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I'm thinking of joining the military. So I pose the question to the board: which service should I join? Note that I am fairly geeky. Also, I'm fairly likely to score fairly high on the ASVAB when I take it this coming tuesday.

Air force, man. Lowest amount of PHYSICAL labor of all the forces. it's definately the most cerebral. (But, please please please take my advice. Go to college, join ROTC and get a comission(sp?). The perks officers get vs. enlisted is rediculous.) If you're fairly geeky, you shouldn't have a problem (Note that I am using the stereotypical generic definition of geeky) Good luck on the ASVAB. Though you won't need it. Most of it is very much common knowledge stuff...except stupid motor oil questions...goddammit...

Beowulf wrote:I'm thinking of joining the military. So I pose the question to the board: which service should I join? Note that I am fairly geeky. Also, I'm fairly likely to score fairly high on the ASVAB when I take it this coming tuesday.

Do you want to fight (I mean, in the sense, do you want to go into the active service and get deployed somewhere because you think that's a good cost-benefit for you in your position in life when you balance Risk Vs. The Payoff They're Offering)?

Beowulf wrote:I'm thinking of joining the military. So I pose the question to the board: which service should I join? Note that I am fairly geeky. Also, I'm fairly likely to score fairly high on the ASVAB when I take it this coming tuesday.

From what I understand, the Marines are very prestigious. They don't just take anybody. They don't want your average grunt. At least, that's what they told me when they tried recruiting me. You also get a very nice tuition package if you plan to attend school afterward. I'm almost kicking myself for not doing it out of high school ... almost. We did go to war, after all.

They are notoriously the most challenging division of the armed forces. If you're looking for a challenge, I'd say go for the Marines.

Side note: One of my friends from high school is currently the third-best sniper in the Marine Corps.

Go Navy!


But seriously, this is a major important decision. Don't go join any service just cause a bunch of people you don't even know told you to.

French Foreign Legion!

Lets face it, you get to move to a better country for basic (Algeria or Morocco) then at the end of a hellish six year tour (assuming you survive the arse-hole of the world postings) you get French citizenship (another step up) and mucho kudos and babes.

USAF. Food's better .

And ASVAB's fairly easy. I think the lowest I got on it was a mid-50th percentile on the auto crap, everything else was upper 80s or higher. I almost wish I hadn't taken it, though, because all 5 branches from the poll started trying to recruit me (three different USMC recruiters called my house). Best one was the Coast Guard wanted me to be a yeoman. 99th percentile on cryptography and they want me to be a bleedin' yeoman...

Geeks go airforce. Unless you're thinking about doing maybe the medical field.. then either airforce or army.

Let me put it this way:

Do you want to get to travel aboard ship once every two years? Go Navy
Do you want to spend 1 out of every 4 years abroad and probably 6 months out of the same 4 yrs at sea? Go Marine
Do you want to spend 1 out of every 4 years in a hole in Korea? Go Army
Do you want to get a Cost of [FUCKING] Living allowance when you live on anything other than an AF Base because its sub-standard? Go Air Force
Do you want to have every other service laugh at you because you aren't part of the DoD but yet still never have to serve overseas? Go Coast Guard.

Anyway I obviously would recommend the Marines because I think the challenge, mentally not just physically, is the toughest and I felt like I was really accomplishing something by becomign a Marine. Beyond that marines look out after each other LONG after they get out of the service, we have perhaps the biggest "old boys" network out there, just don't dare be a disgrace because then you're fucked

The Coast Guard doesn't count. Even in war, they just fall under the DON...kinda like the Marines do now.

Though I guess being in the Department of Homeland Security is better than DOT...

Anyway, I'd say Navy myself...but I might be slightly biased... But like I've said before, it depends on what you want to do with your life: go career, or four in then get out? Serve on the front lines or in the rear? Go overseas, see a lot of things and a lot of places, or stay close to home? What do you want to do when you get out (be that four, twent,y or even thirty years from now)?

Lots of questions to answer before picking a service.

Think about this one hard. If you do join, *follow through* with your commitment; also you get out of it what you can put in. That may seem like hot air, but it can pay off with that outlook. And don't let yourself become infectred with an attitude like some elistee's I have seen.

CmdrWilkins made a good point also, except that the Army doesn't always send you to Korea. And yes, I went Army.

When you say "fairly geeky," what does that mean in terms of physical condition? IIRC, for the Marines they can put you in physical training platoon and keep you there as long as it takes for you to meet their requirements.

You should also consider how long you'd like to join up for. It may help you decide on a job and/or a service. Most of the technical jobs that require significant schooling require that you spend more time in the service. Most of the Navy's advanced technical jobs require that you be on active duty for 6 years. That might be a bit much if you are uncertain about what you are getting into.

CmdrWilkens wrote: Do you want to have every other service laugh at you because you aren't part of the DoD but yet still never have to serve overseas? Go Coast Guard.

The coast guard does deploy overseas, they've people in the Persian Gulf right now. However they've also get an absurd number of applicants and are at full strength.

Sea Skimmer wrote:

CmdrWilkens wrote: Do you want to have every other service laugh at you because you aren't part of the DoD but yet still never have to serve overseas? Go Coast Guard.

The coast guard does deploy overseas, they've people in the Persian Gulf right now. However they've also get an absurd number of applicants and are at full strength.

The number of Coast Guard personnel who serve overseas is very limited compared against their total strength. Also, to my understanding, it is not a requirement to serve an overseas tour. I know that in the USN and USMC it is required to have either a sea service or overseas deployment totaling 1 out of every 4 years. I believe the Army is the same way, not sure about the AF though.

EmperorMing wrote:CmdrWilkins made a good point also, except that the Army doesn't always send you to Korea. And yes, I went Army.

True sometimes you go to Germany which has got to be an interesting experience for beer loving Army pukes

Actually, I was in the army, First duty station Ft. Lewis, last duty Station, Ft. Lewis. Never left. never went to Korea. Most memorable thing about Ft. Lewis? Best Teriyaki in the world.
Oh, yeah. And No Marines.

When I leave high school. I plan on joining the Army and being infantry or a ranger.

Chardok wrote:Actually, I was in the army, First duty station Ft. Lewis, last duty Station, Ft. Lewis. Never left. never went to Korea. Most memorable thing about Ft. Lewis? Best Teriyaki in the world.
Oh, yeah. And No Marines.

That's actually incorrect, there is 1 Company of 6th EngrSptBN (my battalion) and 1 Company of 4th Landing Support BN stationed there. Now they're reservists so maybe that's why you never saw them but they are there.

Durandal wrote: You also get a very nice tuition package if you plan to attend school afterward.

Is that for all branches? Or just the one you mentioned?~Jason

Agent Fisher wrote:When I leave high school. I plan on joining the Army and being infantry or a ranger.

Becoming a US Army Ranger requires being in a regular infantry unit before you get a chance to try the course.

Soontir C'boath wrote:

Durandal wrote: You also get a very nice tuition package if you plan to attend school afterward.

Is that for all branches? Or just the one you mentioned?~Jason

Well, they may have something special in the Corps, but everyone gets the GI Bill, unless you opt not to for some reason, IIRC.

I'm fairly certain there's more, too (and ways to get a degree while serving and have 'em pay, and get a commission if you so desire) but I can't recall specifics from what the Navy, Army, and Marines told me before I went the Midshipman route. And I never talked to the Air Force or Coast Guard.

CmdrWilkens wrote:

EmperorMing wrote:CmdrWilkins made a good point also, except that the Army doesn't always send you to Korea. And yes, I went Army.

True sometimes you go to Germany which has got to be an interesting experience for beer loving Army pukes

It was.

weemadando wrote:French Foreign Legion!

Lets face it, you get to move to a better country for basic (Algeria or Morocco) then at the end of a hellish six year tour (assuming you survive the arse-hole of the world postings) you get French citizenship (another step up) and mucho kudos and babes.

Now why would I want to become the citizen of a country famed for losing every war since Napoleon ruled?

*Hadoken!*

The poll results seem to match up with what I've heard I should join from elsewhere.

So... what exactly is on the ASVAB, from those who've taken it somewhat recently?

Air Force. In fact, I'm applying to the USAF Academy.

The ASVAB is high school level stuff. Should be pretty easy if you did well on your high school standardized tests. I aced it on my first try. Although there was this section on machines that I had trouble with.