My Son wants to join Air Force I dont think its good idea. Help me out.

OP, I'm 20 and didn't go to college. I'm now a police officer making ok money, but I can tell you I know a lot of kids that went through college only to come back and live at home, with student debt and not being able to find a job.

Society pushes college. All I heard in high school was "College this, college that". They make it seem today that if you don't go to college you won't go anywhere in life.

So you've got all these people who have a biomechanical engineering degree, but can't fix their car, can't fix a toilet, can't fix a ceiling fan. Mike Rowe has several great videos about the trade industry needing workers.

If he went AF and found something useful for the outside, it would be great for him. If he did something in the trade industry (mechanic, electrician, plumber, carpenter, welder, etc) he will have a job on the outside that makes bank. All these trade industries are hiring like crazy cause there's nobody to fill the positions and they all pay good.

 

when my brother got into the police academy, he knew more from the army than the instructors about a lot of stuff... he said he taught them a few things from his army experience

 

One of "those" guys. I'd have told him to go pound sand

 

lol resurrected. OP said that his son was planning on dropping out of college to join air force.
I believe it's been mentioned before, but it may be the most financially (if he is dead set on joining the big blue charlie foxtrot) sound decision for him to make for the future is to either finish college and go to OTS as an NPS candidate or enroll in ROTC. Tell him to be an officer, get paid to take credit for other's work and do nothing (half in jest). College is pretty much the new High School for most white collar jobs. We now have some of the most "qualified" individuals cooking burgers and what not. That being said if he does join, he'll be doing school (AFSC training, CCAF, PME, etc.) regardless. Anyways if he doesn't find the education he is receiving in college worthy of the name, then perhaps a break or something else will be. It seems a lot of college these days is a waste of people's money...I say that because I see kids partying and drinking their parent's money, scholarships, and tuition down the drain. And it seems the biggest concern these days at Universities is not so much the education, development of virtues, and quality of people graduating; it is who has the best football team/athletics program/coaches. Anyways I am rambling.

Now, what he does is, in the end, up to him. Best thing to do is perhaps just sit down and have a man to man talk about the benefits and sacrifices he'll be making/potentially making and weigh them everything else. In the end, just make sure he joins for what the right reason is to him. I'll repeat that. Make sure he joins for what the right reason is to himself and not to others. Too many people outside and in the service get this hero syndrome or a very flashy attitude about what "patriotism" is and all that. I will tell you the benefits are good. And it takes the stress of having to worry about job security, etc. etc. and other worries in modern life and replaces them with other equally petty and at times, larger worries.

 

Been in 18yrs and it's the best decision I ever made, they pay me a good wage to buy a 2016 Tacoma 4x4, I can afford a $3,000 suspension lift and I been all over the world from the great country of Iraq, Afghanistan to the lustful countries of Thighland, Australia, Fiji, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Cambodia, Phillippines, India, Sri Lanka, China, Italy, France, Germany, Mexico, Kuwait, Dubai/UAE, Bahrain and they pay me to live in Oahu, Hawaii! It's a stepping stone to a better future, take advantage of the TA while he's in and then he'll have the Post 911 GI for whatever he wants to do with it. wHen I retire in 3 yrs my mortgage will always been paid for by my pension and extra left over, that's not including the VA disabilities that I will earned from the mountains of Afghanistan and IED's of Iraq.

 

I'll throw two cents at this two year old post. I don't know what path your Son took, I didn't read every page, but my Nephew joined the Air Force and now works for NASA. First at Cape Canaveral, and now in Houston. I doubt he has any regrets.

 

Been in the Army for 21, retired and been working for the Army ever since. I now have about....'82...'16...what....34 years? I tried to join the Marine Corps when I was 17. Brought home some release docs for my parents to sign. I was told to never come home if I joined the Marines. Parental paranoia, not anti military. So I ditched H.S. for a few days after I turned 18 and signed up.
I have a son in the national guard because this is what I learned.
1. You need a diploma. Point blank, no B.S. you need education. My Nephew is a police Captain because others could not articulate, write, etc... at the P.D. and he was lead on all new training and standards. The education got him there.
2. Enlisted is a dead end road. You are not going to get an decent retirement without an education.F'in liberals kill the military at every turn and that includes pay and benefits. You need a commission to make it truly worthwhile.
3. Joining the Chair Force is really the easiest route if he wants to serve. AF guys do 6 or 9 months and are home. Corps does like 6 and home. Navy....not sure what the hell they do, I am pretty sure only Sea Bees (Afghanistan) and SEALs actually get in harms way.
4. Push the Air Guard, Guard, reserves, etc... and help him finish college.
5. You can get a commission in the Guard a lot easier than active duty and you wont age as bad.
6. My current perception. Army active duty has gone to total shit. Anyone with less than 15 years is the biggest crybaby I have ever seen. I have seen Command Sergeants Major throw a pissy fit over a motorcycle safety course seat. Most field grade officers are worthless. If they are any good they are having to do all the leadership in unit. We are in the same shape as we were in the 70's after Vietnam. It took a long time to get discipline and standards back. USAF probably not so bad.
7. Support your boy, as joining and serving is a great thing that most people honestly fail to get.
8. If he fights and is going without your input, force upon him that he is still young and there are a shit load of things that he is clueless too. Like street whores outside of Fort Jackson S.C.....when your'e 18 and luckily have a New YorRican with you that is a hell of a lot street smarter than you....but he gets scared when you have to walk down a street with trees and Raccoon's in the creek. I see all Army fatalities and it's not a good think. The Army kills all young people off duty, white male under the age of 24. Speeding, drinking, suicides, wrecks, etc... USAF probably the same. Money, full nuts and no sense.
9. Education,A.F. national guard, Navy reserves with a smart job. No petroleum, no ammo, no logistical, no maintenance, no security, no cooking. It has to be electronic in nature, computer in nature, or INTEL. Most other jobs in the military do not truly relate to the outside unless you are going to be doing the same thing for a contractor.
I was a Master US Army EOD Tech, with a nuclear, IED background....honestly what the hell was I going to do? Only a few jobs, dig holes and look for UXO on installations or FUDS sites, be a FBI bomb tech assistant if your lucky, TSA asshole, work in the ammo field, or watch others dig holes from your rental vehicle. I watched others from my rental vehicle.

I am basing my observations on 4+ years in Iraq and AFG, watching troops everyday go through separation processing, working with green suiters on a daily basis. It's good, but you have to look long range.

Push a pilots license? Or a helo license? He can easily be an Army Helicopter pilot. With a 4 year degree and pilots license he would be a easy sell to Fort Rucker if he could pass the physical.

 

I hate to break it to you, but whining about the status of the current Army when you were in from 1982-2003 doesn't provide you with a lot of merit. You didn't grow up in an Army that was based around 12-15 month deployment rotations, but an Army that was based around shiny boots and barracks..AKA your "discipline and standards".

Every organization goes through change, and the Army isn't any different than any other organization when it comes to that. Learning to accept and adapt to the change is crucial. You just sound like one of the dime-a-dozen DA Civilians who wants to yell at the clouds about how things were when they were in.

These days, it takes solid individuals to join any branch of the military, and for any job. The military will be what anyone makes of it, and it'll work for each person in the way they work for the military. People have this wild expectation that their time in the military should be capped off with a custom resume and a new job. The military will give anyone life and professional experience. Some people turn that into a flourishing career, some people do the same shit they did before they enlisted.

 

I was a tactical safety officer with 1-4 HBCT, OEF 10-11, USACE CEA, CMC, 2004-2008, Afghanistan ENVEST 2009. I have my hours upon hours in convoys, tactical patrols, logistical patrols, etc... inspecting J-COPS, COPS, COBs, FOBs, etc....
I do have merit to see what the Army has gone through the last 30+ years and have been in step with troops the entire way.
Maybe it's just a generational thing with the current "self-entitled" mollycoddled cry babies such as your peers. I authorize arms room and run the explosive safety program that over reaches the entire 4ID. Don't tell me about your stellar peer group. Team leaders with boots that are unserviceable, LT's that will not hold unit personnel to time standards because dirt bag platoon sergeants are out eating lunch with SPC's. DIV leadership that is tolerant for loss of life because they are afraid that JAG will have a hard on for a no movement order. If you are the supernumerary, then set the example. When the dew dries behind your ears, you may have something to base your reply on.

 

Butter bar with 6 years enlisted versus 21year vet+continuous DAC service with deployment exp? I think SOCO Taco has the cred here.

 

If he does join the Air Force tell him to be an air traffic controller. Very fun and satisfying job. Also once you plan on getting out of the Air Force you can do the same job for a lot more money! Trust me, way worth it.

 

Actually his views are filled with merit. You advised that he grew up in an Army that focused on discipline and standards, as if THAT is problematic. Please read/review then give us all your opinion of WHY the Army is considering a move to have Drill Instructors (DI) at Advanced Individual Training (AIT)? To give you a hint WHY big Green is looking at it, here's a quote from the article:

“The problem that we do have is that right now the generation we have coming in is not as disciplined as we would like them to be, so we have to provide them with discipline over a longer period of time.”

http://www.armytimes.com/story/mili...d-drill-sgts-beyond-basic-army-says/83274044/

 

I went to AIT with DIs, and I think it was a mistake that the Army pulled them. There is a time and place to increase garrison discipline, and with the lack of action that most units are seeing (as opposed to the constant deployment rotation of 5-10 years ago when you were going to get sent straight to Iraq/Afghanistan almost immediately), that time is now. Just like post-Vietnam. I'm currently at a post with a lot of AIT, and see these kids constantly.

And FWIW, I respectfully bowed out after reading/understanding the legitimate experience he has.

 

I just found this forum when I typed "My son wants to join the Air Force" into Google. Thankfully we also have a Tacoma (-: I found out 45 minutes ago through a message unrelated to his decision. He is 17, graduating from HS this year and has been applying to many different schools, so this was a slap on the heart. My boy has been welding since 6th grade and has a very good GPA. Until this revelation he wanted to go to school to become an astrophysicist, using his welding and bike mechanics to help pay his way.

So, I found this forum and started reading. I want to thank all of you for your personal input on this subject. I won't be letting on that I know, but as my only child... it terrifies me. My father joined the Air Force at 17, but never saw combat as WWII was ending. He was shot up in Korea, but his service days (at 91) are his glory days. I have a cousin who was a 3 star general, retiring soon after his close call when the Pentagon was hit. I tell you this because these things make it all seem so exciting to young men (and women), but as a parent my vision of military service is more than honorable. Today, the military seems more dangerous.

Anyway. Thank you for being here and willing to share.

 

I'm fresh out of BMT, and I know its early to say, but I'm super thankful for my decision. I know my college will be paid for later on, and I'm going to have a great career as well.

 

Shut up boot no one asked you. Go Wash the shitters

 

I joined the Marine Corp because I needed direction and some disapline at a not so young age of 20. I'll tell you it saved my life in those days of careless living. That was late 79. Did my time and got out with what I was needing, found a job working with the Navy overhauling Navy and Marine Corp jets in San Diego, did that for 6 years, then got laid off and found a job being an Air Force Reserve Technician for 16 years and retired as a MSgt, while you won't get rich you will have more life experiences than most. I have been all over the world doing many different things. While I served in uniform I have had 2 different career paths, one as an aircraft mechanic and an information manager which led me to the current job I now have in Cybersecurity. With any job or career you need short and long term goals, where do you want to be in 5, 10 or 20 years from now. Yes I may complain about a lot of things, but I know I'll be back tomorrow to do it another day. December 10 marks 35 years serving this wonderful nation and plan to serve at least 5 or 6 more. As far as danger is concerned, you can die crossing the street tomorrow. Enjoy life right now, for tomorrow is a mystery. Semper Fi. BTW Marine Corp birthday is Nov 10, 1775, that's 241 years! Happy Birthday Marine Corps.

 

I served in the Army for 3.5 years (stayed an extra 6 months because I was deployed to Iraq).

The GI Bill is incredible, it paid for my college, and provided living expenses while I was in school. Now, I have a job (hired based on veteran's preferential hiring), no debt, and a house that I purchased with a VA loan (no down payment). It is a great way to set yourself up for life. The skills and leadership you learn in the military often cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Joining the military opens a lot of opportunities. The Air Force is a much safer way to do it than some other branches, in most cases. It is not a means to turn your back on anything, it is a way to do selfless work and give yourself a lot of advantages.