By far, what is the most toughest and most punishing military branch?

British Royal Marines or Parachute Regiment

You can't define that by a branch.

So all of you who say Marines are telling me a Marine clerk is tougher than a Navy SEAL or Army 11B with 5 combat deployments, huh?

@Spade, but still, most are saying Marines, and I'm saying you can't just say overall and when the OP didn't specify anything.

Marines

i think you have a misconception of what the military is

punishing military branch ? that makes no sense

toughest military branch ? define tough ?

2. a clerk is a clerk is a clerk, service branch doesn't matter, they all do the exact same job

No John... when you compare the branches you compare similar jobs. The Marines have much stricter rules and regulations to go along with it all. (assuming we are speaking of the United States)

If you mean the most demanding overall (physically, mentally, and emotionally) then definitely the Marines, although I've heard the Coast Guard is quite difficult.

Its all based on the job. So not so much a branch as a career field, and that would be spec ops more so then others.

pray tell what do you mean buy punishing

basic recruit training or advanced training

to become a enlisted US Navy Seal you must first pass Navy basic recruit training

basic recruit training for

the French Foreign Legion is harsh

The marines, without a doubt.

Army if you're an Aussie, Marines if you're a yank, Royal Marines if you're a pom.