Ok, I will be 17 on Aug. 22, I will be graduating in 2011 (If all goes well). After high school I would really like to try to get into the military. First off, I am mainly interested in ground combat. I like the idea of a job being physically demanding ( Since I started exercising on a daily basis I have drastically improved my grades, social life, attitude and mood, so it’s something I value greatly), builds solid self-discipline, requires complete devotion and is beneficial to my family, my country and myself.
I really like the idea of being in the infantry. I would like to be on a team that develops/uses strategies in combat or preparation for combat. Also the bonds formed between you and your team, the responsibility you have for watching each others backs, and the idea of, No man left behind.
I would be willing to go through rigorous training, having a lot of responsibilities, signing away my rights and being in hazardous situations.
I am at a stable point in my life where I have lost the childish attitude, learned the value of respect, developed goals that are positive towards my future, have been receiving consistent (acceptable) grades in school and matured overall.
From what I have read and heard from people in the military, the Marine Corps go through a lot of extra courses and generally always need to be substantially mentally and physically fit. On the contrary, I have heard the U.S Army has better equipment than the Marine Corps, but is not known to be as disciplined or physically/mentally fit as the Marine Corpse. (Note- I am in no way trying to offend anyone in the military by saying one branch is better than the other, they all deserve respect and honor.)
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! I realize this is a big decision and I don’t know all there is to know before I make the decision. I still have two more years of school, but I see it as more time to prepare( getting in shape, learning new things that will help if I join the military) and more time to ask questions and read up on military life to see if this is really right for me.
Thank you.
Caroline
Morgan
Army
Jennifer
I would say the Army.
Owen
Well if you want something challenging and extremely demanding like you’re describing and ground work and you’re fit you should definitely go for the Marines. Would suit you good. Just keep in mind there is a good chance you will get killed.
I don’t even know why I’m helping you.
I’m bitter right now about my boyfriend leaving for the Navy…
But yeah, I’d say go for the Marines.
Isabella
Really, either the Army or the Marine Corps would be a good fit for you. It’s true the Marines expect more physically out of their personnel – I’m not sure they’re more mentally fit – that’s kind of a moving target. I chose the Army due to family tradition. I might have tempermentally been a better fit for the Navy – but then again, I don’t think so, I truly enjoyed that I got to spend some time outdoors in the Army, even in military intelligence.
Elijah
Best advice I can offer is to check all the branches out. Each service offers the same benefits/pay. If it’s action you’re after, each branch has that as well.
Don’t think for a second you have to sign your rights away. We serve to ensure that never happens buddy
There will be plenty of time for you to make this decision, but for now stay in school and continue to be prepared physically/mentally.
If you’re wanting active duty you can join a couple of weeks after your junior year. You’ll be shipping a couple weeks/months after graduation.
Again, don’t limit yourself. Check all of them out, you’ll be surprised once you get passed the stereotypes
Michelle
I don’t want to offend anyone here. Especially in the modern military thay are all getting the job done. Damn proud of them all!!!!!!
For me the Marines on average have a pride and honor that borders on fanatical. I had an active duty gentleman (unnamed branch) ask me in a very smart ass tone Why every Marine was an instant Marine Corps Historian? I replied without a second thought. Because he earned the right to be!
The truth is that during your basic training you will be taught history of the corp that should give you wood.
Like I said I am not in anyway being disrespectful of any branch and want to make that clear. Which ever you chose I wish you the best and regardless of what branch it is you will be serving the best country with some of the best men and women it has to offer.
Zoe
I would say the Marines. Start talking to a recruiter when you turn 17. They have a split opt. program where you go to BCT summer between your jr.and sr. year then go to AIT after you graduate. You also get a monthly stipend and you can train with your local recruiter on the weekend. I choose Army and know the Marines have a similarly program. You would need to talk to a recruiter to get all the details. Good luck!
Emily
Either the Army or the Marines. I chose the Army because I wanted to be airborne.
Jeremiah
You’re definitely right in narrowing it down to Army or Marines, based on what you want to do.
I happen to like the Army, but that’s just me, and my reasons for preferring it have nothing to do with ground combat, since that’s not what I’m primarily interested in.
I would talk to recruiters form both branches, and see which one feels better.
As for fitness…as a whole, the Marines have higher fitness requirements for all MOSs. However, the Army has some MOSs that require you be in outstanding physical shape. Here’s why they’re different: The Marines focus much more on combat positions and jobs that require that fitness, whereas the Army, while it also has these same jobs, also has many less-physically-demanding jobs available IN ADDITION TO it’s combat stuff. For instance, I’m looking at journalism/communications/writing jobs, and my daughter is an artist. The Navy and Army had much to offer us (and for her, the AF), but the Marines did not. So the Marines do need you to be in better shape after Basic, since you’ll need it.
Again, talk to the recruiters, and see what they have to offer you. Look on YouTube for videos of their boot camps, and research the jobs (though both will have what you’re looking for).
Good luck to you! Stay in shape, out of trouble, and don’t get lured into those credit card offers you’re receiving during your senior year and you’ll be ready!
PS: My daughter is entering her senior year next month. She wants to go Navy, but I asked my Army recruiter when she should start working with a recruiter, and he said NOW. At the end of each school year, there’s a HUGE influx of grads wanting to join, so those who began getting everything taken care of early will be able to join faster and easier, and get more of a choice in the jobs they get. So basically, no matter what branch you join, start the ball rolling just before senior year.
Savannah
Hello Matt,
It is possible that your interests will change slightly by 2011.
One concern before I make a recommendation is Do you have a steady girlfriend who will also be affected by your decision to join the military?
It is worse for Marines who have steady girlfriends and/or wives because the Marines are always ready and most often deployed to Okinawa ready to jump off at a moment’s notice to hot spots in Asia and the Middle East.
Smaller groups of Marines can move as a unit compared to Army units that might deploy in a larger force.
To be a Marine you really have to think about nothing except the Marines. You are married to the Corps even if you don’t realize it!
I would recommend that you look at the Army as your first choice and study up on the different MOS (Military Occupational Specialities) that the Army offers.
Look for the enlistment sign on bonus being offered for hard to fill positions. Look for a guaranteed MOS assignment if you join.
Go to usmilitary.about.com and check out ALL the jobs that the Army has to offer. Then, go to and read the Army’s official website information.
Once you make a listing of the 5 top Army jobs you might like; then, go to the Marines’ website: and read all their official website information. Also, read about all the Marine jobs from usmilitary.about.com
Make a listing of the 5 top Marine jobs you might like.
Then, 6 months from now during Christmas-Winter school break, review those top jobs you think you liked and see if you still hold them true 6 months later. Then, when school finished in 2010, review the listing again. You may find that you want to rearrange the different jobs in priority. That’s OK to do this.
By the time you are ready to graduate from high school in 2011 you will KNOW which service you want and which job you will want to stress to the recruiter to get a guaranteed position and maybe an enlistment bonus for signing on.
Also, however, the Army has a program whereby you can go to BASIC TRAINING next summer between your junior year before you start your senior year.
Look into that. You may really like it and it will take the edge off basic training and insure that you don’t have a boring summer 2010.
Talk to an Army recruiter about it.
he Future Soldier Training Program, which pays recruits to commit now and serve later, was a clincher for him.
The Army designed the program for high school seniors. It’s brand new. Promotional materials haven’t been printed yet, but recruiters are talking it up at schools.
The program pays students $1,000 for each month between signing the commitment contract and leaving for basic training after completing high school. The Army pays an additional $1,000 for high school graduation.
For example, Mr. Keen enlisted in late October and plans to leave for basic training in late June. He’ll rack up $10,000 in bonus money for his nine months in the program, including the $1,000 graduation award.
The Army almost missed its recruiting goal for the year that ended on Sept. 30. It began the new year on Oct. 1 with fewer men and women signed up for basic training than in any year since it became an all-volunteer service in 1973.
The new bonus program for high schoolers is obviously intended to increase recruitment but isn’t necessarily a reaction to nearly missing national recruiting goals last year, said Kim Hanson, a public affairs officer for the Dallas Army Recruiting Battalion.
Another program, the Quick-Ship bonus, pays recruits up to $20,000 if they agree to leave for training within 30 days. The future soldier program balances Quick-Ship because it banks personnel for later use, Ms. Hanson said.
Sgt. Cotner said it’s ideal for fence-sitters, not those who have never shown an interest in the military.
There’s a lot of people that say they want to [join], he said. But they want to wait until after high school, so this gives them kind of an incentive before they have the chance to get into trouble or get into an automobile accident or one of life’s misfortunes that happens.
We’re trying to go ahead and secure their future for them.
Despite the Army’s push to sign up new recruits, North Texas school officials say recruiters haven’t been asking for increased access to their students.
Federal law requires schools to give military recruiters the same access they give to college or corporate recruiters.
FUTURE SOLDIER TRAINING PROGRAM
The U.S. Army is under the gun to hit its annual enlistment quotas. Here are some details about its new bonus program for high school seniors:
• Open to students who are at least 17 and have completed 11th grade.
• Must earn a diploma to qualify. Those who earn a GED may enlist, but they won’t get the deferred enlistment bonus.
• Students may participate for up to one year in the Future Soldier Training Program.
• Students who sign the enlistment con