Anyone have Air Force job advice?

[LS-Voodoo]

Originally Posted by SuperStock99

Does this mean your parting out your car?.......

Hell to the no, but im sure with so many scavengers around that when I get back from basic all that will be in my drive way will be a unibody on bricks lol

[project_LS1]

I'm a crew chief on a Blackhawk in the Army and freaking love it. There is a ton of work and always switching from days to nights. But you actually get out and do some badass missions with some badass people. Plus its cool to work and fix the helicopter then turn around and go fly on it. Its sweet to do a one wheel landing on top of a house or mountain top, or hover above and fast rope people in. I've known 2 AF guys that were C130 crew chiefs and they loved it. But like Mike said, its a lot of hard work, seems unappreciated, and a lot of shift work. That flight line gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter! Its not for everybody.

[HardcoreABN]

I think the best part of being a C130 or C17 crewchief would be putting out Paratroopers, heavy drops, and CDS bundles

[teenVette]

Being a mechanic is one of the most unappreciated jobs in the military, but it's one of those jobs the military would be nothing without.

[HardcoreABN]

yea, I am done with military maintenance. Getting a new MOS

[BLKSCLS1Z]

There are plenty of Intel jobs on the civilian side if that's the route you choose. Military experience alone will get you pretty far, but most agency jobs will require a degree.

[msydnor]

Originally Posted by BLKSCLS1Z

There are plenty of Intel jobs on the civilian side if that's the route you choose. Military experience alone will get you pretty far, but most agency jobs will require a degree.

Not if you have equivalent work experience, which he would have. If you do intel for years in the AF, you can get into most federal intel related jobs. Degree helps though. I would think if he goes in, he will be smart enough to go to school and have his degree before he gets out. Since intel jobs have pretty set work hours and predictable deployment schedules, there is no reason he should be able to take plenty of classes on active duty once he completes his 5 level.

[LS-Voodoo]

Originally Posted by msydnor

Not if you have equivalent work experience, which he would have. If you do intel for years in the AF, you can get into most federal intel related jobs. Degree helps though. I would think if he goes in, he will be smart enough to go to school and have his degree before he gets out. Since intel jobs have pretty set work hours and predictable deployment schedules, there is no reason he should be able to take plenty of classes on active duty once he completes his 5 level.

This is the plan, If I get crypto then I could use that schooling toward a language degree. There is no reason other than my work ethic once I get in that I should not have a degree

[msydnor]

Originally Posted by LS-Voodoo

This is the plan, If I get crypto then I could use that schooling toward a language degree. There is no reason other than my work ethic once I get in that I should not have a degree

Just you mandatory AF schools and upgrade training will get you close to half way to a bacholers degree. Usually you only have to take a math class and a hand full of other basic classes to get your associates. Most based have places on base to take classes and you can also do online stuff. I know, my dumb ass didn't get my shit done. I was out before I got my Bachelors. I could have probably had a couple different degrees if I had been smarter.

[LS-Voodoo]

Originally Posted by msydnor

Just you mandatory AF schools and upgrade training will get you close to half way to a bacholers degree. Usually you only have to take a math class and a hand full of other basic classes to get your associates. Most based have places on base to take classes and you can also do online stuff. I know, my dumb ass didn't get my shit done. I was out before I got my Bachelors. I could have probably had a couple different degrees if I had been smarter.

I have a year at NC State toward a Engineering degree but ran out of funding. Once im in I hope to use those towards some sort of degree. It may sound cliche but Ill be one of the few to get a college degree in my family and thats VERY important for me. Thanks for the info guys, really has helped

[msydnor]

Originally Posted by LS-Voodoo

I have a year at NC State toward a Engineering degree but ran out of funding. Once im in I hope to use those towards some sort of degree. It may sound cliche but Ill be one of the few to get a college degree in my family and thats VERY important for me. Thanks for the info guys, really has helped

Not cliche at all, so was I. I didn't get mine until I was 40 something after I retired but still got it done. My mom was super proud. They all grew up in a time where school wasn't important and was lucky to go after elementary school.

With the credits you already have, after tech school and upgrade training you may be very close to having your Community College of the Air Force Degree (CCAF). It is an associates degree and specific to your career field. Don't take it light and get it done. It is easy and it's a degree. As soon as that's done, start on your bachelors. If you stay past 4 years it will help your with career progression, if not, you got a free degree for stuff you had to do anyway. I wish I had taken my own advise when I was young.

[CAMELEON]

Originally Posted by msydnor

I wish I had taken my own advise when I was young.

Most people have no idea how true this is. My one true regret in life is not taking advantage of the educational opportunities that were avalable to me, especially at sea.

[teenVette]

Originally Posted by LS-Voodoo

I have a year at NC State toward a Engineering degree but ran out of funding. Once im in I hope to use those towards some sort of degree. It may sound cliche but Ill be one of the few to get a college degree in my family and thats VERY important for me. Thanks for the info guys, really has helped

I feel the same way. I took some classes when I was Active Duty, I wish I would have taken some more since it was free for me.
Go in the Air Force in a career that you will enjoy, if you don't like it, you can't change immediately. You have a certain amount of time before you re-enlist that you can change your AFSB (career).

[BoTiS]

Originally Posted by BLKSCLS1Z

There are plenty of Intel jobs on the civilian side if that's the route you choose. Military experience alone will get you pretty far, but most agency jobs will require a degree.

Fact

[melo yelo]

Hope you didn't sign an open contract.

[LS-Voodoo]

Originally Posted by melo yelo

Hope you didn't sign an open contract.

i have not signed a contract yet, MEPS date is Jan 12th. Care to elaborate on what an "open" contract is? It was explained to me that it will list the 10 jobs that i pick and im guaranteed 1 of those 10.

[HardcoreABN]

an "open contract" will let the air force decide what job you get, regardless of what your preference is. Also known as the "sucker's" contract

[LS-Voodoo]

Originally Posted by HardcoreABN

an "open contract" will let the air force decide what job you get, regardless of what your preference is. Also known as the "sucker's" contract

Nope def wont be signing a contract like that, nor any that have apptitude area as a selection. If it isnt a list of the 10 jobs I select then my signature will not be one it.

[HardcoreABN]

do not sign unless it is THE job you want. when they see you walking out they will probably suddenly find an opening

[CAMELEON]

Originally Posted by HardcoreABN

do not sign unless it is THE job you want. when they see you walking out they will probably suddenly find an opening

Unless you really do not care which of the 10 jobs you get, this is the statement to remember.

Otherwise , the recruiter will get you into the one that he needs to have filled the most not the one you want the most. I had a great recruiter that honestly seemed to care about the people he brought in but got the schools I wanted gauranteed in my contract. Also, bear in mind that if you fail out of class, you get thrown to the wolves as a warm body (at least that is how it was when I was in)

[LS-Voodoo]

Originally Posted by CAMELEON

Unless you really do not care which of the 10 jobs you get, this is the statement to remember.

Otherwise , the recruiter will get you into the one that he needs to have filled the most not the one you want the most. I had a great recruiter that honestly seemed to care about the people he brought in but got the schools I wanted gauranteed in my contract. Also, bear in mind that if you fail out of class, you get thrown to the wolves as a warm body (at least that is how it was when I was in)

The way it was explained is to help speed up the process of being shipped out. I wont head to boot camp until there is a job opening, so if I only list 1 then more than likely itll be a long wait. So the more I list the better my chances, Im ready to go today, ready to get everything goin.

[HardcoreABN]

dont do it...

[melo yelo]

Stand firm on the job selection if that is your primary focus, but but if your main concern is to get wheels up and get things rollin you may want to open your mind up as to jobs open. I mean they could lay ten jobs in front of you and they all be crap are you prepared to take a crap job just to get out of here or what?

I just came off of recruiting duty for the Army about two months ago, so I still have a pretty good understanding of how the process works. Anyways best of luck.

[CAMELEON]

I qualified for every school the Navy had to offer including Nuclear Power. I waited 8 months to get the schools I wanted (Advanced Electronics). I met a lot of people who were unhappy with what they were doing and had to suck it up until it was time to re-enlist (they are VERY flexible when it is time to again sign on the bottom line). I can not speak for the air force (probably not even for the modern navy) , but when I was in, it was a whole lot easier to get good schools BEFORE you sign your life away.


You have to decide if getting what you want out of the military experience is worth more to you than starting that experience now.

[msydnor]

Originally Posted by CAMELEON

Most people have no idea how true this is. My one true regret in life is not taking advantage of the educational opportunities that were avalable to me, especially at sea.

I have a lot of good advice to give, not because I'm some genius, but because I fucked up a lot when I was young.