Kid joining Air Force/Army

My kid (age 20) is probably joining one of the two. My experience is with the Army (27 plus years active/reserves (35b, 11b, 38b, and 79v) and through my different jobs/deployments I have the opportunity to work with all branches. I am pushing him towards the AF. All my experiences have shown the AF usually has the best of the best and quality of life is generally way above that of the Army. Problem is he wants to play with guns and that limits him to Spec Ops, Special Missions aviation (door gunner) or security forces (popo) in the Air force. In the Army, there are a whole bunch of options that I prefer he doesn't take for obvious reasons (infantry, civil affairs, spec ops). He is caught up in all the bonuses and crap the Army throws at you. I explained there is a reason the Army offers them and the AF generally doesn't.

The only job I am ok with him doing in the AF is security forces. I know AF security Forces can be boring as hell but he still gets to do some "fun" stuff and I would think to have an easy transition to a civilian police force if he decides the military isn't his thing. Plus the AF seems to push education more (just my impression)

In the end, I know I can't choose for him but I have been around too long to willing guide him into a career path that has way to serious implications.

So long post short, AF guys what are your experiences with active duty specifically with security forces or the door gunner thing and the AF in general.

 

Regardless of his choice, tell him thanks and thanks to you.

 

I'd recommend him to look at all the branches and pick what's best for him. Navy was good for playing with guns for me (22 yrs)

 

Not military here, but I know one, or 2, people who were recent security forces in AF. They're, multiple, deployments to active areas in the middle east wasn't boring at all. Think about it. They're the guards for bases, and the cops on said bases. Lots of opportunity to interface with the local population.

Now, they did have some interesting opportunities for education, job skills, and advancement, so that sounded positive.

 

AF

 

If he really wants to play with light weapons then infantry is the best way to go. Combat engineers and a couple of other combat support MOS's do a lot of those fun missions as well. But the old 11 bullet stopper is hard to beat.
If he doesn't want plain infantry look at some of the combat vehicle crew member positions. It's always nice to ride instead of walk.

I did kinda the same thing, told the recruiter I wanted to jump out of planes and blow shit up. A year later I was at Ft Bragg blowing shit up and jumping out of planes. I knew I was going to go to college so this was be a bad ass "John Wayne" time for me. If he doesn't have a plan maybe try to find something he wants that helps prepare him for real life....ie learn a trade.

Good luck to him, and you...

 

Bigger question, what does he want to do when he's done with the military? Is he a lifer or is he doing it for the college money?

 

If he likes guns, CATM may be one route to go and from there get in with Phoenix Raven. The former is rather straightforward, small arms training and maintenance for other service members. Phoenix Raven is the group that secures high-risk airfields when Air Force assets are on hand. It’s basically a police mission under Air Mobility Command. You provide security at more dangerous locations around the world.

 

He said the Navy and Marines are out because he hates the ocean/water. He has mentioned the FBI as a possible career path. Currently, the military is a short term plan. He is 20, played hockey in Jrs for the last two years and realized the scholarship isn't happening. He has 10 credit hours of college done. He wouldn't mind the 11b/12b stuff but not where I want him. Figured the Security Forces was a good compromise. Yes, they guard the bases and there are chances for "interactions" with the locals but the AF guys didn't seem to be as "busy" as us Army guys. Plus their interactions seemed to be from hard sites or up-armored vehicles. I found it amazing how invincible I felt loading onto a helo with my infantry squad only to realize how vulnerable we were once they flew away...The gunners used to just look at us like we were the dumbest individuals in the world when we disembarked...dam snowflakes

 

I'm in Army aviation branch, he wants guns tell him go 15 tango or uniform and work into crew chief role. He will get gun time as well as a skill after military. At least tell him if he does combat arms to reclass next contract and learn something else.

 

Coast Guard

Never mind...read the whole thread

That's cool about playing juniors. Tell him to have fun...joining a service sucks if you don't enjoy it. I met many miserable guys and asked them why in the hell did you join in the first place. I had a blast my four years.

 

As a former AF recruiter....who cares what YOU want...

The dude is 20...let him make his own decisions on what he wants to do.

But first things first...he has to be QUALIFIED to do any job in any branch...that means he has to take the ASVAB to see what he academically qualifies for...then he has to go get a physical at MEPS to determine what he is qualified for physically...then he sits down with a job counselor and tells them when he is available to go to basic training...with all that info in hand, he will then be shown what is available that he qualifies for. Not every job is available all the time...

I was a weapons troop in my AF career. Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist. I worked the gun systems, weapons systems, weapons suspension equipment both on and off aircraft. I also loaded weapons, everything from 25lb practice bombs to nukes on F16 and B52s. Was a varied, fun career path that I'd do all over again and enjoyed working aircraft on the flightline and doing backshop work. Without weapons...it's just another airline. We allowed our enemies the opportunity to die for their cause, warheads on foreheads. As a career field...it's a pretty raucous bunch that does it fair share of partying...work hard play hard. Seeing what the security forces did....screw that. They eat their own for lunch, and have a high turn over rate. There is a reason SF is almost always in need for new bodies. If he aspires to be a civilian cop...that is the only reason I'd recommend doing it.

He will have a much better quality of life in the AF...haters will hate, but we do have a great way of life. If he wants to eat bugs and tree bark...the AF is not his gig. The chances he is qualified for any special ops jobs are very slim...that's reality. Be realistic.

Irregardless of what branch or job he does...he will still be way ahead of his peers. While in, he has a job and a paycheck, free medical care and meds, opportunities to further his education and continue it after he gets out, a chance to make it a career and belong to the check of the month club for the rest of his life. Sure beats sitting around doing bull shit jobs and going nowhere. At least he will be exposed to new people, a new way of life, new places, and allowed to grow up and become the person he wants to be.

 

Has he considered ROTC? My daughter took that path, AFROTC; telling people to pick up cigarette butts beats picking up cigarette butts.

 

I served 4 years in the AF, don't regret it a minute. Food was good, had a dorm-room with just one room-mate, got to travel to a whole boatload of cool places, including Australia, South Korea, Phillipines, Hawaii and even Pago Pago. The Army will mainly send him to dangerous places. At least in the AF will have him in somewhat safer locales. Not meant as a slight on anyone, but the AF usually had a higher caliber of personnel, intelligence-wise. I'd love to be involved in their drone program. That stuff is so bad-ass! I did avionics on the F-111D. (The digital version). I was 1 of only 2 airmen on my base that were certified to load the nuclear codes into the weapons-delivery computers. Got sent to S. Korea in 1979 in the middle of the night when their president Parks was assassinated. We sent 6 planes with two live nukes per plane and parked them out on the Tarmac in full-view of North Korean spies, to show them we weren't fucking around. Good times.

 

AF. My Dad was career AF, so I joined the Marines. I never intended to make it a career though. If I had wanted a military career, it would have been AF. As far playing with guns, that gets old after a while because that’s not all it is. I have a nephew that is Senior Master Sgt in the AF. He started in the AP, became a Raven as a SSgt. Those guys guard AF One btw. He’s a First Sgt now at a base in Florida. He’ll tell you, he loved his time in the AP.

 

He isn't a big fan of college/school so the ROTC thing wouldn't work. He needs a few years to grow up a bit. He is qualified for almost any job (60 ASVAB) and will be 111111 on his physical profile. I have mentioned drones and cyber stuff but he doesn't want anything to do with a desk. He thinks he is special ops but he has zero idea of what a grind it is. Agreed, seen some miserable SOBs and wondered why they joined. He wants to join so that's a positive.

 

Irregardless isn't a word...

Fn Zoomies.

 

If he wants to go FBI, do whatever in the military (but AF is better because you can get a head start on college), then get an accounting degree. The FBI loves accountants because most crimes are solved by following the money.

 

not military here, but I heard the Air/"Chair" Force is the best at preparing you for life after military duty.

Thanks to you all that serve in any branch!

 

I served 6 years in the Air Force.

For what my 2 cents is worth, security and bomb loading are the two I would not suggest.
Both the Air Force and Navy have a huge technical area's covering just about anything you can think of including medical.
I know of a buddy doing Cybersecurity and defense.

Would push my child towards an area he enjoys, or in my case know what I didn't want to do.
He can learn, then serve our country, if he decides not to get out can have huge advantages with OJT experience and if he gets a degree can write his own ticket with no student loans.
If I told my kids once, told them a thousand times.
If you do what you love, the money will be enough. If you hate what you do, no amount of money will make you happy.

I knew that and when I left IBM taking a big pay cut, never looked back.
May not be rich, but I'm still married after 37 years, have 2 great kids both still married to there original spouses. Not perfect but pretty dam good in this screwed up world.

Wish him the best, and yes I thank him for his service.