Out of the elite forces, which would be easier for an average joe, not too smart but potentially fit, to get into. Army Rangers or Marine Special Forces?
203989
I'd say Marine Special Forces would be harder.  I was an active duty Marine and trained with Army Rangers.  Rangers and your average infantry Marine seemed to be about equal.  The rest of the Army were no more than glorified boy scouts with guns...all equally lost.  I'm not trying to be all "Marines are better" but I had an Army SSgt who'd been in for 12 years ask me (I was a Corporal in charge of a squad of Marines) how to set up basic maneuvers.  \n\nNow...more on the point of Marine Special Forces.  I had a 1st Sgt who was Force Recon for 16 years and he was the baddest of the bad.  He was a great guy, but his abilities were scary.  He was an expert shot, knew all kinds of martial arts, and could PT all day.  I'd seen endocs (tests to get into snipers or special forces) for Marines...they ran those guys in the rain all night long.  They ran and did exercises for about 16 hours straight.  I'll shut up, but email me if you want more stories.
46690
Speaking from personal experience and pride.  I would say the Marine Corps is the way to go.  Something my friends and I noticed while I was in; if you ask a soldier what he does, he will tell you "I am in the Army." Navy? "I am in the Navy." Air Force? "I am in the Air Force." But if you ask a Marine what he does, he/she will tell you "I am a Marine!"  That is something no one else in the world can say.  For 230 years the Marine Corps has been monkey stomping anyone that needs it.  There has never been a mutiny in the Marine Corps.  Hence the motto "Semper Fidelis." Which means "Always Faithful."  It applies to more than that also. It applies to the fact that, if we can help it, we never leave a man on the battlefield.  Wounded or dead.  We take care of our own.  From experience with other branches of service they learn a little about their service history.  Marines learn everything about their service history.  It is no longer the history of the Marine Corps, it is MY history as well. I was a Sergeant. I was leader of Marines.  That is one of the greatest feelings in the world.  Almost as good as the day I stood on top of "The Reaper," and my Senior Drill Instructor put that Eagle,Globe, and Anchor in my hand, and told me(this by the way was the first time in the entire 13 weeks of boot camp that any Marine is addressed as Marine, only when their training is complete are you a Marine.) "Congratulations Marine. Welcome to the Corps."  Marines have pride in their service in part because of our history, and also because we had to earn the title Marine.  We had to earn the right to be called Marine.  Everyone else is a soldier, sailor, or airman as soon as they get to basic training.  Not Marines. I was every derogatory term except.  I certainly wasn't a human being. But then it was all worth it.  Marines are the first to fight.  Whatever you think your chances of going to Iraq or Afghanistan are...double it.  I'm not trying to Scare you away, but every Marine is a rifleman. Our pilots learn learn infantry combat tactics.  Oh by the way the whole Navy pilots are the best thing. Only the top 10% of Naval Flight School, are allowed to be Marine pilots.  Someone had mentioned the Navy SEALs.  You can be a Navy SEAL even if you are a Marine.  The SEALs are Special Forces and thus are open for anyone in the Armed Services to try.  But why do that, the Corps just started its own Special Forces program.  I would have retired if I could have.  Anyway I say go Marine.
605559
Firstly, get physically fit. Normal fitness is the absolute minimum, but in addition to that, you need to look at a few things that you would not normally do. Wear\n a backpack. Carrying a backpack requires practice to get used to and nothing else you could do can substitute for actually doing it. Put some weight in the backpack. I would suggest about 10 - 25 kgs. \nToughen up your feet. You will be wearing boots which are not "sneakers", and wearing boots is a lot tougher on your feet than you can imagine. It is a pretty good idea to start trying to run and excercise in boots. You can try using Methylated spirits; rub a little onto your feet every day. \nTake nylon woman's stockings with you. Wear them under everything ie put them on first then your socks and boots. They will help you to avoid blisters. If you wear them all the way up to your waist, then they will help you to avoid chafing between your legs as well. \nTake a lot of Asprin with you. Half a tablet taken each morning will help to ease the normal aches and pains that you will experience. (Check of you are allowed to do this.. I am no expert on what the US military will or will not allow).\nIgnore "folk-lorish" advice like "Never volunteer". You are signing up to become an Officer. You need to get used to the fact that you should be a leader, and leaders need to lead. Sometimes this means volunteering. Just choose as best you can what you volunteer for. This can sometimes be difficult as DIs are notoriously clever at making things difficult, but they notice things like willingness and good attitudes and this will stand you in good stead. \nBe prepared to "eat soup with a spoon". By this I mean that a lot of the things that you will be required to do and learn will seem incredibly foreign to what you consider to be normal or even reasonable, but baring truly sadistic or immoral behaviour, be prepared to do things without understanding the reasons why you are asked to do them. \nMake a friend quickly once you are assigned to your training platoon. Best if this is the person who sleeps next to you. Work together with this person on personal tasks like cleaning boots, making your bed, cleaning your rifle etc. Helping someone else learn is the fastest way to learn to do it yourself.\nDisengage your normal inclination to look for reasons for people's actions and the things you are required to do. A lot of the things that you will have to do will appear to be completely against all logic or reason. This might in fact be the case, and the test is to see what your attitude is or to test your ability to lead others in a task that has no apparent purpose.\nWork on your fear of heights. Everyone has a fear of heights, but most people are able to supress that fear to accomplish a task. You might need to work on this more or less than other people, but it is a good idea to be prepared to for example, climb over an obstacle. \nWork together as a team with those around you. One of the primary objectives of Basic Training is to form a group of individuals into a group that will work together to achieve a common objective. This will be observed and tested. \nPrepare yourself to follow orders. This can be more difficult than you expect. During basics, you can be pretty sure that there will be very few instances where you actually have to think at all about whether the order is a legal one or not, but be aware of the possible abuse of power. You might be tested on your ability to discern the difference between a legal order and an illegal one, but this should be made pretty clear to you at the time,\nRead as widely as you can about the military and military life. Ask questions like this and read the answers. Select the ones that that other veterans agree with. \nDon't fuss or worry. Prepare yourself as best as you are able. The POINT of Basic Training is to turn you into a soldier. You are NOT expected to arrive there knowing everyt
474688
Take Head Rushes advice if you want the best of both worlds then join the reserves.The reserves gives you insight into the daily life of a soldier and what's expected. If you do join whether reserves or reg. force you'll do things no one in there life will get to do.You'll meet people you have never thought you would have meet and some undesire ables but you will have a blast . When you leave you'll do things that you thought you could/would never do.
108782
I joined the Army 12 years ago, so I'm a bit partial.\n\nArmy:  Great education opprotunities, great training, a lot of support on missions, great esprit-de-corps, built up permanent bases, opprotunities for advanced training in leadership and highly technical field (everything from medical to satillite control with the USAF, to high-tech R&D).  Downside is housing is so-so for married soldiers.\n\nMarines:  Even stronger esprit-de-corps than the Army, very close knit units, combined arms mentality (Marines always operate with jet and helo support).  Downside, the USMC is under the Deparment of the Navy and tends to get table scraps budget wise and goes on many deployments.\n\nUSAF:  Fly, say again fly...Work with satilites and the space program, great housing, ability to work with the Army as a combat air controller, short deployments (4 months), better food, also advanced training.  Downside is the "corporate" atmosphere of the USAF as opposed to the strict military atmosphere of the other services.\n\nNavy:  If you like ocean travel, this is for you!!  Ships are their own nation at sea.  If you are really smart, go into nuke school and learn how to operate/maintain nuclear reactors.  Also, if you become an officer, you can fly in the most demanding area of aviation.  Not only do you have to fly your mission, but you have to find the ship afterwards and land on a postage stamp!!!  Downside is the long tours at sea and living in cramped conditions.\n\nHope that helps!!
428059
First off. We are not mindless killers. Some of us do enjoy our job when allowed to do it (infantry), but there are many more who wish they didn't have to do what we do. \n\nO.k. now to the real issue. Have you ever considered light infantry or mechanized infantry? there is also air assault infantry like the 101st. The airborne (paratroopers) don't really have a real mission in todays fighting force because wars are not fought like they were in WW2. If you want to learn something and actually apply it in a real world situation then you would want mechanized like the 3rd infantry division, air assault like the 101st, or light infantry such as my division the 10th mountain. been deployed a couple times and I have never seen an airborne guy do airborne over in either theatre. been in a lot of air assault missions and light infantry missions (also known as M.O.U.T. (Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain)). Those are real world missions, your choice.
24022
you can go into special forces..... from the navy if you have the balls.... but you can learn so many things... my advice would be to go to a recruiting office and ask them to explore your options with you.
600750
2nd Class petty officer, Corpsman.  Served aboard Submarines, and a Frigate...detached for service with the US Marines and served as a Medic for Amphibious Assault.  \n\nSuggestion, I would suggest that if you want high end jobs in the military, then get your college degree, or make it part of your enlistment.  You can be an intelligence officer as an enlisted person, but to achieve Detective status and such, you'll need to be an officer.  The seals are extremely high end and very hard to get into.  To be considered, you'd need to be already in the Navy, and the one of the top in your field, then its six months of the hardest training you can imagine.\nI wish you luck in your Military career.  I enjoyed mine.
673105
If you're looking for a better chance of advancing and more choices of jobs. Army. \n\nIf you're anting to learn how to fight and truly defend yourself and you're not worried about advancing really far. Marines.
504995
Marines.  Hands down.
152678
As a US Army Ranger, I never once thought of getting out of the service, until I reach mandatory retirement at 60 years of age. Simply for the fact that I am not granted the opportunity to get to do the things that Rangers do. Like blow stuff up, go off to far off lands. Meet people I don't know and learn a new skill for the use of my job. Sit for days, motionless to watch certain activity. And don't forget to play with all the new and neat toys the US Army has. You can sign up for a 4 year hitch, but if you plan to get out, you shouldn't join the Rangers, you have your thought process to believe that your time in the US Army is only temporary. Choose the Air Force or Navy and get a job with technology. \n  I have seen a lot in 18 years. I joined when I was 17, I begged my mom for a week to sign for me. I went thru Ranger School at 17, in great shape. My recruiter gave me hints on what to expect. I trained for four hours a day on running, push ups, and sit-ups. That is the key to success, Physical Fitness. That is why most guys fail they are not ready to put up with the physical part of it. Not to mention the long sleepless nights. \n The Darby Queen gets most of them. It is tough. I made it through Ranger School the first time. Out of the 173 guys that started with me. Only 26 made it out with the coveted Ranger Tab. Think about it.
129247
special forces is a blanket term for all of the Branches of the Military's Special force units. The different ones, such as the Green Beret's, have different entrance and application processes, but most require you to be on active duty to apply. I am in the Air Force, and we have the Para-rescue(red beret) and Security forces "820th" (blue beret). The beret is your first recognition of completion of the training, and for the few that do, it is a very special momento. The 820th requires you to complete Security Forces Academy and apply. Para-rescue is a process that can begin either in Basic or any time during your Air Force career by completing an application and a try-out based mostly on PT(physical training) We also have SEAR (survival instructor) and Combat Controller (forward unit of 2-3 personnel responsible for calling in air strikes).\n \nMost of the other special forces units (ARMY Rangers, NAVY SEALS, etc.) require you to complete advanced training and of course you must be in top shape to apply. Also, for most special forces units you can be from any branch of the Military, so long as you are on Active Duty. (as opposed to beng Guard or reserve) \n\nAre you interested in joining the Military?\n\n I hope this helps.
378374
He's full of crap.  There is no Infantry in the Air Force.  They have Security Forces, and some of them THINK they're Infantry, but they're more like MPs (military police).  Some of the very best might get to attend Ranger school, and I believe there's a more elite-type "special" SF group, but if you want to fight in a rifle company, real infantry, you have to join the Army or the Marine Corps.\n\nPJs and combat controllers go to some of the special schools, but they're not infantry either.  PJs are special medics, and they get all that training in insertion/extraction, but they're not combat troops per se.  Both specialties go to a combat SURVIVAL course, but it's core combat arms.  Neither are TACPs, although they often serve in frontline positions with ground combat forces, conducting terminal guidance for close air support weapons.
530245
Congress has legislated that no women can serve in Combat Arms Military Occupation Specialties.  Rangers, SEALs, and Special Forces are composed of Combat Arms Military Occupation Specialties.
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The modern day US Marine Corps is a small, highly trained force-in-readiness that can deploy anywhere in the world with very short notice.  While traditional missions consisted of amphibious operations, modern Marines operate in all areas of modern combat, from ground infantry to air combat.  \nMarine Boot Camp is conducted at Parris Island, SC. or San Diego, CA. and is 12 weeks, and is gender seperate.  Marines other than infantry continue on to Marine Combat Training, which teaches basic infantry skills, Individual MOS schools can vary from 2 weeks to 1.5 years.  \nTo prepare for Boot Camp, physical fitness should be your primary concern.  the ability to run at least 3 miles, crunches, and pull-ups should be your goals.    It is tough physically, but the most challenging part is the mental/physical stress placed upon recruits by the Drill Instructers.  For 12 weeks, you will be always moving; always accountable for yourself and the platoon.  Always tired.  Life in the fleet is also challenging- long hours (depending on MOS), deployments (including combat) and strict adherance to rank discipline are just a few of the daily challenges of a good Marine.\nUnlike any other service, Marines are a elite brotherhood- just becoming a "Marine" is a great achievement that will change your life, possibly forever.  Marine is not a job, it is a way-of-life.       It is true- "Once a Marine, always a Marine"\nYou may come to hate it or Love it, but The Corps will get in your blood and never leave you.
609717
try the military and go for being an MP or a SP
28087
There is NO answer to this question, you cannot say which force is the best. They all rely on each other to function.\nThe army secures ports and airbases for the Navy and airforce to use. The navy transports the army, the airforce provides cover for the army. The army's needs come by transport provided by the navy. The maries are top notch, but should not be bogged down watching a city, which is best left to a larger force such as the army. The coast guard uses less power to guard the coasts against minor threats that should not trouble the billion dollar warships of the navy(which burn alot of fuel). Special forces can perform operations but cannot take over a city and hold it. Every force has its job to do, none is "better" than another.