What do you think about enlisting in the USAF?
 

Because of a unsatisfactory grade report (on one semester) my parents are cutting access to their checkbook for school, which means I am on my own. Instead of heading back to school I would either have a choice of making a living on $9 an hour and paying my own apartment/insurance/food/etc. (which I don't want to do) or the better option at the moment is to enlist - since I had four years of AFJROTC I would earn the rank of E-3 directly out of basic which is a couple hundred bucks more a month then as an E-1, and still a couple hundred more bucks a month then I make now...as well, I could get the G.I. bill, as well as housing and insurance paid for...

I won't be enlisting any time soon but am seriously considering it right now...if I do, I will definitely be smart enough to head to Texas (where basic is) in the fall or winter when it isn't 120 degrees out

Any advice from anyone on what to do? I know there are some ROTC people in here, as well as previous-military people...I come from a military town and my father is a Ret. LtCol so I know what to ask look out for, access to people currently in, etc.

(and the choice for air force is made up - army and marines will not be considered, and don't try to change me to navy without a damn good argument)

I think enlisting in the USAF would be great.

I was at the USMA graduation at West Point last weekend. My cousin was graduating (the only Army guy in the family). I kinda felt left out of the lifestyle. My grandfather & uncle are retired USAF. My aunt met her husband while she was enlisted. One cousin is currently enlisted USAF. And another cousin is AFROTC at OU. My mother grew up an Air Force brat meeting my father while he was stationed in Guam. etc. etc.

There was so much pride, honor & tradition that I really wished it was something I could be a closer part of. Not just the West Point grads, but all the military personnel that was there for the festivities. I saw Marines, Navy & Air Force (of course) decked out in their best. It was really a celebration of the great men and women who serve our country. Something to be really proud of.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

If the Air Force is what your heart desires, I wish you the best!

If not, I suggest you go to the financial aid office to see about becoming independent. You might have to go to school part time or get a job, but I am sure that they can help you. I worked in the financial aid office when I was in college. Every school, situation, and applicant is different. They take that into account when distributing aid.

I'm former enlisted USAF, though I enlisted nearly 20 years ago. Things have definitely changed since I was in (the Cold War was raging and Ronald Reagan was in the White House). And in my day airmen's stripes had blue (read: no) star in the middle (you earned your star after one year as a Senior Airman before being appointed as Sergeant) and only senior and chief master sergeants wore upward stripes.

Should you decide on enlisting, BE SURE and guarantee for a specific career field -- DO NOT make the mistake I did and enlist in an 'open' catergory; this means you let the Air Force do your job picking for you, and it usually is one of the critically undermanned specialties or other jobs nobody wants. As an example:

Open General -- Security Police or Services

Open Mechanical -- Crew Chief

Open Administrative -- Supply

I was assigned to be a Food Service Apprentice Specialist (AFSC 62230, now 3M031) -- a cook by any other name. Luckily, I was sent to the Air Force's cook's school where I got a decent education on how to make sh*t-on-a-shingle (creamed beef on toast) for over 100. I later got my 5 level (specialist); you gotta be a career airman to qualify for the 7 (supervisor) level.

If you should wash out of technical training, the Air Force will pick the job for you. You can't crosstrain out for at least three years.

How many credit hours do you have right now? If you're short of the minimum 60 hours for an associate degree, take advantage of Community College of the Air Force. Your college coursework transfers over with no problem, and you get equivalent college credit for your CDC (Career Development Courses -- the '5' level in your AFSC(Air Force Specialty Code)) and PME (Professional Military Education - you get PE credit for doing basic training). Other courses needed for your degree requirements can be done on base or through distance learning.

You may be offered PA (Proficiency Advancement) after your 7th day of training at Lackland. It's basically the six weeks of BMT (Basic Military Training) in Lackland crammed into about half the time. It's only offered to basic airmen who have had prior military experience, including time in CAP (Civil Air Patrol) or AFJROTC. Be aware it isn't an easy program to complete successfully: out of eight who were screened in my BMT flight, four turned it down and stuck it for the six weeks, three got sent back to the flight because of excessive demerits and I was the only one that made it through (even with an injured hand from the confidence course).

You'll learn to hate the number 341. (Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Form 341 - Report of Discrepancy (the demerit form)). And avoid the 'snakepit' at all costs! (The snakepit is where the TI's (training instructors) eat at the dining hall. They are ever observant of basic airmen making the slightest little mistake, making your meal a very unpleasant experience.

Later on, if your grades and performance reviews are good, you may be able to apply for AECP (Airman Education and Commissioning Program); if you are selected, you get to finish college and when you graduate, go to Officer Training School.

And another thing: watch your weight. The Air Force has a very strict weight/height/body fat percentage standard; exceed it, and you will be put on the weight management program. I was near the top of my max weight for my height, and being a cook didn't help matters much. Bust a few weigh-ins and you will be administratively discharged as I was. Looking back at things years later, I realized I listened to bad advice and let things go until it was too late. By that time, the discharge process is swift and merciless; within three weeks I was back to being a civilian again.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, feel free to post 'em here or PM me.

I think that it's great that you want to enlist in the Air Force! I say good for you for taking the initiative regarding the next step in your life :)

Yo docetboy,

the Freshman year is always the tuffest, especially when you Associate with a Greek Org.

Your time is torn is so many ways that it is tuff to get aal of the Crap in the alloted 24 hrs.! It is sad that your folks give up on you so soon!:(

Hope you can get back in school for Soph Yr. Maybe a Jr. College for a year?

I would use the Militarty as a last resort.

I say this as my best friend who is like a Brother Son who is like a Nephew to me flew So. To San Antonio for basic!

He had Brains, went to Magnante School, got him started into golf and was very good! Screwed his Grades up, off golf, football and wrestleing teams.

Well, off and running!!

I have a friend who went Army national guard. He still gets proper training, had to go through basic, but is eligible to recieve help for school through the GI Bill. Granted, he will be doing ROTC and Reserve as well to help pay, but it works for him. Maybe that's something to look into rather than going for a 4 year contract with the USAF.

I expected a good Navy argument out of you Tracy :);)

s'all about some ARMY NAT'L GUARD action, docet....pay for school, all that G.I. bill business.....one wknd a month, 2 wks in the summer, so yeah....that's my plan. :) you should look into it....you can do it and school at the same time...providing they don't ship you anywhere.

there's AF guard, too, if you're so hooked on the AF.....i'm not a fan b/c of ex b/f experience, but work it if ya want it. :) just don't turn out like him with gettin a divorce after a year and a half plus havin a baby....

good luck to you, though, and keep us posted!

Update: The paperworks turned in, and I take the ASVAB next Wednesday. Then the good ol' government will waste some taxpayers money putting me up in a hotel (though I live in the same town!) and head to the Processing station by 5:30 a.m. the next morning, where I will get a physical, drug test, etc., find out what jobs are available, and sign my life away on the dotted line.

AF is an excellent choice! It will help you get your priorities straight before heading back to school, in addition to letting them pay for it.

Good Luck!! :)

docetboy, this may be the best thing for you as in the post above like Nephew!!

It seems the end of the 6 week basic and already he seems to be getting his head together and maturing.

His is have his Tiger or what ever they call it, war game type stuff this week end!!!

Yep, what is said, dont just sign up blind, look at what type of situations you could get listed in for training with an eye toeard the future!!

You wont have time to do shit so keep thinking about us!!!

Trust Me Bro. We are all pulling for You!!!:)

Just go in with eyes open and mouth shut!!:cool:

And it's especially good that you chose ours!!

Seriously, good luck to you. Let us know how things are going when you can.

docet
 

Docetboy, I am pretty much in the same situation as you are. I messed up freshman year, lost scholarships and now have to pay for my education through loans and the such. i was looking into the Air Force too. What exactely did they give you and what are the terms to your agreement?

Best of luck! I live between two HUGE Air Force bases, so I'm familiar with the service. It is a huge decision, with excellent benefits but very serious risks.

I wish you good luck no matter which route you choose. I think fate will send you the right way and, in time, you can take better control of your life and do what you are passionate about to see much better results.

-Rudey

My brother is currently active duty Air National Guard and loves it. I don't think that he would do the non-guard AF because he loves the benefits of being in the guards (currently 2 days on and 4 days off, good pay, etc). He loves working on the F -16s and all that.

I too would have gone AF if I were interested in joining the military. Good luck and have fun! :)

Sarah

best of luck
 

i worked for a time in an air force town. they are good people. but keep your eye on the eventual prize, an education.
cheers
:D

if you need the funds do it, the cons to this i beleive completely are outweighed by the pros.

Good luck bro - I considered ROTC out of high school because my financial situation wasn't great, so I totally see where you're coming from. Take care.

AEKDB
Collin

docetboy-
My brother is in the Air Force and just loves it! He thinks it's the best decision he has ever made. He could have went to any college in the country, but chose to serve the U.S. I admire that this is a decision that you are also considering.

Go air national guard and stay in school. do AFROTC or Army Rotc and get a scholarship after you get your grades up, one you'll get your degree and two you'll get paid for it.

Update everyone:

All the paperwork has finally been found, and I get to go to processing tomorrow - only a few weeks late, lol. I get put up in a hotel on the other side of town tonight, too. How fun :)

I will let everyone know when I have signed the dotted line about what I enlisted in, stuff like that - I know the nash asked about that and I didn't reply since I haven't gotten anything yet!

Until tomorrow...

Good luck.

If you go to Basic at Lackland, maybe you can get together when you have leave with Kitso (and Lifesaver?), who I think is from the San Antonio area.

Docet, I wish you the best. :)

Woo-Hoo!

After months and months of delays, I have finally signed the dotted line to become a member of the world's greatest Air Force. However, I don't know when I ship yet or what my job is, I will find that out hopefully this weekend from the top 4 choices I put down (Airborne Comm., Computer Ops, Ground Radio Comm., Visual Imagery or Open General category)

But, I'm in!!! That's the important news!!! No more dang delays!

Congratulations and good luck! :)

Best of luck! Stay safe and have fun...

congrats...
good luck, be happy and be safe.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Re: What do you think about enlisting in the USAF?
 

Hmm - flashback ( :eek: gasp! Has it been THAT long ago?) to 1986 - after a stellar 1.62 GPA my sophomore year - same thing happened to me.

My choices were either the Air Force or Navy. I chose the Navy because of a special program called Sea College, where they doubled your G.I. Bill amounts in exchange for "open" status. AlphaSigOU is dead on - don't do this. I ended up working initially in the boiler room - but eventually worked my way out to another job (called "striking" in the Navy). My niece went in "open" to the Air Force five years ago (ironically her first day as a "civilian" is TODAY) - and while she wanted a medical career, she also became a cook in the Air Force. To add insult to injury, she wanted to be stationed in the US or Europe, to which the Air Force said - "great - welcome to scenic GUAM". So be careful.

But the choice was easy - my father is a retired USAF officer, and even he saw the logic - half the time on active duty for twice the educational benefits.

I did my active duty, returned to school, and graduated with a BA and an MA (cumulative GPA's of 2.9 and 4.0) - so it can be done.

Last bit of advice - don't believe ANYTHING a recruiter tells you unless you get it in WRITING. If it wasn't documented, it didn't happen.

Updated news, good and bad.

The good news: I got the job I wanted, Airborne Communications 1A331 :) - I get to be aircrew hellya!

The bad news: I don't ship out till 20 April :(

Congratulations on the good news, and the "bad" news timeline will fly by! :)

Congratulations! Heh heh heh... Salmi's going to learn what a 'Lackland Light Saber' is! ;) (No big secret... it's those ugly-ass flashlights with a cone filter you hafta carry around all over the place at night.)

Keep your nose clean and stay outta trouble during your DEP (delayed enlistment period). You will probably be required to report monthly to your recruiter for a p*ss test and if any adverse actions such as moving violations or worse occurred during that period.

Keep up with your studies in tech school - wash out and you will be sent to Services or some other sh*t job you hate for the next three years before you can crosstrain out of that specialty.

Depending on the career field you will at the very least hafta go through a background investigation for a SECRET clearance, and once you go to specific training in whatever system you're assigned, you will probably screen for at least a TOP SECRET or maybe a TOP SECRET/SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information) clearance. The latter two clearances are long and drawn out, and interim clearances are not usually given at that clearance level. So don't be surprised if they make you do 'make work' jobs until the clearance comes through.

You don't earn the right to wear the green bag (flight suit) and the leather jacket until you complete tech school. Good thing, though... being on aircrew means you get seen by the flight surgeon and not the medical hobby shop. The lines are shorter, too. :) However, if you should even get a cold or suffer any illness that might keep you from flying, you will be put on the DNIF (Duty Not Involving Flying, pronounced 'dee-niff') list and do 'make work' jobs until you're cleared again to fly by the flight surgeon.

docetboy,

Congratulations on your job and good luck to you! Keep us posted on your progress! AIM HIGH!!!

From one fellow airman to another,

txdiva
U.S. Air Force
"Cross Into the Blue"

Chuck - one note - 'make work' is now called 'doing details.'

I know all about the flight clinic...used to volunteer at it and the main hospital :)

According to the job page, I have to be eligible for Top Secret. Hope they don't talk to the guys at the house ;) :)

I'm looking forward to being able to wear some wings though...lot better then the other badges the ground people gotta wear....

http://www.af.mil/news/airman/0199/badge39.jpg

congrats...you've got a huge carrot in front of you. go for it.
april will be here before you know it.

Here's the skinny on how a background investigation is conducted: http://www.dss.mil/psi/index.htm .

Just a note, starting on 1 October, the DSS will be handing responsibility for conducting clearances to the OPM (office of personnel management)
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2...200302075.html

Good Luck Airman Docetboy!

There is one thing I have not seen mentioned yet is that
you can pursue a degree vis the base education office which will let you know which universities offer degree programs -- bachelors and masters at a particular base.
I earned my Master of Science Degree in International Relations from Troy State University while I was stationed at Hurlburt Field FL -- it took me almost four years (I was in Special Ops Intelligence and things were 'busy';) to say the least!)

Here is something else to ponder -- some enlisted men and women who found they really enjoyed military (AF) service also choose to apply for Officer Training once they have their Bachelor's degree and several years of enlisted service under their belts.

Obviously I endorse a career as an AF officer -- if I was not now 'serving' as a full-time mom and domestic goddess ;) I could have my choice of many good jobs around the country, thanks to the leadership, management, decision-making and many other skills I honed during a 22 year long career...HR folks generally recognize the benefits of hiring retired or even former military officers...