Which Branch Would You Join?

[sanantone]

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.

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).  

But, you won't end up in the Marines since they don't have doctors.

[dfrecore]

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).  

But, you won't end up in the Marines since they don't have doctors.

You're right - that's one of those instances where the Marines are not their own "branch" of the military in the sense that they are under the Navy.

[xjarhead1999]

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).  

But, you won't end up in the Marines since they don't have doctors.

You're right - that's one of those instances where the Marines are not their own "branch" of the military in the sense that they are under the Navy.

Couple things I'd like to chime in about.
They Marines aren't under the Navy. They are a department of the Navy but are considered their own branch. That's why they have their own leadership and side of the Pentagon.
Each Marine battalion has its own doctor and group of corpsmen. They wear Marine uniforms and train right beside Marines. It doesn't matter if they are the battalion surgeon or a corpsman we call them doc. The docs that are attached to Marine Units are the closest people to be a Marine without actually joining the Marine Corps.
All branches have an 8 year commitment. Usually it's 4 years active duty then 4 years of what is called IRR, or individual ready reserve. Could also be 5 years active and 2 IRR, 3/5, 6/2, whatever. Or simply 8 years active duty. Officers work a little different though. In my case, I done 4 years active duty Marines, about 8 months IRR, 3 years Army Reserve, and another 4 months of IRR.

[dfrecore]

Couple things I'd like to chime in about.
They Marines aren't under the Navy. They are a department of the Navy but are considered their own branch. That's why they have their own leadership and side of the Pentagon.
Each Marine battalion has its own doctor and group of corpsmen. They wear Marine uniforms and train right beside Marines. It doesn't matter if they are the battalion surgeon or a corpsman we call them doc. The docs that are attached to Marine Units are the closest people to be a Marine without actually joining the Marine Corps.

And that's why I said "In this instance" and had "branch" in quotes, because in the instance of becoming a doc, you can only do that in the Navy.  Yes, the Marines is it's own branch of the military, but in some instances, it's "under" the navy.  If you go to ROTC, you go for the 1st 2 years as Navy, and then you have to choose the "Marine option" to switch.  If you go the NAVAL Academy (there is no Marines Academy), you can choose the Marine option after 2 years there as well.

I wasn't saying it wasn't it's own branch, I was saying that there may be some cases where the Marines don't have their own thing, and at that point, it's through the Navy.  Which I thought was pretty clear by what I wrote.  But I guess not to everyone.

[sanantone]

Couple things I'd like to chime in about.
They Marines aren't under the Navy. They are a department of the Navy but are considered their own branch. That's why they have their own leadership and side of the Pentagon.
Each Marine battalion has its own doctor and group of corpsmen. They wear Marine uniforms and train right beside Marines. It doesn't matter if they are the battalion surgeon or a corpsman we call them doc. The docs that are attached to Marine Units are the closest people to be a Marine without actually joining the Marine Corps.

And that's why I said "In this instance" and had "branch" in quotes, because in the instance of becoming a doc, you can only do that in the Navy.  Yes, the Marines is it's own branch of the military, but in some instances, it's "under" the navy.  If you go to ROTC, you go for the 1st 2 years as Navy, and then you have to choose the "Marine option" to switch.  If you go the NAVAL Academy (there is no Marines Academy), you can choose the Marine option after 2 years there as well.

I wasn't saying it wasn't it's own branch, I was saying that there may be some cases where the Marines don't have their own thing, and at that point, it's through the Navy.  Which I thought was pretty clear by what I wrote.  But I guess not to everyone.

I thought it was clear. Their doctors and corpsmen are supplied by the Navy. The HPSP scholarship is for the Navy, Army, and Air Force. The USUHS medical school is for the Air Force, Army, Navy, and USPHS. 

Several of the branches are tied to the Navy. The Marines are a branch under the Department of the Navy. Even though the Coast Guard is under the Department of Homeland Security, if they are sent to war, they would go under the Navy. The NOAA Corps can also be sent to war under the Navy. I know USPHS medical professionals have been sent to war zones, but I don't know if they're sent under the Navy. I just know that they use Navy ranks and uniforms, and they are not considered civilians when sent to war. I think they wear Coast Guard Uniforms when assigned to Coast Guard units.

[docmarvin]

When I was doing my clinicals prior completion of Hospital Corpsman school, I was training under a physician. He is a retired LtCol, USMC. Decided to become a doctor and work for the Navy due to his experience with Navy Docs and Corpsmen. My previous XO was a prior Marine and decided to become a Navy Dentist.

It’s great working with them. Never been to war but served with the Marines conducting exercises with allied forces and humanitarian missions which I loved the most. Great deployment.

-HM2(FMF)

[xjarhead1999]

Couple things I'd like to chime in about.
They Marines aren't under the Navy. They are a department of the Navy but are considered their own branch. That's why they have their own leadership and side of the Pentagon.
Each Marine battalion has its own doctor and group of corpsmen. They wear Marine uniforms and train right beside Marines. It doesn't matter if they are the battalion surgeon or a corpsman we call them doc. The docs that are attached to Marine Units are the closest people to be a Marine without actually joining the Marine Corps.

And that's why I said "In this instance" and had "branch" in quotes, because in the instance of becoming a doc, you can only do that in the Navy.  Yes, the Marines is it's own branch of the military, but in some instances, it's "under" the navy.  If you go to ROTC, you go for the 1st 2 years as Navy, and then you have to choose the "Marine option" to switch.  If you go the NAVAL Academy (there is no Marines Academy), you can choose the Marine option after 2 years there as well.

I wasn't saying it wasn't it's own branch, I was saying that there may be some cases where the Marines don't have their own thing, and at that point, it's through the Navy.  Which I thought was pretty clear by what I wrote.  But I guess not to everyone.

Hey, slow down a bit here please. I wasn't trying to attack you or anything of the sort. I was just trying to share my experience and knowledge. I apologise if my post came off as anything other than sharing information.