enlisting in air force.......

[jsturges18]

hey just wondering if any nico members are in the air force and what their job is and some tips or pointers toward basic training and so on. any info would be greatly appreciated!

thank you,
jeff

[Ace2cool]

Stay low profile. All basic training situations are similar. You don't exist in your instructor's mind, then you don't exist period. There's no bonus for being division commander or anything of the sort. Just keep your head down and do as you're told.

Have fun calling home on the weekends.....

[alms24sebring]

One of my good friends just told me he was joining the air force when he's done with school. Sorry I have no tips for you..

[Dana_15]

Good luck! I was in the Army, never had an issue in Basic Training. You really don't want to stick out and the better shape you go in, the better off you will be.

On the first actual day of Basic at Fort Benning our Platoon had a fitness test, only three out of fifty passed. I was one of the three and we were allowed to eat early while and put our stuff away while other forty seven were given "special attention". I never really found out what that entailed, but when they came back most of them had puke on themselves, lol.

Thank you for your service!

[Looneybomber]

1. DON'T LOOK AT OR TALK TO THE FEMALES!!!

2. Get in shape. They can't smoke you/beat you/burn the breaks off you/make you push Texas till you have completed your first PT eval at the end of 0 week. After that though, prepare to do some work.

3. Don't give "sir" sandwiches. This is the Air Force, we don't say "sir yes/no sir".

4. Stop yelling. We're not the Marines...

5. For jobs at BMT, laundry crew and bed aligners are the best. If you're really short, you'll be "house mouse" and it's easy too. Latrine queen and EC monitor are the worst jobs. I was an element leader...but then got fired.

6. If you're sick or injured, go to sick call. You won't get recycled. I had to go in due to a prior shoulder injury flairing up after doing a couple hundred pushups a day for a few days straight on top of the PT. (element leader sucks) I went in and they gave me a 3 day waver (no upper body exercises) and a 3 day script for ibuprofen and Tylenol. Another buddy of mine got way sick, ended up getting hospitalized and sent to the 319th (that will make sense once you go to basic). He spent a week there and was able to rejoin our flight and graduate with us on time. Another few got put on bed rest for two days due to fevers and were fine. So ignore the hardcore guys saying to "suck it up". You can go and get help without being recycled/sent back in time.

7. Get in shape.

8. According to the rules, you're required to get a 10 or 15min phone call every week. You don't find this out until the very end when you're filling out a critique. We got one when we arrived (3 min), a 15min in 3rd or 4th week, 10min 7th week, and another 8th week to try and give our parents info about graduation...and that was it. We were able to write letters though beginning 4th week, but only if we did it after hours (which is against the rules).

9. If you get into the 326th (hooyah bulldogs!)...nah, I won't tell you about the MTI's there...

10. Go into intel. That's what I'm in. The top secret clearance can certainly help you in the private sector if you decide to get out after the 6yrs. One teacher we had in tech school was guard for a few years and got a contractor position teaching. She kept her guard benefits and make 80k/yr with no degree starting out. She did negotiate her wage though. Side note: Right now the 1N1 AFSC has a 7 multiplier reenlistment bonus. So if you have that AFSC and you reinlist, they give you 7x your yearly income as a bonus, capped at 90k I last heard. And, if you get that bonus while deployed over seas, it's tax free.

[joe603]

Congrats! The Air Force was a great career starter for me. I went in in '96 and stayed until 2005. Looney's advice is spot on for basic. Lets see if I can add a few things.

1. Learn to stare off in the distance while they yell at you. I have a tendency to smile when being punished...so this was crucial for me. Just pick something out in the distance and keep looking at it.

2. Make sure to call women MTIs ma'am...they get extra pissed and actually try to make you mess up by ganging up on you with other MTIs. Just keep your cool and answer with yes/no answers.

3. JOB. I would recommend that you have a guaranteed job going in. Don't let the recruiter BS you. I had that happen to me and I was stuck in the "mechanical" field and could not even apply for a job in the "electrical" field. My recruiter either lied or didn't know you couldn't change it at basic training. Comm Jobs are the best...anything "3D" would be good. The AF changed it recently from "3C". You can always cross-train later in your career if you want. Here is a link to my old 3C2X1 job: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce ... b3c2x1.htm

4. Learn to eat fast. You only have 5-10 min to eat. The TI's consider it a waste of time. Don't get soda until you've proven that your not a waist of space. Marching well, good grades on tests, and good run/situp/pushup times/#s will get you some free play with food. Hell I was called soda king and had to lock up next to the snake pit because of it. My MTI let them have a few good ones until he said I was cool. Just answer each MTI individually and play to their ego.

5. Study. You'll have a TON of free time. They make you carry your "books" around. Impress them by studying while waiting in line for meals. Get used to taking tests in the AF. Rank increases are test-based. Plus all career fields have "CDC tests". If you fail a CDC test, they can actually kick you out! Take is seriously until you're a 5-level.

6. Phone calls were earned when I was in. It was a time where you could buy candy and relax. If you're flight does well and you don't piss off the MTI, then you'll get more phone time.

7. I agree with Looney...make sure you can run. Plan on staying in shape too...the AF takes being overweight serious. If you're a big guy like me, they tape your neck and waist. If you're under the BF%, then you're good to go.

8. Girls. 6 days of the week, just forget it. But Sunday you can socialize. In the 6th week you get free time to explore lackland if you're not a F' up.

9. I was also an element leader. Not that big of a deal...just keep your line in check. My job was dayroom chief. GET THAT ONE! You have to keep the floor spotless...we (I had a few guys in my "crew") used lint rollers

10. The first week will suck....but it will get better. The first night, they screw with you a lot. Don't just drop your bag...learn to shave FAST! Bring shower shoes, and keep them handy that first day. I had to take a shower in my civi boots which sucked.

11. Finally on door duty...don't mess it up. They take security seriously. Sleeping or letting someone in that isn't supposed to be their will not be good.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Good deal. I go off to basic August 3 for the Navy. Only thing I'm worried about is pissing in front of people. Barely pulled it off at MEPS
Everything else will be a step up from my current situation.

[joe603]

lol! If you ever deploy, you may have to do both in front of people. My first time to Iraq, we had a tent that in the middle was the latrine "stage". Wood boxes with tolet seats on top to crap in a giant bucket. Nasty and you're all out their for the guys walking in with vinyl in-between the stalls. The urinal was a trough-type.

We didn't get a bathroom trailer for a month...

[Looneybomber]

8. Girls. 6 days of the week, just forget it. But Sunday you can socialize. In the 6th week you get free time to explore lackland if you're not a F' up.

That's now week 8. AF basic got extended 2 weeks a couple yrs ago.

4. Learn to eat fast. You only have 5-10 min to eat. The TI's consider it a waste of time. Don't get soda until you've proven that your not a waist of space...Hell I was called soda king

Every day at PT you will hear, "you must consume 2 glasses of non caffeinated, non carbonated beverages at each and every meal". Some squadrons have to consume 3 because they have smaller glasses. Anyway, pop is NOT allowed till you're with your folks. I got chocolate milk once and had my whole flight pushing in front of me in the dorms because of the caffeine in chocolate.

[joe603]

wow...things have changed! 8 weeks now...that sucks!

[jsturges18]

thanks everyone!!! im pretty nervous about it and have been talking to a recruiter lately. my best friend just got back from BMT for the national guard and pretty much just told me to not get noticed and im good. one thing im concerned about is that is it mandatory to have to parachute in some jobs?? if im going to join the air force i want to deal with the jets or helicopters such as being a aerial gunner. im talking about jobs now to the recruiter and nothing that exciting is open right now. i want to fully enlist by the end of this year. but if the air force still has nothing that intrests me i might just go army or maybe stay home and do reserve. oh and BMT is i believe 9 weeks now?? and another question is that after BMT do you go straight into your jobs training or do you get to go home first??? thanks again!!!

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

I've heard you may be able to take two weeks after basic to help out at the recruiters office. Depending on the staff there it could mean you work 8-10 hours per day for those two weeks or you bring them coffe/donuts every morning and have the rest of the time off...
Forgot what they called it.

[THawks]

I've heard you may be able to take two weeks after basic to help out at the recruiters office. Depending on the staff there it could mean you work 8-10 hours per day for those two weeks or you bring them coffe/donuts every morning and have the rest of the time off...
Forgot what they called it.

Actually it is after Tech school. It is called RAP (Recruiters Assistance Program)

Believe it or not a large number of jobs in the Air Force don't have anything to do with planes. The Navy has more planes and the Army has more Helocopters. There are options that can have you on a flight crew but you will not be piloting unless you go in officer. I don't know that there are many choices for aerial gunner but the only planes I saw while I was in were the commercial planes I was on to fly home after I PCSd.

I was a 2E2 (Computer Networking, Switching, Cryptographic Maintenance). The 2E fields combined with the 3C fields and became the 3Ds. I actually failed my CDCs but was granted a waiver and was able to stay in but as was said before, once you reach e4, rank is test based until you become an e7 (e8 and e9 are congressional) 1N2 deals with frequency hopping and UHF band stuff (cell phone colletions etc) the first of three schools dealt with learning Morse Code. 1N3s are linguists (suggest you stay away from Korean language otherwise you will go from Korea to Ft Meade, MD and back)

[krazy skwerelette]

my husband and his friend who are in the air force agree with straight up staying low. don't try to over achieve. but if there is nothing that really interests you don't join. they are maintainers on heavy's if that makes any difference

[jsturges18]

thanks again everyone! the air force is on hold right now for me because all the jobs theyre trying to put me in suck! im not trying to join the air force to be a mechanic -_- so as of right now im also looking into the national guard and will be talking to a recruiter hopefully next week.

[Ace2cool]

I've heard you may be able to take two weeks after basic to help out at the recruiters office. Depending on the staff there it could mean you work 8-10 hours per day for those two weeks or you bring them coffe/donuts every morning and have the rest of the time off...
Forgot what they called it.

Only get one week in the Navy. $.02.

[Dattebayo]

the air force is on hold right now for me because all the jobs theyre trying to put me in suck!

How did you do on your test?

[Ace2cool]

so as of right now im also looking into the national guard and will be talking to a recruiter hopefully next week.

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Seriously. Don't do it. Ever heard of "Job Guarantee?" National Guard doesn't do it. No branch of the Army does it. My buddy joined the Army being "promised" to be a Blackhawk mechanic. You know what he does now? He drives the fuel trucks. They relcassed him in Basic training. Ask the National Guard recruiter about having a guaranteed job. You'll be surprised of the results. Marines are the same way. Air Force is better about it, but you may still end up with a different job than you signed up for. Navy is the ONLY branch of service that 150% guarantees your job when you join.

[flohtingPoint]

so as of right now im also looking into the national guard and will be talking to a recruiter hopefully next week.

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Seriously. Don't do it. Ever heard of "Job Guarantee?" National Guard doesn't do it. No branch of the Army does it.

There is the Air National Guard

hey just wondering if any nico members are in the air force and what their job is and some tips or pointers toward basic training and so on. any info would be greatly appreciated!

thank you,
jeff

.

Coming from someone who served in the military and had massive interaction with the other services due to having been deployed during war in Iraq/Afghanistan, the USAF will afford you the best quality of life. It is also the only branch of service I will recommend to anyone, as the USAF also offers the widest selection of "real world" jobs (meaning jobs that are not niche-market things). My foolish little brother went into the Army and is doing, according to him, "the same thing Jim did in the Air Force," but this couldn't be farther from the truth. Yes, he's in IT, but he does nothing that has a real world application and will not help him build a resume if/when he gets out of the Army. The only job he can get when he gets out of the Army is probably a help desk job, if that, where as I got out and was instantly a senior systems administrator (the difference is probably, depending on location, about 50,000 in pay a year starting).

[jsturges18]

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Seriously. Don't do it. Ever heard of "Job Guarantee?" National Guard doesn't do it. No branch of the Army does it. My buddy joined the Army being "promised" to be a Blackhawk mechanic. You know what he does now? He drives the fuel trucks. They relcassed him in Basic training. Ask the National Guard recruiter about having a guaranteed job. You'll be surprised of the results. Marines are the same way. Air Force is better about it, but you may still end up with a different job than you signed up for. Navy is the ONLY branch of service that 150% guarantees your job when you join.

WOW. i think this is the most helpful info ever. thanks man. i don't wanna join if im not gonna get the job i want. i will mention that i want to be promised my job and see what happens. but the national guard didn't have much. i know when my friend went to the recruiter they automatically put him in infantry. i do want to be a police officer when im of age but i want to have more of a background then just shooting s***.

there are a few jobs that really intrest me in the usaf such as fire protection, aerial gunner, and i orget the whole name but it was a weather specialist type thing and a few others.

How did you do on your test?

if you are talking about the asvab i have not tooken it yet. before i sign any kind of papers i want to make sure i know what im doing and in tip top shape

There is the Air National Guard

i looke dinto that but it seems that all the jobs there are just mechanic

Coming from someone who served in the military and had massive interaction with the other services due to having been deployed during war in Iraq/Afghanistan, the USAF will afford you the best quality of life. It is also the only branch of service I will recommend to anyone, as the USAF also offers the widest selection of "real world" jobs (meaning jobs that are not niche-market things). My foolish little brother went into the Army and is doing, according to him, "the same thing Jim did in the Air Force," but this couldn't be farther from the truth. Yes, he's in IT, but he does nothing that has a real world application and will not help him build a resume if/when he gets out of the Army. The only job he can get when he gets out of the Army is probably a help desk job, if that, where as I got out and was instantly a senior systems administrator (the difference is probably, depending on location, about 50,000 in pay a year starting).

thanks! this is also very helpful. thats a big thing for me is to get a job that helps me in life. since i am not attending college and have been out of highschool for 2 years now and havent done anything with myself but work at a lonely bikeshop, i gotta find a way to build a resume and start a career.

[jsturges18]

oh and as far has medical history goes without asking a recruiter yet.... i heard they are real strict on broken bones and recent medical stuff. will they not accept me for having surgery on my head a few months ago ad having a broken collarbone(clavicle) a couple of years ago? i had a friend get denied because he broke his leg a few years back.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

I broke my ankle and destroyed the growth plate about 5 years ago and it wasn't a big deal. Head surgery may be a different matter though. Also...you can always call and talk to the recruiters anonymously.

[Looneybomber]

so as of right now im also looking into the national guard and will be talking to a recruiter hopefully next week.

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Seriously. Don't do it. Ever heard of "Job Guarantee?" National Guard doesn't do it. No branch of the Army does it. My buddy joined the Army being "promised" to be a Blackhawk mechanic. You know what he does now? He drives the fuel trucks. They relcassed him in Basic training. Ask the National Guard recruiter about having a guaranteed job. You'll be surprised of the results. Marines are the same way. Air Force is better about it, but you may still end up with a different job than you signed up for. Navy is the ONLY branch of service that 150% guarantees your job when you join.

I have never heard of anyone having that happen to them except for my cousin who joined the Navy (active). In the ANG (air nat guard), you work out of that base and can only do jobs that base offers. Because of that, yes, you have a guaranteed job.That's assuming you don't fail tech school...

*edit* As for jobs, check out TACP The AF doesn't have "aerial gunner" but this is the next best things. If I would have joined at 20-21 when I almost did the first time - and knew about this job, this would be what I would pick. You get to work with special forces and make it rain (think warheads on foreheads).

BTW, I am typing this in my room on an air force base. It's basically a 1BR apartment, fully furnished, with a full kitchen, and all the amenities that go with it...and house keeping and wi-fi. The air force takes care of their own.

[Ace2cool]

^No arguments that Air Force has a higher quality of life. Navy can't afford to have all the amenities that the Air Force does, since the weekly upkeep of an aircraft carrier alone is about what it costs to run your base for a month.

I'd like to talk to your cousin if he got his job unwillingly changed in Boot Camp for the Navy. Only way I've ever seen people get changed is if they screw up of fail out of a SpecWar class. Navy is the ONLY service to write a job guarantee into their contract. Air force, Army, and Marines write a job recommendation into the contract. It's not set in stone. The Air force is usually pretty good about honoring it, but the Army and Marine Corps will put you wherever they just so happen to need you, if they don't need you in the field you signed up for.

My friend in the Army was changed from 15T (Blackhawk Mechanic) to 88M (Truck Driver). He was PISSED when he got out and told me about it. They basically told him, "Well, 15T just closed up, you're going to be reassigned. 88M is your new job."

I can't deny that the Air Force has a baller quality of life compared to the Navy though. Spoiled f***s get whatever they want.

As far as the Air Force jobs you listed, the Navy has the equivalent of most of those (Save the aerial gunner position). Damage Controlman (DC) is the shipboard firefighter/emergency response guy. Aerographer's Mate (AG) a.k.a. "weather guesser" is the meteorologist. And the reason we don't have an aerial gunner is because we take our fighter jets to the action. If we don't send the jets in, we sit about 10 miles offshore and the Fire Controlman (FC) turns the bad guy's hideout into a shiny glass parking lot.

It's totally your call, man. But honestly, if you want good quality of life, go Air Force. If you want a guaranteed job, the Air Force doesn't screw people over very often, but the Navy is the only one that can give you a 100% guarantee that you will keep the job you sign the paperwork for. (Not to mention in the Navy, you'll be doing something other than sitting in air conditioning all day...)

[Looneybomber]

^No arguments that Air Force has a higher quality of life. Navy can't afford to have all the amenities that the Air Force does, since the weekly upkeep of an aircraft carrier alone is about what it costs to run your base for a month.

I'd like to talk to your cousin if he got his job unwillingly changed in Boot Camp for the Navy. Only way I've ever seen people get changed is if they screw up of fail out of a SpecWar class. Navy is the ONLY service to write a job guarantee into their contract.

I'd have to check with her. I know she ended up doing intel at Hawaii, so it wasn't like life was hard for her.

Air force, Army, and Marines write a job recommendation into the contract. It's not set in stone. The Air force is usually pretty good about honoring it, but the Army and Marine Corps will put you wherever they just so happen to need you, if they don't need you in the field you signed up for.

My friend in the Army was changed from 15T (Blackhawk Mechanic) to 88M (Truck Driver). He was PISSED when he got out and told me about it. They basically told him, "Well, 15T just closed up, you're going to be reassigned. 88M is your new job."

That might be an active thing. Two of my buddies went into the army guard and they got the jobs they picked. Granted after 9/11 they got sent to AF as infantry, but their job was still something with the MRLS...they just didn't do it.

I can't deny that the Air Force has a baller quality of life compared to the Navy though. Spoiled f***s get whatever they want.

As far as the Air Force jobs you listed, the Navy has the equivalent of most of those (Save the aerial gunner position). Damage Controlman (DC) is the shipboard firefighter/emergency response guy. Aerographer's Mate (AG) a.k.a. "weather guesser" is the meteorologist. And the reason we don't have an aerial gunner is because we take our fighter jets to the action. If we don't send the jets in, we sit about 10 miles offshore and the Fire Controlman (FC) turns the bad guy's hideout into a shiny glass parking lot.

It's totally your call, man. But honestly, if you want good quality of life, go Air Force. If you want a guaranteed job, the Air Force doesn't screw people over very often, but the Navy is the only one that can give you a 100% guarantee that you will keep the job you sign the paperwork for.
Another thing they Navy has that I looked into before going ANG is the nuke program. Nuclear engineer. Lots of schooling, good bonuses, good education and experience when you get out into the real world. It requires an ASVAB of >90 though so you have to be edumacated.

(Not to mention in the Navy, you'll be doing something other than sitting in air conditioning all day...)

Hey, I might be in air conditioning all day surrounded by 10 million computers and monitors, but there's plenty of mechanics outside by the flight line getting sweaty and dirty. The airforce also has EOD (explosive ordinance disposal. Think Hurt Locker.), special forces, and sec forces which deploys a lot. But they didn't call use the (ch)Air Force for nothing...

[Ace2cool]

Yeah, but our EOD does the same thing underwater :p

I was just messing with ya on that last line, BTW. And I was nuke qualified originally, but I turned that option down and picked my current job (Aviation Electronics), simply because I didn't feel like doing math for the rest of my life. I'm way more hands-on with this job, which is what I like.

Oh, and just for the record, The Navy has more jets than the Air Force :P

Don't get me wrong, if I could go back and do it all again, I would consider the Air Force much more heavily, but all in all, I'm glad I went the route I did.

[Looneybomber]

Yeah, but our EOD does the same thing underwater :p

I was just messing with ya on that last line, BTW. And I was nuke qualified originally, but I turned that option down and picked my current job (Aviation Electronics), simply because I didn't feel like doing math for the rest of my life. I'm way more hands-on with this job, which is what I like.

Oh, and just for the record, The Navy has more jets than the Air Force :P

Don't get me wrong, if I could go back and do it all again, I would consider the Air Force much more heavily, but all in all, I'm glad I went the route I did.

Oh I know you're just messing and I don't deny that we have a lot of cushy jobs. Now that I'm old (relatively speaking) and married w/kids, a cushy job that helps my career in the civilian world (where the money is) is what I want.

[jsturges18]

so as i was recruiter hoping for the past few weeks i was finally told that i cannot enlist right now ude to the surgery i had. they said i have to wait at least a year from the day i had surgery. but when time comes im thinknig air force will be my final decision.

[Looneybomber]

so as i was recruiter hoping for the past few weeks i was finally told that i cannot enlist right now ude to the surgery i had. they said i have to wait at least a year from the day i had surgery. but when time comes im thinknig air force will be my final decision.

Gives you time to get in shape and get on a sleep schedule closer to what you'll do at basic. Lights out at 2100, go to bed at 2130 after making sure your night display and wall locker are squared away, wake up at 0130 for Entry Controller duty (or a different time and only a couple times/week), go back to sleep at 0330, wake up at 0420 when your MTI bangs on the door, get out of bed at 0445 when reveille goes off and go PT.

[jsturges18]

yea thats true already got the gym membership running. but whats this about the air force reserve ive never heard about???? i like the idea of being home and still go to school and all but are the jobs crappy like the national guards?