Military question... retired or current
My son is looking into joining the military what branch do you recomend and why?
Any input good or bad will be appreciated.
Any input good or bad will be appreciated.
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I was going to posta reply about the salvation army but after reading the posts I know that each of the people that have replied have great courage and honor and I won't trivulise that with a post that dosen't belong. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
My life as a Marine Corps Grunt didn't teach me any high-tech job skills.
It taught me a far greater lesson, Brotherhood.
For me, there was only one real choice.....I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.
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quote:Originally posted by Dave W.
I have personally seen Marines CO's make decisions in war zones that were harmful to the fight, but appropriate to the Marine corps traditions. It is dangerous, ignorant, and gets people killed. I witnessed it a number of times.
The Navy, Army, and Air Force are a much more fluid fighting unit in SOME cirumstances.
The Marines come to win according to Marine Corps tradition.
The Navy, Army, Air Force come to win PERIOD!
Just out of curiosity, I'd like you to elaborate on this point.
I saw an entire Marine division placed at great risk because the Army didn't want its glory stolen during the invasion of Iraq.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, google "Operational Pause + Iraq".
I have nothing but respect for the individual American soldier but after that I have little more than distain for Army brass.0 -
Having traveled all over the world, sleeping in a bed every night, eating mostly hot meals, being able to shower fairly often, and doing interesting and dangerous stuff sometimes, I would reccommend the Navy. No other service can claim to provide all five of the above perks. 0 -
U.S. Navy Submarine service[^] It is manned by the very best personnel the Navy has to offer, and has the best technical schools.
The USMC is the ladies division of the U.S. Navy, and we submariners like to use them for dancing partners[;)]
Bert (U.S. Navy Retired, 1979 - 2000)0 -
hey there bert h ..reading what you said about the silent sercice made me remember when i was living in northern australia...there was a couple of u.s. war ships came into port for rnr...it was never announced, but there was obviously a submarine there also somewhere...i saw a few guys walking around who were the palest people i have ever seen in my life!! and they really stood out...i asked them what sub they came off, but of course they wouldnt say...they even tried to deny they were off a sub....i just laughed at them!..one of them tried to tell me they wernt even in the services...he reckoned they were just tourists!..ha ha ha ha...id forgot all about that until i saw your post. 0 -
I saw one post about staying in one place for 20, never happen.
I spent 23 yrs in, loved every minute, except for my injury.
Been all over this world, it would be easier to say where I havent been.
In the United States, ive been in Idaho, SC, NC.
Over seas, I was stationed in England, Germany, Japan
But tdy I have Been in Iceland, Greenland, Netherlands, Belgium,
Norway, Scotland, Germany twice, Spain twice, Turkey nine times.
UAE, Italy, Korea, Australia, Alaska,0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
Having traveled all over the world, sleeping in a bed every night, eating mostly hot meals, being able to shower fairly often, and doing interesting and dangerous stuff sometimes, I would reccommend the Navy. No other service can claim to provide all five of the above perks.
as a marine who spent just shy of a full year on navy ships, i will vouch for those hot meals, showers and beds!0 -
Marine Corps. Then he will never wonder 0 -
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quote:originally posted by Rack Ops:
I have nothing but respect for the individual American soldier but after that I have little more than distain for Army brass.
I'll second that. I spent some time with 2 different army units in 2005. The sergeants (E-5s, and a couple E-6s) and lieutenants were the only ones that seemed to be worth anything. The rest were pretty much a waste of time.0 -
I have the greatest respect for anyone wishing to serve, no matter which branch of military service they choose to pursue. For a young person who is considering what to do with their life, i believe it is one of the best decisions they can make. A lot of individuals proclaim the "youth" of America is lost. I do not believe that. While a good number of young people do exhibit negative character traits, i.e. lack of discipline, no work ethic, no integrity, etc., Look closely at the other end of the spectrum. I would venture to say that a majority of the individuals serving today fall in the age range of 17-25, and for those young people to make the decision to enlist, and accept whatever good and bad that comes with the decision, epitomizes "character". I believe anyone that chooses to serve is making one of the greatest decisions of their life, no matter which organization they choose,
However....
I am partial. At 18, I made that same decision. I was rasied in a good home, with parents who instilled discipline, and expected me to do my best at anything and everything. Neither one of them had ever served, but you would have thought they did. "Quit" was a word that was not recogzined in our vocabulary. My brother and I were expected to pull our weight, and then some. We both held jobs at the earliest possible legal age, not because we were made to by our parents, but because we wanted to and believed that it was the right thing to do. I made my decision after graduating high school to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. It was one of the best decisions I ever made, and the experiences I had have made me the person I am today. The Marines do not promise anything. Look at their recruiting commercials. "If you have what it takes, maybe you can be one of us." I did my recruit training at Parris Island, SC (3RD BN / M CO / PLT 3010). You cannot spend 30 seconds on that island without being changed for life. Ask anyone who has been there, and they will tell you the same thing. In addtion to my folks, I have 4 other individuals I lay credit with for making me who I am. SDI GySgt Tucker, DI SSgt Newby, DI GySgt Clemments, and DI Sgt Ensley. They had me convinced that I could do absolutely anything, and expected me to do absolutely everything. Instead of "being all that I could be", they pushed me to be all that i could be, what they expected me to be, and then some. To me, it's not the markamanship skills, swim quals, drill, physical conditioning, etc. that sets Marines apart from others. The seperation comes from simply "being a Marine". That may sound like an easy answer to a complex question (which branch should i choose and why?), but anyone who has been there knows exactly what I mean. I am convinced that if you opened up my chest, and looked at my heart, it would have an eagle, a globe, and an anchor on it. A lot of people misinterpret the "Marine attitude" as arrogance, eccentricity, and ego, but I would describe it as pride and passion. In the Marine Corps, you earn everything you receive; none of it is "just given to you". The Marine Corps has a long history of service and traditions, and that history is an integral part of recruit training. Every Marine Corps recruit is indoctrinated in that history, and is expected to know it. There is a message on the front of the receiving barracks at PISC; "Through these portals pass prospects for the world's finest fighting force, the United States Marines." I could easily type page after page on what I believe it means to be a Marine, but for the sake of brevity I won't. My purpose in replying to this topic was to briefly touch on what the Marine Corps has done for me and the difference it has made in my life. If your son chooses to make the same choice, you will see the difference as well. Whatever branch he chooses, let him know i respect him for his decision, admire him for making it, and wish him the best in his endeavors. I do not wish to belittle or demean the other branches with my post, I just was giving you my two cents on what I believed, and I believe that once you become one, being a Marine never ends. My occupation now is a firefighter, but since 1992, i have and always will live every day of my life as a United States Marine.0 -
I spent 20 years and 5 months in the USAF ... and love it. I retired in June 19, 2006 and my son joined military service in June 27, 2006.
God blessed us with a son that knows what he wanted (sig line). [:p]0 -
We all love our branch of the service, we rib the others
but the truth be told, we were part of one big family.
every single brother and sister in the armed forces
when we lost one, we all felt it.
I thank those that have come before me, those that served
with me, and those that will serve after me.
Your a special bunch of people that I call family.0 -
I did six years in the Marine Corps, including two tours in Vietnam. If any kid of mine had wanted to join, I'd have broken both his legs. 0 -
The Marine Corps, a part of the Department of the Navy.
The men's department.[}:)][:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by peon
I think that's a statue of Stink Foot in the background???
Doug0 -
if mine daughter wants to join, I will tell her
what I think is best for her, But will be very
PROUD of her.0 -
The Air Force is like an all day daycare with a slight adult feel to it. 0 -
MARINES!!! the other branches are great and they do a good job but the Marines do almost everything, and they do it with pride. who guards the embassy's? who transports the President? whos got the best uniforms? who is assigned to presidential security? the Marines, thats who. but ultimately it is up to your son. All the Branches pay the same and offer the same benefits, so pick the one thats right for you. if you dont really like to exercise all that much, the Air Force or the Navy is good. All in all there all great and they all get the job done. 0 -
I've gotta laugh! These are all so predictable.
The correct answer, of course, is that whatever branch he chooses is the right one. You two sit down with all the literature in front of you, talk about it, and encourage him to make his own choice. He is a man now.
I NEVER cease telling young men and women that they will never regret joining the military. It will help define who they are, for the rest of their lives.0 -
Having said that, you might tell him that there is no challenge or thrill like Special Warfare, particularly the Special Boat Units. 0 -
USMC
My family has 3 generations of Marines and 1 Army. My son is currently in the Marines.
I love my dad to no end, despite the fact he was an Army dog.
If your son is anything like mine, he has no idea what he wants to do for the rest of his life. I didn't either at age 18.
Marines are taught the best discipline, team work, and all the core values that will benefit your son and make him successful no matter what his occupation later in life.0 -
If he can swim....Navy
If he can march....Army
If he can fight...Marines
If he can golf...Air Force0 -
quote:Originally posted by peon
I think she's related to Obama!0 -
quote:Originally posted by Joe Drees
If he can golf...Air Force
I can't golf.0 -
I'm retired Air Force. Here are my thoughts. WHAT DOES HE WANT TO DO AS FAR AS A CAREER? Military is great, all branch's are honorable to serve in. The question is what does he want to do after the military. I'm 40 years old now and starting my second retirement opportunity as a paramedic in Kansas. Each branch has its unique job opportunities as well. The Navy has nuclear school, the Air Force has Aircraft mehanics, fules, and a great need for communications specialist. The Navy and Air Force I would say have the majority of a wide variety of technical schools. So I would say to go over his interest's in different fields offered byt he braches that you can pick up from any recruiting office and go from there. I would recomend getting into a technical specialty that gives him/her some type of certification that will transfer easily into the civilian world. I was an Air Force Idenpendent Duty Medical Technician. I basically was trained to opperate as a Physicians Assistant and did the job for many years 20 years 5 months and 10 days. I performed the same exams as physicians and PA's do and prescribed and dispensed and did follow up care on all my patients in the field and while in garrison, BUT, there was nothing for me on the outside to let me perform the same as it of course requires a license to practice medicine. So, planning for you life after the military is important when picking the job. I'm not into inter-service rivalry and who is the best etc. They are all honorable, filled with tradition and to be honest, we are mostly opperating in the JTF (joint task force) mode. My last 3 years in I was deployed and and falling into the command of the JTF commander which was typically the Marine's. I have had all branches under my care at some point in my career, and they are all professional and bring something to the fight. We all employed our Branch specialty to get the mission accomplished. So again, I would look at what you want to do AFTER the military to make a starting point on decision making. 0 -
Tell him to go to college and chase girls. Beats getting shot at. I wanted to join the SF and follow in Dad's footsteps. He made it clear that he would put a 9mm through my knee cap so that no military would take me, but I would be able to hobble off to college. He knew me better than I did at the time. I could never take orders and if someone screams in my face my fists take off on their own before I know what they're doing. Girls and beer suited me much better. 0 -
Attend college, chase girls, and remain in the Reserves.
We called it NROTC.
[:D]0
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