[AlphaSigOU]

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.