Lost Teenager

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Lupo

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Alright I am 17 years old. About to graduate from high school. I want to go Infantry but I am stuck between Marines and Army. I like the brotherhood and the eliteness of the Marine Corp, but I like the room for advancement in the army like air assault, airborne, mountain warfare and other things like that.

If you were in the military, what branch were you in and would you change things if you could?

Secondly, please just offer your opinion and advice. Im open and willing to listen to anyone's respectful opinion.
 
Thank you in advance for your service, no matter what branch you pick.
 
I was drafted into the Army in the mid 60's. Had no desire to go into the military but the fickle finger of fate pointed at me and I went. Ended up taking some tests and found that I qualified for either Officer Candidate School or Helicopter Flight School. I took the latter and spent 24 years flying helicopters. The one thing about the Army is the potential for advancement in various fields. I can't speak about the Marine Corps since I know very little about it. You're right about the brotherhood and eliteness of the Marine Corps....second to none.

My advice for you would be to seek a field in which you will gain practical experience that might be useful in civilian life should you not wish to make the military a career. Having been in combat, there's nothing glorious about it and my advice would be to put the bravo thoughts out of your mind because it's nothing but ugly.

As mentioned, thank you for your desire to serve and quite frankly one way or the other you'll get a whole lot out of serving in either the Army or Marine Corps. The other services as well.
 
This is a decision only you can make and you'll find that most prior military will tell you the branch they were in was best. That said, I'm prior Air Force and was a heavy equipment mechanic and loved the USAF. If you want to be infantry then your only real choices are the Army & Marines. If you want to open yourself up to specops them you should also look into the Navy (SEALS) & Air Force (TACP, Combat Control, & Pararescue). All branches are honorable, IMO.
 
Every service has its positives. And its negatives. The question is what YOU want to do and which service will give you the best chance to do it.

Dustoff 22 offered some very good advice when he said, "My advice for you would be to seek a field in which you will gain practical experience that might be useful in civilian life should you not wish to make the military a career.". Even though you may not think so now, you may end up deciding to leave. If you do, try to take something with you tht you like and can do in the civilian world.

BTW, I was Air Force fro 37 1/2 years and would not change what I did. Maybe how well I did it, but not what I did.

Good luck to you and thank you for your desire to serve.
 
I'm former USAF, I'm not sure if you have any long term plans post-military (if you don't make it a career) but its a great way to get some real world experience and certifications that you can apply in the civilian world.

The Air Force sent me through the military fire academy and gave me a ton of firefighting certifications that allowed me to get a fire dept job when i got out, without those certifications and experience i seriously doubt i would have gotten a fire dept job.

My brother in law was a Navy Corpsman and now has a great job as a surgical assistant in a Boston hospital

whatever you decided you wish to do in the military i HIGHLY advise getting it locked in at MEPS and not letting a recruiter talk you into going "open general"

doing open general you choose what job you would like once you get to basic from a pool of open jobs... you could go in and select "i want to be security forces" or "i want to be a firefighter" and end up being a jet mechanic or folding towels at the base gym for the next four years. i've seen it happen.
 
At the moment, you have no basis for knowing whether the military life is good for you, and more importantly, whether you will be good for the military. It's your re-enlistment that will be the informed decision. So -- flip a coin, and hope it will turn up Marines.

gds, stencil (ETCS, USN(Ret))
 
Army garauntees your slot. So if you sign up to be an 11B, you become an 11B.

My understanding is Air Force does not. You sign up to be a flight echanic and they decide they need more cooks, you become a cook.

Navy and Marines I do not know.
 
I'll agree with those above... even though you're young now, start thinking long-term... to what use will you be able to put the skills you learn in the service career that you choose. Yes, you can change your military job a couple of times during your career, but a lot of the changes that I see are within the same branch (track mechanic to wheeled mechanic; medic to OR technician; radio operator to network administrator; infantry to MP, etc.).

The different services all have their specialties, and they each have their advantages and disadvantages. Once you get out of the service, you'll need those skills that you've learned.
 
dustoff22 said:
My advice for you would be to seek a field in which you will gain practical experience that might be useful in civilian life should you not wish to make the military a career. Having been in combat, there's nothing glorious about it and my advice would be to put the bravo thoughts out of your mind because it's nothing but ugly.
Click to expand...

Best advice in thread. Former Navy Seabee here. If you are lucky enough to score high enough so they pull out a chair for you at OCS, take it.

...and like Skysoldier said, get it in writing. [thumbsup] [smile]

Best wishes, keep us posted.
 
I don't think there is all the much difference really between the branches. Infantry is infantry. The marines go to the Army jump school as well as Ranger and some others. You will have the same schools available for the most part. I Think it's harder to make rank in the corps. because they are a smaller outfit. I was in the guard (infantry) and there were a few guys there that were former marine infantry. They talk a lot of crap, but at the end of the day you are in the woods, cold dirty and hungry wishing you had gone air force.
 
I've been in both the Army and the Marine Corps. I'm proud of my time in both, but favor my Marine title, hence the reason it is listed in my sig line. Having said that, I will fervently second Skysoldier's recommendation of getting any MOS/School promises in writing. The recruiter's lie, regardless of which service you decide on.
 
The very first thing the recruiters will do is have you sign a form acknowledging that everything they tell you is probably a lie. Remember that, and remember that if it's not in writing, it doesn't count.

When my oldest expressed interest in joining the Army, I suggested two MOS's to him: 11B Infantryman, or 19D Cavalry Scout. I suggested those because of our current overseas deployments where bullets actually fly, everyone hits the bricks on patrol. Knowing that, you want to be the best equipped and best trained, and surrounded by those who are also the best equipped and best trained.

He followed my advice. He scored very well on the ASVAB (94th percentile), chose 19D, and elected for the "quick ship" option (first available school date). Because of those choices, his signing bonus (which he didn't know until after he had made his selections) was $19,000.

He spent his first enlistment stateside, at Fort Irwin, training other soldiers at the NTC. He re-enlisted for 68W Combat Medic (another $10,000 bonus), and is currently in Iraq with an armored cavalry regiment (as is his wife, whom he met at medic school).

Either or both of them are going to apply for the Army's Physician Assistant program after this deployment.

So... I suggest the same for you that I suggested for my own family: 19D or 11B if you select the Army, especially if you score well on the ASVAB. You'll get the best training and best equipment, and the best chance to do what you're actually trained to do. Plus, Infantry and Armor have the best chance for moving up.

Good luck.
 
In God We Trust said:
I don't think there is all the much difference really between the branches. Infantry is infantry. The marines go to the Army jump school as well as Ranger and some others. You will have the same schools available for the most part. I Think it's harder to make rank in the corps. because they are a smaller outfit. I was in the guard (infantry) and there were a few guys there that were former marine infantry. They talk a lot of crap, but at the end of the day you are in the woods, cold dirty and hungry wishing you had gone air force.
Click to expand...

Lol, true words. If you're favoring the Army because of the schools, just know that the Marine Corps has all those schools available to them as well. Do you like water? Honestly, that's the biggest functional difference between Marine infantry and Army infantry. Marine grunts have to do combat water survival training and qualify at a higher level than the rest of the Corps. Culturally, though, the Marines and the Army are totally different worlds, and which culture appeals to you more is something only you can figure out. In the end, though, you'll be sitting in a hole in the ground fantasizing about the Air Force. It will be raining at that moment, by the way, and you'll get woken up for watch exactly 30 seconds after you fall asleep in a puddle.
 
I've been to many schools where Army, Navy, Marines, Coasties, and AF. All the same training, just different parts of the military force body. At the end of the day like many have said, you are going to be in a ditch somewhere thinking what it's like if you went AF. With that being said too, many AF guys got a stypen for living in Army barracks, because it was beneath "their standard of living". Think about that for a bit. :) Much advancement in Army, AF and even Navy, as these are bigger entities. It also will depend on what kind of job do you see yourself doing. Always ALWAYS ALWAYS get promises in writing. You can even get Airborne(wish I had in my contract instead of bidding for it when a slot was offered), or Air Assault in your contract if your recruiter is willing to work with you. Much in line with what everyone above has stated. I'm 24 and I wouldn't change being in the Army for anything. Just remember at the end of the what is BEST for YOU. And you aren't gov't property until you raise your right hand and swear in no matter what any recruiter tells you. Don't be pressured, make informed decisions. And learn from your life lessons/mistakes. Always be in the right place at the right time in the right uniform, with something to write on and something to write with and you will do well. You've made the first step by having the intestinal fortitude to be interested in joining the most elite military force on the planet. After you join, Uncle Sam will guide you on your way.
 
Naval or Marine Aviation! I was in Naval Aviation for 6 years, went through Advanced Avionics and Flight Crew school....it was the best 6 years of my life. A big part of me wishes I had stayed in. I was an E6 when I got out...in another two years I would've been E7. Advancement was relatively easy in my rating (AT-Avionics Technician) during the 70's.

One caveat...I was single during that time...being married and in the military (any branch) is tough, especially on the wife (or husband as the case may be) and the kids.
 
Last edited:
Skysoldier said:
Whatever you do, get it in writing from the recruiter first. Those guy's lie a lot!
Click to expand...


Sky, its funny you should mention "get it in writing" i did, i was in the Navy,
after 2 weeks in boot camp, i got a call to go see a Chief. Chief says, "you ain't goin to mech school" but Chief i got it in writing,,,, tough sh$t, here's
a book of all the jobs with pictures, you got 5 minutes, get your a$$ over
there and pick something. I flipped the pages and put my finger between
2, would up in Ordnance for my tour... don't know what happens today
but beware.
 
Yep, you're getting LOTS of good advice here... pay attention to what Ochmude said (both parts [grin] ).

If you join the Navy or Marines, you'd better be (or be prepared to quickly be) comfortable in and around the water. If you join the Army, you'd better be comfortable wearing out your boots. If you join the Air Force... well, never mind... [smile]

I've been Army Reserve for 26 years now... that's the longest commitment I've made to ANYTHING in my life except for my parents... if I had it all to do over again, I would... but maybe I would have transferred to the Air Force partway through... Not only is the Air Force relatively more comfortable as a Service, but you can also transfer a LOT of skills learned there into well-paying jobs in civilian life when you finish your service.

So, sitting miserably in the rain, mud, cold, or heat, or in the middle of the ocean, miles & miles from home, you will, at some point, wish that you had joined the Air Force... even if only briefly...

You'll never make better friends; you'll never learn more; and you'll never have as much fun as you'll get from a tour or a career in the service of our nation.

... You'll ALSO never work harder; you'll never work at as many stupid jobs (you want me to rearrange the ROCKS?); you'll never work longer days; you'll never have as much to whine & moan about; you'll never stand in longer lines; and you'll (probably) never have a supervisor who you hate as much as you'll experience in the services. If you're very fortunate, you'll never have to cry at the loss of a comrade or a good friend... or stand in formation for the playing of Taps.

I wouldn't change it for the world... and I sent my son to the Air Force! [laugh]
 
There are those who are Marines and those who wish they were. [wink]
 
Skysoldier said:
And if you join the Marines, be prepared to be brainwashed![rofl][rofl][rofl]
Click to expand...

[shocked][shocked]
That is so TRUE!!! They have to brainwash Marines to convince them to go and bail out the ARMY ![laugh][laugh]

I couldn't resist.[grin] I have a lot of respect for anyone that puts on a uniform.

But I still tell my wife that if something ever happens to me, and there is a draft when my Son is of age, to get him into the Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard.
 
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