I'm still trying to decide between joining the Army or the Navy. Right now I'm leaning more towards Army but I do love the locations offered a lot better in the Navy (and it seems like they get to travel overseas to a lot better places, and in greater quantity, because of all the ports they apparently stop at while at sea, correct me if I'm wrong).
So can anyone tell me what it's like living on base in the Army versus the Navy at the United States locations? Part of what puts me off about the Army is that I grew up by a large body of water and it seems like most bases are located in the "country" and not by the coasts or great lakes. So what if your base ends up being by a small town that doesn't have much going on in it, does that mean life will be really boring for you?
As for outside the US, I'm guessing when overseas or on a ship, the experiences in the Army and Navy are like night and day (esp. if it's comparing Iraq and the Pacific Ocean for instance). But what are some of your experiences? I was told by the Army recruiter that the bases in Iraq are like small cities in themselves with plenty to do on base (since you aren't as likely going to want to go out into the Iraq cities to hang out). So how is that? How about the Navy and living on a ship? I love the water but how is it after 3 or more months? I heard there are activities to do on the ship, how true is that (the recruiters said you can have a bike on some ships and that sometimes they'll have barbecues and such)? I also heard it can be pretty crazy on a ship when there are storms (like belts to keep you from falling out of bed?) but is that a part of the fun that you can relate back to family and laugh about?
Thanks for any help people can give me. It's a very tough decision for me and I want to make the most informed one possible from all angles. Granted it will be a lot of hard work but I'd like to know that I'll be able to enjoy my "off" time as well. I don't want to rush and pick one branch and then spend all my time hating it and wishing I'd picked the other.
So can anyone tell me what it's like living on base in the Army versus the Navy at the United States locations? Part of what puts me off about the Army is that I grew up by a large body of water and it seems like most bases are located in the "country" and not by the coasts or great lakes. So what if your base ends up being by a small town that doesn't have much going on in it, does that mean life will be really boring for you?
As for outside the US, I'm guessing when overseas or on a ship, the experiences in the Army and Navy are like night and day (esp. if it's comparing Iraq and the Pacific Ocean for instance). But what are some of your experiences? I was told by the Army recruiter that the bases in Iraq are like small cities in themselves with plenty to do on base (since you aren't as likely going to want to go out into the Iraq cities to hang out). So how is that? How about the Navy and living on a ship? I love the water but how is it after 3 or more months? I heard there are activities to do on the ship, how true is that (the recruiters said you can have a bike on some ships and that sometimes they'll have barbecues and such)? I also heard it can be pretty crazy on a ship when there are storms (like belts to keep you from falling out of bed?) but is that a part of the fun that you can relate back to family and laugh about?
Thanks for any help people can give me. It's a very tough decision for me and I want to make the most informed one possible from all angles. Granted it will be a lot of hard work but I'd like to know that I'll be able to enjoy my "off" time as well. I don't want to rush and pick one branch and then spend all my time hating it and wishing I'd picked the other.