Expert: Rod Powers - 11/5/2007

Question
I know this is a question that you can not answer, but I was hoping to be pointed in a direction that would help me compare all the services.  I am in my second year of college and know that which ever branch, and what ever job I do, I will be able to excel.  I haven't been able to find a website that clearly lays out the differences.  Also, when I talk to most people in one service, they tend to put down all of the other services or at least highlight their own.  I need to make some important decisions and am kind of short on time.

Some of the important factors:
Ability to have a family and spend time with them
Opportunities to be in more of a combat type role
A good chance to be a pilot for a significant part of my career
The majority of the officers and enlisted personal are competent and dedicated to their country and service(not in it just for the enlistment bonuses or education benefits)


Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.  I plan to make a career out the the military serving at least 20 years, and want to make the right choice now and not live with regret.

Thanks,
Ryan

Answer
Hi Ryan,

I'm afraid you won't find any such websites, or any individual that I could put you in contact with that could adequately answer your question.

Why? Because there is no definitive answer. I spent 23 years in the Air Force. In my opinion, the Air Force would be the best Military service. But, I could introduce you to a Gunny Sergeant in the Marine Corps who would swear that the Marine Corps is the only way to go. The day after that, I could introduce you to a crusty, old Army Senior NCO friend of mine who will tell you that the Army has the best opportunities. Then we could take a trip across town, where a Navy Chief Petty Officer friend of mine would tell you (quite sincerely) that there is no better life than Navy life.

In truth, only you can make this decision. I can give you a couple of articles to read, that may help:

"What the Recruiter Never Told You" at: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/recruiter.htm This article can tell you the basic differences between the services, and what bonuses, etc., each service officers, and "U.S. Military 101," at: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalinfo/a/military101.htm which explains the basic different missions and philosophies of the different branches.

Some of your "important factors" simply can't be reconcilled. For example, you state that you want a combat type role, and the ability to have a family and spend time with them. If you have a combat job (in any branch) you will spend more time deployed to combat areas (where your family is not allowed to be) than the average Military person (regardless of branch) who has a support job. That's the nature of the beast. Combat specialists are trained to fight in combat, and we need them much more in combat areas (such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Kosovo, Bosnia, etc., ad infidium, than we need them at Fort Benning.

Ever since the movie "Top Gun" came out, several years ago, everyone and their brother (and sister) wants to become a "military pilot." The problem is that the military services only have enough "slots" for about 10 percent of those who would like to fly military aircraft.

The selection process (for all the branches) is very competitive for the very few available slots. The Army is the only service which allows those who are not college graduates to become pilots (they can apply for the Warrant Officer Helicopter Pilot Program), but even that is very competitive.

For the other services, all pilots are commissioned officers. That means a college degree. Sucessful applicants will have a *very high* college GPA (remember, you're competing against everyone's brother and sister who also want to become military pilots), score high on the service's "flight aptitude test," (each of the services have different FATs), be within the age limit (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/l/blpilotage.htm), meet the aviator vision standards (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/genjoin/a/pilotvision.htm), and meet the medial flying physical standards (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blflymenu.htm for Air Force, and http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/l/blmedflymenu.htm for the Army. The Navy/Marine Corps flying medical standards are very similar to the Air Force's).

I'm not trying to dampen your hopes, but just want you to know that the process (in any of the branches) is *VERY* competitive. It's not necessarily "how good you are," it's "how good you are, compared to the other applicants that year, vs. how many slots are available."

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information Site at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com