort knox made the decision for me. your 17, if you want call up a nearby army/navy/marine base, ask them if you could jobshadow someone, see what there daily duties are. wwhat they get to do. etc. and make your decision that way.

Hope your good in math.  Its just like USAF flying, gotta be a sharp stick.

-BigBOBCH

[curry1]

I would go for rotc, but that would require my bachelors in something at an accredited college. no worries, I could do that with ease, but I would never use that bachelors degree for something. The town I grew up in is very blue collar and working man, same with most of the neighboring towns for a 15 mile radius. a very blue collar community. I know I could do better then blue collar and working man, but that isnt me. I just cant see getting my degree in something I will never use. thats been my issue with air force. I would love to be a pilot.

You would never use your bachelors degree for anything  ?  You would use it as a 2nd lieutenant in your branch of choice and ROTC gives out great scholarships.  It is not like if you join the military you will be able to stay within 15 miles of your town the entire time if you have the opportunity to go to college why not take it?  As a pilot you would be using your college degree.  My dad was a flight test engineer in the Air Force and you use your degree for sure in that field for example he measured the radar cross-section of the f-117 while he was a captain, worked on the original Airborne Laser Lab as a lieutenant, helped test and design stealthy cruise missiles that fire out of the MLRS.  The Air force also paid for him to go to Princeton to get a masters in Aeronautical Engineering. If you go into the military with a degree you will go out with so much more and I can guarantee you that you wouldn't want to work a blue collar job after so much experience gained, in fact it would be a waste or a good human resource.

[Russian]

Hope your good in math.  Its just like USAF flying, gotta be a sharp stick.

-BigBOBCH

Math? how about spelling first? 


I recommend going AF and getting a good job that pays well outside.  Do not go general that's for sure. Study for ASVAB and get a good score.  If you're going to spend next 4-6 years serving, mind as well get some training in return.  Medical field seems popular.  You can try to be a sensor operator on MQ-1/9.

[eagl]

if you're contemplating marines..."all marines are riflemen first, everything else is gravy"...they are the redheaded step children of the dept of the navy...if you're wanting to serve, but not fight...go airforce, with the right m.o.s. you could have a lifetime career...navy would be about the same.

Interesting bit about serve but not fight...  USAF members have been deploying non-stop for 20 years for AF missions, PLUS serving as augmentation for the Army for things like convoy security and drivers, etc.  USAF has been doing both USAF's job AND Army's job since 9/11.  Same with the Navy...  In addition to their normal cruise cycle, the Navy has also been augmenting the Army for jobs that are delegated to the Army by law (a law that has been waived yearly by the secdef btw).

Join the Army and enjoy watching the USAF and Navy bail you out by doing your job in addition to their own, is more like it.

Don't get me wrong, Army does a great job.  But they apparently don't have enough people to do the job so USAF and Navy have been stepping in to fill the shortfalls ever since 9/11.  It's a terrible waste of money since every augmentee is already fully trained for their normal job and then have to be retrained from scratch to be able to do the Army jobs they're filling, but that's how it is.

As for which service to join, just look at what they do every day.  Army gets down and dirty and does the bulk of the ground fighting and logistics.  USAF gets dirty when the job requires it, but 90% of the USAF's job is highly technical and not quite so dirty.  Plus the USAF is "normally" operating in support of the Army whenever there are troops on the ground.  USAF often only operates on it's own agenda between wars or in the first few weeks of a war before the Army crosses the line.  Navy spends a lot of time at sea, go figure   Marines do everything the other services do, but on a smaller scale, with less money, and more attitude. 

They're all good choices if you want to serve, but they're also a good way to get killed and the BS factor is pretty high too, so you must REALLY want to serve if you want to have a good experience in the military.

[clerick]

Airforce is VERY academic. I spent over a year in techschool before i even saw my first duty station. What i got out of it was a great background that carried over as college credits and a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

I would take the ASVAB and see how well you do. . . I have known a number of people that had their minds made up for them after the test was taken and scored.

[MarineUS]

I look at it this way.

You can look up several stories just like this.

There was a Marine in his 50's (i believe) that needed a heart transplant (he was a combat vet) and there wasn't an available heart, but once one came up the USMC put the heart on a helo and flew it to the hospital he was at and had it delivered by Marines.


We look out for each other. They all pretty much have the same "benefits" but I joined the Marines for the history, the camaraderie, the pride of being a Marine.

If you want life-time benefits go find a civilian government job. You won't be so broken off in the long run.

[clerick]

zoomies rule! Jarheads drool!

 
 

[gyrene81]

Interesting bit about serve but not fight...  USAF members have been deploying non-stop for 20 years for AF missions, PLUS serving as augmentation for the Army for things like convoy security and drivers, etc.  USAF has been doing both USAF's job AND Army's job since 9/11.  Same with the Navy...  In addition to their normal cruise cycle, the Navy has also been augmenting the Army for jobs that are delegated to the Army by law (a law that has been waived yearly by the secdef btw).

Join the Army and enjoy watching the USAF and Navy bail you out by doing your job in addition to their own, is more like it.

eagl, dropping ordnance with laser guided accuracy from 20,000 feet is not fighting...and when a pilot needs to be rescued, it's the marines, army or navy that goes in...on the ground.

with the exception of the airforce special operations command, the airforce does not train ground troops in advanced infantry combat...they get a medal for just being able to fire a weapon down range, hitting the target is optional.