Friend, I spent almost 15 years in the Army that I would not trade for anything. As a matter of fact, if I could go in again, right now, as a buck private I would go.
That being said, please understand this: knowing what I do now, I might well change my branch of service. Here's why (I have told this story quite a few times, so far):
My son, in his last year of school, looked at me and said, "Dad, I've decided to join the military, like you did." Well, I was on the phone with Army recuiters post haste, and they appeared at the door double time.
He took the sample ASVAB, and blew it out of the water. They dropped the reg in front of him, and said "Take your pick. We'll give you $50,000 for college. We'll guarantee your first duty station--and your buddy's too, if he comes in. We'll guarantee your MOS. We'll give you a lot of enlistment bonuses." And on, and on, and on...
My son listened politely, looked at all they had to offer, and said, "I'll think about it." They left.
The next day, he showed up with a Marine.
I asked the Marine Sergeant, "How much of a bonus does he get?"
The Sergeant replied, "None."
I asked if they could guarantee his first duty station.
The Sergeant said, "Nope."
I asked if he could pick his MOS.
The Sergeant said, "He'll go where the Corps needs him."
I then pulled my son to the side and asked him if he had lost his mind.
I'll remember my son's answer forever:
"Dad, I believe we might go to war soon. (This was in June, 2000!) If we do, I don't want the guy next to me TO BE THINKING ABOUT HIS COLLEGE MONEY."
I signed the papers, and he went into the Delayed Entry Program.
I attended his graduation at MCRD San Diego in November of 2001. Here's what I learned:
Look up Army Ranger training; the entire qualification course. Subtract Airborne school.
You now have Marine Boot Camp. ALL Marines go through boot.
Each Marine has one primary job. They are all Marine Riflemen.
My son went into boot at 6'0", and 220 lb.
He came out 5'11", and 160 lb of rock-hard combat steel.
Thus began four years of a life altering experience for him.
On June 4th, Cpl. EC Tovar III returned home, having finished 6 months in Fallujah, Iraq. His job was as a Marine Artilleryman. His gun fired the first rounds in the second Battle of Fallujah.
For two months, he did artillery support and counter battery missions.
For two months, he manned checkpoints.
For two months, he and the rest of his section walked patrols in the streets of Fallujah.
If you are career and job oriented, the Air Force has the best choices.
If you like the Army, go for it.
I understand that the Navy is also a place to gain valuable civilian experience in different career fields.
The Coast Guard serves a vital role in the protection of our borders and interests.
We are, however, at war. From what I have seen--if you want to hedge your bets; and if you want to literally be the tip of the spear, the talons of the eagle, and the knife edge of the United States Armed Forces--and if you can meet the challenge of getting into the hardest Service to get into--the one where you have to be able to pass any PT test the other services can throw at you BEFORE you get in--there's only one choice.
The United States Marine Corps.
Your choice, my friend. Go with God, and best of luck with any choice you make.
) For my personal tastes, Photographer's Mate, sub school, diver school and explore the Navy probably would have been a lot of fun.