Finishing School In The Air Force

[LuuisHernandez]

How’s it going? I’m thinking about joining the military, specifically the Air Force. I’m about halfway done with my bachelors, but wanted some opinions or advice from those who have tried or done it: is finishing school in the Air Force a viable option? I’m going for aerospace/mechanical engineering and recruiter made finishing school sound so sweet but with deployment and my job, how much time will I actually have? I don’t want to finish my contract and STILL have to finish a year or whatever of school after; I’d want to ideally come out with my degree and the accompanying experience. Thank you in advance.


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[_Snake_]

If you’re considering stopping college and enlisting full time, don’t do it. You will NOT have the same time or motivation to finish your degree as you do now.

Believe about 25% of what your recruiter says. Some of them are incredibly shady. My first one signed me up for a MOS that was closed and I didn’t find out until the unsigned paperwork was presented to me on my first day at boot camp.

If you really want to enlist now, I’d join the reserves and look at active duty as an officer after you get your degree. FWIW, that’s the path I followed.

 

[Uncle Meat]

In my 21 years in the USAF I saw a LOT of young Airmen get a degree while serving. Almost every base has an education office which specializes in assisting members in getting their degrees. Balancing college classes with full time active duty can be a challenge.

Keep in mind though your duties in the USAF will have to come first before education. Deployments, exercises, and 12-hour shifts will always be a challenge to get around while taking classes. USAF don't give two shits if you have a final tomorrow! Now get out there and gas that damn jet Airman!!!!!

U.M.

 

[silver srt 8]

Agree with snake, save the recruiter part, times have changed..my estimation is 70%

 

[Malern28us]

My daughter is currently in the Air Force and I would agree with Snake also. She keeps saying she wishes she would have gone to college and gotten a degree first.....
She does have a lot of "downtime" but also has stuff she has to do (classes) for her job to keep up to date. There is no rhyme or reason to her schedule sometimes.

 

[ZYBORG]

Do not, I repeat, do NOT enlist to finish your degree.

Finish your degree and go in as an officer.

The difference in pay and quality of life is quite immense.

 

[ssj4sadie]

Do not, I repeat, do NOT enlist to finish your degree.

Finish your degree and go in as an officer.

The difference in pay and quality of life is quite immense.

+65,000

I've been in 12+ years, TSgt, and currently work heavily with O's. My eyes have been opened to just how shitty being enlisted really is.

 

[_Snake_]

For the record.....I went in the Marines as a PFC, made it to Corporal, went to the dark side (officer), and got out as a Captain.

In my opinion, O-3 is the best rank in any branch of service. You’re still with the troops but living well.

 

[DHG1078]

What about an ROTC type program?

 

[LuuisHernandez]

Thanks for the replies guys. I’m at the point where I need to transfer out of my college and any of the 4-year schools out here are in the LA area and that comes with the high living expenses. And a dorm is not an option seeing as I have my fiancé and my son. I don’t want to struggle to get by and have them sacrifice. It’d be for a couple years, granted, but considering Air Force for the accompanying home allowance.


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[DHG1078]

Thanks for the replies guys. I’m at the point where I need to transfer out of my college and any of the 4-year schools out here are in the LA area and that comes with the high living expenses. And a dorm is not an option seeing as I have my fiancé and my son. I don’t want to struggle to get by and have them sacrifice. It’d be for a couple years, granted, but considering Air Force for the accompanying home allowance.


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Cal Poly, SLO has an ROTC program, is one of the top engineering colleges, and is in a beautiful area.

 

[_Snake_]

Red flags:


1.“and the recruiter made finishing school sound so sweet”

2. Joining the military to earn a degree. You’re older and engaged so you might be at less risk, but a large percentage of unsuccessful servicemembers fall into this category (they didn’t really want to be in the military and were using it to pay for college/get out of their hometown/etc)

3. Time. As a junior troop, your free time will be very limited. Deployments, duty, and working parties will keep you plenty occupied and you may not want to spend time on your studies if it conflicts with family time.

4. Money. Have you looked at how much you’ll make as an E-2 with two dependents? Is there enough left over to pay for school?

5. Deployments. There’s the potential for you to be away from you family for extended periods of time. How is your future wife with that? Afterall, she’s going to be the one following you to some town where she doesn’t know anyone and then left when you deploy.

I know it sounds like I’m trying to discourage you from joining, and I promise that’s not the case. I just want to make sure you’ve thought everything through before committing yourself and your family to something for the next 4 years.

 

[raustin0017]

Okay...this is coming from retired 30-year active duty USAF E-9. If you are looking for a secure income, medical for your family and a outstanding challenge for a rewarding career join the AF now. I'm sure already know there is a waiting list just to get to Basic Training. With your current education focused on aerospace sign up and tell the recruiter you want to Loadmaster. You will be in an operational squadron and flying missions. Two sides of the AF: Operations and Support. Operations fly aircraft...every thing else supports the flying mission. Once you get settled at your first base run to the Education Office and sign up to clean up your CCAF. Will be easy and you can CLEP all of the requirements. Then go into the Embry-Riddle Aero office at the Education office and finish your Bachelor Degree. When you finish apply for OTS and cross over to become an Officer. You can get this done in about 4 years with the right motivation. I have served as a Squadron Superintendent, Ops Group Superintendent, and Command Chief and there are countless folks out there who will tell you it is hard to get your education while working full time. Most if not all of those folks fell short of reaching their goals if they even set any at all. I can't tell you how many enlisted professionals I have pushed towards the Ed Office. Many of those became fine officers. Many finished BS and MS degrees. All of them worked their ass off to do it. I waited too darn long before I pulled my head out of my ass and understood what Education can do. My retirement is pretty good but would be well over $100,000 per year if I would have applied myself early in my career and crossed over to be an O.

How to be successful?
1. No matter what job you decide be a professionalism in your primary duty.
2. Work harder than those around you and you will be rewarded.
3. Be involved with your Squadron, Group and Wing.
4. Get as much education as possible. There will be times when you want to quit...don't.
5. Earn Below the Zone to SrA.
6. Study hard for promotions and get to E-5 in your first 4-years.
7. Finish your BS and cross over and become an officer.

Take care and good luck.
Bob

 

[_Snake_]

^^^ great post ^^^

 

[03cobra#694]

^^^ great post ^^^

I'm not in and I agree.

 

[ssj4sadie]

Okay...this is coming from retired 30-year active duty USAF E-9. If you are looking for a secure income, medical for your family and a outstanding challenge for a rewarding career join the AF now. I'm sure already know there is a waiting list just to get to Basic Training. With your current education focused on aerospace sign up and tell the recruiter you want to Loadmaster. You will be in an operational squadron and flying missions. Two sides of the AF: Operations and Support. Operations fly aircraft...every thing else supports the flying mission. Once you get settled at your first base run to the Education Office and sign up to clean up your CCAF. Will be easy and you can CLEP all of the requirements. Then go into the Embry-Riddle Aero office at the Education office and finish your Bachelor Degree. When you finish apply for OTS and cross over to become an Officer. You can get this done in about 4 years with the right motivation. I have served as a Squadron Superintendent, Ops Group Superintendent, and Command Chief and there are countless folks out there who will tell you it is hard to get your education while working full time. Most if not all of those folks fell short of reaching their goals if they even set any at all. I can't tell you how many enlisted professionals I have pushed towards the Ed Office. Many of those became fine officers. Many finished BS and MS degrees. All of them worked their ass off to do it. I waited too darn long before I pulled my head out of my ass and understood what Education can do. My retirement is pretty good but would be well over $100,000 per year if I would have applied myself early in my career and crossed over to be an O.

How to be successful?
1. No matter what job you decide be a professionalism in your primary duty.
2. Work harder than those around you and you will be rewarded.
3. Be involved with your Squadron, Group and Wing.
4. Get as much education as possible. There will be times when you want to quit...don't.
5. Earn Below the Zone to SrA.
6. Study hard for promotions and get to E-5 in your first 4-years.
7. Finish your BS and cross over and become an officer.

Take care and good luck.
Bob

This is good advice for someone already in. But OP isn’t. Better to persevere for 2 more years than commit to a lot of “what if’s” for 4-6.

 

[raustin0017]

I disagree. If he is on the fence about serving and worried about finishing education the AF is a good solid choice with more benefits than most places in corporate America. What happens after 2-years? He will be looking for a job. Twenty years ago if you had a undergrad degree you were almost a lock for a top paying position. Today 4-year degrees are very very common. You don't have to look very far to find many 'educated' people working below what they think they are worth. Times have changed and a graduate degree will grab the eyes of HR folks and put a resume to the top of the stack but less than that you have to get lucky to land that perfect position. Folks who finish a welding tech school can earn more than college grad with a business degree.

Life is about choices. Stay in school and maybe get selected to become an officer or join now as enlisted and cross over? The best officers were prior enlisted. Just look at the current Chief of Staff for the POTUS.

 

[ssj4sadie]

For every good prior enlisted O I can point out a bad one. You yourself spoke about the long wait to enlist. If he has 2 years left of school how long should he DEP for? 9-12 months for a Loadmaster opening? He’d have one year left at that point. It would be dumb to bail at that point.

I’m not trying to dissuade him from joining, but to join as an officer. I know a lot of people with their degrees that have little to no chance of going to the O side. The odds are stacked against you as an enlisted member to cross over as opposed to a non-prior.

 

[Weather Man]

The guys who are motivated find the time and make it happen. With all the online options for higher ed, it has never been easier.

 

[DaleM]

Should be easy since airmen do not do shit anyway.

shamalama ramalama ding dong