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Calling all Airforce

H

habib89

Diamond Member
I graduated last May with my BS in Mechanical Engineering, and things on the job front are pretty stagnant. recently i've thought about joining the airforce and going to officer training school and actually doing real engineering work.

anyway, my question is what the life style is like, especially if you have a family. do you live on base? do your kids go to school on base? how are the schools on base? do they move you to different bases a lot? is anyone an engineer in the AF? what kind of opportunities are available there, and how do you like them?

sorry if this seems like a lot of questions, but for things like life style, i don't know if i trust a recruiter.. i mean i can as a recruiter about benefits, and pay and things like that, but i'd like to know about the day to day living of an Air Force Officer. thanks in advance

update: ok, so i finally got a reply from an air force recruiter. i have to fill out a bunch of paperwork.. take the AFOQT and get 5 letters of recommendation... this part i'm afraid of, cause i don't know 5 people that would qualify as someone that could write me one.. paperwork and tests are no problem.. it's those damn letters..

anyway.. my real question was how should i be addressing the recruiter in an email? should i say "Dear TSgt blank" or "Dear Mr. Blank"??? i just want to thank him for contacting me, and maybe ask him some specific questions or schedule a time for me to go in to see him
 
Do you have a family already? And it sounds like you're thinking about going career military, not just a four year plan, am I correct?
 
yes, if i decide to go into the air force, i'd go career, and yes, i do already have a family.. well kinda.. i'm planned to be married but we have a child together, and she has a child from a previous relationship, and i have a child from a previous relationship... my gpa wasn't great.. 2.7ish from san jose state university which is a public state university
 
Originally posted by: habib89
anyway, my question is what the life style is like, especially if you have a family. do you live on base? do your kids go to school on base? how are the schools on base? do they move you to different bases a lot? is anyone an engineer in the AF? what kind of opportunities are available there, and how do you like them?

sorry if this seems like a lot of questions, but for things like life style, i don't know if i trust a recruiter.. i mean i can as a recruiter about benefits, and pay and things like that, but i'd like to know about the day to day living of an Air Force Officer. thanks in advance
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Whether or not you live on base depends on where you are. Sometimes you'll have no choice, but sometimes you'll be given the option. Some bases have schools, some don't. I would say you could generally expect a new assignment every 2-4 years. But again, it all depends.
 
well ok, let's not try to predict my experience, but let's talk about all your experiences.. have you been relatively stable when it comes to being reassigned? for those with families (or are from an air force family) how was your experience? for those that went through OTS, how was that?
 
To be honest, you're going to have a tough time getting in because of your gpa. I heard that the acceptance rate for air force OTS is around 10%. Being an engineer helps a ton, but with such strict acceptance, your gpa might hurt.

I worked for a summer as an engineer on an air force base. Lots of the air force guys I worked with differed little from the civilian engineers - they wore a uniform, were paid less, had slightly better benefits, had a lot of housing reimbursement and stuff like that, and got way more vacation days.

Being an engineer in the air force isn't bad compared to being an officer or enlisted member of all the other services. Think about it - it's OTS in the air force. It HAS to be easier than all other officer or enlisted training.
 
Originally posted by: habib89
well ok, let's not try to predict my experience, but let's talk about all your experiences.. have you been relatively stable when it comes to being reassigned? for those with families (or are from an air force family) how was your experience? for those that went through OTS, how was that?
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You could always bug DonVito. He was in the Air Force. Hell, this little bump might even make him see it 😉

Most other forum members who are in the military, at least from what I remember, are in the other branches.
 
I was indeed an Air Force officer, but I was a JAG and thus had a very different selection process and went to the relatively cushy Commissioned Officer Training rather than Basic Officer Training (since I was hired after I already had my JD). Although AF training is generally easier than in the other services, everyone I know who has gone through enlisted basic and BOT says BOT is harder. I don't know anything about the BOT selection process.

In any case, I think there is much to recommend life as an Air Force officer. The quality of life in the service is very good, and although the pay looks bad on paper, it works out to be very fair for officers. In addition to your base pay, you get a monthly non-taxable allowance for food and (if you live off-base, always my preference), you get a monthly tax-free housing allowance. Additionally, since you're currently a California resident, you will not have to pay any state income tax as long as you are not stationed in CA (as it happens I joined the AF out of San Francisco, where I went to law school). All your medical and dental expenses are paid for 100% by the AF. There are various educational benefits, and a wide array of other benefits as well.

Your kids may go to school on base or off, but in general I would recommend base schools - they're always at least decent, they're safe, and they are inhabited by other military brats.

In general you can expect that you will be moving every 2-3 years, but it really depends on what specific job you end up in. This was the main reason I left the AF - I didn't personally care for all the moving.

I'd say on balance the AF was a very worthwhile experience for me, and I would certainly recommend at least considering it.
 
wow, great post, thanks donvito..

yeah, the reason i want to try to be relatively stable is just for my kids.. i want them to be able to have a good core of friends, but then again, i'm sure that you can make a lot of great friends even through moving around... i'm definately considering it.. i just want to be able to do what i studied.. it's depressing working "go no where" jobs even with a degree..

anyhow, i don't think i'd have too much trouble with the training.. but who knows, i've never done anything like that..
 
last bump before i let it die

by the way, anyone that was a military brat that maybe lived on base, or experienced the military life as a child in some way, i'd like to hear from you too. basically anyone that has any sort of insight i'd like to hear from you please. thanks
 
The appropriate greeting is "Dear TSgt Blank." The letter to the recruiter, though, will have little consequence in the larger scheme of things - he isn't the one you're trying to impress.
 
i used to be in AFROTC. last time i heard the AF is going through what's called "force shaping" - meaning that they are cutting back on personnel in certain areas. also, from what i heard about OTS, there is a long waiting list or the chances of getting in are slim unless your occupational specialty is in law, medical, or religion. i've personally been to an AFROTC field training in Maxwell AFB, which is where they have OTS as well, and i can concur that the COT people have it ___way___ easier. i don't understand why, because you are all gonna be officers. anyway, having said that, if you really want to try it, go for it. but act quickly. the military and most government agencies are really slow at accomplishing things so the sooner you put in your application the faster you'll get a response (whether or not you got accepted to OTS). also, be sure you can do the exercies. even if you are accepted initially, if you can't do the exercies they will turn you away. hope this helps.

chipy
 
Originally posted by: DonVito
I was indeed an Air Force officer, but I was a JAG and thus had a very different selection process and went to the relatively cushy Commissioned Officer Training rather than Basic Officer Training (since I was hired after I already had my JD). Although AF training is generally easier than in the other services, everyone I know who has gone through enlisted basic and BOT says BOT is harder. I don't know anything about the BOT selection process.

In any case, I think there is much to recommend life as an Air Force officer. The quality of life in the service is very good, and although the pay looks bad on paper, it works out to be very fair for officers. In addition to your base pay, you get a monthly non-taxable allowance for food and (if you live off-base, always my preference), you get a monthly tax-free housing allowance. Additionally, since you're currently a California resident, you will not have to pay any state income tax as long as you are not stationed in CA (as it happens I joined the AF out of San Francisco, where I went to law school). All your medical and dental expenses are paid for 100% by the AF. There are various educational benefits, and a wide array of other benefits as well.

Your kids may go to school on base or off, but in general I would recommend base schools - they're always at least decent, they're safe, and they are inhabited by other military brats.

In general you can expect that you will be moving every 2-3 years, but it really depends on what specific job you end up in. This was the main reason I left the AF - I didn't personally care for all the moving.

I'd say on balance the AF was a very worthwhile experience for me, and I would certainly recommend at least considering it.
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Even with Air Force benefits, I would think the private sector compensation available to someone with a JD wouldn't make for a difficult decision.
 
Originally posted by: Nebor

Even with Air Force benefits, I would think the private sector compensation available to someone with a JD wouldn't make for a difficult decision.
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Depends where your priorities lie, I guess. I was never really interested in making the big bucks, and the diversity of experience and the quality of life in the AF was great for a young lawyer. Honestly, the money gets pretty good, pretty fast, and I took a net pay cut when I separated after six years and went into private practice.
 
Originally posted by: habib89
I graduated last May with my BS in Mechanical Engineering, and things on the job front are pretty stagnant. recently i've thought about joining the airforce and going to officer training school and actually doing real engineering work.
Click to expand...

I was in the Air Force as an engineer for 4 years. Went in with a B.S. in Aerospace (on AF scholarship) and a thesis M.S. in Engineering Mechanics. If you want to go into the Air Force to do "real engineering work" you're probably looking in the wrong place. Most engineers in the Air Force do acquisition management. The exceptions are civil engineers, who often do maintenance engineering or management of construction projects. They can do some hands on stuff on overseas combat deployments as well - bunkers, runways, airfield facilities, etc.

Other possibilities...
Aircraft maintenance - Again, typically supervising enlisted techs and managing civilian contracts. Some actual engineering decision making - helps to have degree or experience related to airframe/powerplant or electronics. This is coming from conversations with a college buddy that went that route for about 8 years.

Air Force labs - These assignments are hard to come by - I had an O6 trying to get me into Wright Labs because my thesis work fit very well with their research thrust. It didn't happen. Even if you do get in, most of the R&D is done by the civilian workforce - alot of this is long-term highly technical research. By the time the new butter-bar is up to speed and stands a chance of contributing, his 2-3 year tour is up and it's time to move on. So they typically end up doing - you guessed it - management & briefings and maybe some pet project. There are exceptions of course, particularly if you're already an exceptional researcher. But it's rare. I worked alot with the labs and saw very few officers contributing technically (though alot of them like to think so).

In acquisition management I was typically involved in setting requirements, writing/reviewing/socializing the huge truckload of paperwork involved in government acquisition, involved in source selections, supervising contractor performance on said contracts. All of this in areas completely outside my area of expertise - and I didn't really need it either. I found it very tedious, political, boring, frustrating - AF acquisition moves at a glacial pace. On the plus side, I got a TS clearance and an opportunity at an great internship - both of which have opend alot of doors for me down the road.

So - if you really want to do hands on engineering, I'm not sure I can really reccomend the AF. I'll be honest though - with a 2.7 GPA and a B.S. from a 2nd or 3rd tier school you're going to have a tough time anyway.

anyway, my question is what the life style is like, especially if you have a family. do you live on base? do your kids go to school on base? how are the schools on base? do they move you to different bases a lot? is anyone an engineer in the AF? what kind of opportunities are available there, and how do you like them?

sorry if this seems like a lot of questions, but for things like life style, i don't know if i trust a recruiter.. i mean i can as a recruiter about benefits, and pay and things like that, but i'd like to know about the day to day living of an Air Force Officer. thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Day to day quality of life at a state-side base is pretty good. I was never overseas, so I can't speak to that. With the current deployments, you can probably count on doing an overseas tour in Iraq or Afganistan in some support role. I work with the Air Force alot and see alot of guys going over in roles not at all related to their job titles or experience. So if the recruiter tells you you won't go to the sandbox in your field - take it with a grain of salt.

Anyway. lots of holidays and vacation, good education benefits. OK medical benefits. Good chance that you'll be spending most of your time in a regualr air conditioned office environment. Pay isn't bad till you roll in the various allotments, etc. Good early retirement if you can stick it out 20 years - you likely won't live on it, but it's not bad and you'll be young enough to start a 2nd career.

update: ok, so i finally got a reply from an air force recruiter. i have to fill out a bunch of paperwork.. take the AFOQT and get 5 letters of recommendation... this part i'm afraid of, cause i don't know 5 people that would qualify as someone that could write me one.. paperwork and tests are no problem.. it's those damn letters..

anyway.. my real question was how should i be addressing the recruiter in an email? should i say "Dear TSgt blank" or "Dear Mr. Blank"??? i just want to thank him for contacting me, and maybe ask him some specific questions or schedule a time for me to go in to see him
Click to expand...

Address the letter to rank & last name.

More info - I went to field training at Plattsburg NY (now closed). Was a piece of cake - just the usual basic training B.S., lots of running & PT But nothing compared to enlisted basic or even the other services officers basic from what I've heard. But if you've never been exposed to that kind of environment ...
 
Originally posted by: DonVito
Originally posted by: Nebor

Even with Air Force benefits, I would think the private sector compensation available to someone with a JD wouldn't make for a difficult decision.
Click to expand...

Depends where your priorities lie, I guess. I was never really interested in making the big bucks, and the diversity of experience and the quality of life in the AF was great for a young lawyer. Honestly, the money gets pretty good, pretty fast, and I took a net pay cut when I separated after six years and went into private practice.
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I don't have even a vague idea how much a lawyer gets paid in the armed forces. Care to give me a clue?

If it was a fair amount and you went career and retired getting like, 70% of their previous pay as pension (I'm not sure on that) you'd have pretty good footing to start your own firm or join private practice after retirement and go for the big bucks while still getting a steady AF pension.
 
Originally posted by: Nebor

I don't have even a vague idea how much a lawyer gets paid in the armed forces. Care to give me a clue?

If it was a fair amount and you went career and retired getting like, 70% of their previous pay as pension (I'm not sure on that) you'd have pretty good footing to start your own firm or join private practice after retirement and go for the big bucks while still getting a steady AF pension.
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It's a trickier proposition than you might imagine to answer that question, because of the free health care, the fact that much of my pay was tax-exempt, and the fact that I was paying no state tax on any of it. My net pay at the end was $5,600/month, which is equivalent to ~ $100K gross in most states, as I figure it.

When you retire from the service after 20 years, you get 50% of your highest rate of base pay (this is the largest share of your total pay) as a pension, and it's adjusted for inflation. Had I retired as an O-6 (it seemed likely I might make this rank when I separated, though due to recent contractions of the JAG Corps, O-5 might have been more likely), it would have put me in the neighborhood of $55K/year in today's dollars. Not a king's ransom, but a damned nice bump, and enough to live on in a pinch.
 
Originally posted by: DonVito
Originally posted by: Nebor

I don't have even a vague idea how much a lawyer gets paid in the armed forces. Care to give me a clue?

If it was a fair amount and you went career and retired getting like, 70% of their previous pay as pension (I'm not sure on that) you'd have pretty good footing to start your own firm or join private practice after retirement and go for the big bucks while still getting a steady AF pension.
Click to expand...

It's a trickier proposition than you might imagine to answer that question, because of the free health care, the fact that much of my pay was tax-exempt, and the fact that I was paying no state tax on any of it. My net pay at the end was $5,600/month, which is equivalent to ~ $100K gross in most states, as I figure it.

When you retire from the service after 20 years, you get 50% of your highest rate of base pay (this is the largest share of your total pay) as a pension, and it's adjusted for inflation. Had I retired as an O-6 (it seemed likely I might make this rank when I separated, though due to recent contractions of the JAG Corps, O-5 might have been more likely), it would have put me in the neighborhood of $55K/year in today's dollars. Not a king's ransom, but a damned nice bump, and enough to live on in a pinch.
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You'd still be better off making partner at a top 500 firm. 😛

But like you said, you weren't interested in the big bucks.
 
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