Is joining the Air Force a good career choice?

Darlene,

Another poster said, "Get everything on your Enlistment Contract IN WRITING." This is certainly good advice, but it helps you much less in the military than civilian life. Why? It's because the military has done legal contracts forever and 20 year olds have barely read contracts. This is important because EVERYTHING that you might potentially dispute will go in favor of the military on your contract. Remember those military people in California who had to pay back the sign-up bonuses? You would never think they could get away with something contractual like that, but they did.

Please see my expanded Yahoo Best Answer in the comments/below. It will give you a good overview and context. You will find the answer longer than most here, but it still will take just 5 minutes to read.

Michael

Sure, go for it if that's what you're really interested in.

I was ANG, not Active Duty, but the Active, Guard and Reserves are all trained to the same standard.

Your Air Force "job" is called an AFSC (Air Force Speciality Code), equivalent to an MOS in the other services.

Two things to remember:

Do NOT go in "Open General." If you do, you have ZERO say over what AFSC you get placed in.

Get everything on your Enlistment Contract IN WRITING. In the military, if it's not in writing, it doesn't exist. I still have my Enlistment Contract from many decades ago.

Other than that, the job you do will depend on a couple of factors:

Your ASVAB scores.

Your eligibility for a security clearance. I had to have Top Secret as I was in Communications. They really do pick your life apart for those and eventually they'll know everything about you down to how many times a day you take a dump.

If you do something like Security Police, it might help you if you want a civilian Law Enforcement career.

The Air Force has probably the most high-tech jobs of all the services, but I would put the Navy up there too.

As to your degree, an Associate Degree can get you E-3 (Airman First Class) once you graduate from Basic Training. However, you won't wear the stripes until graduation, even though you'll be paid as an E-3. But don't spread it around as it won't win you any friends and it certainly won't impress your Military Training Instructor. In BMT you will all be treated as what you are - Airman Basics.

After BMT and Technical School, it's like almost any other job - you get out of it what you put into it.

Not anymore. You won't be respected anymore. People will protest everything you stand for. People will try to destroy everything you hold dear. Then they will call you names for being mad. The people in this country are no longer worth it

Unless you are going to marry your best friend, you have to move on in life. You should do what's best for your future. It could be that the Air Force would be good for you or it might just be a time waster with no benefits except the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the VA Guaranteed Home Loan. Which can be worth tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.

sure...why not?

Yes it is. Pick the Right JOB and you can get a good civilian job after your military service.

Pick a Military Job that equates to a Civilian Job. Like Helicopter Mechanic.

I don't know much but I do know air force has some good after military options like once out of service after at least a few years there's tons of high paying jobs you can do including working for NASA