Difference in Military Branches

[NCRAVEN]

After some questionable decisions as of late by my nephews, I'm going to Maryland this weekend to talk to them (21 and 19) and the "road ahead" so to speak.

They've never really had a male role model in their life that has been close enough to offer advice. So in comes Uncle NCRAVEN. If I could do it all over again I would have joined the military, and that will be my recommendation to them as well.

Question for those who have served. What branch, what was the benefit of that branch, if you had to do it over again would you still do it, would it have been that branch or another and if so why?

THANKS a bunch for any who contribute.

[wickedsolo]

Well...you dont need to spill the beans...but here are some things to consider...


1. If they are going to need a waiver for a drug or alcohol related offense, it might be an easier path to look at the Army. I dont mean that in a joking/jab way, but the Army is massive and they have an incredible number of different jobs they need to fill. If your nephews are just in need of something to help them grow up, the Army might be a good option for them.

2. Due to budgetary constraints, the military (in general) has become much less of an "anyone, everyone" organization. They have the obligation to be picky, depending on what type of job the person enlisting wants.

3. If they want something in a technical field, I would suggest Navy or Air Force. If they just want to go do some high intensity shit without having to go through SEAL school or something, Army or Marine Corps might be a good option.

All in all, IMO, you can't really go wrong if someone is in need of direction and discipline. What they can do in the military will really depend on their ASVAB (sp?) test scores. The higher they score, the more opportunities they'll have. However, if they have legal/arrest/financial issues, they may not be eligible for positions that require DoD clearances (However, there are waivers for some things).

I did 4 yrs active duty Navy and 4 yrs reserve. I went to college first and was quite directionless when I got out. I did Navy JROTC in high school and I enjoyed it. I also did Army ROTC in college, but I just wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. I still wanted to party and chase ass. I enlisted when I was 25. Looking back on it, I'm kind of glad that I enlisted when I was a bit older because I had already been away from home for a while and it wasn't as shocking to me. I was also mature enough to understand that boot camp was a mind fuck and the drill instructors/gunnies are paid to do that.

There are a lot of really nice perks about being in the military.
1. They pay for basically everything you need. They give you clothing allowance annually for uniforms. They give you money for rent, or you can live on base rent-free. You get 3 meals a day at no cost to you - and while the food isn't Gordon Ramsay Steak, it's not bad in most cases (Although, in being deployed on a ship...towards the end of a deployment, you can tell they're just trying to get rid of food...I've never had chicken done so many different ways...lol...MRE's aren't awesome either, but in the field, that's what you have and that's what keeps you going).

2. Healthcare is taken care of - this includes dental, vision, well checks, physicals, bloodwork, pharmaceuticals, allergies, braces, glasses, broken bones, surgeries, etc. If someone gets hurt to the point where they are medically separated, they can go to the VA and apply for disability and, effectively, collect a paycheck for the rest of their lives.

3. College Tuition - this is a big one. Just for enlisting, you're entitled to $80,000 for Post-911 GI Bill. Not only do you get that money to put towards college or a trade school, you also get a stipend for basic housing allowance for the area that you live in at the rate of an E-5 enlisted rank. So, for example, I live in Frederick and the housing allowance I got was around $1,800 per month on top of having my tuition paid with books, etc. You can also use part of the GI Bill to pay for a laptop if you need one. The GI Bill paid for my Master's Degree outright and I still have about $10 grand left over...I'm thinking I may use it for something random like a Woodworking trade school or welding. Why not? While you're still active duty, you dont have to use your GI bill. You can use something called TAP or Tuition Assistance Program. Now, it's not as much, but it is still about $3500 a year at your disposal. So, you could theoretically knock out a few electives on an undergraduate degree program. Also, while you're active duty, you can study for and take a test (for free) to get credit for a college level elective class in shit like History, Math, Economics, etc. I know people that did 6 years in the military and came out with a bachelor's and an associates degree and never set foot on a college campus and never paid a dime for any of it. A nice aspect of this is a lot of the schools that the military has programs with are accredited, so if someone gets out and has a year left to finish their bachelors, they will have a much easier time transferring credits to a 4-yr college/university. A good friend of mine did that with University of Maryland. Got his bachelors in Kinesiology (sp?) and now owns his own CrossFit gym out in Communist Country (Washington State).

4. Travel - Yea, no one really wants to go to any of the Icky-Stans, but you're going to go to some places that most people will never have the opportunity to go. Because of my job, I was land bound for the most part, but I have friends that got to go to Dubai, Bahrain, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Guam, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

5. Traditions - Every branch has their traditions, but I really loved a lot of the Navy traditions. Even hearing the song "Anchor's Aweigh" takes me back to boot camp and calling cadence for my class (Class 908) and marching under the tunnel from the barracks side of the base over to the administrative side of the base. I got to go to the USS Constitution in the Boston Harbor while I was active duty as well - very cool and like a pilgrimage for a Sailor. When you cross the equator for the first time, you go through the "Shellback" ceremony and you get a certificate. When you cross into the Arctic Circle, you get your "Blue Nose" and go through that ceremony.

It's a camaraderie that you don't get anywhere else and I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't miss it. Even the shitty parts like doing colors or taps in a pouring hurricane in Pensacola or going through the OC Battle Course at Sugar Grove, West Virginia...or going through SERE School in cold ass Maine. It was all awesome. I hope my kids consider it when they're old enough.

[CincyCat]

Well...you dont need to spill the beans...but here are some things to consider...


1. If they are going to need a waiver for a drug or alcohol related offense, it might be an easier path to look at the Army. I dont mean that in a joking/jab way, but the Army is massive and they have an incredible number of different jobs they need to fill. If your nephews are just in need of something to help them grow up, the Army might be a good option for them.

2. Due to budgetary constraints, the military (in general) has become much less of an "anyone, everyone" organization. They have the obligation to be picky, depending on what type of job the person enlisting wants.

3. If they want something in a technical field, I would suggest Navy or Air Force. If they just want to go do some high intensity shit without having to go through SEAL school or something, Army or Marine Corps might be a good option.

All in all, IMO, you can't really go wrong if someone is in need of direction and discipline. What they can do in the military will really depend on their ASVAB (sp?) test scores. The higher they score, the more opportunities they'll have. However, if they have legal/arrest/financial issues, they may not be eligible for positions that require DoD clearances (However, there are waivers for some things).

I did 4 yrs active duty Navy and 4 yrs reserve. I went to college first and was quite directionless when I got out. I did Navy JROTC in high school and I enjoyed it. I also did Army ROTC in college, but I just wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. I still wanted to party and chase ass. I enlisted when I was 25. Looking back on it, I'm kind of glad that I enlisted when I was a bit older because I had already been away from home for a while and it wasn't as shocking to me. I was also mature enough to understand that boot camp was a mind fuck and the drill instructors/gunnies are paid to do that.

There are a lot of really nice perks about being in the military.
1. They pay for basically everything you need. They give you clothing allowance annually for uniforms. They give you money for rent, or you can live on base rent-free. You get 3 meals a day at no cost to you - and while the food isn't Gordon Ramsay Steak, it's not bad in most cases (Although, in being deployed on a ship...towards the end of a deployment, you can tell they're just trying to get rid of food...I've never had chicken done so many different ways...lol...MRE's aren't awesome either, but in the field, that's what you have and that's what keeps you going).

2. Healthcare is taken care of - this includes dental, vision, well checks, physicals, bloodwork, pharmaceuticals, allergies, braces, glasses, broken bones, surgeries, etc. If someone gets hurt to the point where they are medically separated, they can go to the VA and apply for disability and, effectively, collect a paycheck for the rest of their lives.

3. College Tuition - this is a big one. Just for enlisting, you're entitled to $80,000 for Post-911 GI Bill. Not only do you get that money to put towards college or a trade school, you also get a stipend for basic housing allowance for the area that you live in at the rate of an E-5 enlisted rank. So, for example, I live in Frederick and the housing allowance I got was around $1,800 per month on top of having my tuition paid with books, etc. You can also use part of the GI Bill to pay for a laptop if you need one. The GI Bill paid for my Master's Degree outright and I still have about $10 grand left over...I'm thinking I may use it for something random like a Woodworking trade school or welding. Why not? While you're still active duty, you dont have to use your GI bill. You can use something called TAP or Tuition Assistance Program. Now, it's not as much, but it is still about $3500 a year at your disposal. So, you could theoretically knock out a few electives on an undergraduate degree program. Also, while you're active duty, you can study for and take a test (for free) to get credit for a college level elective class in shit like History, Math, Economics, etc. I know people that did 6 years in the military and came out with a bachelor's and an associates degree and never set foot on a college campus and never paid a dime for any of it. A nice aspect of this is a lot of the schools that the military has programs with are accredited, so if someone gets out and has a year left to finish their bachelors, they will have a much easier time transferring credits to a 4-yr college/university. A good friend of mine did that with University of Maryland. Got his bachelors in Kinesiology (sp?) and now owns his own CrossFit gym out in Communist Country (Washington State).

4. Travel - Yea, no one really wants to go to any of the Icky-Stans, but you're going to go to some places that most people will never have the opportunity to go. Because of my job, I was land bound for the most part, but I have friends that got to go to Dubai, Bahrain, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Guam, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

5. Traditions - Every branch has their traditions, but I really loved a lot of the Navy traditions. Even hearing the song "Anchor's Aweigh" takes me back to boot camp and calling cadence for my class (Class 908) and marching under the tunnel from the barracks side of the base over to the administrative side of the base. I got to go to the USS Constitution in the Boston Harbor while I was active duty as well - very cool and like a pilgrimage for a Sailor. When you cross the equator for the first time, you go through the "Shellback" ceremony and you get a certificate. When you cross into the Arctic Circle, you get your "Blue Nose" and go through that ceremony.

It's a camaraderie that you don't get anywhere else and I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't miss it. Even the shitty parts like doing colors or taps in a pouring hurricane in Pensacola or going through the OC Battle Course at Sugar Grove, West Virginia...or going through SERE School in cold ass Maine. It was all awesome. I hope my kids consider it when they're old enough.

Great story. Thank you for your service.

[The Fanatic]

I think one of my biggest regrets in life was not joining the military.
Don't think they would have taken me anyway due to some medical stuff but I never tried.
I think the stigma of what the military was back in my youth was far different than what it has been in more recent times.
I didn't have any direction from the appropriate people which certainly didn't help me with appropriate decisions either.

[wickedsolo]

I think one of my biggest regrets in life was not joining the military.
Don't think they would have taken me anyway due to some medical stuff but I never tried.
I think the stigma of what the military was back in my youth was far different than what it has been in more recent times.
I didn't have any direction from the appropriate people which certainly didn't help me with appropriate decisions either.

Back when you were coming up, the country was still very much reeling from the Vietnam War.

[The Fanatic]

Back when you were coming up, the country was still very much reeling from the Vietnam War.

Exactly!!
The stigma was far far different back then compared to now.
You should be a recruiter with that spiel you just rattled off above Wicked.

[wickedsolo]

Exactly!!
The stigma was far far different back then compared to now.
You should be a recruiter with that spiel you just rattled off above Wicked.

I've put a few folks in. Not as a recruiter, but as a sounding board for my experience.

I come from a military/Fed Gov family though.

My uncle was in the Marine Corps during Vietnam.
My uncle and Aunt (dad's side) worked for the CIA.
My Grandfather (dad's side) worked for the CIA and was a major player during the Watergate situation.
My great uncle (grandmother's younger brother) was a colonel in the Army during Vietnam. He was a Chaplain. I have a great picture and handwritten letter he sent to my grandmother of him doing mass on the front of a combat jeep in the jungle. Pretty neat.
Another great uncle, grandmother's younger sister's husband, retired from the Navy and was active duty during Korean War and Vietnam War.
My wife's grandfathers were both in the Navy during WW2. One was a Hospital Corpsman in Australia and the other was on submarines in the Pacific Fleet - he was at Pearl Harbor and he was part of the fleet that saved George HW Bush when his plane was shot down.

I am a firm believer in the military. It instills discipline, direction, and accountability. Those who want to make something of themselves in the military have a clear path to do so. Other than marrying my wife (who I was dating when I enlisted...and I did not get her input before I enlisted...), enlisting in the Navy was the best decision I ever made. It gave me a career. 100%.

[NCRAVEN]

I am a firm believer in the military. It instills discipline, direction, and accountability. Those who want to make something of themselves in the military have a clear path to do so. Other than marrying my wife (who I was dating when I enlisted...and I did not get her input before I enlisted...), enlisting in the Navy was the best decision I ever made. It gave me a career. 100%.

Thanks Wicked, this is my thought as well for them. I doubt they'll take it though. Maybe they'll look into the Guard...

[wickedsolo]

Thanks Wicked, this is my thought as well for them. I doubt they'll take it though. Maybe they'll look into the Guard...

National Guard? Or Coast Guard?

Coast Guard is incredibly difficult to get into. Even though it is technically a military branch, they're very small and very specialized. They dont need to take a lot of enlisted members each year and they can be very picky about who they choose.

My brother in-law is in the Army National Guard right now. He joined after he finished his degree and finished a 6-yr active duty stint with the Marines. He doesn't mind it too much. Army National Guard is pretty easy and you get a lot of the same benefits that you would if you were active duty.

It's kind of a pain in the ass though because once a month you have to go to your duty location and even though they say "2 weeks a year", that isn't always true. Could be 3 weeks. Could be 2 months depending on what is happening around the world.

[NCRAVEN]

National Guard? Or Coast Guard?

Coast Guard is incredibly difficult to get into. Even though it is technically a military branch, they're very small and very specialized. They dont need to take a lot of enlisted members each year and they can be very picky about who they choose.

My brother in-law is in the Army National Guard right now. He joined after he finished his degree and finished a 6-yr active duty stint with the Marines. He doesn't mind it too much. Army National Guard is pretty easy and you get a lot of the same benefits that you would if you were active duty.

It's kind of a pain in the ass though because once a month you have to go to your duty location and even though they say "2 weeks a year", that isn't always true. Could be 3 weeks. Could be 2 months depending on what is happening around the world.

National Guard is what I was thinking. I'm hoping they'll see the long-term benefits to one or the other.