



Date: January 3rd, 2009 4:38 PM

Author: SPC Adah (Bitterly Cynical Mets Fan)



Unless he really is up for combat arms, I would suggest staying away from it. It takes a certain personality, and most people burn out and switch professions after a few years. Also, combat arms units tend to be the strictest with their soldiers, keeping them on curfew and cutting off privileges like alcohol consumption if too many guys screw up. Mostly, my advice would be to do some research on the internet, and figure out what job opportunities (and keep in mind that not all are available all the time) would suit his personality best, and which would give him the best training for after he gets out. I'd go with something in computers, crypto, intelligence, or medical. Now, as for the branches. Marines are generally considered the most hard core, but their standard of living is also the worst. Many Marine posts have very strict rules, very strict room inspections, and Marines generally have the least opportunity to live a normal life. Basic training is longest for the Marines, and also the hardest. Marines also do not get to pick their jobs - the corps picks for you. If he's a real hardcore, just wants to be a badass type, this might be for him. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't really have the desire to be a Marine in their blood. Army. Army has the second worst standard of living. We have too many people. Air Force people who are assigned to Army barracks are actually paid for living in what's considered to be substandard housing. We're not so lucky. Army is generally the second most proficient with weapons, and has the second longest basic training. Army also gives you the opportunity to pick your job, as long as you prove able to pass the training, which isn't too hard. If you know what you want, you can actually get some good shit out of the recruiter. Some things you can guarantee in your contract - Airborne school, bonus, first duty location, Special Forces selection. You won't be able to get all of them, but they're all possibilities. Army tends to have the longest deployments of all the services. Marines generally go 8 months, with Navy and Air Force lasting 6 each. Army generally goes 12 months, at a minimum, and this doesn't count train up beforehand. On the other hand, Army tends to give the largest bonuses, and promotes faster than thet Air Force or Navy, meaning you get paid more and you get access to better training earlier on in your career. Navy. Navy has good standard of living while you're on base, but life sucks when you're on a ship. To be honest, this branch is the one I know the least about, apart from the Coast Guard. I do know it takes 3 years to make Specialist, where it takes 2 in the Army. However, the Navy requires sailors to take tests for promotion, which are based on their MOS (Military occupational specialty). This generally means that Navy personnel know what they're talking about as they rise in rank. There is absolutely no such guarantee in the Army, which doesn't have tests based on job ability for promotion. Finally, the uniforms are stupid, and everyone else in the military makes fun of them. Air Force is considered to have the best standard of living, and is most like a civilian job. The single soldiers quarters far outpass the Army or Marine Corps. Like the Navy, it takes 3 years for even a basic promotion to specialist, which is a long time when you're making crappy enlisted pay. The Air Force also requires job ability tests for promotion. The Air Force is the slowest to promote people, so even though your standard of living is better, you're making less money. It's not uncommon for an Air Force person to retire at E-6 after 20 years. For that to happen in the Army, you have to have been a serious screw up, or incapable of getting a secret clearance. The Air Force also does not let airmen choose their MOS. You can pick from one of four general categories, but it's not guaranteed you'll get your preference. Coast Guard? I know almost nothing about it.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=909693&forum;_id=2#10639319)