Is the navy the "safest" branch of the military?

Question

I know some of you are going to argue that no branch of the military is the safest, but that is not what I am interested in. I am looking into going to college with a nrotc scholarship and majoring in civil engineering. When I graduate I will be serving in the navy at least 4 years. My parents are worried about their only daughter going into the military and I am trying to convince them since I will be an officer and a civil engineer, so I may not see battle at all. What should I tell my parents to convince them that with my major and branch choice will probably keep me safe?

Answer 1

Of course by and large the Army and USMC are going to be the most dangerous if we are just talking about combat, with the USAF and USN being relatively safer overall.



However, it is really job dependent. All of the services have special operations forces that live extremely dangerous lives, from risky training to the most dangerous of missions. The USAF has battlefield airmen, and some other specific career fields that have suffered disproportionate casualties in combat (such as EOD, AFOSI, Security Forces, LRS truck drivers, etc).



Both the USN and the USAF at one point in OIF/OEF had over 5,000 members each supplementing the Army in what used to be called "In-Lieu-Of" or ILO taskings. That was where USN/USAF units were deployed to fill what would normally be Army taskings, especially in such areas as military police, transportation/logistics, etc.



As far as personal experience goes, I am in the USAF and 9 of my squadron mates were killed in 3 airplane crashes in the first 2 years I was in the military. Later, in the wars, we lost a man on my first deployment, 5 on my second deployment, and none on my third. Every base I have been at has lost a few people in combat or training accidents during the time I was stationed there. That said, we lost more people at all those bases due to car and motorcycle accidents by far during those same periods.



Life is risky, don't let fear prevent you from doing what you really want to do, or from serving your country if that is something you really feel strongly about. Your parents' fears are understandable, but it is something they are going to have to come to terms with. As mentioned, the most dangerous thing any of us do is almost always the simple act of driving or riding in a car. With 30k+ Americans killed each year in automobile accidents, the risks of any military job pale in comparison, at least during low intensity combat operations like we are seeing right now. If WW3 breaks out, then that would change of course, but then the Navy might become one of the most dangerous services since a WW3 type war would require a near-peer enemy such as China or Russia, both of which have a Navy, unlike our last few opponents.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

It depends on how you define it.

Naturally, in a combat situation the Marines and Army are NOT going to be the "safest".



But overall safe regardless of war or peace.... Then the US Navy is actually the LEAST Safe, despite many opinions that they are the MOST safe.

"What was that?" you say. "You're joking!..."

Nope. The US Navy is the most dangerous of all the branches to serve in when you take into account the totality of the service and not just combat only.



What I mean by this is that to the average sailor, the dangers involved during peacetime operations are the same as during wartime. Whereas with Marines and Army, the level jumps from being higher to being lower than the Navy.



When the Army trains during peacetime. it's little more than a high stakes version of Laser tag. enforced camping trips. and marches. Not very dangerous at all though accidents happen from time to time.



When the Navy trains, the dangers are just as real as wartime.



While Army and Marine training "SIMULATES" warfare... Navy Training is the real deal... not simulated.

The dangers of working on the flight deck of an Aircraft carrier couldn't give a rat's behind whether the planes are taking off to drop live ordinance on some ISIS or Al Qaeda MF'ers... Or just taking a lap around the ship and landing again just for the flight practice.



Storms and the related hazard of being at sea could not care less if it is wartime or peacetime.



Simply being at sea is hazardous duty and Mother Nature will kill you dead in a heartbeat if you forget that.



IF the weather gets too bad for the Marines and Army... they just reschedule their exercises.

We don't have that luxury in the Navy (though we do try to avoid Typhoons/Hurricanes).



So while in immediate combat, the Army and Marines danger level is higher.... Anytime outside of direct combat, their level drops to below the danger level that is consistent throughout the navy at all times.



So overall... the Navy is the "Least Safe" generally speaking.



MOST safe belongs to the "Chair Force" {{Ahem}} I mean Air Force.

J/K...

All joking aside... other than Pilots, Aircrew, and certain specific other jobs... The Vast majority of Air Force personnel rarely see dangerous conditions. Though working around aircraft and live weapons on an airfield is dangerous, it is nothing compared to being on the constricted flight deck of a carrier at sea, in addition to the dangers inherent simply being at sea.

Answer 4

Tricky one to answer. If you look at deaths in recent years the navy is quite low due to the fact that NATO has been fighting organistaions or countries with low naval power. However go back to the Falklands war that was relatively recent and the UK lost most of its men from the navy.

Answer 5

Your in greater danger from getting killed in your car driving on the freeway then in the Military.

Answer 6

I joined the USAF to avoid getting drafted and got sent to Viet Nam. That was a hoot.



My Uncle joined the Navy during WW2 and ended up driving a Higgins boat to the exotic beaches of Iwo Jima. He liked that as much as I enjoyed Viet Nam.

Answer 7

When I was in active war zones with the USAF in Vietnam, they kept me safe working on aircraft. We could hear the war 24/7 in all directions but none of us ever got hit.

Answer 8

you already know the answer. there is no 'safest'. it all depends on the mission and the ops tempo at the time. there are times the AF might be the 'safest', and there are times it could be most dangerous. alot depends on your job in the military.



tell mom & dad they have done a good job raising you and it is time for them to allow you to show them the young lady you have become! parents are always going to fear for their kids. comes with teh job. but we all go through it. i am sure i will someday, but any problem i have with letting my kids go will be MY problem. this is your parent's issue. at the end of the day, they have to wrestle with it, not you

Answer 9

I'll tell you what I've heard which is a mix of facts and opinions. My dad was in the Army for a few years in the 80's and he had observed some people from different branches and had noticed that there were more gays in the Navy than any other branch, they mainly go out to sea and (learned this from a recruiter and they'll tell you anything you'll want to hear to get you to join) that the pay was good but my brother is in the Air Force working with coms and navs and he said that the AF is best for going somewhere in your life as long as careers go, being an engineer will keep you from seeing warfare sometimes but my dad was an engineer and he was almost called up to fight two different times so, yeah, and an officer is usually the first ones to be killed, especially lieutenant equivalents and captain equivalents who weren't enlisted before becoming officers. I guess there's really not a way to look at it as one being safe due to the fact that things constantly happen everyday so you can never tell and statistics with percentages and numbers will only calm you but if you join any of them just stay prepared I guess. Hope this helps.

Answer 10

This day and age, yes the Navy is the safest Military service to be in, but as with anything there are those exceptions, that includes civilian jobs and even attending college. You cannot live your life in fear of what may happen.



I would say the same even if you said you were going SEAL.

Answer 11

Look up the Forestall fire.........................

Answer 12

Just because you are not facing combat situation does not mean that there is no dangers.



During peace time, Navy, generally, has the highest numbers of serious injury than other branches combined. With a lot of moving parts in tight/confined spaces (and on a moving ship), $hit tends to happen quickly and unexpectedly.

Answer 13

I always figured the air force was the safest, assuming you weren't a combat pilot. Certainly more comfortable, as you aren't crammed aboard a noisy ship with little private space.



Seems to me whenever there is some dangerous situation in the world, they always send an aircraft carrier task force that way, so they would be sending you in to harms way.