looking into the AIR FORCE

[n8ball2013]

im going to tell my story on this.

I was 18. no money for school. no way my parents could pay for it. In a dead end town with a chair factory and lumber plant and the nearest semi big city 30 minutes away. I enlisted in the marine corps and left for boot camp. Did my thing in the Marines for 8 yrs. Watched and buried countless childhood friends from stupid shit. Almost all have kids or multiple DUIs. They think making 30 grand a year is great pay. not good but great. I've been home maybe a dozen times since that day in 2000. Nothing there except the girls who wanted nothing to do with me before I left now love me because I'm not a local anymore. Except they all have something I don't want lol. Fast forward to today

I'm 28 yrs old. Own my own home. I'm married and have absolutely no bills besides my house bills cars insurance and cell. I made over 100k last year. And I can directly contribute that to walking away from everythign I knew at the time and enlisting the Marine Corps taught me everything I know about my job and invoked the things in me that have caused me to do well with my current job. If I had stayed at home and done what everyone else did, I might be dead. At the very least I wouldnt be living the life I have now.

Just something to think about. I find my story is very similar to alot of people who are contemplating this very decision.

[FiBTLforlife]

im going to tell my story on this.

I was 18. no money for school. no way my parents could pay for it. In a dead end town with a chair factory and lumber plant and the nearest semi big city 30 minutes away. I enlisted in the marine corps and left for boot camp. Did my thing in the Marines for 8 yrs. Watched and buried countless childhood friends from stupid shit. Almost all have kids or multiple DUIs. They think making 30 grand a year is great pay. not good but great. I've been home maybe a dozen times since that day in 2000. Nothing there except the girls who wanted nothing to do with me before I left now love me because I'm not a local anymore. Except they all have something I don't want lol. Fast forward to today

I'm 28 yrs old. Own my own home. I'm married and have absolutely no bills besides my house bills cars insurance and cell. I made over 100k last year. And I can directly contribute that to walking away from everythign I knew at the time and enlisting the Marine Corps taught me everything I know about my job and invoked the things in me that have caused me to do well with my current job. If I had stayed at home and done what everyone else did, I might be dead. At the very least I wouldnt be living the life I have now.

Just something to think about. I find my story is very similar to alot of people who are contemplating this very decision.

wow man thanks for that. I've thought about the air force since high school. im 22 right now and been going to college for 4 years. My fiance is a really big air force type girl and was actually telling me to join. she loves the traveling factor and has grown up around this type of life style. yes you are away from your family at times, but if you love each other that dont matter. I find that my parents and sister are threatend by what we have in our relationship, i dont say this much but she is the only girl i have ever dated and only girl ill sleep with. lets just say its true love. anyway, i want to provide for her and get out of school without owing so much money i can buy a house with it. I estimated i would save over $150,000 after i get out of my DPT school being with the air force. thats 150,000 i didnt have to pay.

[Nic]

DEP program for US Navy.... asvab is easy paper work is straight fwd and they dont sucker you into anything... but ask questions... sit down and really think about everything you want to know and write it down... when you go meet the recruiter bring those questions and ask them... Good Luck to ya...

[Nic]

how far are you from your bachelors? if your close hold out and try for officer spot in any branch...

[sayhuh?]

2 years of school?? Try for the Academy. Let them pay for school and become an Officer. Nothing wrong with enlisting and if you do enlist ask to be a 1C6 (trust me, the job is worth it), but once you are in...work to finish your degree and then try for OTS and become an officer. You aren't far off from that and its well worth it..again, trust me on this (haha take it for whats it worth since you dont know me). It helps a hell of a lot more on the outside civi world.

edit: AF all the way. No disrespect to the others by any means. I have nothing but love for those who serve, just the Chair Force is the better business like way to go!

Edited January 26, 2010 by sayhuh?

[FiBTLforlife]

how far are you from your bachelors? if your close hold out and try for officer spot in any branch...

i apply to grad school this coming fall but its a hard program and only let like 35 students in. so if i dont get in im going to school for another year until i apply for the second time. if i dont get in again then im going to have a bach degree and prog go into grad school. thats the plan

[Godsmack]

Okay guys lets get some shit straight for this guy.

1) You WILL NOT be able to have some one come check your shit before you sign. Its not allowed.

2) You will sign on a computer and get a paper copy of that. The days of sign on the dotted line are gone. Its now sign on the plstic thingy if you agree with this.

3) Dont join the AF cause your girl is an 'AF type girl' USUALLY (not always thought) that means she is a tag/wing chaser (soldier/pilot groupie). I dont wanna see you regret the military beacuse of some trim.

4) The only 'good' money is in officer or after you have served as a DA Civilian. As a Joe the base pay for an E-4 with 6 years isnt even 3 grand a month and you lose a grip on taxes.

5) If you want to do the overseas deployed thing longer than 6 mths at a time the Marines or Army are where to go.

6) That being said almost (if not all) the stories before I posted are from Marines Infantry. I dont know how much you personally ineracted with the AF but they play a completly different game. Its not even the same staduim so dont let that deter you.

7) The Army DOES offer enlistment bonus' and they usually are pretty good. Start researching jobs and let us know what interests you before you go find your job and sign. We can help you know what its REALLY like.

Basically all I am tryin to do is lay alot of stuff out for ya bro. I dont wanna see ur girl burn you beacuse she sounds like a military groupie, I dont wanna see you sell yourself short, and I dont wanna see you hate your choice. Just let us know where YOUR heart and mind leads you. Ignore her and her wishes. I say this from PERSONAL experience. If she TRULY love you she will accept whatever you decide. (And that from MY wife who is in the Army herself).

Good luck bro!!!!

J

[Godsmack]

2 years of school?? Try for the Academy. Let them pay for school and become an Officer. Nothing wrong with enlisting and if you do enlist ask to be a 1C6 (trust me, the job is worth it), but once you are in...work to finish your degree and then try for OTS and become an officer. You aren't far off from that and its well worth it..again, trust me on this (haha take it for whats it worth since you dont know me). It helps a hell of a lot more on the outside civi world.

edit: AF all the way. No disrespect to the others by any means. I have nothing but love for those who serve, just the Chair Force is the better business like way to go!

He is right on the Officer gig. Better pay while your in, 2nd best retirement (warrent officer IS still the best) and civi's REALLY love brass.

As for the Chair Force.............it really is run like its civilian business. Almost all the AF guys I know call eachother by first name, even while in uniform.

[FiBTLforlife]

Okay guys lets get some shit straight for this guy.

1) You WILL NOT be able to have some one come check your shit before you sign. Its not allowed.

2) You will sign on a computer and get a paper copy of that. The days of sign on the dotted line are gone. Its now sign on the plstic thingy if you agree with this.

3) Dont join the AF cause your girl is an 'AF type girl' USUALLY (not always thought) that means she is a tag/wing chaser (soldier/pilot groupie). I dont wanna see you regret the military beacuse of some trim.

4) The only 'good' money is in officer or after you have served as a DA Civilian. As a Joe the base pay for an E-4 with 6 years isnt even 3 grand a month and you lose a grip on taxes.

5) If you want to do the overseas deployed thing longer than 6 mths at a time the Marines or Army are where to go.

6) That being said almost (if not all) the stories before I posted are from Marines Infantry. I dont know how much you personally ineracted with the AF but they play a completly different game. Its not even the same staduim so dont let that deter you.

7) The Army DOES offer enlistment bonus' and they usually are pretty good. Start researching jobs and let us know what interests you before you go find your job and sign. We can help you know what its REALLY like.

Basically all I am tryin to do is lay alot of stuff out for ya bro. I dont wanna see ur girl burn you beacuse she sounds like a military groupie, I dont wanna see you sell yourself short, and I dont wanna see you hate your choice. Just let us know where YOUR heart and mind leads you. Ignore her and her wishes. I say this from PERSONAL experience. If she TRULY love you she will accept whatever you decide. (And that from MY wife who is in the Army herself).

Good luck bro!!!!

J

let me start off by clearing what i said up a little bit. lol shes not a military groupie or anything, I've wanted to join for a long time but didnt know how she felt about it. after talking with her about it she actually surprised me and was down for it. she said shes there for me on whatever i choose to do in life and she has her bags packed to go where we need to go if thats the case. im doing this for me, no for anyone else. im into the medical field big time, its like my life. i want to do physical theropy or medical school. those are the two things that interest me the most of all.

my main thing is i want to join and continue in my schooling. i dont know how that works? are you considered active duty? do you get deployed while you are in school? if so do they usually keep it down to a minimum so you can finish school in a decent rate? ive hurd they pay like 2k a month while you are in school and housing allowance as well, is this true?

Edited January 26, 2010 by FiBTLforlife

[n8ball2013]

He is right on the Officer gig. Better pay while your in, 2nd best retirement (warrent officer IS still the best) and civi's REALLY love brass.

As for the Chair Force.............it really is run like its civilian business. Almost all the AF guys I know call eachother by first name, even while in uniform.

you forgot the personalized coffee mugs