OT:Military Service?

The Air Force recruiter came and since i'm 17 and a junior, this kinda applies to me. He was telling me that i can join right now, and after i graduate, go into active duty. I really want to go to college and then go into the Special Forces. For those actually in the military, which would be best. I don't wanna go w/ the recruiters word, because they get paid to tell me stuff. The recruiter made the idea of enlisting and then going to college and becoming an officer sound like the best way. I was thinkin going to college then joining the USAF and becoming an officer that way. Any help would be great.

-->Kyle Penn<--
kfp@vvm.com

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RE: OT:Military Service??, SVTS, Apr-24-03, 07:43 PM, (1) RE: OT:Military Service??, CGW409, Apr-24-03, 08:00 PM, (2) RE: OT:Military Service??, LAHDPOP, Apr-24-03, 09:50 PM, (3) RE: OT:Military Service??, chucksc, Apr-24-03, 11:03 PM, (4) RE: OT:Military Service??, TinkFixer, Apr-24-03, 11:09 PM, (5) RE: OT:Military Service??, imprezzed, Apr-24-03, 11:40 PM, (6) RE: OT:Military Service??, dgauci, Apr-25-03, 02:02 AM, (7) RE: OT:Military Service??, beltontigers, Apr-25-03, 05:50 PM, (8) RE: OT:Military Service??, Lone_Gunman_SG, Apr-25-03, 07:22 PM, (9) RE: OT:Military Service??, Newton Kid, Apr-27-03, 03:48 PM, (10) RE: OT:Military Service??, wpfan, Apr-27-03, 06:32 PM, (11) RE: OT:Military Service??, beltontigers, Apr-27-03, 10:25 PM, (12) RE: OT:Military Service??, csxt602, Apr-28-03, 01:35 AM, (13)

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My wife joined the ROTC at her high school, and then went to college for four years, while staying in the ROTC at her college. After graduation, she went into the Army as an officer, Lt. I believe, and she is now a Capt, in charge of a unit, and next month, it will be 9 years in the service.You have to do what you feel is best for you, and if going to school first is what you want to do, then do it. The Air Force, ain't going anywhere. You can join after college. Check out the ROTC for your senior year, and what you want after High School. Recruiters get paid to get people in, doesn't matter how they do it, or what they tell recruits. Once you sign that dotted line, your in, and you ain't getting out, doesn't matter what that recruiter told you.For what it is worth, they will pay for your education, my wife is looking at going back to school to get her masters, at the ripe age of 31.GO GORDON!
Chris Bogley
chrisb@tailsnrails.com
Ft. Huachuca AZ

www.tailsnrails.com
www.msnusers.com/Tehachapi

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Kyle
This is just my .02 worth.
First let me say I'm proud you're considering serving this country,it's a choice I now regret not choosing( I contacted the Air Force after 9/11/01 but was informed I'm now a bit long in the tooth) but I'm glad to see you're considering my father's branch.
Since most of the armed forces offer some form of college benifit why not try the active duty approach and see if it's something for you,that way if you like the service you can consider OCS and go the lifer route but if it turns out you'd rather go the civilian route you can do your term and still get the college benifits.
Second, at the risk of getting the old man upset at me why not check out one of the other branches, you might find that the Navy,Marines,Army or Coast Guard offer more for you,though you'd get an argument from my buds as to which branch as some of my buds are ex salts,ex ground pounders and Marines(no such thing as an ex Marine)
Now I'll yield the floor to those who can give you the real inside dope
Best of luck and God blessGary S

"Some say this country's just out for a fight. After 9/11 man I'd have to say thats right"
"Have You Forgotten"
Darryl Worley

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If you've got the grades, look into an ROTC Scholarship. That way, the Air Force pays for your tuition, books, and fees, you get your degree, AND you go active duty as a Second Lieutenant. If that's not possible, check into non-scholarship ROTC at your school. You pay the tuition, but you still go active duty after school (officer).If you go to school first, non-ROTC, you can then try to get into the AF via Officer Training School. Biggest drawback there is that there will be only a few specialties available, compared to the scads of enlisted specialties. You'll be at the mercy of the current manning levels in potential career fields (well, for that matter, you're ALWAYS at the mercy of the needs of the Air Force, but in GENERAL, OTS Candidates get slimmer pickings than either ROTC or Academy Cadets).If you just join out of high school as an enlisted guy, you can in theory work a great deal toward your degree in your off time, as well as some on-duty time. But did you say Special Forces? If so, you'll probably be TDY too often to ever make it through a whole semester of classes. But you can try like Hell.Out of curiosity, what kind of Special Operations Forces officer slot did you see yourself getting? There aren't a whole lot of them, and even fewer that don't call for some kind of operational experience before going SOF. If you've got your heart set on an SOF type career field, you might be better off going enlisted, and going for a PJ (Pararescue), Combat Controller, or Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller slot. All of those jobs can be very "SF-like." ETACs don't actually get attached to a SOF unit until they've had some experience, usually at least 2 years, but it's still alot more in the tradition of Snake Eating than your standard Air Force specialty.If you DO sign for any kind of delayed entry, read the contract thoroughly. Make damn sure that if your promised specialty is no longer available when you graduate, then the deal's off, and you get out scott free. If they say they'll "find you something else," say no thanks. You'll end up a cook at Osan AB, Korea.Good luck, and TAKE YOUR TIME. If the recruiter rushes you, back away. He's going for a quota. Take your time, and let the recruiter get to know you. You'll be much better off than just signing up for anything. I've got a hunch, though, that if you qualify for PJ or Combat Controller, the recruiter will probably fall all over himself. Those career fields are in great demand, and probably have a hefty signing bonus (some have up to $18,000).Good Luck,
Pop
(aka MSgt, USAF and Active ANG, 1988-Present)

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Good Advice PopChuck Schneider
Ex CPO (Submarine Svc)
Ex CWO
Lt. USN(retired)
1963-1989(Virtual) CEO
North American (Virtual) Locomotive Works

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Kyle,The following sites have lots of info on the military:
www.usmilitary.about.com
www.military.comThere are a number of programs where you can get your college paid for, then serve as an officer. You will, of course, make more money as an officer, than you would as enlisted. As enlisted you can get some very good training in a wide variety of fields, at the technician level. Going to college while enlisted sounds good, but often it does not work out due to varying hours, and frequent moves, or deployments. Do NOT sign anything until you have completely researched what you want and what the military is offering you!Good luck to you!John

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My experience with recruiters is a follows:TAKE ANYTHING THEY SAY WITH A GRAIN OF SALT...THEY ARE SILVER TOUNGED DEVILS WHO WILL SAY ANYTHING...IF THEY MAKE A PROMISE TO YOU, GET IT IN WRITING.I know, because I work with one!Imprezzed
OS NCIOP 275
CDN NAVY

I wanna highball it through Woodstock, Ont. on none other than...THE TURBOTRAIN!!!

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I had three years of NJROTC in high school (cadet Ltjg and company commander), enlisted in the Navy at the start of my senior year and went active duty two months after HS graduation as an E-3. Personally I loved it.That said, in my opinion your best bet would be to get your college degree first through ROTC and enter the service as an officer. ROTC in college will let you know if you like it or not, unless the military is paying your scholarship there is no obligation for active duty service upon graduation. Serving as an enlisted man was a great experience for me, serving as an officer would be better especially if career minded.

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Sorry so late to reply back. I have really been interested in going into the USAF or maybe the marines and fly the Spec Ops choppers (I think that recruiter said that was a field..lol). The only way i know of flyin in the AF is becoming an officer, so that's the way i'm tryin to do it. Unfortunately my school does not have ROTC(our rival school does) but i was thinking about going down to Texas A&M and getting into the Corps Of Cadets (surely you've heard of them ). I had been communicating back and forth w/ the USAF Academy and my congressman, but as of late the line has gone silent. Thanks for the advice. I think i'll talk to the recruiters a little more about this, and give my aunt a call (MSgt. in the USAF, been in for almost 20 yrs).

-->Kyle Penn<--
kfp@vvm.com

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does that "Only Child" rule apply to only the Army, or does it extend to the USAF and the Navy?Its my birthday on Apr. 28th!
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Kyle,If you can go to college without coming out in big time debt, then going through ROTC is a good choice. A college education is something that no one can take away from you. If you are not on ROTC Scholorship, then you can attend the first two years without making any commitment. It is only after they start paying you, do you become obligated to serve. Keep in mind with ROTC that if you take their money and then drop out of school you may be required to go in as an enlisted person anyway. The first two years of non-commitment ROTC gives you sometime to see what the game is before you play it.One thing to check about ROTC is to find out how many people who go in as an officer actually can retire. I know that there are only about one out of four people who start as an officer in the Army who actually retire. A significant number leave, but most are forced out! There are always a lot more people up for promotion then spaces to fill, normally about 50% of one rank goes on to the next higher!That is the one advantage of starting out as an enlisted person first. If you have been enlisted prior to becoming an officer you are guaranteed an ability to retire. If you are not selected for promotion and they want you out, you have the option of staying in as an enlisted person until you hit your twenty. Having a retirement check at age 45 allow you to start a whole new chareer. The other advantage is that there are some really good program to help you pay for college.My recommendation for now is to keep looking at options and study it hard. Don't worry about what the recruiter says, you can sign up anytime. The services will always take good people.

Newton Kid

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A lot can change in your last year of high school so I would advise against joining into the DEP (delayed enlistment program) this soon. I would also advise that you go and talk to all of the recruiters and see what they have to say, that was the one mistake that I made. I'm going to use my case as an example I joined the Marines as a musician without exploring other options. The Marines offered enlistment as pay grade E-2 promotion to E-3 at 6mos and promotion to E-4 at 2 years, plus I got no bonus despite playing a rare instrument that is constantly in demand. The Army musician program offered enlistment as an E-3 and promotion to E-4 upon completion of music school plus up to $5000 bonus for us hard to find oboists. Both the Marines and the Army require musicians to be qualified as Marine rifleman or soldiers respectively. The Marines especially stressed the fact that whatever your MOS you are a Marine first. The Navy while offering the same paygrade options as the Corps also offered that as a musician you have no other duties other than being a musician. One more thing to keep in mind. Never believe anything that a recruiter tells you, whenever they promise anything get it in writing.

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I went to Baylor University yesterday, and it appears that they have a good AFROTC program. Their commanding officer told me something like close to 90% of the cadets will get a scholarship @ one point or another during their college days. So i'm really starting to think about going to BU and going into the USAF afterwards as a commisioned officer.

-->Kyle Penn<--
kfp@vvm.com

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Kyle,Here's a couple of things I found out.Luckily my brother was a 2nd class petty officer at the time (ET2 to be exact) and happened to be home on leave when I decided to head to the USN recruiters. My brother help off revealing his military status, just so I could get the bull from the recruiter first, which I did, then my brother chime in and straightened the recruiter out for me, so I was lucky, I got "the real deal" out of it, not the promise of world travel and all the rah-rah crap.Next, make sure you get in writing whatever you have going on, especially in boot camp (if you enlist). I went into the USN to be an AT (aviation electronics technician), and also went SAR (sea-air rescue). In boot camp, at the SAR physical requirment test, I found out for the first time that if I became a SAR, my 4 year hitch would become a 5 year hitch. Not wanting to commit to the extra year without tasting Navy life first, I tanked the SAR test, got my AT rating yanked, and ended up becoming an aviation ordnanceman (yeah, try finding any jobs with THAT training on the outside!)If you can, I'd either attend an academy or go into college and in the ROTC program. I deided to enlist, get my Navy College Fund, and go to school after being discharged. Instead, after getting out, I needed a car and money, and got a job. 10 years later (October of this year to be exact), my NCF dissolves and I have yet to use a dime. I wasted it. If the United States is going to give you an education, take it!Chris Denbow - Baltimore, MD
TKW Paintshop Technician

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