Joining the USAF

It was dining facility DFAC when I went through, but slang was always chow hall... lol always was motorpool, except at ft. hood where we called it motorstables (1st Cav and all)

 

You know, I never thought I would say it but the Cold War years was the best years. Great places to be stationed, lots of beer, and you didn't have to worry about offending someone's sensitive ears by using colorful language.

 

I feel the same way. Lots of good times and alot of hard work preparing for the Big One. Turkey in 84-85 was a blast!!

 

wow, dorms? just give them a tiny ass rack in a berthing and make them shower in a head down the passageway. oh and you definately can't forget the cat traps on the flight deck that is right above you. i tell you the worst part is the tie down chains being dragged across the deck while youre trying to sleep. yeah, dorms, gimme a break

 

That ain't no lie!

http://chairforce.com/index.php?opt...le&id=87:baby-uav-pilots&catid=64:video-pages

 

this is very true...my first enlistment i hung out with a lot of people that didnt like the Marines and def didnt belong in it and they brought me down with them. Now ive been out for a year and im re-enlisting next week because i miss it so much. those guys are still my friends but just make sure you make your own opinions about serving your country.

 

when i was in iraq thats what it was called, as far as in garrison its chizow hall!

 

Brother I was outside of Istanbul at a post called Cakmakli from 86 - 88. You ain't kidding it was a blast. I was an E-4 and had more money then I could spend. Do you remember what you could get for a 20 dollar bill? Not only could you get drunk but you could also get other things of interest to a young man in the service of his country.

I would have stayed longer if they had let me but they only let me have one extension. After that I had to go home to the states to be poor again.

 

I am at day 2 of MEPS in Knoxville right now. I didn't know they made a 4:45 AM.. I mean 0445.

Time for a long day of hurry up and wait! With any luck, at the end of the day I will be in DEP in the USAF and booked for 1A3X1 Airborne Mission Systems!

 

Check the Sig Ive been to the shit.. we got shot at everyday in Balad..

and While yes our guys outside the wire are in danger at all times.. working on and around the planes is probobly the most dangerous job, On Base, beacuse all they do is try to lob Mortars and Rockets at the Planes.

Good luck in the Airforce.. and dont think beacause your working with computers it will keep you in the states , and out of the shit There is Combat Comm. and the regular Comm guys that have to fix my email and ID Card Chip while im out there.. Ive gone through 12 ID cards in 3 years.. those Chips are pieces of shit

 

Thanks for your service. Branch is irrelevant. They are all equally heroic & undercompensated IMO but never unappreciated by real Americans. Rep sent.

 

OK well I made it! They won't give me a job until the beginning of April, but my earliest ship date is September because I am getting married in August.

I listed 1A3X1 (Airborne Mission Systems), 2E2X1 (Network Infrastructure Systems), 3C2X1 (Network Integration) and Open Electronics Area as my jobs, in that order. As for staying in the States, fuck that. If I could PCS overseas for every base I go to, I would. And deploying doesn't scare me either. Bring it!

 

haha , I already do 3C2 stuff for a living and make a hell of a lot more money! I am definitely NOT joining to get rich!

 

Good luck man,

One piece of advice, keep it all in perspective. Even the little silly things that make you wonder WTF? has an underying reason to it. One thing that might be trying for you initially is based on your details you'll be a 25 yr old E-1 possibly E-3 based on how long you signed up for or if you've taken any college? You might be a little frustrated initially having 22 year old E-5's bossing you around, but you made the right choice. I'm a MSgt 2E271 with 14 years in and i have loved every miniute of it even my deployment to Iraq last year and the many TDY's here and there. The AF is definitely the way to go, you get to live a somehwat normal life outside your military commitment. Working around some of the Army here at Ft Dix, they may rag us for being soft reminding us that we're referred to as the chair force, but you can see it, they're envious of our culture. Basic training will start slow, but before you know it, you'll be in your blues heading to Tech School......again congrats on your enlistment and engagement.

 

3P051 SF at least carry a gun. Good Luck some of the best guys I ever met in my life I met in the Air Force.

 

Thanks for the well wishes and advice guys. And yes I am going in as E-3 due to college credits (I actually have 96), but I am also doing a 6 year enlistment.

 

Go aircrew.

And, actually, don't go 1A3, go 1A2 (loadmaster). Not as technical but you'll get the most travel, most per diem, and probably a lot more fun and excitement than mission systems (where you'll likely sit in a jstar or awacs orbiting around, with very little to do with the actual flying mission, sitting in an office like setting, etc... I mean, dot watching is fun and all, but...)

But even if you don't go 1A2, stick with aircrew - flightsuit, more pay, more laid back (less "military", more "real world" type interactions with those in your squadron, officers, etc) and more fun.

I mean, you wanna be in the air force and actually get to wear wings, right?