No analogy better describes life in the military than being on a sports team. From the obvious comparisons (you’re operating in a team environment) to the more nuanced (there’s always some kind of competition going on within that team), there’s no denying a strong correlation between the two lifestyles.
As anyone familiar with the military community knows, there is an enduring inter-service rivalry among the branches of the U.S. armed forces. This competition is played out in hypotheticals shared between bored troops because, truthfully, there’s no real way to determine which single branch is “better” than the rest.
At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of taste, much like choosing a favorite sports league to follow. Well, don’t worry, sports fans, we’ve selected a league for each branch so you don’t have to.
Army: Major League Baseball
In many ways, this is the easiest parallel to draw. The Army is the oldest of all the armed services, founded in June 1775, which makes it less than a hundred years older than Major League Baseball, which was founded in 1869.
The Army is also the first branch that comes to mind when most people think of the US Armed Forces. All of us service members, current and prior, have been viewed as a “Soldier” by uninformed friends, family, or well-meaning passersby. And if you’ve traveled abroad, you also know that most people assume every American loves baseball.
In many ways, the Army is “America’s service” in the same way that baseball is “America’s pastime.”
Navy: National Hockey League
There are also some abundantly clear parallels here. The most literal of these connections is that the Navy is known for its astonishing power on the seas, and NHL players are known for being immense forces on ice, frozen water.
The Navy was founded second, in the fall of 1775, and the National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is America’s second-oldest league.
Furthermore, there’s a lot more to the Navy than most people realize, but everyone is familiar with their elite, the Navy SEALs. Hockey has a long, storied history, filled with amazing athletes, many of whom are unknown to most, but everyone is familiar with Wayne Gretzky.
Marine Corps: National Football League
This one truly is the easiest to see. First, they both have the coolest uniforms. The much-worshipped Marine Dress Blues is, without a doubt, the most iconic uniform in the American military — and there’s nothing that says “American sports” quite like an NFL helmet.
Both require peak physical conditioning. If you’ve ever seen an NFL player in person, you knew right away that they’re capable of some abnormally amazing physical feats. The same is true for most Marines; their physical appearance announces their membership before they open their mouths.
The last and most prominent similarity is their popularity. The USMC is respected and recognized all over America. If their body, posture, or uniform doesn’t give them away, their conduct will. Although the public perception of the NFL is currently suffering, there is no denying that, historically, football has held a firm foothold in American hearts.
Air Force: National Basketball Association
Simply put, the USAF is the youngest and most fly.
The NBA attracts many greats who would have likely played football or baseball in generations past. They constantly receive the latest uniforms and technological updates. It’s also the hardest league to get into, by percentage. There are 494 total NBA players and 1,696 NFL players.
Coast Guard: Major League Soccer
Look, we know you’re important and there are tons of fans out there, but the American public just hasn’t caught on yet. I mean, soccer didn’t even make the cover photo of this article, so…
One day, Coast Guard. One day.
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