So, which military branch pays the most? It depends on a lot of factors. But in general, the Army and the Air Force are the two highest-paying branches. The Army offers the highest base pay, while the Air Force offers more opportunities for special pay.
If you're considering a military career, you might wonder which military service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard or Space Force – has the best pay and benefits. At a basic pay level, the answer is simple. The military pays the same regardless of branch, according to your pay grade and years of service.
So the safest military branch in terms of man-to-man combat and machine-to-machine accidents is the Space Force.
Branches that promote the fastest
The U.S. Army is generally the branch of the military that promotes the fastest.
The Marines are often the first on the ground in combat situations, leading the charge when conflict arises.
E-1: $20,172. E-1 is the lowest enlisted rank in the US military: Airman Basic (Air Force), Private (Army/Marine Corps), Seaman Recruit (Navy). Service members usually hold this rank through basic training, and automatically promote to the next rank after six months of service.
For the most part, there are no differences in the benefits between the Navy vs. Army and any other branch of the military. All service members who meet the expectations of their contract and the required time in service qualify for educational benefits, have housing benefits and receive medical coverage.
To recap: The hardest military branch to get into in terms of education requirements is the Air Force. The military branch with the toughest basic training is the Marine Corps. The hardest military branch for non-males because of exclusivity and male dominance is the Marine Corps.
Your Employer Can't Fire You if You're Called to Military Service. The jobs of employees who are called to active duty or training are protected under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
Pay for BMT depends upon your rank. Every enlisted recruit starts out as an E1, and can expect an annual salary of around $20,170.80. BMT is 10 weeks, so the average E1 payment for basic training is around $3,800 plus meals and housing.
Unlike other reservists, who may be called to serve wherever the U.S. has an army station, members of the Army National Guard remain on domestic soil to serve U.S. interests at home.
Marine Corps Basic Training
Largely considered the toughest basic training program of the United States Armed Forces, Marine training is 12 weeks of physical, mental, and moral transformation. Special attention is given to close combat skills and master marksmanship training (every Marine is a rifleman, after all).
Army. As the oldest branch of the U.S. Military, the Army protects the security of the United States and its resources.
The Air Force has the reputation of having the best quality of life programs (dormitories, family housing, on-base shopping and services, and recreation) of all the military service branches.
So, which military branch has the most females? The Army has the most females in terms of numbers, but women are most likely to join the Air Force. The Council of Foreign Relations took a deep dive into gender representation in the US military. Here are their findings compiled.
When one examines the numbers by branch and component, those with the lowest average numbers of deployments were the Coast Guard and Marine Corps reserves (1.22 and 1.29, respectively) and those in the regular Coast Guard (1.28).
Noncombat military jobs that don't see combat typically include those in the information technology, health care, engineering, education, human resources or finance fields.
The Short Answer: Two Years With a Catch
Two years is the shortest amount of time a new enlistee can sign up for active duty, however, there is a catch. You actually have an eight-year commitment but you can perform this commitment as an active duty member, a Reservist, or Individual Ready Reservist (IRR).
Until recently, Air Force basic training was only six weeks, the shortest basic training of any military branch However, the Air Force recently redesigned its basic training program, tacking on two extra weeks in the process.
Can I join if I have ADHD? Yes. It will only prevent you from joining the Army if you've been treated with ADD/ADHD medication within the last year, or if you display obvious signs of the condition.