US Army or US Marines

Question

My goal is to finish High School and then go to a Officer's school, get my 2nd Lt.

BUT i don't know were to go, Marines or Army?

which one is better?

which one is harder?

and why

thanks =)

Answer 1

Go to college and enroll in either Army or Marine ROTC if you really want to do the military track.  Here's why:

1) You don't make a commitment to join the military until AFTER sophomore year.  This means you can go through boot camp (done generally prior to Freshman year during the summer), some officer training, and field exercises to see if the lifestyle is really for you. I had a number of friends who "knew" they wanted to be in the military until after bootcamp!  It's really good to try it before you buy it.

2) You will be able to take the courses required to become an officer NOW.  This beats doing it as an enlisted solider who may never get the opportunity to do it and would have to deal with constant interruptions.

3) They will pay for college if you're in ROTC for the Army/Marines.  They are flush with scholarship money (Airforce is a very different story right now.  The military needs soldiers and has taken Airforce scholarships away to fund Army/Marine).  Keep in mind that if you want to be a marine you go through Navy ROTC.

Between the two, Marines generally would be considered to be "harder" because you will be deployed more often, for longer durations, and will be sent first/pulled last.

Answer 2

The Army id better. My fiance is in the Marines and he absolutely hates it. They all say it is the worst!!!

Answer 3

Air Force. It's better and the jobs don't involve losing your life within a year.

Answer 4

My husband is a soldier and I'm surrounded by them everyday, but I have a great deal of respect for the Marines. The Marines have a lot more pride in their branch then we do and tend to see themselves as the best. That's okay, but they're screwed up in battle a few times and an Army unit has suffered as a result. Sometimes "because we're Marines" doesn't justify a mistake on the battlefield. Another drawback is that you have to serve with the Navy. The Navy is a watered down version of the Air force nowadays

They both rule in my humble opinion and trump the Navy and Air Farce.

Answer 5

Thank God For them All!!!  

Answer 6

You need a bachelors degree to go to Officer Candidate School .

Answer 7

army, dont listen to people saying the marines are the first to fight and in longer, there are many divisions of the army 82nd/101st airbone, 10th mountain that are trained very well and are sent in first along with the marines, army is funded more and has more oppurtunity for civilian careers afterward

Answer 8

The Army is the only way to go!  Hooah.

As for harder, infantry is infantry, tanks are tanks.  When you find yourself in Iraq or Afghanistan, your opponents are not going to check your branch before deciding how hard they will fight.

If you are wondering about how hard the initial training is you shouldn't.  It is largely irrelevant and only a very brief part of your overall enlistment.  Besides, its mostly just a mind game --if you are 18 or 19 there is nothing in the training of either branch that you will not be able to cope with.

You will find Marines (like the aforementioned LavaDog and his website) that will tell you that basic training for Marine Infantry is much, much harder than basic training for female Army Finance Clerks.  And they are right.  But that is a misrepresentation of Army Basic Training.

If you select a Combat Arms MOS you will go to an OSUT that is longer and as hard as anything the Marines can dish out.  If your eventual goal is to be an officer, the Army also has Ranger school -- widely recognized as the best leadership school in the world.  Combat Arms 2LTs are given a shot at Ranger school if they want it.

As far as all the ex-Marines telling you they are the first to deploy, it just isn't so.  It hasn't been so for most of a century.  They just like to think that is the way it is.

Answer 9

Neither is better, USMC is more difficult mentally and physically. And you have to go to college first to go in as an officer.  

Answer 10

Well, the Marines is harder both physically and mentally. They are by far more respected. They are all combat related unlike army. However the Army infantry, airborne, rangers... are all respected also.

The Army is much easier to be promoted in. The Marines are very hard to get promoted.

The Marines are the most feared fighting force in the world. There is no better feeling than being a Marine. But you have to earn it. Becoming a Marine is no joke, it does have the most grueling basic training in the world.

Both are very respectable, but I myself have decided to join the Marines. TO be a grunt.

Good luck to you on whatever decision that you make. I thank you for supporting this country.

Also, there is a guy on here named Lavadog. click on his profile and then you will see a link for future Marines. I recommend you check it out. its a pretty good site fo people like us. It also has all the specs about bootcamp.

Answer 11

MARINES!!! ^.^

no why, it just is. :P

Answer 12

Airforce.  :-)

Answer 13

My dad was in the Army, and he loved it, but that was 30 years ago, and since then the Marines have developed greatly, so I'd have to say the marines is a better way to go.  It teaches you more than just infantry, and has higher survival rates.