Air Force, general questions and worries of an enlisted airman?
I am a recent high school graduate and after spending a few weeks in college, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is not for me, not yet at least. I have always expressed interest in the military, specifically the Air Force. I’m looking for an enlisted airman to respond or someone better informed than myself.
My questions
1. After I make the decision to see a recruiter, what goes on in that interview? Do I sign the papers and hop on a bus right there?
2. Are any personal items allowed to be brought to basic training or brought once stationed on a base? Ex; computer, cell phone, etc.
3. After basic training is complete and I’m assigned to a base, what are my expected living arrangements? As a new recruit am I to share a bunk bed with several dozen other recruits in a barracks or do we each have our own apartments, homes, dorms?
4. I’ve heard from friends that there is a written test, a “military S.A.T.”, asfad or something is what I think it was called. From what I’ve been told, one is supposed to take this test asap after joining as this is some sort of intelligence test for the military to see how smart you are and that depending on your score you gain a bonus, higher scores granting higher bonuses and visa versa. Is this true and if so what is the recommended reading or fields of study I should be looking into for preparation of this test?
5. Pay. When do I recieve my first paycheck and how often am I paid a month? I’ve heard rumors that military salaries are tax free. Is this true?
6. Promotions. How long will it take for the average recruit to be promoted to the next rank, and the next rank? What are the factors that contribute to one being promoted? Time, performance, language skills, intelligence? … ass kissing?
7. Career choosing. Once I join, am I allowed to choose my field of work or am I thrown into whatever job the air force needs at the moment? When should I start deciding on a career? Should I research the air force’s website and choose then? Will my recruiter explain jobs to me? As a lost, worried average post high school grad with no idea what he really wants to do for a living, will I be given any guidance on my decision? Is there an aptitude test or skills test I can take that will better help narrow down which career is best for me?
8. After signing up for a four year service commitment, can I go to college while serving these four years and than once graduating with a bachelor’s degree, can I apply to become an officer?
Thank you very much for who ever responds to these questions. I ask that your response is from experience or from being well informed as your answers will very much be deciding which road to take in the metaphorical fork that my life is halted at now.
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5 Responses to “Air Force, general questions and worries of an enlisted airman?”
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Here is just shorter versions of the answers that i know
1.) No, you go over paper work and make sure you have all your documents correct. Then you get scheduled a day you go to a Military Enlistment Process Station) long for MEPS. to take a test to see where you qualify for jobs. then you have to wait for a job to open up for your recruiter to recieve to give you. Basically get the process started soon, if you want to leave after you get out of school.
2.) All of your personal possessions will be put in a locker at basic training. you will receive them at the end of your 8 1/2 weeks. You are allowed to take them to Tech school after basic and your base after that.
3.) After basic all Enlisted go to a Technical Training school for a however long your job assigns it to be. sometimes 3 months sometimes 11months. You do not pick the base. Then after tech school you get your base assignment. You will get your own dorm room with your own bed, you will not have to share.
4.) I think your talking about the ASVAB. It’s the first thing you will do in your process to joining, you get your scores the day you take the test. takes about 2 hours. However good or bad your score is, it will show you what you qualify for job wise. VERY IMPORTANT.
5.) You will receive your first check in basic training, not a actual check. Military only does Direct Deposit. After that you will get paid the 1st and 15th of each month. The checks are NOT tax free. unless your in deployment to iraq or such it would be.
6.) It’s mostly Time. You have to take a test to get to the next rank. But you have to meet certain time requirements before you can test. So maybe once every 2 years or so after the first and second stripe.
7.) You can go Open sections which means the Air force can give you any job they need filling which is a good way to get out of town fast. But they will never make you take a job, it’s your choice. If you do not want a job that your Recruiter offers you, then say no. Nothing personal, you just don’t like doing that job. He will describe them to you. But If your wanting a specific job, it may take a while to get that job you want. I signed up and waited 1 year 8 months and still didn’t get the job i really wanted, but i settled.
8.) You can go to college free while you are in. Night Classes or weekend Classes. And if you decide to get out at 4 years, you can claim your G.I Bill. Which is up to 150,000 or so towards college needs. such as classes, books, car if you need to travel to class in rare cases. So thats a Great Deal when you get out. Don’t know much about officer training sorry. Hope it helps.
i did the same thing.. only it took me almost 2 yrs to go with the AF. I’m not active duty yet but i’ve done a lot of research and i’ll answer the best i can.
1. For my area (Baltimore) we go to MEPS on wednesdays..
I made an appointment w/ my recruiter.. refilled out the application and part of that app. is to write down WHY you want to join! not really a big deal but i made it count. That next wed. i went to his office and he went over ALL of my paperwork with me and reassured me that all the MEPS know and understand about me is what’s in that envelope i’ll be taking with me! So don’t volunteer any extra info to the medic if you know what i mean.
2.you’ll have a list of things you can bring.. in a carry-on duffel bag. A few days worth of civilian clothing is part of what you’ll be bringinig.. cellphones and such however.. are NOT. leave them at home because they would take your cell phone (to return it to you later) but who’s to say what would happen to your things locked up in storage, right?
3. we have dorms, not barracks in the air force and if you are single with no children you will be in a dorm..(you can find out ALL the information you’ll probably wanna know by going to usmilitary.about.com) the best!
4. It’s the ASVAB and it’s more like an IQ test than the SAT in a sense that it tests for your potential to learn certain material rather than how much material you know.. (understand?) and it looks like you haven’t taken it in school so your recruiter will arrange for you to take it asap!! thats like step 1.
5. i dont think it’s tax free. you get paid the 1st and 15th of every month like clockwork. your income depends on your rank.. your rank depends on schooling, years of service and things like that. (if you sign up for 6 yrs instead of 4 you will be an E-3)
6. to me it seem pretty easy to get to E-3. Either use your already earned college credits or sign up for six years.. but regardless of anything you have to wait 20 mos after becoming an E-3 before being promoted to E-4. E-5 – E-9 is a different story.. you have to get special recognition for these.. there are many variables.
7. Your asvab paired with your medical exam results is the equation for figuring what jobs you qualify for. while at MEPS you will be picking four job selections (they’ll give you some sort of list to choose from) and an aptitude area.. (basically your job will atleast be in that area .. say if you dont get the job you are shooting for). mine is electronics.. so if i don’t get my intel, space communications, or ground radar systems .. i’ll atleast know it’ll be some other sort of electronics job! (again.. read about this at about.com) (google it!!)
8. this question is kind of complicated because i want to say yes.. but then there are factors that need paying attention to.. like time management. and if the job you have will allow for enough time to get extra studies in.. dont get me wrong there are a lot of benefits and there are many colleges who like to work with active duty members and veterans so do your research and go for it~
I was basically the same way after HS. I have been enlisted for almost 8 years now.
Some of the answers also depend on which job you are joining for. Could be better conditions for easier jobs, or worse for more extreme jobs.
1. you can pretty much control how the first interview goes. you can ask the recruiter whatever you want to know about the AF. you will not be signing any papers or hopping on a bus right then and there. you will first set up a time to go to MEPS where they give you some tests to see if you qualify for the AF or any job you choose. just go see a recruiter and tell them you are interested in joining, and they can discuss the options. don’t be worried at all. unless you’re a criminal or something.
2. no, personal items like that aren’t going to be brought to basic training. you’re pretty much given everything you need for basic. once you are out of training and go to your first base for technical training, then you can have your personal items.
3. after basic you go to tech school to learn your specific job. it will most likely be in a dorm. you will probably be in a room with one or two roommates. most likely nothing extreme like a barracks with dozens of roommates.
4. yes there is the ASVAB test. alot of people actually take this test during high school (i did). if you haven’t already, then you’ll probly take it either at the recruiters or at MEPS. it basically shows which jobs you are qualified for. then certain jobs receive a bonus, if you choose it and are qualified for it. not really any specific reading you should study. just everything you’ve learned through school, and common sense.
5. i can’t remember if you get paid during basic or if it starts as soon as you get out. but you’ll get paid twice a month on the 1st and 15th. no, salary is not tax free. unless you are deployed (which i currently am). then it is tax free, and you receive extra pay.
6. for the first two or three ranks, it is basically time. certain amount of months till you reach the next rank. performance only really matters if it is negative, and you get in trouble, can possibly lose rank. i think it was about 6 months for the first rank, then about 10 months for the next. (recruiter can answer exactly)
7. depending on your score on the ASVAB you qualify for certain jobs. yes the recruiter can explain jobs for you. then you can pick a job that you’re qualified for. depending on availability you can get that job, or if you don’t qualify for much, then they could possibly throw you into something that they need. the ASVAB is your aptitude or skills test basically. it will show what you are good at, your knowledge level, etc.
8. yes, after you join you can sign up to take classes at the education center. most likely won’t be able to take classes until after your tech school and are permanently assigned to a base. once you have a bachelors degree, yes you can apply for OTS (officers training school) don’t know exactly how all that works, ask the recruiter.
what it comes down to, is if you’re interested go see a recruiter. they have most of the answers, or can get you the answers. that’s what their job is and what they are paid for. you won’t be signing any contract or anything your first visit or be shipped off. it’s just informational to answer all your questions.
May I suggest meeting with an Air National Guard recruiter in addition to an Air Force Recruiter? You would likely find it easier to attend college while serving in a Guard Unit, and you may also find promotions come quicker in the Air National Guard. Keep in mind that traditional Air National Guard positions are (after training) “part time” positions … so living arrangements and a full-time job (or college) would be your responsibility — but you can get the Air National Guard to help pay for college.
My husband joined the Air National Guard as a 17-year-old high school student. After graduating from high school, he want off to Basic and then on to Tech school and learned how to be an aircraft mechanic. He returned home, stayed in the Guard as a traditional Guardsman, and attended college. By the time he’d graduated from college with a B.A., he was an F-16 Crew Chief and had traveled to both Panama and Germany for short deployments (voluntary.)
Then he applied for pilot training, attended OCS and was commissioned as an Officer, and went on to complete pilot training — as an F-16 pilot. My husband is STILL in the Air National Guard as a pilot, and is approaching his 26 year mark. He has been full-time, active duty, for a number of years (there are full-time active duty positions in the Guard, as well as traditional Part Time Guard positions) … and he LOVES what he does.
There are some good things about the Air Force. And there are some good things about the Air National Guard. My advice? Consider both and see what would be best for you.
And my I suggest a WONDERFUL military forum where you will get solid advice from LOTS of military people? http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=ab-usmilitary I would really recommend reposting your question there and seeing what responses you get.
In the meantime, get the book “ASVAB for DUMMIES” and follow its advice. The guy who wrote that book, by the way, posts in the forum that I just linked for you.
AIM HIGH!
Hello Derek,
Before we start: “IF” you want to become an officer you are going to have to stay in college and get a 4 year degree first. I don’t know how many people in the country still believe all the WWII movies about enlisted people getting commissioned. All the services want officers who are 4 year college graduates. Get it first. Maybe only 100 a year will qualify for the “internal” enlisted to officer program. You can NOT bank on this and will be very unhappy if you “think” that just because you apply you will be accepted. EVERYTHING in the military is all about the NEEDS of the Military. You adjust and adapt to its NEEDS and that is how you succeed.
Before you visit a recruiter you need to go to this website and learn about the Air Force:
usmilitary.about.com
Click on the TABS and follow along.
Now, first, you will have to take the ASVAB military test. Yes, it is like a college SAT/ACT test, only geared to the military. Multiple choice questions. Go to the mall book store and invest $20 and buy the Practice for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery exams. Work the book cover to cover before you visit the recruiter. Your score will improve because you will be familiar with the test beforehand.
Next, you don’t sign on the papers and get on the bus the next day. You are scheduled to take the ASVAB officially for score, you are scheduled to receive an enlistment physical to see if you qualify medical wise for entry. When your ASVAB test scores are reviewed you and your recruiter will go over them and the 4 field areas that you can best serve in: Mechanical, Electronics, General, Administrative. Usually, the areas with your highest scores will be the areas where you can succeed the best. By studying the different AF jobs before hand from the website you should know what top 5 jobs you are interested in.
You want to try to get a guaranteed entry on paper into one of these job areas. Of course, the recruiter has monthly quotas to fill certain jobs to keep the Air Force schools running continuously. But, if your job is not needed to fill a school slot you could wait for it. The recruiter will keep you on the top of the list (you tell him/her that) until that job is available. They don’t want to lose you. I had my recruiter wait 9 months for me back in 1961.
When you are ready to go all your paperwork will be gathered, you will be sworn into the military at the MEPS by an officer and you are IN. You depart usually by plane for Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas for 8 1/2 weeks of basic training.
You will get a check list of what to bring from civilian life. You don’t need much. The check list is also on the website. Extras will be confiscated and discarded.
After basic training you go to Air Force technical school directly to learn about your military job. It can be either in Texas or Mississippi. Then, after technical school you will get a 2 week leave before reporting to your first base. When you get there you will reside in the base’s barracks/dormitories that are at that base for single Airmen. Although basic training is a group living environment and technical school can have 3 people per room, at your base of assignment you will probably be in a dormitory in a single room, about 96 square feet (8 x 12 feet). No. No homes or apartments – sorry.
Promotions: A Basic Airman is promoted to Airman within 6 months if he is recommended by his Commander due to good behavior and progress. An Airman is promoted to Airman First Class in about 9 months if he is recommended by his Commander as fully qualified. A promotion to Senior Airman usually comes in the Airman’s 3rd year in the service. After that, you compete each year by taking two 100 question annual exams; one on your job and one on your Air Force knowledge. Depending on the needs of the military to fill SSgt, TSgt, MSgt, SMSgt, CMSgt positions the people with the highest scores in the percentage needed will be promoted. The Air Force does not believe in butt-kissing. It will not get anyone ahead. Only dedication to duty, skill in duty, and doing what is right.
YOU should research all the Air Force jobs and know about them before you deal with the recruiter. The recruiter’s job is to get as many people into the military each month. If you are undecided or wishy-washy or “need” to get in tomorrow, he will put you in whatever he can and be done making his quota. YOU will have to live 4 years with it. Most people only hear what they want to hear and now what it actually IS. So if you ask a question and you get the answer, “You CAN sign up for such and such” it does NOT mean that you WILL get what you sign up for. The needs of the military always come first.
College classes are taught on base after hours. You will be able to take one or two after you have been fully qualified to do your job. It took me 9 years to earn my B.S. degree overseas from the University