Calling all AF guys

[faststang87]

Well guys I have been wanting to do this for quite sometime now, and so I am going to enlist in the Air Force. I am wanting to know a couple of things first. If I start out in a reserve unit, can I go to Active Duty if I decide to do so. Also I want to do Security Forces, is my MOS guaranteed? I am cop now, and someone said that it is if your civilian job relates to it you can get it. I also want to try and do Para-rescue, I know its hard and very difficult to do, so are there PJ's on here. Is that something that I would try for during basic? or is that something I could sign up for at a later time. Last question, are the reserves basic training the same as Active's? Like does it include the air mens run as well. Thanks for your guy's help and thanks for your service! :beer:

 

[mustangjunkie]

I will help as much as I can. Reserve, Guard, and Active duty all go to the same BMT in Lackland.

Security Forces is pretty much guaranteed. I believe you can actually get a pretty decent bonus going into it. It is undermanned, and they are always looking for people.

I believe Pararescue, Combat Control, EOD, etc, stuff like that is stuff you can apply for while in Basic. Thats how it was for me anyways. You have to stay on your TI's though, a number of people that wanted to do those ended up not being able to because they were not told about their appointments to fill out the paperwork for it.

Good luck, and congrats! Im here at MacDill, and Ive loved the AF for the most part. Im in Vehicle Operations.

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me. Im no expert at everything you asked, Im sure others will chime in.

Also, I want to say its tougher going reserve to active, than active to reserve. Not 100% sure though.

 

[jerrad]

Well guys I have been wanting to do this for quite sometime now, and so I am going to enlist in the Air Force. I am wanting to know a couple of things first. If I start out in a reserve unit, can I go to Active Duty if I decide to do so. Also I want to do Security Forces, is my MOS guaranteed? I am cop now, and someone said that it is if your civilian job relates to it you can get it. I also want to try and do Para-rescue, I know its hard and very difficult to do, so are there PJ's on here. Is that something that I would try for during basic? or is that something I could sign up for at a later time. Last question, are the reserves basic training the same as Active's? Like does it include the air mens run as well. Thanks for your guy's help and thanks for your service! :beer:

Yes you can go from reserves to active.
In the reserves you're job is in your contract, I'm unsure about active.
Basic is the same for both.

Being a PJ is nearly impossible. PJ training has the highest wash out rate among all Spec op training. If you want to be a PJ you might look at being a paramedic first before enlisting. The school is nearly 2 years long.

 

[lwrs10]

I did 6yrs in the AF, so heres my take....

security forces is a job you will not have trouble getting. I had a few friends who were SF, and they worked some very long hours, and deployed alot...

there is alot of other things I heard.....like anyone can be SF, blah, blah......but if that is what you want to do go for it. I know there is a few guys on here that are SF and can answer your questions better....

FWIW I was F15, A10, and U2 avionics....

 

[faststang87]

I will help as much as I can. Reserve, Guard, and Active duty all go to the same BMT in Lackland.

Security Forces is pretty much guaranteed. I believe you can actually get a pretty decent bonus going into it. It is undermanned, and they are always looking for people.

I believe Pararescue, Combat Control, EOD, etc, stuff like that is stuff you can apply for while in Basic. Thats how it was for me anyways. You have to stay on your TI's though, a number of people that wanted to do those ended up not being able to because they were not told about their appointments to fill out the paperwork for it.

Good luck, and congrats! Im here at MacDill, and Ive loved the AF for the most part. Im in Vehicle Operations.

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me. Im no expert at everything you asked, Im sure others will chime in.

Also, I want to say its tougher going reserve to active, than active to reserve. Not 100% sure though.

Thanks man I appreciate your help! It helped out a lot. And I will PM you if I have any questions! Again thanks. :beer:

Yes you can go from reserves to active.
In the reserves you're job is in your contract, I'm unsure about active.
Basic is the same for both.

Being a PJ is nearly impossible. PJ training has the highest wash out rate among all Spec op training. If you want to be a PJ you might look at being a paramedic first before enlisting. The school is nearly 2 years long.

I know I heard that the PJ training is very hard to do. I did not know that the school was nearly two years long that is intense.

I did 6yrs in the AF, so heres my take....

security forces is a job you will not have trouble getting. I had a few friends who were SF, and they worked some very long hours, and deployed alot...

there is alot of other things I heard.....like anyone can be SF, blah, blah......but if that is what you want to do go for it. I know there is a few guys on here that are SF and can answer your questions better....

FWIW I was F15, A10, and U2 avionics....

I am glad I figured people say stuff about SF's but that is anywhere. How was MEPS was it strict?

 

[lwrs10]

Thanks man I appreciate your help! It helped out a lot. And I will PM you if I have any questions! Again thanks. :beer:



I know I heard that the PJ training is very hard to do. I did not know that the school was nearly two years long that is intense.



I am glad I figured people say stuff about SF's but that is anywhere. How was MEPS was it strict?

strict as in drug test/screening?

 

[faststang87]

strict as in drug test/screening?

Just as the over all screening, for example I have a pin in my hip that I have had since I was in the 7th grade, has never gave me one problem, I mean hell I graduated the Police academy. I was just wondering if they are strict on that type of stuff.

 

[jerrad]

Talk to a recruiter about that. You might have to get a waiver or your recruiter might say it doesn't matter.

 

[faststang87]

Ok I will. Thanks!

 

[jerrad]

NP man. I've been going through this process for a few months now so everything is fresh on my mind. lol

 

[99navert]

I was SF from 04-08 if you have any specific questions about the career field let me know.

 

[Fire Pig]

I was Security Forces 2002-2006 then cross trained into Firefighter/EMT 2006-2008.
6 years active duty total.
Ill try my best to answer your questions also.

 

[yelostang]

Check out Specialtactics.com: Pararescue, Combat Control, CRO, STO, SERE, and SOWT Information for CCT/PJ related material. Make sure you do a search before you post anything because more than likely the question has been asked before.

 

[THE_STIG]

PJ school has IIRC a ~90% wash out rate, its damn near impossible but if you think you can do it by all means go for what you want. When I went through BMT, half of my flight went SF, I still talk to a bunch of them, they all seem to enjoy it, except two guys who got stationed at Minot AFB. As for BMT, Guard/Reserve/Active all go to together. I'm Guard so if you have any questions let me know.

 

[svtcobrar2004]

cop here also. it's a love hate thing. if you like standing at a gate for 12 hours checking id's.. pointless remounts/recalls.. deployments and working with assholes who don't care becuase it was the only job they could get.

But not all bases are like that. you'll learn a lot and do a lot. But expect a lot of bullshit.

PJ? lol if you can swim over 2 miles, tread water for an hour/s get only 5 or less hours of sleep almost everyday. if you werent a athlete since you could walk.. don't bother. it literally is superman school. But if you REALLY want to.. talk to your recruiter and ask to take the PAST test to qualify and get a guarnteed slot for PJ when you go to BMT. Don't wait until BMT to ask.. i tried getting into TACP and they turned me away becuase it was ''overmaned''.. ****ers are just lazy and dont want you to waste their time. Go in guarnteed.. and if you wash out YOU WILL GET SF!

 

[mc0311grunt]

Just as the over all screening, for example I have a pin in my hip that I have had since I was in the 7th grade, has never gave me one problem, I mean hell I graduated the Police academy. I was just wondering if they are strict on that type of stuff.

Meps is a lot of hurry up and wait(at least the last time I was there in 2003 when I enlisted) Just full physical, tests, and stuff like that. Not hard in the least bit. I will say this. Don't let that "You will be fined $10000 and up to 6 months in Jail for lying about something medical" sign scare ya. Use your own judgement on that. Other than that I can't say much about any AF training since I wasn't in the air force

 

[JustaGT]

I'm in the AF Reserve and I'm SF. I actually am working on active duty right now. As AF Resereve you should be able to sign doing what you want. Sometimes SF even has a small sign on bonus. Check into any "kicker" programs for schooling also. Any other questions PM me because I forget to check this part of the forum a lot.

 

[divided]

I always hear there is a long wait in dep before joining the Air Force, even as SF. Is that not true? By the sounds of it they're always looking for people.

 

[svtcobrar2004]

I always hear there is a long wait in dep before joining the Air Force, even as SF. Is that not true? By the sounds of it they're always looking for people.

who knows, but as of right now the air force is doing a huge roll back, kicking out all the people that ****ed up because the air force is ''over manned'' ..which is somewhat true.

 

[divided]

What constitutes a **** up? Or are they just alot more strict with punishments?