As stated elsewhere in this thread, I am an Army veteran, I have, in my department, a Marine, a Sailor, and a former Coast Guard member. The only service not represented here in my office is the Air Force. I do have relatives who have served in the Air Force in the past and currently serving.
Yes the requirements are different. Though similar, the Army is slightly easier on the physical requirements than the Marine Corps.
That does not make it a "joke" to join. Any branch of the service is purposely tough in it's basic training to weed out the weak.
That doesn't neccesarily mean physically weak either.
You can be physically strong, but not cut it because you aren't tough enough between the ears.
I've trained in the field with members of the United States Marine Corps, I have nothing but praise for their performance. And once you set the inter-service rivalry aside, I believe that any Marine that has ever cross trained with the Army Infantry will say the same about us. We are/were all professionals with a great deal of pride in what we do/did. And for some smirking civilian who's never crawled through a muddy tank ditch in 30 degree weather with freezing rain pounding on her head to make a judgment that a particular branch of the service is a "joke" tends to ruffle (at least my) feathers. |
