Joining the Air Force (2024)

GermanInfluence said:

Well, the economy is the suck right now so commissions are WAYYYYY down.

Also, with the internet customers aren't wanting to pay what the used to for cars. It's too easy for dealers to undercut each other. The profit that dealers used to make on every car it's there anymore.

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Too true. Hit up craigslist and search for the car you want under cars by dealer and look for the cheapest one is what people do.

And that cheapest usually is those small used car dealships

Enlisted Aircrew is the way to go. Go for Loadmaster or Boom Operator. I would tend to recommend Loadmaster. You get flight pay also, its about 150-175 per month.

I can tell you alot about this, I you want to know more I can expound.

Horus USAF said:

We should change this to Air Force thread since the Navy has theirs. lol

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:thumbsup:

GermanInfluence-

I served in the USAF for 6 years and I do not regret it at all! Like you, I scored very well on the ASVAB and could have done any job I wanted (that was available). I signed up as Mechanical-Open (as opposed to General-Open) because I wanted a mechanical/hands-on job and the $9k bonus didn't hurt. I chose ten possibilities out of list of mechanical jobs and ended up getting one that I didn't choose. My job was Egress (Aircraft Ejection Systems) which was pretty simple; our tech school was only 6 weeks, which is about as short as they get.

My advice would be to sign up for a job that requires a high ASVAB score otherwise you might be dissapointed/frustrated with some of those that you work with. Also, if you don't plan on making a life career out of the military it would be good to sign up for a job in the AF that can be used in the civilian world (i.e. computers, medical).

Financially, the first couple years might be rough because you won't have much spending money in your wallet. However, the basics will be covered for you, such as food, housing, and medical. Moving up in rank will get you a little more money especially if you are stationed overseas. When I was in Korea and Italy I was able to save up enough money to put a down payment on my GTI that was 3/4 the price of the car!

As with any job, there is good and bad. In the USAF you will have some long days. Base-wide exercises (wearing gasmasks for hours, searching for UXOs, performing first-aid) quickly become tiresome. You will become quite proficient at cleaning because you will get a lot of practice. You will have to obey orders from someone younger than you who out-ranks you.

In case you didnt know how rank worked in the air force:

Depending on what deal you sign when you enter, its possible to come in as an E-3 (after graduating basic training), and it takes either 30 or 36 months in service, or 24 months time as an E-3 (if you were E-1, then E-2 first) before you make E-4. From there, you'll have to take tests and worry about cut-off rates for making E-5. The money isnt too bad. At 3 years in, you'll make 2094/mo plus ~320/mo BAS (for food), if overseas youll get COLA (cost of living allowance, because inflation and whatnot) and if you move off base here in the states, you'll get a BAH for housing and rent. I get $1000 for housing, and my rent, cable, internet,water,trash,etc is only $550. That extra $450, I get to keep! (If you move off base overseas, you do not get the leftovers)

-FF

herksrus said:

Enlisted Aircrew is the way to go. Go for Loadmaster or Boom Operator. I would tend to recommend Loadmaster. You get flight pay also, its about 150-175 per month.

I can tell you alot about this, I you want to know more I can expound.

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I was a Boomer for 20 years.... loved every moment!

I entered as a Jet Engine Mechanic and they had no slots available other than Props at the time. I got sick of waiting after the second week in casual status and they offered me the Boom slot. I'm glad I chose it. I saw the world and got extra pay on top of it. I got a degree to have something to fall back on when I retired at 37.

Get a job of some sort that gets you to go around the world and see things other than stuck behind a desk or in a building all day. I'm glad I did.

If it's for a few years or life... make the best of it and have fun.

Best of luck!

Wild Hare said:

I was a Boomer for 20 years.... loved every moment!

I entered as a Jet Engine Mechanic and they had no slots available other than Props at the time. I got sick of waiting after the second week in casual status and they offered me the Boom slot. I'm glad I chose it. I saw the world and got extra pay on top of it. I got a degree to have something to fall back on when I retired at 37.

Get a job of some sort that gets you to go around the world and see things other than stuck behind a desk or in a building all day. I'm glad I did.

If it's for a few years or life... make the best of it and have fun.

Best of luck!

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In case you were wondering, this guy was a Boom Operator, on a KC-135. I've laid next to one and actually watched an HH-60G AR (air refueling). It's a pretty cool job, and one of the only ones where you can lay on your belly and get paid for it. Be aware that you'll have to attend both survival school and water survival to be an aircrew member, but you'll get tons of extra incentive perks and many tax-free months just for stopping in the AOR one day out of the month.

To the above poster, Focal, the military police sector has reverted back to the old school 'infantry' standpoint. You'll be doing more gate-guarding than patrolling. As far as fitness, I hear it's all fairly the same for the cops, regardless of branch. Army and Marines are stereotyped as more difficult, but thats probably because they are the ones who molest 12 year old girls in japan and put the whole american population on lockdown.

/rant

-FF

Eagle Scout = E-3.

I have that covered. =)

Thanks for all the posts and information.

Mods, can someone change the name of this thread to:

"GolfmkV U.S. Air Force Personnel"