How do I get back into the air force?

Question

I joined the active air force last year. I scored a 71 overall on my ASVAB, which is fairly high. My job code was 4N011 (Med Tech). Little did I know at the time I got the s*&% end of the stick. The AF does NOT reclass if you fail out of medical, and some others. What happened was I was doing very well on the tests and it was alot of work. It was alot to remember. Then my family started having some problems back home. My grandmother became ill and after 3 trips to the hospital was diagnosed with leukemia. Also, at the time, my girlfriend of 7 years got into a car accident. She had to go thru physical therapy for several months. My grades started to slip and eventually they sent me home. Everything is alright now. My family issues are resolved. I want back in. They gave me a code 2C, or "uncharacterized". This is stupid. I need to get it upgraded. I spoke with the AF Reserves and I'm in the process of joining up with them so I don't have to go back to basic if active duty becomes avalible to me again. I found the online form you send into the board to try and get it changed...but the process could take up to 2 years or longer to get it changed. I was also told to speak to the VA..which im trying to do right now if i can ever speak to a live person. I hate the run around. What do you all think? is there something I missed here? Is there a better way to rejoin active duty?

Answer 1

You have something to prove to the Air Force and you will not get in again until you do. Join the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard and get the best training you can. Do a couple of years with your unit. Never miss a drill. Volunteer for extra duty. Study your course materials and move on to 3-level and 5-level rapidly. Get good Airman Performance Reports by working hard, being diligent and first to volunteer for whatever needs to be done.



After a year or two, get your first sergeant and commander on your side. With their help, your outstanding performance as a Reserve or ANG airman will get you back into service. Trying to do it administratively through lawyers, appeals to boards, panels, forms and the like, after flunking out of your medical tech school, will waste your time, money and will break your heart. You will be disappointed with that route, where you have little or no chance. The services are shrinking with Iraq done and Afghanistan forces scheduled to return over the next few years.



Don't waste your money on lawyers, nor your life on fruitless appeals. You had your chance. If you want another, your only hope is now to prove that your are an excellent AFRes or ANG airman; otherwise the Air Force has no need to take a chance on you and risk wasting its time and resources. Too many other enlistees are lined up to enlist, and they will not flunk out of their tech schools. You did. You can make up for that, but it will take a couple of years and a lot of work to show you are a deserving airman.



Sorry if I am blunt, but I wish you well. Now go pursue school or a civilian career. Do well at that, because that may end up being your living. If you still want in the Air Force, then be a terrific airman in the Reserve or ANG, find support from your NCOs and officers, and your dreams may yet come true.

Answer 2

sounds like you are going out of your way to sell us here, but no one in here can help you. the recruiter that told you you would be unable to go back active duty wasn't screwing you - she was telling you the truth.



getting a lawyer, a judge, etc will be of no use to you - you are done. you had your chance, you should have focused on training. btw - i can't help but think there is somehting missing. the father of a guy in my tech school class died from a heart attack, and he was able to take emergency leave to take care of matters, and he was back in training 2 weeks later, just a class behind me....



but anyhow - you're not going back AD. at least NOT in the AF. you completed basic, therefore you are now 'prior service'. The Air Force isn't real keen on accepting its own rejects either. quite honestly i am surprised you are eligible to join the reserves.



doesn't matter if you can get it changed later or not - you're not going back active duty AF. even getting it changed is almost impossible. you can ask (to get it changed), but the only way those change is if YOU can prove the DC and RE codes you received were in error, meaning the AF did something wrong and miscatagorized you. and guess who writes the rules and requirements? yep. so unless you can prove they errored (not likely) your 'code' is not going to change.



you aren't getting a runaround. you are being told as it IS. The AF has VERY LIMITED opportunities to go back to active duty, but there are strings, and you don't come close.



Here's why: Although the AF does have 'some' PS opportunities, they are usually in very hard to RETAIN (not re-TRAIN or enlistment) positions like special forces, EOD, etc - or some other highly deployed, highly stressed career field. That's not the show-stopper. This is: In order to get one of those slots, you must already be FULLY TRAINED in that career field, to include rank, time in grade, time in service. They may flex a little on SKILL level (a 7 level can occupy a 5 level slot, a 9 can occupy a 7, but a 3 cannot occupy a 7 or 9, etc). You didn't complete tech school, so you have NO skill level in a career level to even be considered. The AF does not authorize tech school or retraining in order to fill these prior service slots - so only people fully qualified can even apply. if that wasn't enough of a hurdle, you'd still have to qualify credit wise, character wise, etc to join.



so. that's where you are. I'm not trying to be a pr!ck, i am just telling you how it is RIGHT NOW in the AF, and it is not going to happen for you. Not at this time. maybe if the needs of the service change in the future, but by then you will likely be too old to join. You are done. accept that. move on.



your options are pretty much limited to the reserves or guard right now. You can try the army, but you will likely be considered prior service, and prior service opportunities in the army is pretty much limited to joining the special forces. AD Navy? forget it. they aren't taking prior service right now (not even from the navy reserve). Marines? they fall under the navy. not likely. that leaves the AF (won't happen) and the Army.



good luck. you would need a TON of waivers, and with the AF getting smaller, and record retention and record numbers of recruits that don't need ANY waivers - i wouldn't hold my breath waiting for one.

Answer 3

1. You cannot get your re code changed, it just doesn't happen



You can get the characterization of your discharge changed, if and only if, you can prove it was issed in error.



You cannot offer excuses of why the behavior occured,



IE: why you failed out of Tech School



You have to prove that your discharge was in error, that it shouldhave never been given, and you cannot do that, since you failed out of tech school.



2. You can enlist with a 2C reenlistment code, you just require a waiver to be able to do so.



Directly from the Air Force prior service webpage:



Note: Eligibility consideration may be given for AF applicants who are NCS with a Reenlistment Eligibility (RE) code other than 1 or an applicant separated during technical training with an RE code of 2C





b.AF RS code 2C - applicants must provide either a copy of the letter of notification for separation or AETC form 125A, record of Administrative Training Actions for determination of eligibility to re-enter active duty, Request for approval and required documents should be sent through the waiver process to AFRS/RSOP for eligibility determination. If the applicant does not have a copy of either document, they must request a copy from National Personnel Record Center Military Personnel Records, at http://www.archives.gov/. Only those with an SPD code of JCC, JGA, JGH, or JHJ will be considered

Answer 4

"I was also told to speak to the VA..which im trying to do right now if i can ever speak to a live person. I hate the run around."



Who ever told you that has their head where the sun does not shine.



The VA itself, in no way, shape, form or fashion has anything to do with getting anything on a DD-214 changed, upgrade a discharge, etc.



Don't waste your time trying to contact them about this matter.

Answer 5

I would talk to a federal lawyer/ attorney. FYI, not an air force one, but a civilian that can practice on base and then have him or her go to your command. Your command will freak out (get really scared) and let you slide on this one. It will probably cost you a couple of grand, but it's worth it if you're getting the shaft.