Branch comparison
See the differences at a glance
Mission, time commitment, and where you'll train — side by side for all six branches.
Army
Ground-based operations, large-scale land force.
2–6 years active
10 weeks at Fort Jackson, Fort Moore, Fort Leonard Wood, or Fort Sill
- • Infantry (11B)
- • Combat Medic (68W)
- • Cyber Ops (17C)
- • Intelligence Analyst (35F)
Navy
Sea-based operations, ships, submarines, and naval aviation.
2–6 years active
10 weeks at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, IL
- • Hospital Corpsman (HM)
- • Nuclear Tech (NUC)
- • Cryptologic Tech (CT)
- • Aviation Electronics (AT)
Air Force
Air and cyberspace operations.
4–6 years active
8.5 weeks at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX
- • Cyber Systems (1D7X)
- • Pararescue (1T2X1)
- • Aircraft Maintenance (2A)
- • Intelligence (1N)
Marine Corps
Rapid-response amphibious and expeditionary force.
4–5 years active
13 weeks at Parris Island, SC or San Diego, CA
- • Infantry (03)
- • Recon (0321)
- • Aviation Maintenance (60)
- • Intelligence (02)
Coast Guard
Maritime law enforcement, search & rescue, port security.
4–8 years active
8 weeks at Cape May, NJ
- • Boatswain's Mate (BM)
- • Maritime Enforcement (ME)
- • Aviation Survival Tech (AST)
- • Marine Science Tech (MST)
Space Force
Space operations, satellites, and cyber/space defense.
4–6 years active
Joint with Air Force at Lackland AFB
- • Space Systems Ops (5C0X1)
- • Cyber Warfare (1D7X)
- • Intelligence (1N)
- • Cyberspace Effects
Information above is summarized from publicly available official sources. Enlistment terms and training locations can change — confirm with a recruiter for the latest details.