Was choosing your branch of service everything you thought it would be? Did you expect more or less?

I have to admit, I do get envious when I visit an Air Force base and see all the "stuff" they have, but ultimately I joined the Coast Guard to do Search and Rescue and I would do it over again in a heartbeat if I had to make the decision again today. Each service has their unique flavor, but in the end, so do it's members so to each their own.

Nope. I was waiting for the Army National Guard recruiter to give me a call when the Navy Recruiter got to me first. Twenty-two years later, I have no regrets!

US Navy Deck Ape. 5 inch gun mount, Tonkin Gulf, Yankee Sration

Who makes a decision on which branch to go into based on how the uniform looks ? Uh...that would be my 17 year old self.
On that career day in the High school gym, the Marine recruiter was the tallest of the 4 different branch recruiters but those dress blues suckered me in. I wanted to wear that uniform.
Strange, because I do not have one brother, uncle or cousin that were in the Marines up to then. I had no idea what I was going to get into, and the first night at Parris Island in late July had me wondering what the heck I just did.
No regrets now of course.

I first went into the navy (NPSAC program) and eventually got a DD368 (sep of service) to sign with the ARNG. I went to basic and completed all the tasks (my paperwork said so) but then didn't attend graduation because I was injured in between. Well, long story short I went to PTRP (which was a joke) and already being a nationally registered paramedic was told I didn't need to worry about AIT. They said I could discharge and go home and heal up and then come back. I knew that was a lie, but the treatment at PTRP was horrific, and since then I've been trying to get back in (I did take the med discharge) but with an RE code of a 3, "Physical condition, not a disability" (I had cracked bones in both legs.
After healing up I tried to get back in. I got a waiver for my legs, went through MEPS, had my ortho consult, and was ready to swear back in and get to work. I was denied for the SAME reason I got the waiver in the first place. (Mind you, in between the branches, trainings, etc. and even before BCT I worked ADSW time all over, basically full time for months on end). So while I was in and actually doing the job? Loved it! The way I was treated on the way out, and on the way trying to get back in? Horrible. Still trying though...I miss it terribly.

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1000% yes. I could never be a sailor or a Marine. I wanted to fly Jets for the air force, But you still need a High school diploma for some reason. So I became an Infantryman where I learned to be All I could Be. Thank's Sarg. All of you.

Joining the AF was the best decision I ever made, it gave me everything I have and made me who I am. The only time i felt disappointment is when I returned Stateside from Germany and expected more from the unit I was with, camaraderie wise, which was my fault for expecting that. Either way, all but two years were the best years of my life, I wouldn't trade any of those years, even the not so great ones.

Yes, it was. When I was 18 I wanted a challenge, and Marine Infantry provided it. I was challenged at every turn in my career and enjoyed every minute of it.

I got almost everything that I set my goals for by the time my second enlistment was halfway over. The only thing that scared the crap out of me was locating and disarming anti-personnel mines in Panama by bayonet one inch at a time. Disarming was something were not trained on but got OJT. We couldn't use the mine detectors in those areas. It really got the juices flowing.

All in all in Panama we used more Engineer skills than my other duty stations as we were a light Sapper Company such as the RB3 and rope bridges etc. We were also able to cross train with a mortor squad and 11B Inf squad and air mobile. No other assignments worked that close with other disciplines.

Awesome experiences that I would do all over again.