What do you think about enlisting in the Air Force?

[dtebbe]

Originally Posted by joesomebody

Someone earlier mentioned that rank is slow in the Air Force. This is extremely true. I made rank as fast as it is possible and I still didn't make E-5 until 2 months before the end of my 4 year enlistment. And that was even with making Senior Airman (E-4) below the zone (basically you get promoted 6 months before you have the time in service to qualify for it.)

This can also be true in the Army depending on what job you have. Generally speaking, with any branch, the better your job, the slower your rank. I was in the Army and in my MOS E-5 usually took about 6 years IF you busted your ass. You pretty much had to re-train to make E-6. For me, however, I concerned myself much more with learning everything I could OJT, and going to college on the Army dime at night. I spent just under 4 years in, came out with a 2 year degree, and most importantly 3 years of broadcast engineering experience. Got me right in the door at a commercial radio station right out of the Army. Still took me about 4 more years of moving every year to make any money, but that's just the way the broadcast business is.

And I may bust balls about the Air Force being lax, but they do take care of their people. I went to tech school at Lowry AFB and then was fortunate enough to be attached to the Air Force for my first assignment in Greece. My supervisor was a party-hard Air Force E-5, and honestly outside wearing a monkey suit it was like a civilian job.

If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing. It was a huge springboard for me career-wise.

DT

[joesomebody]

Originally Posted by dtebbe

This can also be true in the Army depending on what job you have. Generally speaking, with any branch, the better your job, the slower your rank. I was in the Army and in my MOS E-5 usually took about 6 years IF you busted your ass. You pretty much had to re-train to make E-6. For me, however, I concerned myself much more with learning everything I could OJT, and going to college on the Army dime at night. I spent just under 4 years in, came out with a 2 year degree, and most importantly 3 years of broadcast engineering experience. Got me right in the door at a commercial radio station right out of the Army. Still took me about 4 more years of moving every year to make any money, but that's just the way the broadcast business is.

And I may bust balls about the Air Force being lax, but they do take care of their people. I went to tech school at Lowry AFB and then was fortunate enough to be attached to the Air Force for my first assignment in Greece. My supervisor was a party-hard Air Force E-5, and honestly outside wearing a monkey suit it was like a civilian job.

If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing. It was a huge springboard for me career-wise.

DT

This is another thing I forgot. I think every service has one now, but the Air Force has their own Community College. You can take placement tests for credit, and with taking classes at night it is extremely easy to get your Associate's degree. I got mine within my first two years. A lot of your credits won't transfer to a major university, but smaller schools and definitly internet schools are all to happy to cater to cash paying GI bill recipients.