Need advice for new Air-Force enlistee

self | 03/31/2003 | Self

[Spruce]

My daughter, my first-born child is enlisting in the Air Force.

She is a high school senior and will graduate this spring. She has decided to join the Air Force. Since she made her decision we have been trying to figure what path she should take in the military.

I would greatly appreciate any and all advice.

She scores in the 95th pecentile on her ACT and SAT tests, speaks excellent Japanese, has completed her second-year college courses in Calculus, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. And is a State-ranked Flute/Picollo musician.

She has taken the ASVAB and aced it. They tell us ANY job is hers. Again, I would greatly appreciate any and all advice.

[SAMWolf]

I was Army. But unless she plans on making a career out of the Service, get a job and training for something that will convert into a civilian career.

Make sure she is on good terms or at least has a good relationship with the Mess Sgt, the Supply Sgt and the Company Clerk. Those 3 people can be a big help in getting things done and cutting through "red tape" at times.

[Jen]

But unless she plans on making a career out of the Service, get a job and training for something that will convert into a civilian career.

Most Air Force career fields do have comparable civilian jobs. Plus, if she's enlisting right out of high school, she could retire at around age 38 - young enough to start a new career in something different or continue in the same field in civilian life.

I would advise her to talk to her recruiter and pick the field that interests her most since her options are wide open. Tell her to be sure to get her job choice guaranteed in writing! Don't believe any verbal promises the recruiter makes. Sounds like she's a very smart girl. I'd advise her to take advantage of the in-service GI Bill and/or tuition assistance, which I 'think' now pays 100%. She could complete her bachelor's degree while on active duty and apply for a commission through one of several programs.

Spruce, please tell your daughter thank you for making this decision to serve her country. FReepmail me if you/she have any other questions.

[Jen]

Advice needed ping!

I know all of you aren't USAF veterans, but perhaps you can offer some help to FReeper Spruce's daughter who's enlisting.

[CheneyChick]

Have her check out the Defense Language Institute (DLI). Find out which jobs require a language. Excellent training! I spoke a second language before I attended, learned a third one there and was able to test out (DLPT) on both of them.

CC :)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Air Force career fields to avoid (Not all, just from personal observations and first hand experience ).

Power Production
Life Support
Fuels
Nuclear Weapons Specialist.

Not really bad jobs, but very small career fields ( amount of people Air Force wide ) meaning promotions are slow. Life support was and is the slowest to make rank in the entire Air Force. Hard to convert to civilian jobs.

No to Munitions, Armanent anything (oddly enough, the "New Rosie, New Rivet" pic you posted on the other thread is that job ). Large career fields meaning rank is fast, but not high skilled or easily convertable to civilian jobs. Plenty of grunt work.

No to General ( anything ) type career fields.

I'll do some research to see if any of these careers were renamed. The Defense Language Institute sounds like the best suggestion.

When does she have to decide? I have a friend I can call later tonight who may help.

[Eagle Eye]

When I first enlisted, well meaning friends kept telling me what fields to avoid (specifically Infantry). I listened and took a very practical MOS with solid civilian application.

By my second year, I had excelled in my field, but was bored and used my re-up option to go into, you guessed it, Infantry. Had a blast, never regretted it one bit. Should have done what I wanted to do originally, and not listened to what others didn't want to do.

IOW, I would never want to be a military cook, but somebody else may absolutely love it. They shouldn't make THEIR decision by what I don't like or what MY bad experience was.

She has to decide on what she WANTS to do. If that is not directly available, as some positions require special detailing, higher rank, or career status, then she needs to know that up front and have a career plan to meet her goals.

[ODC-GIRL]

It really depends what she is interested in. With scores and a background like hers she could be anything. I have worked for over 21 years in Command and Control and have found it very fulfilling. We are right in the middle of everything our unit does.
Intelligence is a great field and she could expand on her languages. Public Affairs (relations) is more of a fun job, covering the good things that happen to people in the unit for newsletters and such. Medicine could be interesting, but they spend the bulk of their time conducting physicals and giving shots or doing paperwork, not to mention watching fellow airmen pee in a cup.

If she's not set on Active Duty, she may want to consider the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve so that she can more easily continue with school.

Congratulations and good luck, whatever she chooses to do.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

But there are land mines in some of the career choices. For example, I found this one at the Air Force site, "F-15/F-111 Avionics Systems Apprentice, Attack Control Systems" I love F-15's but This would mostly limit ones choices to being stationed only at F-15 bases. Not bad, but being "married" to a specific system like this has it's pitfalls, like once the F-22 gets fully deployed there will be less and less bases for the F-15 till eventually, an airman could end up in a forced cross train. And it's usually not a better job they offer, but one where there's a shortage and requires little training. Possibly ( cook or cop). I also saw several jobs with the word "Bomber" in the title. Most bomber bases locations suck.

Also for the new recruit, avoid anything that recruiter tells them that might happen down the road if they take a certain job. Like working on the Thuderbirds. It can happen later if the airman takes a certain job, but it's a big if. They aren't going to get a job on the Thunderbirds just out of training.

[Eagle Eye]

But there are land mines in some of the career choices.

True in all services, and even in the 'best' fields. Some will offer quick promotion that ends up a terminal rank. Some people will find that they love their work but face the prospect of being promoted out of what they love or RIF'ed if they don't get promoted.

My terrible duty assignment may be your paradise.

There's a interesting correlation between a recruiter's promary field and the number of recurits that also go into that field. The recruiter can sell what he came out of because it was probably something he loved. However, that often turns out to be a mistake for the recruit.

Back in my recruiting days, I'd tell a prospect that it is great to have an idea of what they wnated, but to be open minded because they may qualify for something that they never even knew existed. I didn't want them to put their options in a tiny box and refuse to consider other options that may help them reach their general goals.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

The way he described it, she is qualified for almost anything.
Another example was when I joined, the aircraft I trained for, the FB-111 ( was decided for me during boot camp, not the career field but the aircraft ) was only at two bases, Pease AFB, New Hampshire and Plattsburgh AFB, New York my first base. Kind of limited if you ask me. Had to put in for overseas long tour to get out of there. I can't remember the career field, but one guy I met had a job that was used at only one base.

My point is that some of these land mines can be defused ahead of time by doing some research. Like the time we were offered to volunteer for the GLCM ( Ground Launched Cruise Missile ) Program. I didn't volunteer because I knew President Reagan was using it as a baragining chip in Europe. By the time the first trainees were about to finish and go operational in Germany, we dropped the program. We did hear that the guys dropped back into the system from the aborted program were not happy about their next assignments.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Eagle Eye]

I understand your points and they are good ones.

I knew a guy who signed up for a communicatons school that got axed when Congress cut the funding for the program due to it's age.

He was offered a total out or a new MOS. He ended up on the White House communications staff. But you cannot promise that in writing up front or reasonbly expect to get such an assignment.

[Semper911]

I strongly feel she is Officer material, and I would hate to see her languish in the lower enlisted ranks for too long. Explore avenues to a commission, even if it means going first to undergrad and participating in ROTC.

Your daughter is overqualified to be an E1, and she will be bored stiff until she is about an E5.

Get the bachelors degree and hope for Officer Candidate School.

[AF_Blue]

What does she LIKE to do? What is she interested in? Based on your description, yes, she can write her own ticket.

G.I. bill is a MUST. $100 a month for her first year. She won't miss the money, and she won't need to use G.I. bill until she's out of the service, which can be put toward her next higher degree. AF pays 100% tuition, up to a yearly cap ($2-$3k, not sure exactly how much). If she hasn't had any AP courses (college credit) in high school, HIGHLY recommend she CLEP basic stuff to get them out of the way AFTER she has entered service (it's free, and the base library will carry study material). If she wants to be an officer, the AF has officer programs to help enlisted transition.

For a career, with her second language background, go for linguist (interpreter) or intel. Having a second language proficiency gets her more $$$. If she's a flying linguist (rides in the back of an airplane listening to other people's conversations), she gets more $$$ than sitting at a desk. Also, as a linguist, especially if she has a military intel background, when she gets out she could probably pursue a successful second career in one of the 3-letter agencies.

[CholeraJoe]

I was career Air Force Medical Corps. Others on this thread have made good suggestions. Being an officer is a better deal than being enlisted. Force Protection and Services (cook, housing) should be avoided at all cost.

[Bad_Samaritan]

With her current performance, you should encourage her to go officer. The pay is much better, and the Air Force will pay for her 4-year (and sometimes more) degree.

[Spruce]

Thanks for all the responses. This is the sort of advice we are looking for. We are sure she would be a great officer, we're just not sure how to make that happen. She CAN'T STAND the leftie college scene.

[vetvetdoug]

I was in the enlisted USAF Medical Services trained in (902 (medic), 908 (veterinary Technician), and was trained in those AFSC's along with medical laboratory and surgical technician. I was lucky and was stationed at a base that offered night schools and I took 12 hours per semester. The USAF paid 75% books and tuition. That is one way to ultimately get commissioned once one gets the degree. Another way is to go ROTC. Getting through college first and then going officer corps is really the best way IMHO unless one gets a nursing degree and then gets commissioned.

The medical services in the USAF IMHO were top grade and assignments were for the most part, excellent. I have dated understanding of the USAF, I have been out for 20 years.

[fuente]

Intellegence, language, college, CIA!