Which military branch should I choose?

FaxModem1 · Post by **FaxModem1** » 2003-06-17 07:45am

Once I finish high school and maybe college, I will be signing up for the military, whch branch should choose.

My plans are: get a Bachelor's degree, become an officer and hopefully, join the space program, so which should I choose and why?

p.s.if your going to vote, please leave a reason(a good one at that)

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2003-06-17 07:57am

FaxModem1 wrote:Once I finish high school and maybe college, I will be signing up for the military, whch branch should choose.

My plans are: get a Bachelor's degree, become an officer and hopefully, join the space program, so which should I choose and why?

p.s.if your going to vote, please leave a reason(a good one at that)

If you're serious about the space program:

1. The chances are hideously slim.

2. The best of those hideously slim chances are in the Air Force.

3. Go to an ROTC while you're in college, assuming you do not get into the Air Force Academy. If you are serious about joining the space program, trying to get into the Air Force Academy is, again, a good idea.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2003-06-17 08:03am

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
FaxModem1 wrote:Once I finish high school and maybe college, I will be signing up for the military, whch branch should choose.

My plans are: get a Bachelor's degree, become an officer and hopefully, join the space program, so which should I choose and why?

p.s.if your going to vote, please leave a reason(a good one at that)
If you're serious about the space program:

1. The chances are hideously slim.

2. The best of those hideously slim chances are in the Air Force.

3. Go to an ROTC while you're in college, assuming you do not get into the Air Force Academy. If you are serious about joining the space program, trying to get into the Air Force Academy is, again, a good idea.

FaxModem1, ignore people who give you advice like the above. Be committed, learn to love math and hard work, and you'll get into the space program. You only get one life, aim for your dreams.

FaxModem1 · Post by **FaxModem1** » 2003-06-17 08:15am

Wow, no votes

So Air Force is best for space, why?

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-06-17 09:04am

FaxModem1 wrote:Once I finish high school and maybe college, I will be signing up for the military, whch branch should choose.

My plans are: get a Bachelor's degree, become an officer and hopefully, join the space program, so which should I choose and why?

p.s.if your going to vote, please leave a reason(a good one at that)

I voted Army, because I'm in it. That being said, if you want a more civilian type of lifestyle, I'd go with the Air Force. If you want to live in a close-knit, gung-ho lifestyle, go with the Marines.

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2003-06-17 09:32am

FaxModem1 wrote:Wow, no votes
So Air Force is best for space, why?

Would you need to be train for a M-16 rifle? *army*
I would think Navy and Air Force could go hand in hand for the space program but then again in the Air Force you can have piloting skillz...

Cyaround,
Jason

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2003-06-17 09:35am

JUst a thought....

First free man in space was a Navy Lt. Commander.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2003-06-17 09:55am

I'm assuming your a US citizen. Anyway you left out an option, the Coast Guard. They are a branch of the military as well. The last real seamanship school in the world. You can learn to be a true sailor, you can actively serve your country every day and save lives. In many ways joining the Coast Guard is like a combination of Search and Resuce, Police, and Navy along with being a true sailor all combined into one package.

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-06-17 10:28am

Alyeska wrote:I'm assuming your a US citizen. Anyway you left out an option, the Coast Guard. They are a branch of the military as well. The last real seamanship school in the world. You can learn to be a true sailor, you can actively serve your country every day and save lives. In many ways joining the Coast Guard is like a combination of Search and Resuce, Police, and Navy along with being a true sailor all combined into one package.

Thanks for the reminder.

*Smacks self upside head*

I was a Coastie for four years. One thing though -- you have to love the water, because you'll be at sea, a lot...

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-06-17 10:53am

The Army of course! Corps of Engineers to be more precise, they'll teach you how to blow shit up, blowing shit up is fun, much fun.

+ You'll never again think that your packpac is too heavy after you've complete training.

*EDIT*
Wow, US Army Corps of Engineers has it's own website. Linky.
*EDIT*

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-06-17 11:51am

So, you wanna be an officer, and be in the space program. That is too vague. Do you wanna work with space vehicles with anybody, or do you wanna specifically join NASA? If NASA, do you want to actually go into space? If so, do you want to be a pilot, a technition, a payload specialist, etc? None of these require you go the military route, but if you do, what do you want to do during your 4-10 years? Do you want to fly, be a scientist, or an engineer? Do you want to see the world, live in silos, or work in the mud? You gotta give more info if you want any real advice.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-06-17 12:41pm

Airforce, it's where I may go if I ever want military experience after uni and it's where the majority of my family went or had ties with.

El Moose Monstero · Post by **El Moose Monstero** » 2003-06-17 12:45pm

I'd say Navy (or Coastguard), probably the latter - you get to make a difference on a day to day scale, rather than in military engagements, it's more personal and it involves the sea - always a plus for me...

Post by **RogueIce** » 2003-06-17 02:26pm

Do I even need to say which I voted for?

At any rate, for the space program, like Wicked_Pilot said, it all depends on what you want to do. However, in the astronaut ranks, I've seen more Naval aviators in the pilot/mission commander aspect. And that goes for both the Navy and the Marines. Keep in mind, though, their pilot programs are probably much more difficult to get accepted into than the Air Force (given the fact that they're different sizes), and then making it through is no piece of cake, either (the AF doesn't have carrier quals).

But it also, again, depends on what kind of lifestyle you want in the meantime as well. Air Force is more civilian, Navy you get to spend a good six months or so at sea, and the Marines, well, no matter what you decide to do there, you're gonna get some infantry training. So it all depends on what you want to do with your time before you even get accepted to NASA or whomever as well. Since I sincerely doubt it'll go College->ROTC->Graduation->NASA. There's quite a bit in between, I'm sure.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-06-17 06:50pm

I voted Marines, because my dad was a Marine, but it may not be right for you.

Are you in some sort of ROTC program now? That will give you the best chances of getting into the Air Force Academy (and you gotta be at the top of the heap, even then, with letters of recommendation from statesmen). Good luck, though.

Eh, I wish I hadn't been such a bastard to those poor recruiting officers during high school now.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-06-17 06:56pm

You can fly in the Coast Guard, too, though most of their aircraft are rotary wing. You won't be a combat pilot, but you will routinely be in the air in conditions that would cause the other four branches to ground their birds in anything other than a dire emergency. For some reason, civilians don't have the decency to overturn their yachts in good weather.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-06-17 07:03pm

RedImperator wrote:You can fly in the Coast Guard, too, though most of their aircraft are rotary wing. You won't be a combat pilot, but you will routinely be in the air in conditions that would cause the other four branches to ground their birds in anything other than a dire emergency. For some reason, civilians don't have the decency to overturn their yachts in good weather.

The Coast Guard does actually have some armed aircraft to hunt down drug running speed boats.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-06-17 07:04pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:
RedImperator wrote:You can fly in the Coast Guard, too, though most of their aircraft are rotary wing. You won't be a combat pilot, but you will routinely be in the air in conditions that would cause the other four branches to ground their birds in anything other than a dire emergency. For some reason, civilians don't have the decency to overturn their yachts in good weather.
The Coast Guard does actually have some armed aircraft to hunt down drug running speed boats.

Huh. Times have changed since my dad was in, apparently.

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2003-06-17 07:17pm

All of my family was in the navy so i say "GO NAVY"

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-06-17 07:20pm

RedImperator wrote:
Sea Skimmer wrote:
The Coast Guard does actually have some armed aircraft to hunt down drug running speed boats.
Huh. Times have changed since my dad was in, apparently.

Its fairly recent, eight helicopters for bought in 1999 for the job. They operate in pairs, one with a door mounted M240 and the other with a .50cal sniper rifle. The machine gun aircraft provides cover and fires warning shots, while the rifle is used to shoot out the engines on the boats. Then they hover around and wait for a surface vessel to come around and pick up the stranded smugglers. The captured boat is generally sunk as well.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-06-17 07:48pm

I will offer the following advice:

1. Find out what you want to do with space.

2. Find out which organizations perform that mission.

3. Find out their requirements.

4. Decide what military job will make you competitive.

5. Find out which services have that job available.

6. Decide which service you want.

7. Decide on a commissioning source.

8. Talk to those associated the program you pick.

9. Start on the paper work.

10. Start making yourself competitive NOW!

Post by **Coyote** » 2003-06-17 08:13pm

I'm an Army dawg, so there goes my vote. There have been Army guys in the space program but very few.

You need 100% exact and perfect vision, uber-reflexes and be spot-on with math and physics. My exposure to the Space Program is therefore limited to the History channel.

Air Force is okay but I'd put my chips in Navy or USCG to be honest.

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2003-06-17 08:26pm

Army, Army, Army, kill, kill, kill! I am still deliberating between something of a physcist or joining the Army via West Point.

Post by **RogueIce** » 2003-06-17 08:29pm

Coyote wrote:Air Force is okay but I'd put my chips in Navy or USCG to be honest.

True. I figure (correct me if I'm wrong) that Navy and USMC pilots are looked on higher than your standard Air Force pilot. No offense intended to anyone in the Air Force, but the conditions that Navy and Marine pilots fly in (ie: carrier landings at night in rough weather) are probably seen as quite a plus to a potential shuttle pilot, as it is already hairy flying, and an in-flight emergency would be much more hairy to them (since where are they gonna go, besides the water if it all goes to Hell?) so I guess one could figure their stress management would be higher than those from the Air Force, IMO.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2003-06-17 10:19pm

Marines, didn't see that coming did you?

Anyhoo, real advice time, as others have said, determine what you want out of the space program first. If you want to fly in NASA then just about every military branch has flight programes. The Air Force, Marines, and Navy have the fighters but all of them have either/or rotary wing aircraft, cargo aircraft, or some smaller birds. So any service will provide you the chance to get your wings.

If you are interested in a more engineering type career in NASA and still want military service, then I would suggest Navy or perhaps the Air Force. The Navy has many a school on Nuclear propulsion and other high tech school's and the Air Force is close behind.

Almost all services have great communication gear and schooling in those could set you on a path as well as quite a few MOS's in the service.

Basicly sit down and plot out what you want, then look at the various services and see if they offer a MOS that will benifit you in your choosen career.

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