Air Force or Navy?

[macdude06]

Hey man if you are going enlisted AF and have any questions let me know..About the jobs, they say its needs of the air force..but u list 7 jobs of what you want to do..and likely to get one of those 7.. from what i hear other branches let u pick..but they give u a list to pick from..it could be cook, plumber,towel boy.. and thats it..Ive been in Since August and i love it.. Im from Texas had my tech school in Ms(never been there.. something different) and now im stationed in Northern California near lake tahoe and sacramento..I love it..traveling for free.. living on base for free..its not bad at all..Im an Air Traffic Controller and love it and have a good shot of being successful out of the military..but any questions let me know

[Heath Ledger]

Brutalis what is your ASVAB score? There are some very good te al schools in the Navy if you have a high enough score.

Including

Electronics Technician
Crypo Tech
Nuke
Air Traffic Contorl all of which can make you big bucks when you get out and they all have nice re-enlistment bonuses. I was an electronics technician 2nd class and search and rescue swimmer.

Regarding the Navy food I though it was decent. But all branches have food that is cooked in bulk so the quality tends to go down.

If i were you I would talk to recruiters from both branches to see what opportunities await you based upon your A.S.V.A.B. and go from there.

There will be things you love and hate in both branches. Whatever branch you join you must milk the military for everything they offer you because you are sacrificing a lot by joinging.

Life at sea I thought to be exciting. When you pull into port in some cities there are girls waiting for U.S. sailors to wine dine and 69 them.

[duncan228]

Best of luck whatever you decide Brutalis. Please be careful, stay safe, and take advantage of every educational opportunity you can.

[exstatic]

AF is a pretty good gig. Basic is a drag, but Tech school is fun after a few weeks where they adjust you to the real world slowly. They put you thru phaseswith more restrictions early, and fewer later, because too many people were showing up at tech school and bombing out from partying too much immediately after basic. As stated by others, try to do well on your tests so you can pick something that will translate into a civilian skill. I started as a computer operator, but after three years you can cross train, and I got my original first choice then of computer programmer, did a couple of hitches to finish my degree and got out to a job in the high 5 figures. They don't have blue suit programmers anymore, because it's cheaper to contract that out, but I'm sure you can find something to select that can land you a job in the real world.

[tsb2000]

I can tell you, no matter which service you join, don't sign up until you get a specific AFSC / MOS code. This is the code of your job. If you pick a job field (ie. civil engineering, you will be driving a street sweeper or shoveling snow, depending on where you are. What the earlier post said about picking a relevant job is great advice- get skills you can use outside of the military (medical, tech, engineering, etc). People who join the Army as infantry get out with no civilian skills. Don't let the recruiters give you that "needs of the Air Force" crap. Tell them if you don't get a specific AFSC, you'll just join another service that will give you one or do something else. If your grades and ASVAB scores are high enough, you'll get what you want. Hope that helps.

[Brutalis]

Ran into a snag. My senior year of high school I was expelled for truancy. I had my credits to graduate but made the ignorant move of thinking I can off and not go to class half the time and got kicked out for it. So I was forced into a GED because of it all. I was told yesterday by a friend who went and did his ASVAB last year and he was turned away by the Air Force cause of his GED.

Kinda bummed.

[Wild Cobra]

At the end of the summer I will be enlisting in one or the other. I was curious if we have any vets here or knowledgeable people that could give me some insight or first hand experience with one of them.

It primarily matters on two things.

1) Do you like living on the sea or not.

2) The field you want to practice.

The Navy, by far, has the best technical programs. You don't find many civilians, if any, on Navy vessels.

The Air Force is has the best quality of life among the services.

[Wild Cobra]

Grow a pair and join the....

If you say so. Not many job openings for Rangers, after the service...

If "manliness" is a necessity, then I say grow a pair, and go Army, with a technical field, then apply for Delta Force, or a similar thing like the Navy Seals, or the Air Force equivalent. Get that civilian path job training first! Don't be just a grunt.

[Wild Cobra]

You can gain plenty of knowledge in the Military..knowledge that you won't find at any college. But I agree that education is always an asset.

Some of the best technical jobs out there look at people with military technical training first...

[Wild Cobra]

I can tell you, no matter which service you join, don't sign up until you get a specific AFSC / MOS code. This is the code of your job. If you pick a job field (ie. civil engineering, you will be driving a street sweeper or shoveling snow, depending on where you are. What the earlier post said about picking a relevant job is great advice- get skills you can use outside of the military (medical, tech, engineering, etc). People who join the Army as infantry get out with no civilian skills. Don't let the recruiters give you that "needs of the Air Force" crap. Tell them if you don't get a specific AFSC, you'll just join another service that will give you one or do something else. If your grades and ASVAB scores are high enough, you'll get what you want. Hope that helps.

^^^ Yes, this is VERY IMPORTANT! ^^^

You will not get any bonuses for the good jobs either. If there's a bonus for it, and you want a good job... Unlikely there will be any bonuses involved!

[Wild Cobra]

Ran into a snag. My senior year of high school I was expelled for truancy. I had my credits to graduate but made the ignorant move of thinking I can off and not go to class half the time and got kicked out for it. So I was forced into a GED because of it all. I was told yesterday by a friend who went and did his ASVAB last year and he was turned away by the Air Force cause of his GED.

Kinda bummed.

If you score high enough on the ASVAB, they will want you, as long as you have that GED. I maxed out all but two areas. I was qualified for anything except a pilot, because I didn't have 20/20.

I'll bet your friend didn't do so well on the ASVAB.

[Re-Animator]

If you say so. Not many job openings for Rangers, after the service...

If "manliness" is a necessity, then I say grow a pair, and go Army, with a technical field, then apply for Delta Force, or a similar thing like the Navy Seals, or the Air Force equivalent. Get that civilian path job training first! Don't be just a grunt.

I wasn't talking about joining for three years to get free collage I was talking about making the Army a career and if your not 82nd Material your just like a Dallas Maverick always an underachiever, second class wannabe.

Don't forget the Airborne has Telecommunications, sat com, and all the other juicy stuff regular army has. Besides the Army allows you to go to collage on their time after you re-enlist.

You can be a doctor,lawyer,Dentist,and still wear the Maroon Beret,

[Wild Cobra]

I wasn't talking about joining for three years to get free collage I was talking about making the Army a career and if your not 82nd Material your just like a Dallas Maverick always an underachiever, second class wannabe.

Don't forget the Airborne has Telecommunications, sat com, and all the other juicy stuff regular army has. Besides the Army allows you to go to collage on their time after you re-enlist.

You can be a doctor,lawyer,Dentist,and still wear the Maroon Beret,

This is true, but too often, you cannot commit to college while in a tactical unit.

I guess if that's what you want, then fine. I still prefer like a friend on mine did. Delta Force after getting a great education in a technical field.

I planned to make it a career myself, but when the military was cut back, my job was replaced by civilians, along with two or more tactical brigades being cut. You never know when you might not be able to reenlist, and preparation for the civil world is a must... At least if you're smart!

Who knows, you could end up in a wheelchair. Then what?

BE PREPARED!

[Re-Animator]

I guess if that's what you want, then fine. I still prefer like a friend on mine did. Delta Force after getting a great education in a technical field.

My dad and his dad was Army,5th and 7th SF I had no choice it was inbred in me. I was lucky to be around when Delta was still in the experimenting stages.I served signal with the 82nd I got to be where the action is, the general never wants to be more than 25 feet from his radio man.We serve to kick ass and take names. and yes we all ended up at wall mart afterwords so you do have a point.

I didn't read where you said to try and get educated first. That makes a lot of sense the Army has a habit of making you go to school for something they need. You want to be an x-ray tech they want you to go to recondo school and learn to live off bugs for 90 days in the jungle.


The bottom line our educational system in America could be better so kids don't have to join the service,go to Iraq and worried about being shot at just to become a veterinarian.

[Wild Cobra]

I didn't read where you said to try and get educated first. That makes a lot of sense the Army has a habit of making you go to school for something they need. You want to be an x-ray tech they want you to go to recondo school and learn to live off bugs for 90 days in the jungle.

It's best to do so if you can. Still, it's not necessary. Thing is, make sure you are guaranteed the job field you want. Then they can only change it if you fail the school.

The bottom line our educational system in America could be better so kids don't have to join the service,go to Iraq and worried about being shot at just to become a veterinarian.

Very true. It's pretty sad that I had a better education by the 9th or 10th grade than high school graduates do now.

Then the Department of Education for that. Reducing teaching to the lowest common denominator.

[Heath Ledger]

Brutalis,

All four branches hav GED waivers on hold at the moment because they have an influx of people who are trying to get in so they can pick and choose who they want instead of taking criminals to fill the ranks.

That being said the GED programs open and close multiple times a month sometimes a few times in a day. Go talk to a Navy and Chair Force recruiter and see which branch offers you the best opportunity and stay in close contact with your recruiter, each morning he can check on the GED status and notify you immediately to come get your done, there are also things he can prep beforehand to make this process smooth for you.

Also you have to take your ASVAB,

Do you have any college credits currently 20 credits or more will basically get you in a couple branches as you are considered a high school graduate with 20 credits. I know this is the Army's policy not sure about the others.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

swing and a miss

[chode_regulator]

Without reading all the posts

Go big or go home. USMC!!

But if i had to do it over again, AF because of the bases. More to be located at and better facilities.
Though you do have the spoiled young kid stereotype to deal with from other services.

Depends on what you want to do and what you want to do after/if you get out. Obviously if you wanted to be a grunt, AF is not the way to go and if you want to be a fighter pilot Army is not the way to go. I know these are extreme and specific examples but it gets my piont across.

[Mr Roper]

It's best to do so if you can. Still, it's not necessary. Thing is, make sure you are guaranteed the job field you want. Then they can only change it if you fail the school.

Very true. It's pretty sad that I had a better education by the 9th or 10th grade than high school graduates do now.

Then the Department of Education for that. Reducing teaching to the lowest common denominator.

Back in 1979 you didn't even need a GED!

[macdude06]

Brutalis,

All four branches hav GED waivers on hold at the moment because they have an influx of people who are trying to get in so they can pick and choose who they want instead of taking criminals to fill the ranks.

That being said the GED programs open and close multiple times a month sometimes a few times in a day. Go talk to a Navy and Chair Force recruiter and see which branch offers you the best opportunity and stay in close contact with your recruiter, each morning he can check on the GED status and notify you immediately to come get your done, there are also things he can prep beforehand to make this process smooth for you.

Also you have to take your ASVAB,

Do you have any college credits currently 20 credits or more will basically get you in a couple branches as you are considered a high school graduate with 20 credits. I know this is the Army's policy not sure about the others.

I beleive it is 12 college credits...but i heard its different for all regions..its not the same for a texas recruiter and a washington recruiter..

[Victor Newman]

I had flat feet so I didn't have this option.

[chode_regulator]

I had flat feet so I didn't have this option.

Without reading this whole post, what option?
I have flat feet too and was able to get in the Corps

[Clandestino]

If you join the Army you get to pick your job as well. Many cool jobs depending on what you like to do. there are over 250 so if you can't find one there, you can't find one anywhere.

Don't rule out trying to go overseas. It will the best time of your life.

[Clandestino]

As for quality of life, AF is the way to go. Ive been to many bases and they have the best amenities. Army is so so, but it was still a blast

[TDMVPDPOY]

air navy is good if ur flying jets and , cause then you be using them eckies for good use...hahahahah