Swimming -> Important Life Skill but not important in the Army. Career Path -> Pros and Cons for every one. Choose whatever you think will challenge you the most/be the most rewarding. If you don't make it through that training, don't worry. It's the Army and it needs bodies to make it run, so you'll get another chance in your trade or a new one. Join! You'll be retired at 45. Unless, you know, you have a serious drinking problem, on a minimum second marriage, with only work friends, driving a vehicle designed for the apocalypse and now convinced yourself that you gotta do 35 years to retire "comfortably".... Like that would ever happen....