IMHO the most "active" and exciting adrenaline pumping jobs out there are probably "Special Forces", "Marine Recon", "SEALS" and "Pararescue" for Commissioned Officers. Something to probably think about are Commissioned Officers are leaders, supervisors, and administrators, especially as you advance you get less and less "hands on" of anything. Naval SWO's, CG Deck Officers, and most shoreside Officers are not actively doing the most exciting jobs unless you are in a "speciality" that requires it, and then it is usually only the more junior officers that actually go out and do the exciting stuff. Like I said earlier, even if you go enlisted, at some point you advance high enough that you get more into the admin and supervisory stuff than the operations themselves. From personal experience, after 12-15 years of "excitement" I was ready to sort of back off a little and get to go home on a regular basis, yet still be involved in the planning and training of the operations. By the time you get to be in your 30's doing the difficult stuff for years, your body may start to protest from years of very tough training and fitness levels and you may want to step back and plan or supervise instead of go on operations.
There are many paths, and even more options if you need that adrenaline rush, are single, don't mind being away from home often, and don't initially care about stability in life and rank. Every service has their different options, if you truly want "excitement" then do your research in depth, look at both enlisted and officer specialities, and if you can talk to some people involved in current specialities and see what life is like and then make an "informed" decision. Don't let enlisting first scare you off, every service has enlisted to officer programs and sometimes it is beneficial to enlist, do your thing, then move into the officer ranks later. Academies and ROTC programs are great, give you a terrific education, and CAN allow you to fulfill your "need for speed" and "excitement" if you understand that as you promote being an Officer you may get to do less and less of the "exciting" stuff...
Just some things to consider.
A final thought....the Coast Guard is DHS, NOT DOD normally. You will do Law Enforcement, but not usually combat, unless under special circumstances, but the daily routine of both enlisted and officers is pretty normal because the CG usually does not operate onshore in combat areas, but rather shipboard doing patrols and standing either deck or engineering watch.
(maybe it will turn in to plan A?)
