Air Force vs Navy

[Iflyplanes]

In the spirit of the debate... Do you want GOLD wings or led wings???

If you are retarded, go Navy.

[Alpharatz]

Having had some fairly recent experience with the Coast Guard and just today reading about a retired Coastie who apparently is kicking ass and taking names in the civilian world. I would suggest considering the Coast Guard.

Cons:

No Fighters

Attached to the Godless homeland security

Very small

Pros:

Daily operational mission

On scene decision making is expected

Very small

No fighters

Did I mention fun?

[Guest Hueypilot812]

Over a 20-year career, you will be home for most important family events.

Apparently this symbolic USAF pilot doesn't fly C-130s. The author flew an exchange tour with a -15C squadron? Then that probably explains the quote...

[Guest bunk22]

I know this is an old thread brought back to life but I wonder what the OP thought the answer would be on a primarily AF forum? Like going to a Corvette forum and asking which car should I buy, a Vette or Mustang? Ask the question on airwarriors and it's Go Navy! Landing on the boat takes some effort and skill but my guess is it takes precious time away from other skills as night/day FCLP's along with CQ then currency takes time. Still fun though If I never see the inside of another boat (Carrier), won't hear me complaining. Of course I was on the carrier light program for my last two tours.

[Nasty2004]

If you want to fly planes, join the Guard or the Reserves. If you get a tingle in your special place just from the thought of the "honor of wearing the uniform," then you will thrive on Active Duty. Navy or Air Force, if you go Active Duty your flying will take a backseat to something else, namely flying your desk or prepping your OPR bullets. No one who has only served in either the Air Force or the Navy can tell you about the other side. What they can tell you is that if you want to be a crew dog, ACTIVE DUTY BLOWS.

[Guest Bad News]

Now before I get torn to shreds and locked, this isn\'t your average \"STFU and UTFSF, kid!\" thread. For the past few weeks I have been reading everything there is to read on this forum and on AW, as well as various other web pages, and I\'m in a bit of a deadlock. I\'m going to be applying to colleges next semester, and whether I choose AF or Navy will affect which colleges I apply to (I plan on doing the ROTC route). Anyway, I know the differences between the AF and Navy, but I still can\'t decide. I like the more down to earth atmosphere in the Navy as well as the travel, but I hate cramped boat life and long tedious deployments. I like the better quality of life and not living on a boat in the AF, but I hate the politics, bureaucracy BS, disco belts, etc. not to mention the UAVs. The truth is, if I could get over living on a boat I would join the Navy, but if it weren\'t for the shenanigans I would join the AF. I\'ve posted this thread over on AW and I\'ve gotten interesting responses so far. So I\'m going to ask a simple question. Why did you personally choose the AF over the Navy, and are you happy with your decision?

[brabus]

but I hate the politics, bureaucracy BS, disco belts, etc.

You mean the exact same shit the Navy has? Dude, the Navy is at an equal level of retardedness, queep, bureaucratic bullshit, etc. Honestly the only friends I have that don't talk about all this gay shit are Marines. Even my Army bros tell me absolutely ridiculous crap. You can't avoid the dumbass stuff, so make your decision based on how you want to live your military life and perhaps what kind of aircraft you want to fly. Realize a large portion of the Navy flies helos, so if that's what you're thinking about, might not be a bad idea.

Edited March 18, 2010 by brabus

[LUGNUT]

NAVY - 225 years of tradition unhampered by progress.

I know of a ton of Navy guys who get out and join the Air Force to fly - either active or Guard/Reserve. Never heard of an Air Force guy joining the Navy to fly. Must mean something...

[Guest Okawner]

I like the better quality of life and not living on a boat in the AF, but I hate the politics, bureaucracy BS, disco belts, etc. not to mention the UAVs.

I'm pretty sure the Navy flies UAVs as well.

[Guest]

I know of a ton of Navy guys who get out and join the Air Force to fly - either active or Guard/Reserve. Never heard of an Air Force guy joining the Navy to fly. Must mean something...

2

Whenever someone gave me shit about the USAF I always just said "I'm not flying in the Air Force because the Navy/Marines/Army wouldn't take me." That never once failed to shut them up...it hit home for about 90% of them.

BTW, that same statement can be modified for any USAFA guys out there taking shit from Generic State University guys.

I've been lurking these forums a lot...it seems like after a few years of the chair force crap you want to kill yourself, while the Navy guys are traveling the world and having a blast.

Bad News, I have some good news for you. I have made an assessment of you based on what you have said and I would suggest you go Navy. Immediately. You will love it.

Good luck.

[xaarman]

FYSA since I have heard the AF/Navy plane debate before:

Total Aircraft: 3700+

https://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents/2009/May%202009/0509facts_fig.pdf

Total AD USAF: ~4k

Total Force USAF: 5,573

[Mongoose]

Why doesn't anyone post what this kid really wants to know?

Total number of fighter aircraft in the AF (Active Duty - not counting Guard/Reserve) inventory = ~2261

Total number of fighter aircraft in the Navy inventory = ~444

If you want (the chance) to fly fighters, it's a no-brainer.

I've flown with and trained (as an IP) guys from both services. There are superstars and douche-bags in both. But the odds are pretty straight forward.

Cheers,

-Mongoose

[HerkFE]

I know of a ton of Navy guys who get out and join the Air Force to fly - either active or Guard/Reserve. Never heard of an Air Force guy joining the Navy to fly. Must mean something...

2

I spent 5 1/2 yrs in the canoe club and spent everyday of it counting down to the day I could get the hell out. Went to the ANG then to the AFRES. While I was not a flier in the Navy (I was in the aviation community) I can say the Navy lifestyle sucks @ss. I tell everyone who ever asks my opinion of which branch to go into exactly what LUGNUT said. I know of one guy in the Navy who went from the AF to the Navy (he did it back in the Vietnam era) and retired from the Navy with 20 years as an E-5 so that should qualify his decision making skills. I couldn't begin to tell you how many people I know who have crossed over to Big Blue from all the other branches.

[alwyn2d]

Bad News

Let's see if this makes up your mind. It's real easy. Apply and complete AF SUPT. Get fighter qualified and then volunteer for the Air Force-Navy pilot exchange program during your career. This exchange program has been on going for the last 50 years. A few years ago, there was a Navy F-18C pilot assigned to an F-22A squadron for a 3 year tour in Vegas. Being fighter qualified, you more than likely will fly the F-18C,E,F,G or F-35B off the boat for 1 or maybe 2 cruises as an AF pilot. See you can have your cake and eat it too in the Air Force. The AF is here to cater to your needs. We bend over backwards in making your dreams come true. And while you're at it, request a follow on assignment as a Thunderbird pilot. Can we do anything else for you on this board? Is your skin getting thicker? It should.

Edited March 21, 2010 by alwyn2d

[Zippy]

Now before I get torn to shreds and locked, this isn\'t your average \"STFU and UTFSF, kid!\" thread. For the past few weeks I have been reading everything there is to read on this forum and on AW, as well as various other web pages, and I\'m in a bit of a deadlock. I\'m going to be applying to colleges next semester, and whether I choose AF or Navy will affect which colleges I apply to (I plan on doing the ROTC route). Anyway, I know the differences between the AF and Navy, but I still can\'t decide. I like the more down to earth atmosphere in the Navy as well as the travel, but I hate cramped boat life and long tedious deployments. I like the better quality of life and not living on a boat in the AF, but I hate the politics, bureaucracy BS, disco belts, etc. not to mention the UAVs. The truth is, if I could get over living on a boat I would join the Navy, but if it weren\'t for the shenanigans I would join the AF. I\'ve posted this thread over on AW and I\'ve gotten interesting responses so far. So I\'m going to ask a simple question. Why did you personally choose the AF over the Navy, and are you happy with your decision?

My father was a DOD civilian so I spent a good portion of my youth around the military (primarily Navy but some Air Force) and I knew I wanted to be a pilot. When It came time to apply for ROTC programs, I applied to all of them in addition to some of the academies with the hope that I would be able to get into one of them. With each of those ROTC applications came applications to different schools so I ended up applying to over a dozen colleges overall (I quickly learned about the "common application" and decided to limit the schools that I applied to the ones that took it to save time and effort on the process). I ended up getting a partial scholarship from AFROTC (its been 10 years so I don't remember the "Type") and a full Scholarship from NROTC. Even though I spent more time growing up around the Navy I didn't like one service more then the other- both flew aircraft, so I took the NROTC scholarship. If the tables had been reversed and the AFROTC scholarship was a full scholarship then I probably would have went with that.

Am I happy with my decision? YES.

Would I be happy with my decision if i went with the AFROTC scholarship and ended up as a pilot? YES.

Regardless of which service you ultimately wind up in you are in the military. There are going to be draw backs where ever you go. The quality of life is all relative. For example: QOL in the Navy is not bad when your land based except when you end up living in a tent, and being on a boat is better then living in a tent. There are politics and BS in EVERY service- pretty much equally. UAVs are currently the future, but that future is getting closer and closer every day. the Navy has its own UAV programs and like the Air Force, those programs are expanding. I would say both services offer you unique travel opportunities. The enemies of this country are going to happily kill you regardless of the uniform you are wearing.

You are trying to make a decision between two great services by zeroing in on trivial aspects of them that you likely wouldn't have known about if you hadn't seen them mentioned in an online forum or heard from a guy who knows a guy etc. Are there differences between the two? Yes, but those differences aren't important enough to take either option off the table by not applying to their respective ROTC programs.

Apply to both, even if that means shelling out more $ to submit applications to more colleges for the respective programs, take the better deal and don't look back.