LOOKING CLOSER: WHAT IS THE TOUGHEST MILITARY BRANCH TO GET INTO?

The military as a whole is a strict and regimented career to pursue, regardless of whichever branch you choose to enlist with. However, not all branches feature the same level of difficulty when it comes to their joining process. From varying levels of required intelligence to simply the rigorous physicality of bootcamp, not all branches are the same when it comes to their requirements. Which leads us to the question, what is the toughest military branch to get into? Let’s take a look at the specifics.

The Army

The most popular branch in the United States military, the Army has an impressive reputation that it has earned via both its role as America’s protector and as a stern yet reliable creator of strong Soldiers.

Despite being hailed as the country’s most popular branch, it is not the toughest military branch to get into.

Basic training lasts ten weeks, which is less than that of the Marine Corps, while also requiring a lesser AFQT score of thirty-one. It is quite apparent by the join rates of the Army that it is far from the toughest branch of the military to get into.

The Marine Corps

The Marine Corps has long been known for its aggressive and brutal onboarding process for any new recruits who choose to sign on.

The Marine Corps is considered one of the toughest branches in the military due to its high-demand for physical fitness and discipline to its strict routine/schedule.

Recruit training lasts for thirteen weeks, which is the longest amount of training time involved for any military branch, which only further adds to the Corps’s hard-as-nails reputation.

The minimum AFQT score required for recruits to be able to enlist is thirty-two, which is just barely higher than that of the Army, making the two more even on that front.

The Navy

When discussing what is the toughest military branch to get into to, the United States Navy doesn’t boast the same kind of reputation when it comes to their onboarding process as those of the Army and the Marine Corps.

However, where it may be more forgiving when it comes to its physical standards, there are certain aspects of the enlistment phase that are more unforgiving than its siblings.

The basic training phase is a good bit shorter than the Army and the Marine Corps, ranging from eight to ten weeks, almost being tied in time with the Army.

The major difference between the Navy and the other previously discussed branches is in the required AFQT score for the ASVAB test, which caps out at thirty-five. This number is mandatory for any recruit to even be given entry into the onboarding process.

Coast Guard

Usually the Coast Guard gets an unfair rep because of their lack of being involved with overseas engagement, but the irony is that the Coast Guard just might be the toughest military branch to get into.

The physical standards are the second lowest of all branches, with the Air Force coming in as the most relaxed. Compared to the other branches we’ve already talked about, the Coast Guard's physical demands simply are not comparable. However, what may come easier in the physical department is more than made up for in the mental.

The Coast Guard is known for being one of the toughest military branches to get into because of its extremely high AFQT score for the ASVAB test, which caps out at a whopping forty.

This score is the highest in all of the military branches, which is ironic considering how “easy” many of the other branches make out the Coast Guard to be in comparison. Not only that, but the Coast Guard teaches a unique set of skills to its recruits, ones that require a higher level of mental adaptation to do effectively, hence the higher ASVAB score required.

The Air Force

The Air Force is a confusing one to discuss when talking about what is the toughest military branch to get into, as it falls somewhere in between the rest of the competition.

The Air Force requires its prospective recruits to achieve an AFQT score of thirty-six on the ASVAB, putting it just between the Navy and the Coast Guard. The exception to note here is that certain technical roles within the Air Force will require even higher scores, potentially making them be even higher than that of the Coast Guard.

The physical demands are not too different from that of the Coast Guard and Navy, capping out at eight and a half weeks of basic training. The real challenge with the Air Force lies in the mental side of things, making it the toughest branch of military to join.

Be Prepared No Matter Which Branch You Join

At the end of the day, the question of what is the toughest branch to get into is really a moot point. Every individual person has their own strengths and weaknesses, making certain people better suited to certain tasks than others.

If you can handle the higher physicality requirements of the Marines, maybe you are better suited to try and join up with them. Perhaps you have always had a knack for mentally stimulating challenges–then maybe you should try your hand at the Air Force or the Coast Guard.

There are multiple different factors that go into joining one branch over the other, so make sure you research heavily which branch best aligns with you as an overall person before you make such a major life decision. Whichever branch you choose to join up with, we wish you the best of luck!

Read next:

• Last Minute Vacation Deals for Military Families
• Navy Basic Training: Everything You Need to Know
• Lackland Air Force Base: In-Depth Welcome Center
  

Sources:

Does Coast Guard Have The Hardest Boot Camp?https://survivecoastguardbootcamp.com/does-coast-guard-have-the-hardest-boot-camp

Which Is The Hardest Military Branch to Get Into? https://ucmj.us/what-is-the-hardest-military-branch-to-get-into/#:~:text=Marine%20Corps,Physical%20Fitness%20Standards