Which military branch?

[BanginJimmy]

I am going to say Marine Corps for several reasons, all of which are from personal experience.

1. The individual leadership take better care of their troops. When I was in Japan I was the only inspector in my shop. I worked 6 days a week every week. About 2 months before I left the country I asked my NCOIC if I could take some leave. He told me I couldnt because I was the only inspector, but went on to say that I could take a week off so long as I stopped in once a day to take care of sign offs.

2. The Corps takes better care of the troops by foregoing on creature comforts in garrison and instead spending budget money on better equipment. Some things you may have heard about:
Marines were the first to have Digi camo. Corps went to the Army when research started looking to collaborate. Army turned them down and said that the current uniforms were fine. We see where that ended up.
Marines developed an uparmor program for unarmored vehicles. Asked the Army to go in on the project. Army declined saying that the armor wouldnt be needed.

3. Prestige. 2 average looking guys go into a bar wearing their dress uniform. 1 is in Marine Corps dress blues, the other in Army greens. Who gets laid first? We all know what those Marine dress blues do to women.

4. Esprit de Corps. I spent 9 years in the corps and now I am in the NG. The Corps was so much tighter than the guard is that you cant even begin to compare it.

5. Reputation among enemies. When I as in Asscrackistan the Army convoys were having alot of problems with ambushes in the mountians while the Marine units running the exact same convoy wouldnt see a thing. Also when Marine Aircraft flew overhead anyone carrying a weapon would drop their weapon and put their hands up, Army pilots were constantly reporting that people were taking shots at them in broad daylight.

[CosmoLTW]

It seems likely the current pool of operators in Delta are more capable and experienced, having participated in more operations etc. Since the SEALS are part of the Navy afterall, they've participated in less operations since this whole "Global War on Terror" deal started.

Actually the SEALs have seen plenty of action. Most of them over in Afghanistan. The main job for the SEALs right now is anti-terror. As a matter of fact that is pretty much all they are used for right now. Just because they're Navy doesn't mean they are anywhere near water.

[jumpin800agl]

Actually the SEALs have seen plenty of action. Most of them over in Afghanistan. The main job for the SEALs right now is anti-terror. As a matter of fact that is pretty much all they are used for right now. Just because they're Navy doesn't mean they are anywhere near water.

All of the different Special Operations units are active in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Both Delta and the Seal teams are very good at what they do trust me.

[Julio]

Yeah, I joined the Army but only got to serve for 2 years due to a back injury caused by a training accident. They medically discharged me and started paying me disability so at least they're taking care of me.

I'm with you on appreciating all branches. My father is retired Air Force, my cousin was in the Navy, my uncle the Marines, and my grandfather in the Army. To all that served, serve, or will serve, kudos.

The average Marine doesn't put anymore on the line than your normal Army grunt. For the most part, they're just overglorified.

Funny.. paying for disability ? How much are they paying you ? I bet is not ****.. So I dont think they are taking care of you.

[Spektrewing386]

5. Reputation among enemies. When I as in Asscrackistan the Army convoys were having alot of problems with ambushes in the mountians while the Marine units running the exact same convoy wouldnt see a thing. Also when Marine Aircraft flew overhead anyone carrying a weapon would drop their weapon and put their hands up, Army pilots were constantly reporting that people were taking shots at them in broad daylight.

lol

And how can the average Mohammed Joe know the difference between an Army convoy and a Marine convoy? and why would they care?

And you think they would actually give a crap if the helicopter that flew over their head was Army or Marines? Im sure every terrorist with a 5th grade education knows the difference between American military branches and how to tell them apart while getting shot at from a distance without walking straight up to them and reading the service branch patch over their left breast pocket, if they even speak english.


What ever you experienced was mere coincidence.

[jumpin800agl]

[QUOTE=BanginJimmy]I am going to say Marine Corps for several reasons, all of which are from personal experience.

2. The Corps takes better care of the troops by foregoing on creature comforts in garrison and instead spending budget money on better equipment. Some things you may have heard about:
Marines were the first to have Digi camo. Corps went to the Army when research started looking to collaborate. Army turned them down and said that the current uniforms were fine. We see where that ended up.
Marines developed an uparmor program for unarmored vehicles. Asked the Army to go in on the project. Army declined saying that the armor wouldnt be needed.

4. Esprit de Corps. I spent 9 years in the corps and now I am in the NG. The Corps was so much tighter than the guard is that you cant even begin to compare it.

QUOTE]
2) This may have changed by now but when I was in Fallujah Iraq and the Marines replaced us there their equpment was not nearly as good as ours. I say this because not every soldier had Night Vision or IR lasers on their weaposn for nightfires. Plus their rules of engagement really placed thim in a lot of unnecessary danger even though we had told them everything that had worked well for us in our 8.5 months there.
4) I would definitely agree on this point but you really have to think, you are comparing apples to oranges. The Active duty Marines will always be more disciplined and a closer bunch than a unit from the NG that only works together one weekend a month and possibly if they are deployed.

On a side note, we lost one man in Iraq. Within 3 days of my battalion leaving Fallujah they lost 7 guys and were completely booted from the city within a month, until the fall of 2004 when they finally retook the city.
I was with 1-505 PIR 82d ABN DIV.

All the branches are good at what they do though if used effectively.

[The12lber]

Actually the SEALs have seen plenty of action. Most of them over in Afghanistan. The main job for the SEALs right now is anti-terror. As a matter of fact that is pretty much all they are used for right now. Just because they're Navy doesn't mean they are anywhere near water.

I know that - a SEAL team was involved in that chinook shootdown in Afghanistan. Regardless, I wasn't saying that they hadn't seen action or that they only fought near water.

The implication is that seeing as how Delta is part of the army, logically, it would be employed more regularly for a multitude of reasons.

But I don't really know, I doubt anyone posting here is privy to that kind of information. This is all just speculation.

[The12lber]

5. Reputation among enemies. When I as in Asscrackistan the Army convoys were having alot of problems with ambushes in the mountians while the Marine units running the exact same convoy wouldnt see a thing. Also when Marine Aircraft flew overhead anyone carrying a weapon would drop their weapon and put their hands up, Army pilots were constantly reporting that people were taking shots at them in broad daylight.

Obviously. If I were an insurgent in Afghanistan and I saw an Apache I'd definitely try to take it out. Probably by waving my **** in their general direction in the hopes of demoralizing them.

But if I saw a Cobra, I'd be like "Man, **** this ****. Jihad is lame. I'm going to go home, get a productive job not related to the production of heroin, watch American Idol and become a model world citizen."

I see this making sense.

[BanginJimmy]

2 very easy ways for them to know if the units were Army or Marine.

1. Marine Helicopters are painted a light grey. They were frequently called grey witches. Army helicopters are green and stick out like a sore thumb when flying. Also Marine attack helicopters are Cobras, noone can mistake them for an Apache.

2. Marine convoys were made with with 7 ton trucks and multiple hummers. The army ones only used hummers as lead and trail vehicles and the biggest vehicles they used were 5 tons.

[BanginJimmy]

[QUOTE=jumpin800agl2) This may have changed by now but when I was in Fallujah Iraq and the Marines replaced us there their equpment was not nearly as good as ours. I say this because not every soldier had Night Vision or IR lasers on their weaposn for nightfires. Plus their rules of engagement really placed thim in a lot of unnecessary danger even though we had told them everything that had worked well for us in our 8.5 months there.
4) I would definitely agree on this point but you really have to think, you are comparing apples to oranges. The Active duty Marines will always be more disciplined and a closer bunch than a unit from the NG that only works together one weekend a month and possibly if they are deployed.

On a side note, we lost one man in Iraq. Within 3 days of my battalion leaving Fallujah they lost 7 guys and were completely booted from the city within a month, until the fall of 2004 when they finally retook the city.
I was with 1-505 PIR 82d ABN DIV.

All the branches are good at what they do though if used effectively.[/QUOTE]

In early 04 the uparmor program was just starting to get online. Very few units had them and those that did get them got them in about mid 04 and were deployed with them in late 04. Before that it was sparse in country with only VIPs getting them.

Also my experience is with Afghanistan. I dont know much about what individual units had in Iraq.

[Spektrewing386]

2 very easy ways for them to know if the units were Army or Marine.

1. Marine Helicopters are painted a light grey. They were frequently called grey witches. Army helicopters are green and stick out like a sore thumb when flying. Also Marine attack helicopters are Cobras, noone can mistake them for an Apache.

2. Marine convoys were made with with 7 ton trucks and multiple hummers. The army ones only used hummers as lead and trail vehicles and the biggest vehicles they used were 5 tons.

oh course! every enemy soldier knows that! even if they did, why they hell would they NOT shoot at Marines?

im pretty sure the enemy doesnt give a flying crap about "reputation"

[ahmonrah]

navy.....nas pensacola: avionics tech-shore duty.

[BanginJimmy]

oh course! every enemy soldier knows that! even if they did, why they hell would they NOT shoot at Marines?

im pretty sure the enemy doesnt give a flying crap about "reputation"

my experience says different.

[road1will]

I'm in the Navy and couldn't be happier.

[Truegiant]

But I don't really know, I doubt anyone posting here is privy to that kind of information. This is all just speculation.

i dont think i would make that assumption!

[Truegiant]

2 very easy ways for them to know if the units were Army or Marine.

1. Marine Helicopters are painted a light grey. They were frequently called grey witches. Army helicopters are green and stick out like a sore thumb when flying. Also Marine attack helicopters are Cobras, noone can mistake them for an Apache.

2. Marine convoys were made with with 7 ton trucks and multiple hummers. The army ones only used hummers as lead and trail vehicles and the biggest vehicles they used were 5 tons.

the type of vehicle in a convoy is solely based on unit, Mett-t, and of course whatever the mission dictates. Anywho.. Maybe they new the Apache pilots were the only ones who actually got clearance to blow **** up in your AO. I saw it in Ramadi during my last deployment. The haji would target certain aircraft in certain areas because they new that the pilot would not get clearance to engage due to collateral damage and risk assesements..

[BanginJimmy]

The Marine pilots engaged anyone that shot at them no matter the AO. The Army on the other hand had to get clearance to fire even after they got shot at.

As far as the convoys went, I am only talking about the support vehicles, not the vehicles actually carrying supplies.

[Paree4g63]

I'm thinkn about joining the AirForce.. Gotta secure my future somehow and this is a good way.. Probably join in a few months when i am READY!

[Spektrewing386]

The Marine pilots engaged anyone that shot at them no matter the AO. The Army on the other hand had to get clearance to fire even after they got shot at.

As far as the convoys went, I am only talking about the support vehicles, not the vehicles actually carrying supplies.

whatever you say, its called "exploiting", not "reputation". you make it sound like one branch is better than another or has more prestige, but it's not.

[tron]

because its the branch im goin to join....

[DrAE86Toreno]

im a navy corpsman..so i take care of drunk marines on/off battle so yay

[GIXXERDK]

whatever you say, its called "exploiting", not "reputation". you make it sound like one branch is better than another or has more prestige, but it's not.

I dont know man, the general American public see's Marines with the most respect.

[Motivation]

I dont know man, the general American public see's Marines with the most respect.

The general American public sees what they put on tv, and what they tell the public is more respectable... Americans think just because of what they hear on tv that's what they should side with... In all actuallity by doing so, people also start saying that other branches are lower on the list which is not good. You don't hear about 90+% of the things that other branches do or what is actually happening. I think it really depends on who is answering the question. Who has served in their family, or what branch they served in personally, then it plays into personaly pride for their branch. Which is definitely understandable.

[95alty]

im a navy corpsman..so i take care of drunk marines on/off battle so yay

HELL YA CORPSMAN... OOH-RAH... a marines marine

[Motivation]

Welcome back from the field alty.

[95alty]

Thanks man... it sucked... horribly... but i had fun... its just down time was 2 hours in between excercises... sometimes even longer... to hike back to the TOC was about a mile... and i had full gear and it was hot as hell... but none the less im back and cant complain

[Motivation]

Yeah, I read you enjoyed the live fire over your head in the other thread. ha... Just think, it's always better for it to be fired above your head than at your head.

[Motivation]

I think this is how it should be. Every branch next to each other (even though it is just a representation) working together to serve one purpose. As you notice, no branch's flag is raised higher than the other. Only the American flag is raised higher.

[kfzemx3]

I did the navy, got a great education, great experience and learned how to drink and curse. Got My Silver Dolphins too Surface and Air are for the weak, nothing like being on a nuclear weapon that is designed to Sink.

Go Navy!

Never Again Volunteer Yourself

[Whiteboy™]

None are better, all are equal. I voted navy b/c i am in the navy you should add an All option or something

[Motivation]

Yeah, I should have. I shouldn't have put the word "better" in the question. It was meant to be which do you like more... Thanks for serving,

[TehHakingS14]

im joining teh airforce in july ot august....

[tony]

im joining teh airforce in july ot august....

After much thought I'm taking the same path.. I wont be going enlisted though.

[jumpin800agl]

If anyone has any questions about the enlistment process for the Army or just general questions feel free to PM me. I am a recruiter at the moment.