Serving as One

There are five different options to choose from when deciding to serve the United States of America and the decision can be quite challenging when signing the dotted line. Most people will base their decision off family or friend affiliation with a particular branch, thorough research, or simply because a branch would get them into basic training sooner. Due to a personal experience deploying with the Army as an Air Force member and seeing first-hand how each branch operates was an eye opening experience.

There are a variety of options and all five branches are ultimately serving as one; the United States Air Force and the United States Army are two very different branches, but also have key similarities. One obvious contrasting factor between the Air Force and the Army is that the two branches wear different uniforms. In the Army, members will wear a uniform known as the Army Combat Uniform, but in the Air Force members will wear a uniform called the Airman Battle Uniform.

Although these branches wear different uniforms individuals are required to meet the same dress and appearance standards. For example, members from both branches are required to keep a sharp appearance such as the men having a high and tight hair cut not to exceed one and a half inches in bulk; females are required to wear their hair in a neat bun, not to exceed three inches in bulk, and their hair should not touch their collar. These branches wear different uniforms, but it is guaranteed that the local community will still ask airmen when they joined the Army.

The Air Force is more commonly known as the United States’ air power while the Army is known for its ground power when at war. These are based on factual statements, but the Army does in fact have a fleet of helicopters which assists them more closely to the ground; people are familiar with the Black Hawk or Apache. In the same instance, the Air Force is known for its’ fighter jets and bombers, but also have tactical ground fighting units known as TACP and Security Forces. The Air Force’s primary mission is to fly, fight, and win… n air, space, and cyberspace. On the other hand, the Army’s mission is to fight and win our nation’s wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across the full range of military operations and spectrum of conflict in support of combatant commanders. Clearly these two branches have different mission statements, but in the end, they are equally attempting to accomplish the same mission, which is to win at war. The Army and Air Force both deploy to locations overseas to mainly support Operation Enduring Freedom based in Afghanistan.

Depending on the tempo of the mission, a normal deployment for the Army would be nine months, but the Air Force will deploy for six months. When transitioning to an overseas location Army personnel will deploy as a battalion, sometimes even as much as a brigade, which is equivalent to the Air Force’s squadron. The difference is that Air Force personnel will deploy as individuals rather than a squadron which is a much easier process. On the other hand, members from each branch can be tasked as one which is known as a joint tasking.

Air Force personnel can be tasked to deploy with the Army; medics from the Air Force can be tasked to the Army and become combat medics after completing the necessary training. When tasked for a joint deployment, the member is required to follow the same standards as that particular branch. Individuals may of truly desired to join a specific branch, but do not be shocked seeing branches tasked to deploy as one! Citizens should understand the variances and resemblances amongst branches of the military, and also have a solid understanding that personnel from each branch have made a sacrifice to serve in the military.

Altogether branches of the United States are unique; no branch is superior over the other which seems to be a popular argument when members are in the same room together. There are countless topics that could have been discussed about the particular subject, but the articles mentioned seem to stick out to society. It truly is one military serving the beautiful United States of America. In the end, both branches have their own way of getting the job done, but as discussed they share obvious similarities.