any US military folks?

[thebucketmouse]

I'm looking at going into the Air Force as an officer, good idea? bad idea? let me know if you have any experience

 

[Dr_Evil]

I'm in the AF. What type of work do you want to do? That should help with your decision. Enlisted personnel do most of the work and most officers fly or have desk jobs.

 

[thebucketmouse]

I'm getting an express scholarship for Computer/Electrical Engineering... not exactly sure what my job will be.

 

[dvdg101]

I've wanted to join the Air Force for the past couple of years.
No home support, as well as some other factors, ruined it for me  :-/
Hopefully I can still join the reserves and have a good job

What I'd say to your actual questions in the post is that you get more respect, benefits, and $money$ - so I hear from people. At very least it's better than going straight in as a "newbie" of the military so to speak. Plus, if you get a better military job that could possibly fast track you to a high paying career after the military.

Go U.S. Military
GOOD LUCK & HAPPY HOLIDAYS

 

[daguin]

I've wanted to join the Air Force for the past couple of years.
No home support, as well as some other factors, ruined it for me  :-/
Hopefully I can still join the reserves and have a good job

You must be a better son than I was. As soon as I turned 17 and passed my GED, my parents drove me down to the recruiter and straight over to the indoctrination center

Peace,
dave

 

[WackBag]

I'm in the AF. What type of work do you want to do? That should help with your decision. Enlisted personnel do most of the work and most officers fly or have desk jobs.

The enlisted don't do all the work, just the amount they are told to do...no more, no less ;D I've been in the AF for over 22 years, I am a flyer, having flown T-37's, T-38's, AT-38's, C-141B's, C-17's, and the T-1A Jayhawk. I am working a desk job now, but that's Ok. I'd rather be at home then on the road 24/7. I have loved my career and wouldn't change it for the world, in fact, I have seen most of the world several times So if you love to travel, meet and work with great people, have fun...then I definitely recommend the USAF. The down side are the deployments. Over the 22 years, I have missed the birth of my son, many birthdays, Christmas's and anniversaries. I have spent over 18 months in both Iraq and Afghanistan in recent times. Some years I was away from home more then at home I have seen my fair share of death and destruction, poverty and prosperity, as well as , good times versus bad. But like I said earlier...I would not have changed a thing. Plus...for all the hardships I can now retire and make over 50% of my basic pay without ever lifting a finger Unfortunately, lifting that finger may be difficult because I have had two surgeries on both shoulders, a herniated disc in my lower back, and several other ailments thanks to ole' Uncle Sam :-/ The constant PT takes it toll after 20+ years... If you like hand to hand combat and eating snakes then join the Army or Marines, if the open seas turns you on then go Navy. If you like 4 star hotels, great per diem, cushy locations, decent lifestyle...then join the Air Force! (just kidding...we do stay at some 3 star hotels on hardship tours ;D)

 

[Dr_Evil]

AMC - Another Missed Christmas.  

Have you flown through Germany? I was at Rhein Main until it closed. Then I went to Spangdahlem.

I'm getting an express scholarship for Computer/Electrical Engineering... not exactly sure what my job will be.

I can't think of any officer jobs where you will actually be doing that kind of work. A BS in Computer/Electrical Engineering should be good for any officer job though. There are plenty of enlisted jobs for that type of stuff though.

 

[jamilm9]

AMC - Automatic Power Control

 

[WackBag]

AMC - Another Missed Christmas.  

Have you flown through Germany? I was at Rhein Main until it closed. Then I went to Spangdahlem.

I'm getting an express scholarship for Computer/Electrical Engineering... not exactly sure what my job will be.

I can't think of any officer jobs where you will actually be doing that kind of work. A BS in Computer/Electrical Engineering should be good for any officer job though. There are plenty of enlisted jobs for that type of stuff though.

Yep, good ole MAC now AMC plus a little time in ATC now AETC.  I flew C-141's through Rhein Main from 89-93 during Desert Shield/Desert Storm.  We use to camp out there at the hotel for about 2 weeks (Desert Star Missions) at a time and then fly down range to Dhahran and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  It was a great time, we would get some days off for crew rest and visit all over.  The red light district in Frankfurt was the best...we used to call it "running the stairs" and visiting the Flight Surgeon (Doc Johnson's which was really a pron shop in the city ).  Great times...back then.  But I'm not sure it is as safe as it was back then

 

[Chicxulub]

Officer is the way to go, you'll do alot less real work for alot more money.  You'll mainly be responsible for, basically, sitting around thinking up ideas on how to do things and helping your senior officers keep our SOPs up to date.  As for actual field work, you'll sit back and coordinate with other land owners to make sure we don't get blown up when we're on patrol, make sure we have food, make sure we get our mail and try to keep us happy by staying the fuck out of the way.  Like I said, no real work to do.  

If you go officer, LISTEN TO YOUR NCO's.  They know your job better than you do.  You as a butterbar will be straight out of college with no real clue how to do your job, but that guy you're in charge of has been doing it for years and years.  Listen to him or her, they're trying to set you up for success, but if you go in there and decide to be retarted, it makes everyone's job more difficult, especially yours.

Now I don't really know how the AF works, but from conversations with my FIL (retired SMSgt), it seems that everyone has alot less work to do, even the enlisted folk.  He told me he generally got weekends off, and I can tell you in the Army that doesn't really happen (I'm just happy to be Stateside for Christmas, block leave FTW).  

Hell, if I had it to do over again, I would go Airforce officer.  I work way to much for way to little money.

 

[thebucketmouse]

If you go officer, LISTEN TO YOUR NCO's.  

NCO? What is that??

 

[DayOfShadows]

NCO= non commissioned officers, aka sergeant + (I think, im just in JROTC so i havent checked out ranks) ;D

 

[Chicxulub]

NCO= non commissioned officers, aka sergeant + (I think, im just in JROTC so i havent checked out ranks)  ;D

Correct.

 

[iewed]

The Navy claims they can get me into Rice U w/ a full paid scholarship, and I'd accept the offer in a heartbeat but it just seems a little to good to be true. I'd willingly serve 8 years if that was the case.

 

[thebucketmouse]

The Navy claims they can get me into Rice U w/ a full paid scholarship, and I'd accept the offer in a heartbeat but it just seems a little to good to be true. I'd willingly serve 8 years if that was the case.

The way the Army and Air Force scholarships work where I go to school, they will pay 15k for tuition per year, (which, depending on where you go, is pretty much free tuition) and they give you $900 for books and a 300$ monthly stipend, for spending money. However, we still have to pay for the dorm and for food. But it could be different with the Navy.

 

[thebucketmouse]

one more thing- how much will you move with the Air Force?? and what are the odds of getting stationed on a base in Europe? I would LOVE to live over there for a couple years.