My dad had a lot of reserves when I wanted to join at 20 and asked for the same information.Marines- bad ass mother fuckers. Your son will never be the same again, in a good way. Heu2019s not likely to gain many employable skills for the civilian world, but he will always be a Marine. Heu2019s very likely to be deployed into hostile areas, but heu2019ll embrace that. Quality of life is low but a happy Marine is one that's complaining.Army- quality of life is also low. There are better skills to be picked up for transitioning back into the real world. Again, very likely to be deployed and/or stationed in an armpit. People are typically less intelligent in the Army.Air Force- best quality of life. Best food. Most funding. Best technical training for careers which usually come with a high security clearance. Depending on his chosen job, he's likely to have a cushy life. Deployments are in hotel rooms with cleaners, AC, and internet. HIGHLY RECCOMENDED.Navy- second best technical training for a career. Quality of life Is decent if you're not stationed on a ship, but even then it's better than the Marines and Army. It's relatively safe but expect your son to cuss like a motherfucker, have some dumb tattoos, and develop a slight drinking problem. Heu2019ll see some awesome places and appreciate little things in real life a lot more.Coast Guard- a lot like the Navy but you CANT choose your job. It's not a good branch for career development. You also get the least amount of respect in the Coast Guard. I don't reccomend the Coast Guard at all.I was in the Navy as a weatherman (AG) for four years, stationed on an aircraft carrier. Now I'm an E5 in the Air National Guard (3D0x2) as a Network Administrator just so I could upgrade my security clearance.Whatever branch he chooses he will still get college paid for when he's out and like $2,000 a month for rent while he's in school. Heu2019ll be a better person and will be a veteran, which is one of the most closely knit groups of people I've ever seen.You should sit down with him, give him a beer, and ask him what he wants to do after his service. Use that to choose a job, not what's safest or easiest.