Just my experience with family/friends. My bro-in-law joined the Army. Boot was marching, marching and more marching. When not marching he was on his belly working his way through the dirt to some place he could start marching again. The Army was good for him though. It helped him grow up a bit. He was two years and out. Not his cup of tea.
A friend of mine was a nuke boat sailor. USS Hampton. This was the boat that was kind of faking reading the nuke meters....he was part of the crew then! DOH!
He was told at the Navy recruiting station that he would see the world. He did....through a periscope for about a second!
Six months at sea and did not see much of anything. He did that tour for 2 years and is now an instructor in SC. Does ok. Married, two kids and large home. It's a living.
Personally I would be on a surface skimmer. But that is just me and my personality.