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Any Air Force guys here? My kid is thinking about it

beyond the band

beyond the band

cantankerous newb
Joined
Mar 30, 2007
Messages
2,980
My son is 21 and a computer science major but he's in a spot. 3 years in JC, changed his major year one. Doesn't have the credits to transfer to a 4 year due to some lack of proper planning on his part.
Anyway after some discussions with him and he has realized he's got to make a change I finally got him to go see a recruiter. 
He is qualified in the respect of no record, tattoos, kids, drug use, etc. He took the practice ASFAB in the office and scored 96.
The recruiter almost jumped out of his skin. 
Needless to say we are gathering all Jacobs documents and filling out all the paperwork for the second step.
I couldn't be more proud right now.
Any advice from vets would be greatly appreciated.
 
 
I spent 2 1/2 years as a NAVY Recruiter...........if he ever gets his head on right.   :laugh:
 
The ASVAB has several parts and depending how you score they offer jobs up.One thing to be careful about is the name the jobs have. One is Aerospace Ground Equipment Mechanic, sounds awesome no? You work servicing and delivering stands and power units.Recruiters are pretty good for the most part, but they are working on quotas, so be careful and ask questions tell them to show you the actual description of the job being offered. I would also ask where the assigment will be, nothing like working the flightline at Minot to realize what a mistake you made and you'll be stuck there for 3 years befire you can move on.
 
Good luck to him as he made a wise choice in figuring out that he wasn't making it in school.
 
tone-ny said:
The ASVAB has several parts and depending how you score they offer jobs up.One thing to be careful about is the name the jobs have. One is Aerospace Ground Equipment Mechanic, sounds awesome no? You work servicing and delivering stands and power units.Recruiters are pretty good for the most part, but they are working on quotas, so be careful and ask questions tell them to show you the actual description of the job being offered. I would also ask where the assigment will be, nothing like working the flightline at Minot to realize wahat a mistake you amde and you'll be stuck there for 3 years befire you can move on.
 
Good luck to him as he made a wise choice in figuring out that he wasn't making it in school.
Click to expand...
 
Sound advice.
 
Don't believe anything a recruiter tells you and get any promises made in writing, signed in triplicate. Remember, when your son signs that contract, he's giving his country a blank check for up to, and including his life. It's not just a job opportunity.

Doc
 
I agree with doc....oh and I'm sure Air Force was a typo. You meant Navy right?? :)
 
DO NOT go Open General.  If he wants a specific job (research them all), then he might find himself waiting a bit until a slot opens, but that is a very worthwhile decision.  His recruiter will most likely try to get him to ship as soon as possible by taking whatever is out there.  Keep in mind, also, as qualified as he may be in the noggin, the Class III flight physical he takes at MEPS is going to decide what jobs he is and isn't qualified for.  For instance, any sort of depth perception issues will most likely preclude him from anything in enlisted aviation (fought that one fruitlessly for nearly two years while I was in...).  Not to be a downer on that one, but just make sure he knows that before getting too excited about a guaranteed job.  
 
As said, research the jobs he may be interested in (www.about.com lists them all with some general government statements, and some even go a bit further with real-world descriptions) and then find out what bases these jobs are most likely located at, both CONUS and OCONUS.  Some jobs are limited to only two or three bases worldwide.  Some even less.  If he is coming in for the education benefits, mainly, wait until after 1 Oct and see what is decided for tuition assistance budgeting.  It was restored for this fiscal year, but will be reevaluated come the new one.  Rumor is it is going to go back down to 75% TA for active duty and dependents are going to be ass-out.  Just something to keep in mind.  
 
All sound advice. Thanks fellas
I just got the last piece of stuff he needs in the mail today.
We will go back Tuesday and turn everything in.
Stay tuned.
 
My wife works in higher Ed/post secondary education. I could be wrong, but I believe I've heard her say if you enter military service with a degree, you can start as a higher rank? Officer? Someone please correct me if that's wrong/misinformation.
 
Army, Sounds like good things are in store for a new beginning. Army, be sure to be thorough in all your decisions that you make. Army, remember that your son may be placed in harm's way.
Army, that harm's way may be on land, sea or air. Army, for me to serve was a honor setting aside political policies and the harm's way. Army, to serve is a good thing. Army, to serve for right reason's is
paramount. Army, it's not just a job and going in for just that reason would be a mistake.
 
 "Fools follow after vanity, men of evil wisdom. The wise man keeps earnestness as his best jewel."
 
Like my father told me, a combat Army vet, 1st ID. "Do you like clean sheets? Good hot food? Don't join the Army."
 
Doc
 
JHolmes763 said:
What kind of work is he interested in?
Click to expand...
He's interested in computer science.

Bayamos said:
Army, Sounds like good things are in store for a new beginning. Army, be sure to be thorough in all your decisions that you make. Army, remember that your son may be placed in harm's way.
Army, that harm's way may be on land, sea or air. Army, for me to serve was a honor setting aside political policies and the harm's way. Army, to serve is a good thing. Army, to serve for right reason's is
paramount. Army, it's not just a job and going in for just that reason would be a mistake.
 
 "Fools follow after vanity, men of evil wisdom. The wise man keeps earnestness as his best jewel."
Click to expand...
Hmm wonder where your loyalty lies  :laugh:
 
I'm not the best source of advice for what you're looking for, but from what I've gathered over the years, most of the advice here is spot on.  I am in a staff right now with a robust J6 directorate (that's joint communications) which is mostly USAF comm guys.  Let me ask some of them and I'll pass what I learn.
 
I'd also like to pass on to your son to consider enlisted aviation.  Loadmasters are near and dear to me as a C-130 pilot, but some of the spookier platforms have enlisted aviators doing all sorts of cool, technical stuff.  Plus he'd be aircrew, and that's not a bad life.
 
I'd also be remiss as we push forward into the "new normal" for the military... how is your son at languages?
 
Doc and Anthony said it best Matt. Recruiters do have quotas, so no matter how nice they seem, get everything guaranteed in writing.

My recruiter promised me Avionics, but was surprised at the end of boot camp when I found out my MOS was going to be working on flight line ground support equipment........ Even though I did well and tested well. Luckily someone down the line saw something in me and I made a Lat Move to aircraft structural.

Like I told my young brother in law.... If you feel you need that discipline boot stuck up your ass then go into the USMC, but make sure you do something you can take away that transfers into a career in civilian life.
If you want a career and to live in the best barracks, and eat in the best chow halls, go into the USAF.

They are both great branches, just two totally different animals.
 
My son, now 33, joined the USAF right after high school. He loves anything computer related and doesn't really get excited about firearms so this branch worked out well for him. It opened his eyes to how big the world is and he used the GI bill to get his college degree since we didn't have enough finances at the time to help him. He ended up going to the Air Reserve because he works for my wife's company now. 
 
He is now an officer in his unit and is very independent so the wife and I don't worry about his future too much. I think things will work out the best for everyone involved, Matt. My 02.
 
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