ZooYork5022
April 24th '07, 03:37 PM
Hey everyone, just thought I would start a thread where I could answer any questions for anybody considering joining the military after high school. I noticed a lot of members here are from Europe and I honostly don't know how the military over in England and other countries operate. However I've been in the U.S. Army for a year and a half so I know what goes on. So any question's about basic training, job/careers, regulations, everyday life in the military, deployment, anything...
I'll post some of the differences between the branches here...
Army
Active Duty: This is the regular Army. You will enlist as a Private (E-1 paygrade) unless you have college experience you may be enlisted as a Specialist (E-4). You will complete Basic Training and AIT (Advanced Individual Training aka Job Training). And you will live everyday and do you job on base wherever you may be stationed. The Army's pay system works not by hourly wage but by everyday you work. You are on duty everyday so you get payed for everyday. You get paid 2 times a month (usually the 1st and 15th of the month). You get weekends off (most the time) and all national holidays you get off and paid, and 30 days a year paid vacation to use whenever you wish. You also get 100% free medical and dental coverage and CHEAP life insurance. I pay $25 a month for Life Insurance that goes up to $650,000. We also are the largest branch of the others.
Reserves: Same as the army but you live at home and report to your home unit instead of live on base everday. Basically part time Active Duty.
National Guard: Most people don't know National Guard is a service under the Army. It's part time and full time. You will complete BCT (Basic Combat Training) and AIT just like everyone else in the Army and then report to you'r home unit. You will live at home everyday like the Reserves. You are obligated a weekend a month of duty and 2 weeks a year annual training. Unlike the reserves you take orders from not only the Federal Government (The President, Secretery of State [people who run the Military]) but also from you state Governor. You have a dual mission in that sense. Also unlike the Reserves, you have the opportunity to be Active Guard which is you work at your home unit just like a 9 to 5 job. You live at home but report to you'r unit Monday - Friday.
USMC (Marines): The Marines are the most disciplined and they have the hardest BCT. The rank system is similiar to the Army's but the customs and courtesies (saluting, calling attention) is somewhat different because the Marines is a service under the Navy.
Navy: I have a Sergeant in my unit that switch from Navy to Army so he let me know what it's kind of like. Really different from any other branch. The rank, the customs/courtesies are different from what the Army does. If you are interested in traveling the world, you might look into this. The BCT is relativly easy compared to Marines and Army.
Air Force: The easiest of all branches (in my opinion). They have 1 BCT location in the U.S. More of a mentally tough type of career than the other branches. Rank system is different but has some similarities, so does the customs/courtesies. The Air Force is full of intelligent airmen with alot of promise in their civilian life. I've met many people in the Air Force and they really enjoy it because they don't have to completely change their lifestyle to adapt to life in the Air Force. It's a good environment to work in.
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So I kind of just gave you the basics between the branches, sorry but I really know the Army and not a whole lot about the Navy and Air Force. But I'll try to answer any questions.
I have been in some of your shoes, deciding to leave home and join the military is a tough decision so please ask me anything I would actually greatly appreciate it. Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this.
I'll post some of the differences between the branches here...
Army
Active Duty: This is the regular Army. You will enlist as a Private (E-1 paygrade) unless you have college experience you may be enlisted as a Specialist (E-4). You will complete Basic Training and AIT (Advanced Individual Training aka Job Training). And you will live everyday and do you job on base wherever you may be stationed. The Army's pay system works not by hourly wage but by everyday you work. You are on duty everyday so you get payed for everyday. You get paid 2 times a month (usually the 1st and 15th of the month). You get weekends off (most the time) and all national holidays you get off and paid, and 30 days a year paid vacation to use whenever you wish. You also get 100% free medical and dental coverage and CHEAP life insurance. I pay $25 a month for Life Insurance that goes up to $650,000. We also are the largest branch of the others.
Reserves: Same as the army but you live at home and report to your home unit instead of live on base everday. Basically part time Active Duty.
National Guard: Most people don't know National Guard is a service under the Army. It's part time and full time. You will complete BCT (Basic Combat Training) and AIT just like everyone else in the Army and then report to you'r home unit. You will live at home everyday like the Reserves. You are obligated a weekend a month of duty and 2 weeks a year annual training. Unlike the reserves you take orders from not only the Federal Government (The President, Secretery of State [people who run the Military]) but also from you state Governor. You have a dual mission in that sense. Also unlike the Reserves, you have the opportunity to be Active Guard which is you work at your home unit just like a 9 to 5 job. You live at home but report to you'r unit Monday - Friday.
USMC (Marines): The Marines are the most disciplined and they have the hardest BCT. The rank system is similiar to the Army's but the customs and courtesies (saluting, calling attention) is somewhat different because the Marines is a service under the Navy.
Navy: I have a Sergeant in my unit that switch from Navy to Army so he let me know what it's kind of like. Really different from any other branch. The rank, the customs/courtesies are different from what the Army does. If you are interested in traveling the world, you might look into this. The BCT is relativly easy compared to Marines and Army.
Air Force: The easiest of all branches (in my opinion). They have 1 BCT location in the U.S. More of a mentally tough type of career than the other branches. Rank system is different but has some similarities, so does the customs/courtesies. The Air Force is full of intelligent airmen with alot of promise in their civilian life. I've met many people in the Air Force and they really enjoy it because they don't have to completely change their lifestyle to adapt to life in the Air Force. It's a good environment to work in.
-------------------
So I kind of just gave you the basics between the branches, sorry but I really know the Army and not a whole lot about the Navy and Air Force. But I'll try to answer any questions.
I have been in some of your shoes, deciding to leave home and join the military is a tough decision so please ask me anything I would actually greatly appreciate it. Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this.