Thinking about joining the USAF.

[Ikith]

I'm thinking about joining the USAF but I want some information from a recruiter but I just don't know what to start asking about. Any suggestions?

Edit: USAF = United States Air Force just in case anyone gets confused.

[Cephius]

In before "The military sux vs Abandon" but why do you want to join? Money for school? Career?

[Tyche]

I have a friend in the Air Force. He fucking loves it. He's reenlisted twice.

[Kainos]

It would help if you explain what you are looking to get out of joining. Education? Become a pilot? Money? There is also the choice of enlisting vs becoming an officer. Officers make more money and if you are looking for a career in the AF it is probably the best way to go.

Also, keep in mind that recruiters are trying to make a quota so don't get talked into anything.

[Sqwunk]

Become a pilot? There is also the choice of enlisting vs becoming an officer. Officers make more money and if you are looking for a career in the AF it is probably the best way to go.

The amount of pilots in the USAF is pretty low, I think only like 10% of everyone in the USAF are pilots, iirc the navy has more pilots.

Becoming an officer is highly highly competitive if thats what he's thinking about doing for better pay.

[Mjd]

My friend lost his job and enlisted to pay the bills. He loves it.

You might also want to look into the reserves.

[Ikith]

I was thinking about becoming a pilot but I doubt my eyesight is up to par with the requirements since it is pretty shitty and I hear no glasses or contacts are allowed if you are flying but if I could I would go that route. If I can't go that route I want something in the IT field or something along those lines.

My cousin is in the Air Force so anything I get told he asked me to bounce off of him to check if its true.

[willriker]

Airforce is good. If you do enlist, and become a pilot... which is no small task. You do not stand a huge chance of being shot down. Id say, with experience in blackhawks, most downings are pilot/maintenance errors as opposed to actually being shot down. Nowadays, the machines tend to be rather robust and over engineered. This combined with the realization that US Air Fields tend to not be terribly close to enemy combatants, they dont want to place undue risk on their air craft, and you have an environment that is relatively safe to work in. Certainly it is safer than the Army grunts.

The big question is if you are ok with being the one responcible for releasing death and havok with the push of a button, or if you are ok with being a cog in the wheel that is designed to killing the adversary as fast and completely as possible. Then you need to think about the colateral damage.

This isnt ment to be a judgement against your decision either way, I just really think people need to consider what they will be participating in before enlisting. Many people can find that this responcibility turns out to be something more than they signed up for. I have a friend like that. He was a pilot. He was never the same after coming back. When he does talk about it, he wont tell you a story about being in a fire fight or anything of that sort. He will tell you about how the disassociation between him and his target really took a toll on him, mentaly.

Just something to think about really. However you decide, its is your choice. It is good that you are asking around about the experiences other people have had. You should be comended for that. Go into that with your eyes wide open. Dont be one of those goons that just want to fly a jet, without an understanding of what they will be doing in the jet.

[Ikith]

Airforce is good. If you do enlist, and become a pilot... which is no small task. You do not stand a huge chance of being shot down. Id say, with experience in blackhawks, most downings are pilot/maintenance errors as opposed to actually being shot down. Nowadays, the machines tend to be rather robust and over engineered. This combined with the realization that US Air Fields tend to not be terribly close to enemy combatants, they dont want to place undue risk on their air craft, and you have an environment that is relatively safe to work in. Certainly it is safer than the Army grunts.

The big question is if you are ok with being the one responcible for releasing death and havok with the push of a button, or if you are ok with being a cog in the wheel that is designed to killing the adversary as fast and completely as possible. Then you need to think about the colateral damage.

This isnt ment to be a judgement against your decision either way, I just really think people need to consider what they will be participating in before enlisting. Many people can find that this responcibility turns out to be something more than they signed up for. I have a friend like that. He was a pilot. He was never the same after coming back. When he does talk about it, he wont tell you a story about being in a fire fight or anything of that sort. He will tell you about how the disassociation between him and his target really took a toll on him, mentaly.

Just something to think about really. However you decide, its is your choice. It is good that you are asking around about the experiences other people have had. You should be comended for that. Go into that with your eyes wide open. Dont be one of those goons that just want to fly a jet, without an understanding of what they will be doing in the jet.

If I went that route I totally and completely understand what I would be doing to the fullest extent.

Edit: Just read about becoming a pilot in the air force and I do not meet the requirements at all not even close. (On ask.com)

[alt]

You have to be an officer to become a pilot. Or at least a Warrant Officer, however I don't know if the Air Force has Warrant Officers off the top of my head. I know the Army does however.

[Phey]

Air Force has no Warrant Officers. I just got out 6 months ago was enlisted E-5 I didn't enjoy the 70 hour work weeks while not deployed.

[Abandon]

No info on the Air Force, but I don't mind doing research if you need it.

[Abandon]

In before "The military sux vs Abandon" but why do you want to join? Money for school? Career?

lol

[darkepyon]

I think they did away with warrant officers in the 60s or 70s. They're still legally able to issue the rank, but they haven't done so in forever. As for the pilot thing, yeah it is crazy Your GPA and everything else have to be up there and you have to go through a number of tests. I think there are only 1400 or so slots for flight school. On top of that, a 54-week program wrought with 12-hour days 5-7 days a week (not including studying once you get home). The shit's pretty hardcore. A lot of people go in with dreams of ripping through the skies in a fighter jet but end up flying C-130s and the like or not flying at all. If the pilot thing doesn't pan out, there could be another MOS that would work out just fine.

[lovehatehero]

Dont let the requirements fool you. Just about ANY thing is waiverable to allow you to fly. But to fly you must have a minimum of a BA and go to OCS. You have to take a test before they even think about sending you if called the AOQT( airforce officer qualifying test) and score at LEAST a 25 on it. If you pass that, and they actually send you to OCS ( officer candidate school ) , officer boot camp basically, based on how well you place in your group you pick what platforms of flying you would like to be in(F-15's 22's etc etc.). Its no easy task, but not impossible. Thats just a brief summary of it, a recruiter would be able to get you more details.

[ozz]

is it possible to ensure or atleast have a high probability of getting a pilot seat before signing anything? i'm a g ass kid but I don't want to sign up and get f'd over

[Abandon]

You have a better chance of being a pilot by joining the Navy, truth be told.

[USMC]

is it possible to ensure or atleast have a high probability of getting a pilot seat before signing anything? i'm a g ass kid but I don't want to sign up and get f'd over

No, I don't think so. The Airforce is actually the branch that is least known for giving you exactly what job you want. It's because there's so many people in already, who stay in longer, and because there's a lot trying to join. Not like the Marine Corps and the Army where if a recruiter tells you that you have a job, you pretty much have that job. The AF is still a good choice though, shorter deployments, and the AF has a lot of the best facilities and schools.

[Zoolander]

is it possible to ensure or atleast have a high probability of getting a pilot seat before signing anything? i'm a g ass kid but I don't want to sign up and get f'd over

No, that is not how the military works. wtf is a g ass kid? lol

[lovehatehero]

You have a better chance of being a pilot by joining the Navy, truth be told.

Fact. If you REALLY want to fly, navy is the way to go. And WHAT you fly is based on how well you do in OCS. You pick what sort of officer you want to be, IE. medical, flight, surface etc etc. When you pick flight, you follow the appropriate path and based on pt scores, test scores etc while in OCS is where you pick the platform. Jets, helos, etc etc. So yes you can pick if you want to fly, you will, if you qualify of course, but what you are going to fly is all on you in OCS.


EDIT- For those saying NO to being assured a pilot spot, i can only speak for the navy cause it's what i know best, but in the navy when you pick to go officer and pass the pilot tests and take that route, you are guaranteed to fly( baring you dont fail out etc etc ), but like i said above what you fly is up in the air