Hi all! I am really interested in helicopters and was wondering which military branch largely operates them. I'm considering post-high school options and thought serving in a field directly related to helicopters would be cool.
Hello! That's a fascinating career interest you have there. In terms of helicopter operations, all five main branches of the United States military -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard -- operate helicopters, but the U.S. Army has the largest number of helicopters in its fleet.
The U.S. Army utilizes helicopters in a range of missions, such as troop transport, medical evacuation, and combat. Notable helicopters in Army service include the Chinook, Black Hawk, and Apache.
On the other side, the U.S. Navy employs helicopters for antisubmarine warfare, search and rescue, logistical support, and several other tasks. Similarly, the Air Force uses helicopters majorly for search and rescue missions, and the Marine Corps operates them for the transport of Marines and their supplies during missions.
Lastly, the Coast Guard, though smaller, uses helicopters for tasks such as search and rescue, law enforcement, and environmental protection.
Therefore, your choice may be influenced by the type of missions you are interested in. If your interest is leaning towards combat and defense operations, then the Army or Marines might be your preference, while if you're interested in search and rescue, the Coast Guard or Air Force could be a better fit for you.
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