Should I join the Air Force?

Question

Hi everyone. I'm a 16 year old and am in my junior year of high school. I'm really one of the last kids you would expect to join the armed forces (as my fellow students have told me) but lately I have been giving it very serious thought. I met with a recruiter yesterday and he gave me the basics of the whole thing (Basic Training, Tech School...). The guy wasn't brainwashing nor was he pushing me at all. Seemed like a fairly honest guy and answered all my questions. For all the people that will ask why I want to join the military all of a sudden, I have a multi-part answer. Since I was little I've had a thing for military stuff in general and I have always been very interested in it. I'm a team player and participate in three sports (one of which is varsity), am a member of several clubs, and have a solid list of extra-curricular activities. I'm not worried about academics either as I have solid grades and am in several high level courses. That part is pretty much my answer to why I feel I can join; I think I'm up to the tasks and responsibilities. I have also always wanted to serve my country, so that's a definite reason too. Another very big reason for me is the huge benefit of a free education with the Air Force (along with future funding due to the GI Bill). I look at college and the job market now and I have no idea where I want to go, what to study, and where I will end up. I know the economy isn't kickin' ATM and most college graduates pay a ludicrous sum of money for a piece of paper that, excuse me, doesn't do jack **** for them. I just really don't want to end up like that. I think the experience of the military will be a maturing one, I'll learn discipline and hard work, and I'll have an edge later on in life when I apply or transfer to another college (I think I want to go to medical school). I'm not here to ask strangers to make this decision for me, I just want your objective view of the situation. I WILL REALLY APPRECIATE ANY COMMENTS FROM VETS OR CURRENTLY ENLISTED MILITARY MEMBERS! Thanks guys

Answer 1

James and Amanda gave you the only accurate answers since they are the only ones who have actually served. DO NOT listen to those who have HEARD about being in the military from their so called friends. That's like a white person knowing how it is to be Black or Asian. Unless you are, you don't know...PERIOD.



The benefits are a gimme, but the way you wrote this, it seems to be all you are thinking about. Those benefits are not "free". You will have to give a lot of yourself; especially with the air force because if you screw up, you will be sent packing. There will be deployments and long hours and living with people you may not get along with. Therefore, since you say you are a team player, you need to be thinking about where and how you can contribute to the force; not what it can give you. You have plenty of time being only 16, but have you though about what AFSC? If you are a job that you can't stand, your years will not be fun. All jobs are important, but not all jobs are a good fit for everyone.



As to to anyone who tells you to get your degree and go officer, officers are the ones that the air force gets rid of first. They are doing it again now. Enlisted folks are the ones who get the actual hands on and believe it or not get better jobs after the service than many officers do. Most companies would much rather hire some MSgt with a degree than a Lt or Captain who never really did anything. As you say, that piece of paper is crap. Experience is what sells you to an employer. That piece of paper just gets you to the door.



BTW, a Pizza Hut manager makes about $60K a year....not too shabby. Pretty much any good NCO in the military based on the skills needed to be a good NCO can be a retail or fast food manager or franchise owner.

Answer 2

Should I Join Air Force

Answer 3

From what you have said, you sound positive that this is what you want to do. The military does teach you a lot of new things, and it can be very helpful if you're not 100% on what you would like to do in the future. You can study, and learn in the military which is really good for you to get more qualifications in special subjects that you'd have to pay a lot of money for at college. I think yes you should join the Air Force, you have thought about it a lot, and you have been down to your local recruitment office to find out more which is very helpful. If you think you have what it takes, then join, its a whole new adventure. I say this from experience, not what i have read somewhere, although i was in the Navy, it was still an exciting, challenging, and learning adventure for me, and i'm now doing what i wanted to do from the beginning. I wish you well in what your final choice may be.

Answer 4

I joined the AF a year ago and am now 22. I've wanted to join the military since I was 15 and didn't join until I was 21. If you are thinking about joining, do it now. Don't wait. Just think of it this way, obviously you're thinking about it, and if you're qualified it's an AWESOME paying job for an 18 year old. Once you get my age, you could already be making a e-5 salary. Plus you get to see the world if you get stationed overseas or go on TDYs, which you will. And it looks awesome on a resume when you decide to get out.

Not to mention what you already said about education. Depending on your career field, it's just like a normal job, but...militarized. I think everyone should join the military. It is probably the best life experience you could ever have, in all aspects. In discipline, respect, maturity, it's a full package. And if you don't like it, do your 4 years (in which case you can already get your bachelor's degree FOR FREE), and get out and see what else there is to see.



Good luck!

Answer 5

NO NO NO NO... A very very very small percentage of Airmen actually get to fly nowadays.



And for the record.. every recruiter SEEMS honest and all.. But you have to understand.. they get punished if they don't sign enough recruits. He doesn't care about you, he just wants to meet a quota.



Go to college, that is a valuable, and important life experience.. and do it while youre young. Get drunk, smoke some Hash, have fun. Doing it at 24 years old won't be the same.



If you want to join do it AFTER college.



And if the military is something you HAVE to do now, then do yourself a favor and look into the other branches. My Girl's Cousin is in the Air Force, and he calls it his worst mistake of his life.



If youre not flying planes in the Air Force, what are you doing? Building them, cleaning them, and plenty of other mindless tasks. SOO Many Airmen and Sailors hate their jobs.





Talk to your parents, and visit a recruiter from every branch.



Find your top MOS (military job) from every branch, and do some online research, and try to find a local veteran to talk to.



Start the process now, the earlier the better. I'm 18 and i've been in the Future Soldier Program through the army for 10 months. I get HELLA benefits, and more options than most, and it's because i first spoke to a recruiter when i was 16, and a Junior in High School.



I've almost made 1000 dollars without touching a gun.

Answer 6

I'm not a vet or enlistee but I do have numerous family, friends, and family friends in the military.



The biggest resounding piece of advice from all of them was to read the ENTIRE contract before signing it. Yeah it will seem daunting as it will be like 100 pages but have the balls to tell the recruiter that you will need a bit to read the thing in its entirety, and make sure you agree with 100% of it before signing it. If you don't agree with the contract they will counter offer with something better (provided your asvab scores qualify you for lots of things). Yeah the recruiter seems like a laid back, no pressure guy, but most of them are like that (heck most military people are like that when they aren't in go-mode). They are sales people whose mission is to more or less own you for a stated number of years.



Also after taking the asvabs and getting qualified for a position, make sure that it is one that has transferable qualifications to the civilian world (if not you may end up managing a pizza hut or something).



From what I hear, the money for education is good, the money itself is good since you don't get much of a chance to spend it on dumb things, but there is a lot of sitting and waiting around. The sitting around made a lot of the people that I know yearn for civilian life. Most of them don't seem to regret the military, just short of training it can be a little mundane.

Answer 7

I wanna join the airforce too..do it you only live once do something you really wanna do..