Airforce good choise or bad one

[Sato21m]

i'm thinking of goin to the airforce and do a good job anybody wants to give me an advice. thanks

 

[Centaurion]

what do you wanna know? be specific.

 

[Sato21m]

well right now i'm in college i cant focus at school and work and i know if i stay like this i'mnot gonna have an education because i might not finish school.
And i could study at the airforce something i like and since i'm goin to be there and my main focus will be study and work so will be easier plus the good benefits i will get. Man this a huge decision and i want to make sure i dont regret it.
Just give me your point of view or something.What scares me a lil is that Bush likes wars and there could be more wars in the coming years.

 

[SevenOne9]

Have you tried looking up for scholarships and grants?

You might be eligable for one of those.

I'm joining the military myself, but I'm goin' for the marines (although, i might go for the airforce just coz they have better benefits).

4 of my bros were and same w/my dad (2 airforce, 2 army and my dad was in the navy).


But anyways... Try and look for other options -- talk to your counsellor/advisor.

BTW: If you still wanna join the military and are able to get a degree (if you're still in college); you could try and enter as a 2nd Leiutenant.

 

[Luscious]

My buddy went into the marines - he had been all about it, talking about it, couldn't WAIT for it - he had been talking about it for about 2 years.

He's been in for one year and absolutely hates it, wants to get the hell out, but he's LOCKED IN for 3 more years (at the least).

Make sure you think long and hard about this.

 

[Centaurion]

well, the airforce might be good if you are not totally gung-ho about the army. you can get a pretty decent education while in the airforce, and they don't have that 'tough/hard' bootcamp/training as the army or navy.

but make sure that you double/triple check whatever the recruiter tells you about your mos and what you are going to be doing (they tend to blow sunshine up your ass just to fill their recruitment quoatas), cause you dont want to find youself onboard a hercules heading for iraq in a months time, do ya..!?

 

[Dust 2 Dust]

My uncle is retired from the Air Force, 20 years of service. He told me the Air Force has the most Kosher Jobs, easiest physical training, and the best living conditions of any branch. Another plus is that unless you're a pilot you'll never see any combat so you'll be a lot safer that being in the Marines or Army.

I recommend going for an Air Force ROTC scholarship if you're interested in going to college. They'll pay your way, but you'll have a 5 year service obligation after you graduate.

Also, if you're gonna enlist you need to score at least a 40 on the ASVAB.

 

[Alpine]

You need to focus on finding what you want to do. The airforce could be the best thing or the worst, you gotta know what job you want to do.

I wanted to be a pilot and failed training, then tried navigator and ****ed that up as well. They offered me another ground based job and I declined. If I'd of stayed I would have hated it, if I'd been a pilot I'd of been happy as a pig in sh1t.

 

[DjDreamer]

Originally posted by Alpine
You need to focus on finding what you want to do. The airforce could be the best thing or the worst, you gotta know what job you want to do.

Exactly...

Don't get fooled by the bells and whistles...with the Air Force you could be doing something menial (ex: peeling potatoes) or something great (ex: flying a stealth bomber)...

In life, the best move is doing what you want to do and not doing something because you got seduced by a recruiter giving false promises...

The first step is to check for grants and scholarships...don't only rely on the GI Bill...

 

[Julian]

Bad move

 

[Snatchmaster]

Don't sign up unless you can get the recruiter to guarantee your area of interest. This is easier if your studies are for engineering or something like that. Check on taking any qualifying tests before you enroll.

At the very least, make sure you can type. You need to be sure you won't end up as a cook or dishwasher.

If your recruiter makes excuses about not being able to guarantee a field because he doesn't know what's coming up then don't sign.

Remember, he needs you to fill his quota. Just keep dangling yourself in front of him. Keep calling him and ask if he's found a way to get you what you need in a contract.

Which brings us to another point. He will try to blow smoke up your skirt and will lie about not being able to make any guarantees. You need to give him a way to save face for when he finally comes around. So, as your leaving his office, tell him of your confidence in his ability to find a way to get you what you need in a contract. That way future contact can be based around his great political skills in dealing with HQ.

As you work him, you must remember that you hold the power in this situation; you are the boss until you sign that piece of paper.

But also consider that you can goto schoool p/t if needed. Also, don't stress about not remembering too much from your classes. What future employers want to see is the perseverence to get the sheepskin. They will teach you what you need to know on the job.

 

[Sato21m]

ok i'm not going, every body is telling me i wont have time to study there and that the main concern now is war.
So i wont joint my mom was crying when i told her of happiness she didnt want me to go.

 

[Alpine]

Dayron,

What do you like doing?

 

[McKindley]

In my mind there are only three acceptable reasons to join the military:

1) You plan on making it your career
2) You enter to learn a job skill that can carry you through the rest of your professional life (pilot, some sort of mechanic)
3) You are gung-ho about protecting your country and feel that you HAVE to join

(free college isn't included in my list because if you have half a brain you can get college for relatively cheap)

If you do stuff like infantry all that does is set your life back a few years and once you get out you realize you have no applicable job skills (unless you can get a job shooting people). I don't say this not knowing what I'm talking about. Everyone I've worked with who was in the military doing things like infantry regretted it because once they got out they realized they have NO job skills.

 

[diplomatic_lie]

Originally posted by McKindley
If you do stuff like infantry all that does is set your life back a few years and once you get out you realize you have no applicable job skills (unless you can get a job shooting people).

-Bounty hunter (although you can still be sued for shooting someone)
-French Foreign Legion (around $70,000 a year for bumming around Africa/South Europe)
-Professional hunter
-Restaurant owner (kill your own meat and cook it)
-Hermit

 

[SevenOne9]

Originally posted by McKindley
In my mind there are only three acceptable reasons to join the military:

1) You plan on making it your career
2) You enter to learn a job skill that can carry you through the rest of your professional life (pilot, some sort of mechanic)
3) You are gung-ho about protecting your country and feel that you HAVE to join

(free college isn't included in my list because if you have half a brain you can get college for relatively cheap)

If you do stuff like infantry all that does is set your life back a few years and once you get out you realize you have no applicable job skills (unless you can get a job shooting people). I don't say this not knowing what I'm talking about. Everyone I've worked with who was in the military doing things like infantry regretted it because once they got out they realized they have NO job skills.

Actually, if you wanna sign up for the SWAT team -- they're more than willing to sign up infantry experience (but if its a regular cop job... they're on the bottom list because of difference in training).

As for the Airforce (or chair-force as my brother likes to put it -- pisses my other bro in the air force), its WAY overly recruited. If you sign up now w/out any college experience (at least) -- its more than likely you'll be put on some mediocre position. But you might luck out in the ASVAB test (which is pretty friggin' easy) and land an office job.

The US Marine Corps on the other hand are eager to find recruits (their moto: The Few and the Proud -- is actually pretty true)... They're the smallest branch in the military. They go to war first, and then the army infantry gets sent in.

Recruiters speak in half-truths... You gotta talk to someone who has been or is in the military if you really wanna go for it.

 

[CableLight]

I have a friend whos currently enrolled in the USAF academy (Colorado, I believe).

It's a hellofa profession if you can get into it, not only in terms of making money but in terms of exploration. Another friend of mine is currently enrolled in the air force and has spent the past few months in Germany having a fairly rewarding time.

As for the bounty hunter thing...Ever watch that show on A&E called "Dog the Bounty Hunter"? Cracks me up

"We're taking this guy down - Hawaiian style!"

 

[Andromax]

Dayr0n,


This is a decision for you alone to make.

The military is an excellent choice, and provides insurmountable opportunities for your age.

I have been in the Army, I liked it okay. It was challenging, and fun at times, but like any job, it had its downsides.

I am in the Air Force now and I prefer it. They treat their people better, because they have more funding and less bodies.

The Marines ARE NOT LIKE THE AIR FORCE, so dont compare them.

The Air Force is basically a civilian in BDUs. They dont do PT (Physical training) every morning. In fact, 90% of the units never do it.

Whereas the Army and Marines have PT every morning at such and such a time 4:30-6am, and its an ass kicker hour plus session.

If you are military police, then you either do PT before or after shift because you arent on a normal training schedule.

The Army and Marines, (especially infantry units) are often confined on base in barracks.

The Air force has "Dorms" available, but often allow you to have your own house or appartment off post. Of which they give you an extra allowance of pay, BAH, to pay for it. Around 800 bucks extra here. 1500 if I were married


As far as your fear of deployment, in the Air Force, you wont see it as much. You will have opportunities to go TDY for a month or so to another country, but its nothing like the Army / Marines.

Unless you choose Security Forces or combat controller, Para - rescue, pilot, you wont be fighting at all, and probably wont be involuntarily deployed.

But you will want to deploy man. Deployments kick ass. There are a lot of anti - bush micheal moore preaching bleeding hearts in here, that have everything figured out, but im telling you, decide for yourself whether or not you support what we are doing over there. I do 100%

If you dont, then stay the hell outta my military and go suck on your thumb.


Another good idea is the Air National Guard. In most jobs you will have the opportunity to work full time as active duty, but the great thing is, front the national guard, you can switch branches or states any time you like via conditional release.

If you are put on voluntary orders for say a year (most NG orders are voluntary unless your entire wing is mobilized, which is rare in the NG you will usually only see that from units like the Red Horse units or PJ / SF units) And half way through it, you get a local job that is better for you. You tell your commander and they will amend your orders and let you off back to a traditional guardsmen (1 weekend a month) just like that.

That is what I am doing now.

At e-4 I make just over 40k a year, most of it tax free since it is allowances. Free college, extra pay when I am taking classes, full benefits etc etc. I get a lot of deployment, TDY opportunities and for now this is great for me. Military experience is great for any civilian occupation. Combine that with a degree and you will be a step ahead of the competition.

FYI, I was Military Police in the Army, and am SF in the Air Force.

I want to go back to the Army and try out for special forces, but I will wait till the end of my current enlistment. I have passed all the required asvab, Dlab, tests required. Now I just gotta go get my ass kicked and see if I am tough enough

If you have any other questions or anything, about what to expect in any aspect, feel free to give me a shout at [email protected]