Could the Air Force guys help me here???

alright awesome ill probably end up putting up airfield management first on my list.... seems like a good gig, i like going to airports anyway just to see how all the operations work, so it is right in my interest area

 

If you need any information or think the recruiter isn't telling you everything let me know. I've been in 10 years and have been enough places to know most of what you are looking for. And if I don't know it off the top of my head I can look it up for you.

 

alright thanks a lot man, i really appreciate the help, ill keep doing my research too, if i need help ill be right back here

 

I would recommend a aircraft Maintenance Officer and get as familiar as you can with all of the specialties within aircraft as you can. When you get out you can become an Exec with an Airline and make large money and go back to school for your Master & Doctorate.
Just sayin

 

but i don't even have my bachelors, so i can't be an officer... just enlisted

 

Just FYI, you don't need any experience to be a Loadmaster. I enlisted in 2000 and was in Security Forces (FML) for four years before cross training to a C-130 Loadmaster and did that up until commissioning last year. IMHO, Boom Operator and Loadmaster are debatably the best enlisted jobs in the Air Force. I know plenty of people here are going to argue, its just my opinion.

When I went to Load school, most of the other folks there were pipeline students (right out of basic). It does require a few braincells, as there is math involved and a lot of technical reading, understanding, and retention that goes into.

If you want to travel a lot, sport some wings, wear a flight suit, and hang around with pilots and navs, it may be the job for you. I was enlisted for 11 years before commissioning a year ago, and if you can finish school, its worth it. If you can't afford school, enlisting and having Uncle Sam pay for your tuition and then commissioning is an option. Someone said it was more difficult to commission if you're enlisted, which is absolutely not the case. The only thing "more difficult" is balancing school and work, rather than just some kid going to college.

If you would like more information on being a loadmaster, let me know. Start talking to recruiters now though. There will be a wait. Best of luck!

 

what job would entail me to "hang out with the pilots and navs"?

 

id like to know as much about any job that ill get to be around planes, or fly on them, or both lol.... to me it really doesn't matter if its a fighter or four holer... i just love airplanes, and to work with any type would be awesome for me

 

You would have to get a commission to fly planes; therefore you would need to finish college. It sounds like you're more in line with some sort of Flight Crew position if you go Enlisted such as load master, Flight Engineer or boom operator if you go Enlisted.

 

It is more difficult to get a commission coming from Enlisted these days as opposed to getting a commission coming out of college; epsecially with the reduction in Force. I've seen some rather eligible Airmen with pretty appealing packages get turned down recently and it had nothing to to with AFOQT scores or lack of GPA. Their degrees simply weren't accepted. One of my Airmen who was riding a 3.8 GPA was turned down. He already has his degree in Business Management. Selection to a commissioning program is a whole heck of a lot more selective the last couple of years. This last year they announced there will ony be 1 rated and 1 non rated board a year, when in past 2 each met a year. 10 years ago you could easily apply and get picked up with a degree in Business management; these days, the AF is only accepting Technical and medical degrees. Did you apply OTS or did you go through a program like SOAR or AECP to get your commission?

 

Don't be a Fuels Specialist... Just don't... I can't give you any info on aircrew type jobs, but if you want to know anything about working on jets (fighters specifically), let me know... I have been in 11 years and have worked on the F-117A, F-16 (several different blocks / models) and now the F-35.

 

I'd be willing to hear anything you have to say, any advice is helpful to me...and maybe someone else who is thinking about enlisting too

 

Have you asked your recruiter to hook you up with a nearby unit so you can "shadow" some of the Airman to see what they do? We do that a lot here in the summer at Langley, If you're recruiter is serious about getting bodies, they will make it happen.

 

How many college classes do you have left until Graduation? To be a rated (flying) Officer, you don't need any specific degree, just have one.

 

An enlisted flying job. Boom Operator or Loadmaster would be a good start. There are also some others, but many require some maintenance experience, but those do not. Just a certain ASVAB score (don't worry, its not all that high).

Not sure where you are getting your information. The 12OT01 Rated board had 30 active duty enlisted applicants and 100% of them were accepted for OTS.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123291739

And the non-rated board for OTS 12OT01, 123 enlisted members were hired out of 273 applicants with 960 applicants.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123303829

These are staggering numbers that have never happened. There are certainly qualified people applying and not being hired, no doubt, but apparently not to the rated boards. The non-rated boards are still taking plenty, and it appears being prior enlisted isn't hurting anyone.

Their degrees weren't accepted? Unsure what you mean by that. A technical degree is not needed. I had a 3.0 GPA for my undergrad and 3.8 GPA for my masters. My degree? History. I commissioned with people that had degrees in Philosophy, Theatre, and Dance, amongst other more useless degrees than even mine, and are currently in Pilot training right now. I'm currently in CSO training, which is a rated career field.

There may be less boards, sure, and yeah, we are seeing a RIF, but to say enlisted folks aren't being hired and civilians are is just not the case.

No special programs for me, OTS.

Thats a great idea, if you can find a recruiter willing to spend the time to do that.

OP, where are you located in Florida?

 

Try Avionics Maintenance then; Com Nav or Precision Measurement Equipment Technician. In Any of these fields you can make good money and most often find a job when you decide to get out. Plus most of the areas of the fields keep you out of the outside elements.
And they are enlisted fields.

 

Im in south florida about 40 minutes to an hour north of homestead air reserve base

 

Have you talked with their recruiter at all? Its an F-16 unit, so no aircrew positions to chose from, but plenty of other jobs, I'm sure. If you were set on staying in college, the reserves would be a great gig. Its amazing the incentives the Air Force Reserves and Air National Guard are giving some career fields for sign on bonuses/school tuition assistance/GI Bill.

Not sure how far you are from Patrick AFB in Cocoa Beach, but they have HH-60's and C-130s. If its worth the drive, go to college and join the Reserves and you could get a Loadmaster job out there probably. I'm assuming they have Aerial Gunners (also an enlisted job) on the HH-60s there. Look up TW user "TacoGunner". He was a Loadmaster in the past and is now an Aerial Gunner. Surprised he hasn't chimed in. Must be blowing shit up on the range or something.

 

My info is coming straight from the my Education Center and AFVEC. As for my SSgt who was not considered, his degree didn't fit into an officer career field being sought by the AF. He wanted to be in Civil Engineeering; therefore his Business management degree didn't fit, his package never went up to the non-rated board from the Base Education Center POC. Additionally it looks like we we're both talking different programs. In regards to the OP and him slugging it out and finishing his school then joining or Enlisting now, I was explaining our commissioning program like SOAR or ASCP a scholarship program for Enlisted to get their degree and commission as the first option, not even thinking OTS since he isn't even close to degree completion; when you were speaking OTS; obvious two completely different routes to gaining a commission. The main difference being you already had your degree completed when you applied and the OP would be pursuing his degree. Obviously he could go the route you went, but his first year Enlisted would be a wash with Basic Training, Tech School and CDC enrollment (which I mentioned in previous post). If he's willing to wait, then getting his degree on his own and going OTS could work; however a commissioning program is definitely the faster track, yet more competitive as I mentioned. Here's the link to AETC on the commissioning programs I'm describing and as you can see they are seeking technical and medical degrees. They will take some non-technical degrees but the choice of Officer career fields is very limited for non-rated, or you could hope for being rated. My SSgt didn't even qualify for a Finance officer or Comptroller...I found that strange.

http://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/AFROTC/EnlistedComm/ASCP.asp

Additionally, you can see the selection rates has drastically dropped the past 4 years for ASCP. The link you posted displayed great stats for OTS selection, but what I wasn't able to make out was how many of those selected non-rated had technical degrees? You are correct that the AF does not require a Technical degree to be a pilot but the Navy does I wonder why the difference?

As for rated boards, yes, they are far more lenient on degree choice and that's the route the OP seems to want to go. I worked with a Capt F-22 pilot who's degree was in Forrestry. Surprisingly the AF is short on pilots, I'm sure someone in the flying world such as yourself you're aware the AF is looking at defining controllers of UAV's as pilots, which many true pilots detest. I just hope folks hoping to fly a Viper, Raptor or Eagle don't get duped into remote controlling a Predator. Getting selected by the rated board isn't impossible, but 30 selects a year isn't a huge number when you think about it. I remember when they would take 60-70 easily. Anyways, back on topic, one thing I can not explain if you are selected by the rated board and you fail pilot training, what route do you go if your degree is in "philosophy" and how does that affect your new career field choice?

I obviously can't debate any of the info you shared on the OTS selection process and it would be foolish of me to try since you went through the process first hand and was successful congratulation to you on that...While I never said "enlisted folks aren't being hired and civilians are" A twist on my words by you, I think we would both agree that it is an easier path to gain a commission staying civilian than it is going Enlisted to a commission since there is less of a selection process.

 

I have no idea what you are talking about, since I am an Avionics tech and I damn sure work outside... you must be talking about backshop... Ah, PMEL, you are talking about backshop... You know, the guys that flightline maintainers say aren't actual maintainers...