Which Branch would you have joined if you had not chosen your current branch ?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 08:01:22 -0500

Ehh.. just a random question I thought about. I wanted to hear You guys' thoughts and opinions.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2016 3:25 PM

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 15:25:16 -0400

I just asked this question, and yours popped up. I can't believe this didn't have any responses. Hopefully we can get this thread the attention it deserves!

For me, I would have joined the Marine Corps, 100% no question. In fact, the only reason I joined the Navy was because I wanted to be a Navy SEAL (don't we all). Ended up fracturing my femur and getting dropped. The Navy has treated me well and I have learned many valuable skills. However, the Marine Corps, to me, suites my idea of what the military should be. Once a Marine always a Marine, right? The Marine Corps has an incredible legacy, the very best military bearing and discipline as far as formations and adherence to orders go, and your dress blues are unmistakable (much like a Sailor's dress blues). The Navy has allowed me to be more of a free thinker. Our pray grade and rank structure doesn't really exist. E6 and E7 seem to be the first bit of structure we have. E5 and below are pretty much on the same playing field. In the Marine Corps I've seen E3s stand at attention talking to E4s. I admire that.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2016 3:27 PM

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 15:27:35 -0400

Can we give this question some love? I wanted to ask it today, myself, but didn't want to duplicate. SSG Carlos Madden

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Aug 20 at 2016 3:35 PM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 15:35:23 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member and ENS Private RallyPoint Member I didn;t check to see if there was a duplicate question yet, so I'm going answer your question. If I had a second choice or had to make a different choice I would have gone for the Marines - I was full of crap at 17 and that would have knock me right back to realty - the Army did for sure, but I liked the duty stations the Army had to offer at the time - definitely the Marines! Oohrah!

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Aug 20 at 2016 4:55 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 16:55:10 -0400

A reasonable question. I chose the Navy. Sadly, they were so slow processing my application, I had to enlist in the Army to avoid being drafted. The Navy called four hours after I had been sworn in.

Response by Maj Marty Hogan made Aug 20 at 2016 5:16 PM

Maj Marty Hogan — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 17:16:31 -0400

Navy maybe....

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Aug 20 at 2016 6:35 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 18:35:25 -0400

Probably Coast Guard. I have a lot of respect for the Coasties and their mission. I don't know if there's a more unforgiving and ferocious adversary than nature, weather, and the sea. Plus, they have some of the best duty stations locations - OBX, Florida, Cape Cod, Maine, Alaska, San Diego, Gulf Coast, Hawaii, etc.

Response by MAJ David Brand made Aug 20 at 2016 6:52 PM

MAJ David Brand — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 18:52:09 -0400

Now that I am retired - I think about it a little differently! If I were on active duty now - I would look for a branch that had good transferable skills to the civilian world of work! Sounds selfish - but having been retired for nearly 17 years - l now know that life goes on after the military and it can go on for a long time! I enjoyed Armor and Intelligence - but Intelligence has served me much better in retirement! Great question!

Response by LTC Tim Ellis made Nov 4 at 2016 11:19 AM

LTC Tim Ellis — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:19:25 -0400

Probably the Navy. At 18 I thought it would be cool to be on an aircraft carrier.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Dec 15 at 2016 7:33 AM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 07:33:14 -0500

My next choice would have been the Army esp as prior to the USAF I was a Cadet at a Military Academy with an Army ROTC program. To be exact, Bordentown Military Institute, Bordentown, NJ overlooking the Delaware River with a 90 acre campus.which was near Fort Dix, NJ The Military Instruction group were active duty to include two Army Officers a Major and a Captain, and NCO's all either SFC or SSgt to instruct us in Military Science and tactics and also individual assignments as drill advisers to each Company. The Commandant of Cadets was a retired Army Colonel and a West Point Graduate. An Army CWO (Ret) was bandmaster. The Corps of Cadets was a Battalion .

As it turns out I later went to another Cadet program that was Air Force and ended up in the Air Force. If I had to do it all over again I would still go in the USAF.

Response by MSgt James "Buck" Buchanan made May 8 at 2017 12:14 AM

MSgt James "Buck" Buchanan — Mon, 08 May 2017 00:14:39 -0400

Way back when, all those decades ago, had I not been married and had that influence on my decision to join the AF, I think I would have joined the Coast Guard, although I'm not really sure why.

Response by PO1 Gery Bastiani made Aug 9 at 2017 10:43 PM

PO1 Gery Bastiani — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 22:43:00 -0400

Maybe the Air Force

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2017 12:40 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 00:40:07 -0400

I would've definitely chosen the Air Force. Didn't know much about any military, so I just went with the first lying recruiter I got into contact with.

Response by MSgt Mark Bucher made Oct 6 at 2017 7:28 AM

MSgt Mark Bucher — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 07:28:49 -0400

If I had it to do all over again? I'd consider the Coast Guard.

Response by SFC Dennis A. made Oct 6 at 2017 11:15 AM

SFC Dennis A. — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 11:15:33 -0400

Had the Army not given me what I wanted I'd have gone to the Navy.

Response by CPO Jerry Howard made Oct 6 at 2017 5:24 PM

CPO Jerry Howard — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 17:24:20 -0400

Army

Response by PO3 Michael Picou made Sep 15 at 2018 12:45 PM

PO3 Michael Picou — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 12:45:50 -0400

Cost Guard... closes to Navy.