Air Force Argumentative Essay

Would you rather be a Marine using your M4A1 to shoot against the Taliban on a hillside, or would you rather be in an AC-130 gunship firing a 120mm cannon at the enemy? When considering joining the Marines or the Air Force, one has to think of what one wants to do, and which option will bring you home to your family at the end of the day. The three main things to consider is if one wants to see a lot of combat or a little, the benefits one could get from joining this branch, and one’s own safety. In order to assess this properly, I got the chance to interview my uncle Bruce who had experience and was a part of the Air Force. out of all my family members, my uncle Bruce is the only one, still living, who has served for almost his entire life.

military has over most countries, In addition to better artillery and the numerous advantages that the U.S. military has over most countries, another reason that the Air Force is a better choice is because it requires less time in actual combat. The increased distance from the enemy means less time in actual combat for the Air Force. The Air Force, “is a main supporter of ground forces by providing air support during missions,” as stated in Understanding the Five Branches of the Military. This source also continues to state that, “Its main purpose is to support the security of the United States through air and space exploitation.” The Marines also experience devastating loss due to their line of work. The Marine mortality rate is almost twice as high as any other branch of the military. In fact, “during the first 11 years of the war in Afghanistan, the Marine Corps suffered the largest mortality rate, 2 out of every 1,000 Marines,” as stated in What Are the Negatives About Enlisting in the Marines. Serving our country is a great honor but it takes a toll on the men and women that serve as well as their families. However, in my uncle’s situation, he served as a helicopter pilot on combat related missions. Safety wasn’t an issue for him and he enjoyed the work sneaking special forces in and out. Of his time he says, “It was super exciting and I got to meet a lot of great

The starting salary for a sergeant in the Air Force is $46,806, (according to the U.S. Air Force Salaries webpage). The starting salary for a sergeant in the Marines is $43,673, (according to the U.S. Marine Corps Salaries webpage). Although Marines work harder and longer they receive the same pay as other branches of the military who work less and have a safer job. Jeffrey Joyner states that, “despite the tougher regulations and lack of jobs, Marines receive the same pay as those in other branches with equivalent rank and years of service.” When my uncle was old enough he too, like many before him, looked at different branches of the military. He was between the Marines and the Air Force. He finally chose the Air Force because they had an Air Force ROTC program at the University of Wyoming and the Marines did not. He was also well trained with his program being one of the best and toughest in the country and was needed in the pilot program. According to Aleshire in his book Eye of the Viper, “the Air Force is short on pilots -- especially in the Reserves--.” Being a pilot in the Air Force was in high demand and because of that there are many benefits to joining. When my uncle retired, he was able to reap the many benefits the Air Force provided. Along with a reasonable wage, the Air Force has more benefits that extend to family