How difficult is it to get a 1A8XX (Airborne Cryptologic Linguist) AFSC?

Assuming you do well enough on the DLAB to become a Crypto-Linguist, you'll have to go to DLI and learn the language (not all are as hard as Arabic). You'll then have to go to Goodfellow to learn about the non-language parts of the job (all they teach at DLI is the language itself). Then, to be airborne, you'll have to pass a flight physical, and go to SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) training.

None of this is particularly easy, but none is impossible, either. Training is made to be passed. Some by everyone, some by the best. Most is in the middle somewhere.

As to what will happen if you "rock out," given your ASVAB scores, and the likelihood that they'll have already started your security clearance work, you'll probably be given another intel job (though they will ask what you'd like to do, AF needs will take priority).

You also have to take the DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery), and score well enough on that. Then, if you get the MOS, you will have to pass a course at the Defense Language Institute, one of the hardest schools in the military. While I was a Marine, I re-enlisted to change my MOS to 2671, Cryptologic Linguist - Arabic, however, despite doing pretty well on the DLAB, I flunked out, along with 60 percent of my class. I was shipped back to my old MOS, no harm, no foul. I dated a couple of female airmen in the 3 1/2 months I was there (Air Force chicks are the hottest of all the service women (except for my Army wife) and they LOVE Marines) and they said that if you failed out, you went immediately to open contract status and would get to have fun pumping gas on some flightline somewhere. I don't know if that is what really happens, but you might want to think about it, because language school is LONG. In the Marines, the kids that enlisted to get into the program are required to sign 5 year contracts instead of 4, and I think the Air Mattresses (Air Force women, get it?, Navy girls were Waterbeds, and Army were Iso-mats, useless trivia for those who care.) I dated said they had signed up for 6. So, flunk, and you might spend 5+ years doing something you dispise. But, it is an awesome base where you take language training, and, if you manage to pass, the people I know who did say it is an awesome MOS.

If you go, go to Compango's, best sandwich shop on the planet, located just outside the gate on the way to Seaside.

Joby pretty much has it diagramed, but in USAF if you flunk they will not stick you in a crap job, you get choices based on ASVAB and AF Needs. You must have scored pretty good to even get in the running for this so you still need to nail the Language ASVAB to get asked to go to the school(I said no thank-you in Boot to the offer). Nothing is a given and you better knuckle down and give it your best.

Ret. USAF SNCO