I'm officialy enlisted into the Air Force

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Cadop

Senior member
Mar 28, 2003
411
1
81
I stayed overnight at the reserve base in Pittsburgh. At 4 AM I was woken up and taken to the Federal Building downtown. There I had everything check from my eyes to my ass crack. I qualified for every job I wanted and decided on Airborne Battle Management Systems. I leave for basic training on May 15th.

I'm really excited. I can't wait to start the next phase of my life. Anyone else have any similar stories to share?
 
Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Good luck. You have a few months before you leave for basic, take the time to prepare. Exercise, exercise, exercise. The Air Force PT may be a lot easier than that of other services, but it still helps to be in decent shape before you start basic.

Are you going to be a 4 or a 6 year enlistee?
 
C

Cadop

Senior member
Mar 28, 2003
411
1
81
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Good luck. You have a few months before you leave for basic, take the time to prepare. Exercise, exercise, exercise. The Air Force PT may be a lot easier than that of other services, but it still helps to be in decent shape before you start basic.

Are you going to be a 4 or a 6 year enlistee?
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I have been working out(push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, jogging) for the past month or so. I will continue untill I leave.

I plan on going career. The Air Force has awesome benefits and I could retire after 20 years of service which would be awesome.
 
Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: Cadop

I have been working out(push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, jogging) for the past month or so. I will continue untill I leave.

I plan on going career. The Air Force has awesome benefits and I could retire after 20 years of service which would be awesome.
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Be aware that the AF is the middle of massive cutbacks right now, a lot of AFSCs are on the chopping block. My 2A0x1B job is being eliminated, so thats the perspective that this advice comes from.

As soon as you finish your 5 level CDCs and whatever else your AFSC needs to you to do to get your 5 level, start school. Begin taking classes. Any AF base, whether it be stateside or overseas, will have multiple colleges that you can take classes at. Get the education that will make you employable in the civilian world, in case your AFSC gets cut back.

Also, as soon as you are able to, access the military MyPay website and set up a discretionary allotment into a savings account at an institution that will make it difficult for you to withdraw money, have funds from your monthly pay go into that as an emergency fund. It may sound like common sense, but probably 95% of the military lives pay check to pay check.

Setting up your TSP while you're in there would be a very good idea as well.

 
TallBill

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: Bateluer

Setting up your TSP while you're in there would be a very good idea as well.
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Tsp is great for people who suck at money, because they cant touch the money. But otherwise it sucks. If the government actually matched contributions like they are authorized, it'd be great.
 
S

StevenYoo

Diamond Member
Jul 4, 2001
8,628
0
0
best of luck to you.

i was considering going career in the AF for medicine, but we'll see...
 
C

Cadop

Senior member
Mar 28, 2003
411
1
81
I really think I'm going to love it. I have talked to many people in the Air Force. Anyone from recruiters to former/current enlistees, no one has said anyhting bad about it. Sounds like a great direction for my life.
 
moshquerade

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
12
56
Originally posted by: Cadop
I really think I'm going to love it. I have talked to many people in the Air Force. Anyone from recruiters to former/current enlistees, no one has said anyhting bad about it. Sounds like a great direction for my life.
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Good for you. :thumbsup:
 
jadinolf

jadinolf

Lifer
Oct 12, 1999
20,952
3
81
Originally posted by: Cadop
I stayed overnight at the reserve base in Pittsburgh. At 4 AM I was woken up and taken to the Federal Building downtown. There I had everything check from my eyes to my ass crack. I qualified for every job I wanted and decided on Airborne Battle Management Systems. I leave for basic training on May 15th.

I'm really excited. I can't wait to start the next phase of my life. Anyone else have any similar stories to share?
Click to expand...

Spent 4 years in the Air Force many years ago. Great experience.

Good luck to you and aim high.
 
J

Joony

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2001
7,654
0
0
I am in Air Force ROTC at the University of Illinois :) Hopefully I will comission as a comm (33S) officer, when I get out in 2009. 2nd LT :)

You might want to go to OTS later on in your career, take charge and make some more bucks while you're at it!

 
C

Cadop

Senior member
Mar 28, 2003
411
1
81
Originally posted by: Joony
I am in Air Force ROTC at the University of Illinois :) Hopefully I will comission as a comm (33S) officer, when I get out in 2009. 2nd LT :)

You might want to go to OTS later on in your career, take charge and make some more bucks while you're at it!
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I want to get my bachelor's while I'm in so I can try and get accepted into officer school. The pay jump from an E-anything to O-1 is nice!
 
MedicBob

MedicBob

Diamond Member
Nov 29, 2001
4,151
1
0
Congrats, I like he advice on the pay. It makes alot of sense and I wish I would have done it many, many years ago. Good luck and enjoy the time.
 
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d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
1,597
0
0
Originally posted by: Cadop
Originally posted by: Joony
I am in Air Force ROTC at the University of Illinois :) Hopefully I will comission as a comm (33S) officer, when I get out in 2009. 2nd LT :)

You might want to go to OTS later on in your career, take charge and make some more bucks while you're at it!
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I want to get my bachelor's while I'm in so I can try and get accepted into officer school. The pay jump from an E-anything to O-1 is nice!
Click to expand...

With the Ops tempo of aircrew it will be tough (but doable) to get the classes knocked out. Pretty much forget about a family too until you get retrained as well.

I have to say the monotony of basic is a big motivator to get yourself in a position to call your own options. Good Luck!
 
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d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
1,597
0
0
Also the pay thing is a big deal. As soon as I could I would sign up with USAA and get insurance, checking and savings with them. The services are pretty darn good. The only thing I have been less than satisfied with have been interest rates on loans. I often turn to Pentagon federal credit union. I think that Pentagons best interest rates are still for those with more than one enlistment under the belt.
 
EagleKeeper

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
Staff member
Oct 30, 2000
42,589
5
0
Get yourself in shape to be able to run 5 mles at a stretch
 
IGBT

IGBT

Lifer
Jul 16, 2001
17,974
140
106
:thumbsup: great work experience and character building. You'll have lots of stories to tell when ya get back.
 
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dquan97

Lifer
Jul 9, 2002
12,010
3
0
Good luck! I think there's less focus now on folding clothes. Remember your reporting statement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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